Who would you rate among most significant?

We occasionally come across something that gets us thinking and then we also realize how times can change our attitudes. That was the case this past week when we found in our files a question asking, “How would you have answered?” Here’s the results of that challenge:
“Of the many significant human beings, living or dead, which names come first to your mind?  That was the question asked over 70 years ago to 129 students and all faculty members of a Fine Arts College of a Midwestern university.
It was reported the answers were disturbing to say the least. For instance, only one physician, Dr. Albert Schweitzer, showed up on the faculty list; none at all appeared on the student list. Christ ran second to Lincoln on the faculty list and did no better than to tie with Aristotle for tenth place on the student list.”
After looking at that report we have come to the conclusion just how fast the old world is changing. Now it has also posed another problem for us. The question arises, “Are today’s would-be changes to that list supposedly a sign of progress? 
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As we get older we find we should maybe follow another bit of advice: “Give folks flowers while they can still smell them!”
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Years ago a man had managed to get a job as a collector for the telephone company.
“Take this master key and go around and empty all the coin boxes in the phone booths and get the dimes and quarters,” said the manager.
He was gone for three weeks. Then he walked into the office and announced, “Can I have another key? I’ve lost t’other one.”
“Certainly,” replied the manager. “But where have you been all this time? The cashier has stayed late every Friday night expecting you to come for your wages.”
“What!” exclaimed the man, beaming; “Do I get wages as well?”
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   Definition: Retraction – To make one take back a statement. For example, a newspaper headline said  “Half of the city council are crooks.” The city council demanded a retraction. The next day the headline read , “Half of the city council are not crooks.”
RL Furse  is publisher emeritus of the News-Register