{"id":293,"date":"2019-12-15T01:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-12-15T01:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/underwoodpress.com\/truechili\/?p=293"},"modified":"2019-12-08T23:49:14","modified_gmt":"2019-12-08T23:49:14","slug":"its-not-a-hat-it-is-a-stetson-by-thomas-davison","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/underwoodpress.com\/truechili\/2019\/12\/15\/its-not-a-hat-it-is-a-stetson-by-thomas-davison\/","title":{"rendered":"It’s Not a Hat – It is a Stetson by Thomas Davison"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n

            \u201cThe Stetson Catera is a high\nQuality Fur Felt Hat included in the Stetson Gun Club Collection. The Catera\nhas a tear-drop crown with a pinch and it has a 3 1\/4″ brim which slants\ndown in the front and back. The hat has a full satin lining and a leather interior\nsweatband.\u201d      ~ www.Stetson.com   <\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am an\nadjunct business instructor at Marion Technical College (MTC). For the past four\nyears I have been teaching college level business courses at North Central\nCorrections Institution (NCCI) run by a private corporation, the former NCCI\nCamp, and Marion Correctional Institute (MCI) a facility run by the State of\nOhio. These funny acronyms are all-male prisons in northern Ohio. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I felt\ncompelled to write this story about an incident that occurred at the prison\napproximately three years ago. This was a true life-changing incident \u2013 an\nexample of an old teacher getting schooled \u2013 and it all begins with a hat. I\nwas experiencing frustration with one of my classes \u2013 and I was taking it very\npersonally. I use a Socratic teaching-method that utilizes loads of open-ended\nquestions. It is a remarkable teaching method \u2013 provided there is plenty of\nparticipation from the incarcerated students. Without that participation it can\nquickly become dreary \u2013 with a long parade of mono-syllabic answers and little\nelse. This marked the day of my third session with this class and I had yet to\ntruly \u2018connect\u2019. If you are a teacher or trainer of adult-learners – then you\nunderstand just how critical it is to establish that connection. I hadn\u2019t found\nit \u2013 yet – and I was blaming myself for this failure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In each\nclass I had taught at NCCI before this one – I had always had several \u2018return\u2019\nstudents. Students that I had taught in a previous class. This had helped to\nestablish that important connection. This was an Intro to Management class \u2013 a\nbeginning business course. This class contained exclusively new students whom I\nhad never taught before and I had failed to establish a critical component for\nsuccess. I had failed to establish trust. To truly open-up and fully\nparticipate my incarcerated students needed to sense that I could be trusted.\nAfter a couple of restless nights following two lackluster classes in-a-row I\nsat upright in my bed and experienced the famous \u2018aha\u2019 moment. I felt like a\ncartoon character with a lightbulb literally hovering over my head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\nsolution \u2013 as it often is \u2013 was very simple. The solution was The Solution \u2013 or\nThe Solution Newsletter to be precise. I would make photocopies of a prison\nnewsletter named The Solution – that contained one of my prison-themed stories.\nI would distribute them to the members of this troubling class. I was convinced\nthat once they read the story the students would realize I had been around the\nblock more than a few times. More importantly the students would realize that I\nhad paid my dues \u2013 and was a person they could trust. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis is going to work Tom<\/em>\u201d I mumbled to\nmyself – as I unloaded the precious newsletter copies from my Jeep – in the\nprison parking lot \u2013 \u201cit has to work.<\/em>\u201d\nI changed my comfortable old driving moccasins for a stiff pair of black dress\nshoes – followed by the nagging thought \u2013 \u201cWhat\nif it doesn\u2019t work \u2013 then what?<\/em>\u201d I don\u2019t have time for this \u2013 \u201cWhere did I put my darn hat?\u201d <\/em>The long\ntrek across the windy prison yard required some head coverage. Especially with\nmy balding grey head. My usual headgear \u2013 a US Army veteran baseball cap – was\nnowhere to be found. The only head cover in my Jeep was my beat-up old Stetson.