He gave me his favorites to read, and sometimes read to me: Can such things Be by Ambrose Bearse; Reynard the fox; The Red Runners and Stormie The Dog Stealer. Sometimes he would read Seck Hawkins stories to me during the chess lessons, and Oh!, what stories they became. Nobody could tell the Seckatary stories with the same passion, enthusiasm and vocal intrigue as the master himself. We would talk for hours about other things the boy's had done that he hadn't written down yet. He was always convinced that his stories were going to be read by all boys and girls someday. He wanted my big brother and me to be sure and help my dad take care of that somehow. Dad had said we would work on this when he retired at 65, but unfortunately, Dad was called to entertain in heaven earlier.

As I grew into young adulthood, joined the Service and got married with children of my own, Grandpa and I always wrote letters and stayed in touch. I have only a few of them now. He and Julia B' attended my Air force induction, my wedding, my College graduation, and any family event they could with all four of their children and respective families. They always drove the old 56' Buick because he didn't trust those flying machines. It was a bit comical to ride along with them in the old Buick and experience the rare delegation of power to Julia B Seck didn't like to drive, so he assumed the role of navigator and "back-seat" driver.

We did spend some wonderful days on the Licking River, cane-pole fishing for mud catfish and trapping crawfish with Seck, my dad, Grandpa Charlie (Julia B's dad) my Uncle John and my big brother Bobby. The "girls" of the family having better things to do. My brother John was too young (like 1 or 2) to do much in those days. The catfish were so tough, they would stay alive out of water all day long, and be kicking even when we got them home.

Philadelphia North American: -- "If you have never met Seckatary Hawkins, you have in store a treat comparable with the genuine pleasure you experienced when you first became acquainted with 'Huck Finn'. If you like boys and dogs, if their escapades ... recall those days of your own childhood, you can fairly revel in the rich humor that fills the book from cover to cover. And it may be that somewhat of profit may accompany the pleasure in reflection of the age of innocence."

From the Cincinnati Enquirer: --"There is a serious need in this country for authors who will write wholesome material for children of preadolescent age, such as the stories I was brought up on - the Stevenson books and the 'Seckatary Hawkins' stories." and " Mysterious, exciting, wholesome, and well written. The author in all of his stories idealizes healthy boyhood, and Seckatary Hawkins and his pals are fine examples for any boy to know and follow."

New York Herald-Tribune:- "Even though you are not a young boy, you read on to find out if this romantic Gray Ghost figure who appears out of the clouds and disappears into them is going to be caught and subdued. His salvation comes in a way that will delight all his readers."

The Cleveland Times:- "When the reviewer handed this book to a certain young friend of his, he heard, 'Oh! Another Seckatary Hawkins book!' as it was snatched from him; and 'Gee! That's Swell!'as it was later returned. So it evidently is a good book.

Cleveland Plain Dealer:- "The best boys stories since 'Huckleberry Finn".

New York Book Review:- "Seckatary Hawkins should have unusual interest for youth of any age.

Fairmont West Virginian:- "So brimful of life is Seckatary Hawkins that he rejuvenates all those around him. The author has interwoven the story with the lives of both juveniles and adults, so that the book is interesting to old as well as young, and yet nowhere has he failed to write from the juvenile standpoint.

"Any youth who reads Seckatary Hawkins will arise from the perusal with higher ideals and nobler aims. It is a book that should find its place in all juvenile libraries." -- Father Francis J. Finn S.J. (also a Cincinnati author of over 40 books for boys). Father Finn was an old friend of RFS who also has remarked to him: "You knew what to leave in the ink well, Bob! You have the ability to create distinctive characters so real that, if they suddenly did come to life, they would not make one faint."

The reader learns to think for himself and play Fair and Square throughout life.

American Hebrew:- The most famous boys in history are Huckleberry Finn, Tom Sawyer, and Penrod, who never lived anywhere except in the brains of Mark Twain and Booth Tarkington. They are well known because they are so true to life, real boys in every sense of the word. Another of these jolly little fellows is to be met in Seckatary Hawkins."

The American in New York -- "The boy reader, while being entertained, will imbibe plenty of useful information. What is best, he will unconsciously catch the spirit of love and appreciation for home and parents that permeates the whole story."

The Detroit Free Press: -- "The author of this series knows just the right amount of sentiment, humor and mystery to combine."

Springfield State Journal:- "As certain to find itself besides Dad's tobacco pouch as on the shelf of the boy."

John G. Kidd, publisher:- "As a boy, if it had been possible to narrow down a selection of my favorite books to four or five titles, those most often read would have been 'Huckleberry Finn', 'Ivanhoe', 'Robin Hood', 'Tom Sawyer', and finally 'Treasure Island'. I imagine that any boy of my age at the time would be sure to add to this some one of the various 'Seckatary Hawkins' books all good, clean stories of adventure."

