Hitcher From Heaven, Boxlip Darrell Plus The History of The Arizona Historical Society

 April 12, 2024

   Here's a road trip fantasy for all the guys I grew up with.

Daily Whip Out: "Goin' My Way?"

   Yes, this is the ultimate road trip fantasy for almost every guy of a certain age. A long stretch of barren highway and a lone hitchhiker, alluring and innocent, yet somehow road worthy. I must report that this fantasy evaporates completely when these same guys become fathers of daughters who might flirt with the very idea of hitchhiking!

   And speaking of daughters who fall for guys in my tribe.

Daily Whip Out:

"Boxlip Darrell Goes to Prom"

Boxlip Darrell

   He was small but he had a big mouth on him. Actually, he had a very profane mouth. Plus he had a devilish theory: if you said a swear word loud enough—like when you were entering English class for example—nobody would believe you were saying a swear word. So, every day during fifth period in Mrs. Logsdon's class, everyone would wait with baited breath for Darrell to come through the door and shout out some profanity. It sounded like CUN-FUN with a slight distortion, but it was painfully clear if you were in on the joke. I'm happy to say, his theory held for the entire year. Our dear teacher merely smiled and welcomed him to class. Surely, she must have thought, he couldn't be swearing in English class? Of course not.

   He was a devout Mormon, of course.

   The Arizona 1864 legislation about abortion has been in the news lately, but it's also good to point out a positive aspect of that legislative effort:

   "In 1863 Congress passed the Arizona Organic Act which determined that 14 year old New Mexico Territory (Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo 1848 and Gadsden Purchase 1854) would be divided in half. In 1864 the present day boundary between AZ and NM was drawn, a territorial governor named and a legislature elected/ chosen. They met in Prescott in a recently built log building (a replica of this building can be visited at the Sharlot Hall Museum) for 43 days. Among items passed into law; AT was divided into four Counties, a legal code decided upon, a system of schools somewhat established and, recognizing the historical importance of what they were doing, an Arizona Historical Society was formed. Now, 160 years later, AZ is a State (1912), there are 15 counties, the state school system boasts 3 major Universities and AHS is thriving. AHS morphed from what was essentially a social club debating exactly who was a pioneer and keeper/displayer of private collections of things like Apache basketry (in spite of the 1906 Antiquities Act, (cough, cough). In the 1920s AHS transitioned toward the research, educational and research/publishing institution it is today."

—Greg Scott

"Our school was so small, we had Driver's Ed and Sex Ed in the same car."

—Boxlip Darrell