\nThe Stetson was an aging remnant from my high school days in Austin Texas. It\nwas a \u2018Gun Club\u2019 issue Stetson. As a young (14-year-old) buckeye transferred\nfrom Ohio \u2013 I had felt the need to fit in with the cowboys and ranch hands that\nattended my high school. Several dozen mowed lawns later \u2013 I was the proud\nowner of this same Stetson. I was running late for class \u2013 so I popped it unto\nmy head.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I had\ntrampled my way to the prison entrance \u2013 carrying two extra-large (heavy) plastic\nsee through containers \u2013 full of books and papers. I had just begun the tedious\npersonal property search and questioning process – when my inner voice (I.V. or\nIVY as I have named him) said sarcastically \u201cIsn\u2019t it a little late for second thoughts?\u201d<\/em> After passing myself\nthrough the metal-detector and my containers through an x-ray machine – I was\nready to move forward. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I had\ntrekked half-way across the two hundred-yards by two hundred-yards prison yard\n-when that pesky IVY started in for real \u201cDon\u2019t\nyou see how arrogant and egotistical it will look for you to bring in your own\nstory?\u201d<\/em> said IVY rather snidely. I snapped back at IVY \u201cYou know that isn\u2019t my motivation!\u201d <\/em>But what if IVY was right – and\nthat is what my students think? No \u2013 could my inspiration make things worse?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHey Dr. D\u201d<\/em> came\nfrom a melodious voice beside me \u201cnice hat\nyou are sporting today.\u201d <\/em> I was still\ndeep in argument with IVY and responded without thinking \u201cIt\u2019s not a hat \u2013 it is a Stetson!\u201d <\/em>I looked up to see the smiling\nface of Smitty (name changed for this story). Smitty was a force of nature. He\nnever ceased smiling. He was well-known also well-liked by everyone. \u201cWhatever you call it Doc – it\u2019s a ku-well\nbrim.\u201d <\/em>I answered him with a smile of my own \u201cSorry Mr. Smith I am running late for class and I can\u2019t stop to talk\nwith you today.\u201d <\/em>He smiled even broader (if that was possible) \u201cHere let me lighten your load sir\u201d<\/em> he\nsnatched one of the heavy containers from my hand \u201cIt will speed you up.\u201d<\/em> I started walking briskly with Smitty,\nstriding lithely by my side. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As we\napproached the Education Building (EDU) I spied 25 tense looking prisoners in\nfaded blue denim loitering by the front door. They looked impatient waiting for\ntheir tardy teacher (me) to unlock their classroom. As we merged into the\nlarger group – I heard several students \u201cYo-Smitty<\/em>\u201d\nand \u201cWassup-Smitty<\/em>.\u201d Smitty, gave the\ngroup a full-blast of what made his grin famous in the Yard. Everyone seemed to\nloosen up and relax. I heard an inmate named Johnson (one of the youngest of my\nstudents at age 19) pipe up from the rear of the crowd \u201cMr. Davison what have you got on your head<\/em>?   He then proceeded to answer his own question\n\u201cIs it an Indiana Jones hat?\u201d<\/em> I could\nhear a few soft chuckles from the crowd. \u201cGentlemen<\/em>\u201d\nI began to respond, when from my left side I heard Smitty chuckling \u201cHey you guys – Dr. D is ku-well!\u201d<\/em>\n\u201cfollowed by \u201cHe isn\u2019t wearing a hat \u2013 he\nis wearing a Stetson!\u201d <\/em>I gave Smitty a quick appreciative grin. <\/em>His opinion carried weight in the\nYard. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another\ninmate Mr. Brown (a class informal leader) asked me with a big smile \u201cWhat\u2019s a Stetson, is that some kinda cowboy\nhat Dr. D?<\/em>\u201d As I began unlocking the series of security doors to the\neducation building IVY spoke in my head \u201cThey\nare waiting to see how you handle being teased \u2013 are you going to be defensive\nabout it – or seize this opening you big six feet four-inch dummy?\u201d<\/em> Darn it\n\u2013 I thought to myself (not for the first time) that IVY is right again. I began\nspeaking in a loud and cheerful voice \u201cMr.\nBrown calling a Stetson a hat is like calling a Maserati a car.<\/em>\u201d My\nstatement was followed by immediate grins and chuckles from the entire class. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally,\nI thought – the proverbial dam has broken. I was peppered with questions from\nall sides: \u201cWhat is so special about a\nStetson?\u201d<\/em> and \u201cHow old is that thing\nDr. D?\u201d<\/em> Followed by \u201cDoes it come in\ndifferent colors?\u201d<\/em> and my favorite \u201cWhat\nis that thing made from – a beaver?