Submitted by Karl Breckenridge
A decade before the book “The Peter Principle” was written, I was blessed by having what might have been the inspiration for the book, the biggest asshat ever to occupy a Reno High classroom, as a teacher. One day during class he told me to stick around after the bell, as he wanted to see me. I waited as instructed.
“Mr. Breckenbridge, we come here to learn, not to play games with words. I’ve told the vice principal of discipline about this, and he directed me to send you to him.”
This person having had me as a student for half a semester still couldn’t get my name right. On the up-side, he looked like an intellectual when compared to the vice principal I was about to visit.
My infraction, whch I’ll throw out now, was to utter the name “St. Dapical X” shortly prior to a test which would certainly ask the names of the ten federal cabinet offices. For one of Reno High cafeteria’s legendary cinnamon gut-bomb sweet rolls, I would divulge to my peers why they needed to know of that prelate.
The vice principal of discipline then laid into me big-time, in spite of my efforts to convince him that the name was a mnemonic – a term he was probably unaware of – for those cabinet offices. Like “HOMES” for the Great Lakes, but I didn’t invent that one. I somewhere during our discussion told him if he’d shut up for just a minute I could explain the benefits of this perceived transgression.
He went into low–orbit over that and called my dad, who had spent, as it was, more time at Reno High my senior year than I had. The vice principal parked me outside his office while my father, who was probably out trying to earn a living at that hour, drove over to Booth Street. I think he had his own parking place by then.
Dad entered the principal’s office suite like a freight train, mad mostly at me. Upon hearing of my infraction, he turned his guns on the VPoD for bothering him over such a chickenship problem. The two men got into it verbally and dad held his own, then it started to turn physical, which would have been a career-ender for the VPoD and surely a trip to the hoosegow for dad – assault and battery – which no jury would ever convict him of, but who knows for sure?
Long story short, the whole thing was over St. Dapical X, and I here posit the reader if it was worth the dustup – a mnemonic that I still remember these 61 years later:
ST = State, Treasury. DAPICAL = Defense, Attorney-General, Postmaster-General, Interior, Commerce, Agriculture, Labor. And X? Why, Health, Education and Welfare, a new office back then. (Now I’d have to dream up a letter for Homeland Security.)
No names of these two school district geniuses are offered, you’ll note. And that’s the way it is, March 26, 2020. A personal note, if I may: Thanks to Sam and Diane at the Grill at Quail Corners for two mighty-fine take-out birthday dinners for a friend and I last evening, and to Ridhi, who brought the meal to my car to delivered it and a ton of personality!
And the birthday girl and I sat six feet apart….see you back here tomorrow – be safe, huh?
Karl Breckenridge
Karl Breckenridge was slowly going nuts. So he decided to help out This is Reno by writing a daily out-of-his-mind column for the duration of the coronavirus shutdown. Now that it’s over he’s back to his usual antics, drinking coffee with the boys at the Bear and, well, we’re not sure what else. But he loved sharing his daily musings with you, so he’s back, albeit a little less often, to keep on sharing. Karl grew up in the valley and has stories from the area going back to 1945. He’s been writing for 32 years locally.
Read more from Karl Breckenridge
Cheers 4 – the Lear steam bus
The latest news on the Lear Theater has Karl remembering some of the Lear’s other projects, including a steam-powered bus.
Cheers 3 – the groceries II
Karl did not limit his column to ten items or less, so get out of the express line to read this history of Reno grocery markets.
Cheers 2 – the groceries I
Karl got a little distracted this week, starting off with a list of Reno’s great groceries of yesterday then slipping on some ice.
Cheers 1 – Of wine and Little Italy
Karl is back, making us all wonder why we didn’t spend more time during stay-at-home orders pressing grapes into homemade wine.
Day 75 – Karl’s retired to the Bear
From the get-go our pal Karl said he’d write “a short squib on a daily basis – nothing political, nothing controversial,” well, except for that one column.
Day 74 – the Truckee’s picturesque islands (updated)
Karl’s pal Jody shares the rich history of bootlegging, decorating, and engineering within the confines of the Truckee River’s banks and its picturesque islands.
Day 72 – Hobos, tigers and leprechauns
Karl recollects the series of eateries that drew diners to the corner of Virginia Street and Gentry Way for several decades.
Day 70 & 71 – in Flanders Fields
Karl shares a poem by John McCrae to mark Memorial Day.
Day 69 – The Nugget shark: John meets Jaws
Karl was talking about baby shark, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, long before the kids these days had ever been born.
Day 67 – What I like about Reno High
Karl, er, Carmine Ghia, writes an end-of-school-year essay to turn in to Mrs. Lehners about everything he likes about Reno High School.
Day 67 – 25 Bret Harte
Karl saddles up and heads to Newlands Manor where Western movies star Reno Browne grew up, and Lash Larue paid a visit or two.
Day 66 – Out for dinner we go
Karl goes out to eat at the El Tavern Motel, a truck stop outside the Reno city limits on the Lincoln Highway.
Day 65 – Dawn Bunker
Karl is back in action with a fresh story of which students of Mrs. Bunker’s class at Jessie Beck Elementary School still won’t spill the beans.
Day 64 – abducted
Karl Breckenridge called in to This Is Reno editors this morning with a hands-in-the-air, what-can-I-do sense of resignation.
Day 63 – Wedding chapels
Karl’s enjoying coffee with pals at the Bear, so today Jody stands at the altar to share the history of Reno’s wedding chapel industry.
Day 62 – the mansion at 2301 Lakeside Drive
Karl’s 7-year-old alter ego rides his bike down to Virginia Lake to explore the Hancock Mansion, a nifty home complete with a bomb shelter, sunroof and doll collection.
Day 61 – Basque hotels
Karl wanders back in time to 1960, a time when multiple Basque hotels served up minestrone soup, English lessons, banking, and accommodations.
Day 60 – the bygone Greyhound terminal
Karl’s synapses are firing today after hearing mention of Reno’s Greyhound bus terminal on Stevenson Street, now razed.
Day 59 – Don’t tell Mom
Karl rewinds to Mother’s Day to share a story from the archive about Grandpas without a Clue and another ragtop adventure, by reader demand.
Day 58 – School stuff
Karl considers the value of a school name as the WCSD moves to rename one of the area’s older remaining schools and open a new one.
Day 57 – Pedalin’ around Vine Street
Karl rides his bike through history, remembering some of the places and people that helped to build Reno into the city it is today.
Submitted opinions do not necessarily reflect the views of This Is Reno. Have something to say? Submit an opinion article or letter to the editor here.
