RONALD MINER HUGHES - The Person
Born Ronald Miner, Ron was raised in Connecticut, and was the youngest of 5 children. Most of his childhood years were spent on a 365 acre dairy farm owned, then, by a lovely West Hartford family, but managed by Ron's parents, and located in the scenic Gilead section of Hebron, Connecticut. Ron's parents, who were without benefit of much formal education, were hard working providers --his mother of great wisdom introduced him to the piano when he was 7 years old.
Ron recalls both of his grandmothers were totally blind. His maternal grandmother played creative games with him, and baked cupcakes in a black wood stove while his older brothers and sisters attended a one room school, and his parents worked during the day. When Grandma died in 1951, Grandpa came to live on the farm until he died in 1952. Always surrounded by dairy cows, pigs, rabbits, chickens, ducks, dogs, 23 barn cats, and for a time 2 ponies, he also recalls in many ways it was really not unlike living on Walton's Mountain.
A family of eight (including Grandpa) who sat around the dining room table every evening sharing each day's events before listening, as a family, to radio and eventually a television, they were of modest means, yet they enjoyed the comfort of Mom's tastefully furnished, and warmly decorated home--a 15 room Greek Revival style farmhouse (1861). His Dad managed the dairy-poultry-produce farm with its yearly award winning (from CT Milk Producers Assoc.) dairy, and the family experienced a wealth of nature--apple, pear, peach and cherry orchards, green pastures, a 2-acre vegetable garden, a pond with 3 islands and a log cabin, a dairy barn, a horse barn, 2 ice-houses, hen houses, rabbit coups and the likes. To Ron, every animal was a pet and a friend and, therefore, he gave every animal on the farm a name--even the 100 head of milking cows.
The family lived in a close-knit community with 4 to 10-party telephone lines (no secrets in this town), a little country store that had an ice cream parlor, 3 small fairly well attended churches (where he learned and loved to play the pipe organs) and a tiny Synagogue attended by some of his close classmates, including a best friend at school. For a long time the Grange Hall was an important source of social activity. At age 14 one was considered old enough to go through an elaborate induction ceremony for lifetime membership. The second Tuesday evening of every month farmers and community members would gather at the Grange Hall for their formal business meeting followed by the entertainment of the evening (songs, dances, games, and sometimes pot-luck suppers or strawberry shortcake fests. Everyone knew everyone by name--adults and children, alike. Small town gossip was a part of life but it was outweighed by a community spirit that brought everyone together in a heartbeat when someone was in need.
There were 11 one-room school houses (9 still standing) that were utilized until 1949 when the new 8-room Hebron Elementary School was built. In 1957 a regional (RHAM) High School was erected--some would say, "scattered over a swamp" not far from Charlotte's Restaurant--an after school hang out right out of "Happy Days." An outstanding memory of the many memories of high school days: One of Ron's guidance counselors advised him that with such a limited background and academic ability, Ron should not waste time thinking about applying for acceptance into college as he was clearly not college material. Suggested if Ron insisted on applying, he might try an all Black Southern University "where standards and expectations would be lower." Hmmm. Dr. King hadn't yet announced his "dream" --it wasn't "happy days" for everyone. Glad that gudance counselor wasn't on the admitting panel when Ron applied for the doctoral program or he would not have been accepted!
Spring brought the hanging of May-baskets and June-boxes--a practice of delivering a basket or box of goodies to an unsuspecting neighbor--ringing the doorbell, hiding, and then when found by the surprised recipient, joining them in a party. Summer was the hard working corn or grass silage and hay making season, but also a time for multi-family picnics, nightly neighborhood games of hide-and-seek, hayrides, camping, and bike rides up and down Gilead Street (a 5-mile street lined on each side with huge maples from which hung farmers' pails to gather sap for maple syrup). Ron's older brothers were into cowboys and indians for a time--simulating scenes from radio's and TV's Lone Ranger, Roy Rogers or Gene Autry shows. Ron's older brothers would dramatically feign falling from hay mows after being "shot down." The weapons--imaginary rifles, or toy bows and arrows. Imagination provided the greatest of toys and entertainment. Winter brought ice skating, hot chocolate heated over an open fire, hay-wagon caroling and gathering wonderfully scented evergreens with his sisters to make wreaths--NO one in town would think of hanging a "store-bought" wreath! Now THERE would be an item for gossip!
With all of that, under the hot summer sun, Ron, as part of his chores, rode the farm tractors around the hayfields and dreamed of someday extracating himself from a boring country life, to an exciting city life working in a city office behind a desk--enjoying what farmers referred to as "the soft life" and presumed to be an easy life! Years later from two busy hospital offices, busy schedules, deadlines for reports, documents, consultations, and presentations, he dreamed of the country life--the farm, the cabin, and the country fields. He would explain briefly to patients and colleagues why he had trinkets and pictures of cows displayed in his offices.
By the time Ron's daughter and sons were born, Ron's parents had retired from the farm, but the farm still became a special place to visit throughout their childhood.
Children grown, none of them are farmers! One majored in early childhood development, taught pre-school, and is now an extraordinary Mom--hense, Ron has an extraordinary Granddaughter. Another leaned toward his Dad's field--practices school social work and enjoys serving as President of a school board; and yet another became a photography buff and nature enthusiast, climbing mountains in Napal, and frequenting the mountains of upper New England (almost a farmer--but more a hiker and avid reader).
They and friends understand why aside from Ron's love of providing healthcare, he enjoys antique telephones, pipe organs, writing, and the country. And this is why they "tolerate" his softspot for TV-Land!
There were those great times, and there were the very, very tough times--challenging and unmentioned now unless to make a therapeutic point occasionally for the benefit of someone else facing life challenges. Together those great times and those tough times culminated into a gift: The appreciation of people, hardships, and the motivation to provide compassionate healthcare and to encourage the enhancement (and often repair) of relationships at every level.