\u201d<\/em> Ten minutes later we were all secure\nin the classroom and the conversations were still going strong. Fortunately,\nwith a little nudging I had managed to smoothly transition from hats to\nintroduction to management – topics. I guess I learned more then I taught (as\nusual). I smiled to myself \u2013 as I listened to the loud and busy noises of\n\u2018learning\u2019 occurring all around me.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\nwas almost three years ago. I wear that old Stetson every day now – to all my\nclasses. My students say things such as \u201cWe\nalways know when you are in the Yard Dr. Davison \u2013 cause you can see that thing\non your head from a mile away!\u201d<\/em> Prisoners (who are not attending college)\nalways point me out – with statements such as \u201cSee that guy in the funny hat \u2013 that is Dr. D.\u201d<\/em> Prisoners who I\nhave never met before will nod and say \u2018good morning\u201d to me (or to the hat \u2013\nI\u2019m not sure which one). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

About two months ago I was visited by a prisoner I had never met before, a complete   stranger to me named Mr. Jones. I do a lot of volunteer work at the prisons \u2013 especially working with the Toastmaster\u2019s and the Writer\u2019s Clubs. Smitty, the former President of the Toastmasters Club – had recently been released back into the World. (He stays in touch with me \u2013 and we email back and forth frequently.) Smitty\u2019s newly elected replacement was the stranger who had come for a visit. Mr. Jones wanted to reassure himself that with Smitty gone he could still depend on me for sponsorship and support for the Toastmasters. As he entered the room Mr. Jones stopped abruptly and stared at the Stetson. The Stetson was resting in its place of honor \u2013 on top of the right corner of my desk. \u201cWow\u201d<\/em> said Mr. Jones \u201cthat\u2019s the famous hat I have been hearing about.\u201d<\/em> \u201cOh no \u2013 here we go again\u201d<\/em> muttered IVY. \u201cYou must be Mr. Jones\u201d<\/em> I stated firmly. \u201cWell let\u2019s get something straight up front \u2013 that is not a hat \u2013 it\u2019s a Stetson!<\/em>\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thomas Davison obtained his doctorate degree as a Doctor of Management in Organizational Leadership, and his MBA from Franklin University in Columbus Ohio. Dr. Davison has been teaching entrepreneur focused business coursework as an adjunct instructor for MTC (Marion Technical College). He is currently teaching at two prison facilities in Marion Ohio, including: NCC (North Central Corrections) a prison run by a private company, and MCI (Marion Correctional Institute) a state-run prison facility. Dr. Davison has been deeply moved by his personal observations and interactions with his incarcerated students. While teaching in the Ohio prison system he has been motivated to create poems and short stories about the day-to-day lives and experiences of his students. <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":297,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-293","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-creative-non-fiction"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/underwoodpress.com\/truechili\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/nathan-dumlao-9-mHiDW1alg-unsplash-scaled.jpg?fit=1707%2C2560&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/underwoodpress.com\/truechili\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/293","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/underwoodpress.com\/truechili\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/underwoodpress.com\/truechili\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/underwoodpress.com\/truechili\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/underwoodpress.com\/truechili\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=293"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/underwoodpress.com\/truechili\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/293\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":506,"href":"https:\/\/underwoodpress.com\/truechili\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/293\/revisions\/506"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/underwoodpress.com\/truechili\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/297"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/underwoodpress.com\/truechili\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=293"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/underwoodpress.com\/truechili\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=293"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/underwoodpress.com\/truechili\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=293"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}