GLEANINGS FROM THE GROVE
Carpe Potestatum Paul Fanning, DTM
It has been said that I grew up in a privileged
at the Daily Telegraph Newspaper. He worked
fashion. The truth be told, it wasn’t a silver spoon
during the war years of 1939-46 and remained a
that I was born with, but rather a simple nickel-
newspaperman his entire life. His knowledge of
silver plated one. However, don’t get me wrong.
world affairs, history, geography, and the art of
I counted it indeed to be from the family I was
storytelling became his greatest gift and legacy
born into, and I oft took advantage of that modus
to me. I aspired to follow in his footsteps.
in order to accomplish my goals and objectives.
The next great mentor was none other than
One of these early aspirations was to become a
his only child, my mother, who loved to do
writer, or a famous author—and most assuredly—
research. While writing never became a full-time
to be published in a national publication. I saw an
employment for her, she served for many years
easy and rewarding future with pen and paper,
on the staff of a national publication, became its
typewriter, and a brilliant keen mind. These were
business manager while attempting to nurture,
on my check list of attributes I thought I needed
entertain, and contain her wild child—oh that’s
to meet that lofty future. And of course, I had
me—and my brother. She published, wrote,
good examples and mentors surrounding me.
and illustrated children’s stories. When I was in
My grandfather was one such mentor and
high school, she began a weekly “gossip/newsy”
influence upon my young impressionable mind.
column in the two local papers in our county.
He was born in Lambeth which is in the Cockney
She continued to write for at least two decades.
part of London. He decided at an early age to
Mother inherited my grandfather’s mind, his
better himself through reading. The education
love of stories, and the ability to make even the
afforded him was that which he could afford.
mundane interesting and exciting.
He was a voracious reader of adventure books,
If that was not a “nudge” in the right direction,
the classic “Our Boys” annuals as well as tales
I had two other mentors and tutors to point me
from around the world. He was apprenticed to
to the right path. The first was a former editor of
a printer by age 15. He learned a trade and at the
the Oregonian, also a life-long newspaperman,
same time took advantage of the printed material
who had coined the word “skyjacked” for the
around him. He eventually found a new job
San Francisco Chronicle and still blackened
38
ONE COMMUNITY
