Rainey

I’ll never forget the time when a clerk slipped up and gave my mother a nickel too much change. Later, when Mother realized the mistake, she turned our old 1950 Ford around and headed back to the doughnut shop to return the money and make things right. Although the incident involved a little change, I learned an enormous lesson that day. It was all about ethics.

Recently, my good friend Lockadee Newland shared The Fred Factor by Mark Sanborn with me. It is a short straightforward book about a postman, Fred, who does the right thing whether it is convenient or not. Sanborn calls people with good ethics “Freds.”

This summer I traveled to New York City with my daughters. I met people along the way ready to lend a hand whether in airports, hotels, restaurants or taxis, and I was reminded of Fred the postman. Later, my husband, Bill, and I drove to Santa Fe, N.M. where I met more obliging folks along the way and was again reminded of Fred. Abraham Lincoln summed up the Fred Factor long before Sanborn did when he said, “Whatever you are, be a good one.”

Denton has many folks who fit the “Fred” description, no matter what their profession.  Ed Wittmis, affectionately called Mr. Ed by the faculty and students at Hodge Elementary School where he serves as head custodian, is but one example.

Mr. Ed is a stable force for students when he unlocks the doors to the school in the morning, welcoming students to the world of learning. He shows honor and a good work ethic as he empties the trash or cleans the cafeteria, making it an orderly place for children to gather for nourishment. He remembers the children’s names and in doing so conveys to them that each child is important. One faculty member at Hodge told me that Mr. Ed goes above and beyond his job description. If someone voices a need, he responds to that need quickly and quietly without making a fuss.

Mr. Ed was hired in 1986 by Charles Borth, then principal of the school. He vowed to Borth his intent to stay in his position for 20 years. The years have come and gone along with many who have passed through the halls of Hodge Elementary School. This year marks Mr. Ed’s 20th anniversary at the school. Will Mr. Ed retire? I don’t know. But one thing’s for sure. If he chooses a new labor of love, he will embrace it with the same integrity and work ethic as always. Whatever he chooses to do, he will in the words of Abraham Lincoln, “be a good one.”