http://www.herald-review.com/articles/2006/09/12/news/state/1017699.txt
| This knight's for hire: Kindt determined
to revive the age of chivalry |
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FARMER CITY -Karl M. Kindt III stood in front
of the young Blue Ridge Knights of Schneider Elementary School wearing
an 82-pound suit of armor fashioned from molded steel. Even though Monday brought downpours, Kindt wasn't worried about his armor rusting, he said, because he protects it with an oil formula similar to the way knights of old did, except this knight's was WD-40. The Webster Groves, Mo., resident came, he said, to tell the young people about chivalry. But Kindt donned the well-oiled armor also to serve his mission. He sees that mission as honoring all soldiers, especially his father killed in World War II just before his birth. "But it's fun too," he said, flipping down his helmet's face shield as the children filed past him. "Today," said Susan Wilson, Schneider principal, "we are going to learn what a knight is." Wilson said Kindt was invited during homecoming week as part of the school's emphasis on character education. Kindt's voice changed for the characters in his stories while his facial expressions - face shield flipped up - showed their emotions. After finishing one story to illustrate re-channeling anger he suggested, "If you get mad, then you do a bad thing. Here's the secret. If you want to be a person of chivalry, you think of something to do that's good with your mad strength." Then after a tale to illustrate bravery and courage he said, "You don't get brave by having big muscles. You get brave by thinking of others." His sense of humor took over when asked how it feels to be a knight, responding, "Sweaty and smelly - B.O. WD-40." Kindt said since becoming a knight 11 years ago, he has found people very helpful. In America where a king doesn't have to do the honors, Kindt said, he has been dubbed a knight in six cities including Forsyth. His motto, he says, is, "Have armor. Will travel." ONTHENET www.knightforhire.com Arlene Mannlein can be reached at amannlein@herald-review.com or 421-6976. Subscribe to the Herald & Review by Clicking Here! |
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