The times they are a changing....

34 years ago this fall, when I was in high school, a friend of mine was running for Student Council President. His name was Jan Archer. He had to be out of town for the weekend prior to the election and was told by the student adviser, because he was not going to be around to campaign, he would not be put on the ballot. Another student was also out of pocket that weekend but was still put on the ballot, in spite of Jan being removed for the same kind of absence.

Those of us who were his friends and supporters, suggested a write-in campaign. We campaigned hard and kept the faith.

When the election was over, the votes were counted and the results announced. Jan Archer was the first student council president in the history of Theodore Roosevelt High School in Des Moines, Iowa, to win on a write-in vote. Jan was also the first African-American student council president in the history of Theodore Roosevelt High School.

The times, indeed, are a-changing.