October 2, 2023 - It was in 1938. Daddy had just moved us to a rent house owned by William Henry Smith located just north of Center, Texas on the Henrietta Road. There were only three Fincher children in our family at that time: Bill was 7 years old, I (Henry Douglas) was five years old, and John was not quite four. We had a dog named “Nellie” and a cow that my Grandmother “loaned” us in those struggling days. We kept the cow behind the house in a patch of grass and yellow bitterweeds.

September 18, 2023 - Mrs. Era Miller, former English Department Director at East Texas Baptist University, was my favorite teacher… ever. I took courses in World Literature, English Literature and courses in Shakespeare, Browning and Tennyson from her. I remember well how she often compared Browning with Tennyson.

September 5, 2023 - In 1950 at the age of 18, I hitch-hiked to Springfield, Missouri with three dollars in my pocket.  I persuaded the College to let me enroll with the promise to pay as I could for a room in the dormitory.  I was given a room shared with Don Walker of Tyler, Texas.  It was complete with a lavatory, a Panel-Ray Heater a washcloth, a towel, a broom, and two bunk beds.

August 14, 2023 - Considering the fact that our family was large (10 children) John was the only one of us who ever broke a bone. And not only did he break his leg while walking through a planer mill, he was the only one of us that was shot… twice. 

“Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you...” James 4:8