An old RFS pal said of Seck's success(circa 1940) :"In 30 years he has not had to "freshen" one story or even change one line of it which is remarkable in this quickly changing world of ours. Bob takes his readers into the unchanging world of the young boy, the little primitive who must recapitulate the race by loving hurled stones and bare feet, night forays and hot feuds, makeshift shacks and small boats, terror and danger and daring, and twists of water lazying by the mysteries of willow thicketed gravel bars..."(by W.F. Wiley?)

TO KILL A MOCKING BIRD

1960 - Harper Lee wrote this world famous story of her childhood in Alabama. There are several references to the Seckatary Hawkins books and stories. In the first chapter, page 18, it appears that the visiting boy, Dill, and Scout's brother Jem have a mutual interest in Seckatary Hawkins due to the dare and bet of a "The Gray Ghost" book. Dill bets Jem a "Gray Ghost" against two Tom Swift's, that Jem won't get by the front gate, but later ...Dill concedes that he will cancel the dare and swap The Gray Ghost if Jem will just touch the spooky house of Boo Radley.

There is a very similar hollow tree-hiding place in the Seck Hawkins magazine story called The Rejiment, where the boys hid all their "good stuff". Rifle, slingshot,etc..

Harper Lee even chooses to end her book with the moral lessons of Seckatary Hawkins by quoting from The Gray Ghost, and using that parallel to make her point. Pages 254-255: "Atticus was in Jem's room, sitting by his bed. He was reading a book...'Whatcha readin'?' I asked. Atticus turned the book over. 'Something of Jem's. Called The Gray Ghost. I was suddenly awake. 'Why'd you get that one?' 'Honey, I don't know. Just picked it up. One of the few things I haven't read', he said pointedly.  'Read it out loud, please, Atticus. It's real scary.' 'No', he said. 'You've had enough scaring for a while. This is too--' 'Atticus, I wasn't scared....Besides, nothin's real scary except in books.' ... He took his thumb from the middle of the book and turned back to the first page. I moved over and leaned my head against his knee. 'H'mm,' he said. 'The Gray Ghost, by Seckatary Hawkins. Chapter One...' I willed myself to stay awake, but the rain was so soft and the room was so warm and his voice was so deep and his knee was so snug that I slept....'Heard every word you said', I muttered. '...wasn't asleep at all. 's about a ship an' Three-Fingered Fred 'n' Stoner's Boy...' ...' Yeah, an' they all thought it was Stoner's Boy messin' up their clubhouse an' throwin' ink all over it an'...' ...'An' they chased him 'n' never could catch him 'cause they didn't know what he looked like, an' Atticus, when they finally saw him, why he hadn't done any of those things...Atticus, he was real nice...' His hands were under my chin, pulling up the cover, tucking it around me. 'Most people are, Scout, when you finally see them.' He turned out the light and went into Jem's room. He would be there all night, and he would be there when Jem waked up in the morning."

Curiously, Scout must have been more asleep than she thought, The Gray Ghost story does mention Seck's blotter having the ink bottle spilled (but not thrown all over) by 3 fingered Fred, but no scattering of papers; however, the tearing up and scattering of books around the club house appears in the first sequel, Stoner's Boy p51. Stoner's also describes a snow fort being "messed up". So, several Seckatary Hawkins books were obviously available to read in that household. Putting the two stories together from book one to book four implies that their Seck interest was more than a brief fancy.

A communication Ms Lee sent to me recently reflects that she is proud to be a member of the Seckatary Hawkins Fair & Square Club.

The Mockingbird Movie

The only mention of Seckatary in the movie version was when the visiting boy, Dill bets a " Gray Ghost" against two Tom Swift's, in a different circumstance. This appears in Chapter one of the book, but a little later in the movie version. Jem's touch to the Radley house is also different, using Scout in an old tire that rolls to the Radley porch steps. After saving Scout, Jem runs up and touches the house.

A Hollywood editing omission is an unfortunate loss to the movie viewer because the ending of the movie makes no mention of the moral lesson of Seckatary's Gray Ghost or Stoner's Boy books. If one does not read the To kill a Mockingbird book, he will miss the final moral impact that the Seckatary reference allows - perhaps the central theme of the author!

A winner never quits - Seck continued working until his sudden death by heart attack April 6, 1972, at home in Hyde Park. He was working on a new story that brought the boys into the next century and modern conveniences that the first boys did not know about. He died in his home, halfway through the "Old Sycamore Doorway" to his study. We don't know his last words, because he was already gone when Julia B found him in the hall. So, perhaps his last words will be the message in his books. Because he had the foresight to write his words down in such a pleasant fashion for all who share the camaraderie of the Fair & Square club, we will now remember him forever.

Seckatary Hawkins has quite simply, maybe a little obliquely, yet benevolently, challenged all of us to be our very best and reach for that brightest star time and time again. His prime desire seemed to be that we respect ourselves and love our family; our God and country; fairly and squarely; as he loved and treated us all; with the hopeful consequence of our loving him back. ... Which we did.

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