Half Way Home from Kinderlou: The Happy Childhood Memories of a Grandfather - Hardcover

by Barbara A. McArtor (Illustrator), James Edward Alexander (Author)

Through a collection of short stories, a grandfather describes his happy childhood in the small town of Valdosta, Georgia. It was a simple time when children played simple games with simple toys. Those were the days when failure of a child to say "yes ma'am" and "yes sir" to grown folks was considered an act of disrespect which brought swift rebuke and punishment from the disrespected adult and the child's parents. Most homeowners in his neighborhood only dreamed of indoor plumbing, electric lights and home telephone service.

Despite the prevailing social order, dictated by racial segregation which choked the advancement of some of his neighbors, little James Edward was often permitted broader liberties to expand his borders simply because all of the adults encouraged his growth. His timing was right. Colored adults nourished his self confidence as though vicariously rekindling their own aspirations. White adults saw a fast moving innocent youngster with a cautions and keen intellect, so letting him roam was a gift to a child which did not threaten their prerogatives. So adults of both races sought ways to assuage the harshness of segregation for little James Edward by smothering him with affection and special attention. The effects of this esteem is reflected in his pleasant memories of the post depression years and other events of that time.

Author Biography

JAMES EDWARD ALEXANDER, ESQ. In 1951, on his 17th birthday, he entered the U. S Air Force. He was initially trained as a medical technician, but when the Air Force observed his communications skills he was further trained in journalism and broadcasting. Following his assignment as Station Manager of an Armed Forces Ratio/Television station in Greenland, in 1965, he was assigned as a senior instructor in broadcasting at the prestigious Defense Information School. In 1969, after 14 years of persistently attending military and civilian schools wherever he was stationed, he qualified for a one year leave of absence from military service to complete his college education. Alexander chose Indiana University, where, in 1970, he received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Broadcast Management, he says, "With the support of my former spouse and our four children." Following his retirement from military service in 1971, he held management and sales positions with Time Life Broadcasting Company, McGraw-Hill Broadcasting Company, Combined Communications, Press Secretary for the re-election campaign of a U.S. Senator, and videotape operator for the ABC Network. He says, "At the age of 52, I felt the urge to complete a list of personal objectives. My path led me to the Whittier Law School, where, with the help of my present wife, I prepared to pass the California Bar Examination, on the initial attempt, at age 56." From 1991 to 2003, he was a partner in the law firm of Adams and Alexander, with law offices in Pasadena, and Beverly Hills. He is a member of the Bar of the Supreme Court of The United States, United States Circuit Court of Appeals (Ninth Circuit), United States District Court (Central District of California), and the State Bar of California. James Edward Alexander, and his wife Toian, live in Bluffton, SC.