The Way It Was In School
School is out for the summer, youth will enjoy the summer; however, School Boards, both city and county, must wrestle with the issue of merger, school boundary lines, student ratios, decreasing numbers of students in some areas, and increasing numbers in others, decreasing revenues with which to operate, curriculum and etc.
To add to the confusion, parents are concerned about the quality of education their children are receiving as evidenced by the number of private schools opening in America. Some statistics indicate that there are from one to three private schools beginning daily in our country.
Having lived in Rocky Mount for about 10 years; having seen our children complete grades four through 12 here; having worked in the school PTA’s serving as President of the Baskerville PTA, my wife and I have been most appreciative of the school system in Rocky Mount. Moreover, when our children enrolled in Peace College and Atlantic Christian, the registrars of both institutions spoke very highly of all graduates from Rocky Mount Senior High.
Looking in retrospect at some of my own school years – the way it was – when perhaps school boards were not under so much pressure and teachers were free to discipline and read the Bible to students and there were literally no private schools in my community, my thoughts turned to the school principals and teachers who both taught an disciplined me.
One-sixth grade teacher is well remembered because she read us a chapter from the Bible each morning. I could hardly wait to return to school the next day to find out what was going to happen to David and Jonathan and other Bible characters. Yet there were other teachers who made lasting influences on my life who did not read the Bible in the classroom each day. The Christian principles they taught would long be remembered.
There are two kinds of teaching – verbal and non-verbal. One is just as important as the other in the school or the home.
Yes I would like to see a school system where the Bible could be read and prayers offered each day in each classroom. (I wonder if the Bible couldn’t read as “literature” in the classrooms and let the content speak for itself.) But even above this I still thank God for the many, many, Christian teachers who have dedicated their lives to the teaching profession literally molding the lives of children and youth, many whom do not attend any church, in non-verbal communication of the Christian principles of life.
Therefore, let us pray for them who still have the opportunity to make life for our children – the way it was – even in our society. Let us pray for the school boards of our city and counties in their struggles that there will emerge a school system, which will truly educate our children spiritually and academically. Working together in the context of the Christian faith, we can achieve this end.