Bumper Sticker

I'm not a big believer in bumper stickers. They give far too much information and usually elicit groans from me. I broke down, though, and purchased one from Cafe Press. It's placed on the back window of my car and says, "Conservatism IS change that believes in you". It's clever but not offensive. Anyway, I was listening to the local radio station early this morning and one of the lead stories dealt with the beginning of school for Columbus, Ohio students. Our Superintendent of Schools was being interviewed about the 53,000 students going back to the classroom this morning.
She made a pledge that graduation rates needed to and will be higher than normal this school. Evidently, school doesn't seem to be very important to some. Go figure!
In order to combat this rampant dereliction of duty the school system has hired a number of 'graduation coaches'. Good God, what a joke! Think about it. As I recall, one of our greatest thinkers, Abraham Lincoln, practiced something called, 'readin', writin' and rithmatic'. Old Abe had only one coach and that was his Ma, Nancy Hanks.
Some people impress me more than others. There is a young couple just around the corner from us. They are in their late thirties. The wife is Carolina born and bred. Her husband grew up in our community but is the son of another Carolinian, one of my wife's dear friends. Since he lived in Florida and South Carolina for some time he's more than considered a native of that part of the world. They are 'education coach's. Three nights ago two other couples, myself, and these kids sat outside talking. After awhile, the six people, Baptists all, started singing hymns. It was like Mayberry RFD with Andy Taylor strumming on the guitar and Barney and Gomer singing along. These young people have two son's, ages three and six. They are home schooled and it's easy to recognize it. Why? Well, it's because the boys are polite, intelligent and courteous to their elders.
Now, think back to my bumper sticker. These young adults are practicing my bumper sticker. They are doing for themselves what others, too many others, expect to be done for them. It's exciting to know that there is hope and change going on in our America and it doesn't come from Washington D.C., either.