• David Tewes •
• Originally published January 12, 2009 at 6:04 p.m., updated January 12, 2009 at 6:04 p.m.

"Education: that which reveals to the wise, and conceals from the stupid, the vast limits of their knowledge."

- Mark Twain

Although my kids are long past the age of schooling, and my grandkids don't live here, I still get excited every time I pass one of the school construction sites in Victoria.

Most often, I've been able to see the progress of the "East High School" at Ben Jordan Street between John Stockbauer Drive and Loop 463.

Just the dirt work alone was a monumental undertaking, and now some walls are beginning to go up and part of the massive concrete pour is under way.

My excitement comes from the fact that I know these new facilities, for which Victorians approved many millions in bonds, will be a state-of-the-art group of schools where future generations of kids can go to learn - and hopefully prepare to take on the leadership of future America.

I also pass one of our nicest existing elementary schools, Chandler, quite often, and it's always heartwarming when I pass there at dismissal time and see all those youngsters pouring out into the world after being so patient as to sit in class all day with their energy level steadily rising.

I think about these little ones a lot, in the context that once upon a time, a kid named Barack Obama picked up his first reader and began the process of gaining knowledge that would one day take him into the most powerful office in the world.

I think about all the presidents before him, and all the scientists and doctors, lawyers and judges, and yes, beloved teachers, who once had to take that first baby step toward a full education.

In the next couple of years, we'll have five new centers of learning to continue the proud heritage of education in Victoria, and we should congratulate ourselves for the selfless act of approving the large amount of money needed to build them.

It'll be worth it. These kids will make us proud.

And then, their kids, and then ...

Jim Bishop is a senior editor for the Advocate. Leave him a message at 361-574-1210 or jbishop@vicad.com or comment on this column at www.VictoriaAdvocate.com

• Print
• •
• Share
  • Share this item

    Send this to a friend

    Share on FaceBook

  • Grab the link

    Copy and paste the link:

  • Blog about it

    Blog about this page.

  • Close
• •
• Post a Comment
• •
• Favorite
• •
• Report error
  • Thank you for your submission.
    Error report or correction

    Contact name (optional) Contact phone/e-mail (optional)  

    
  • Close
• •