The world is going to hell in a handbasket, you say?
It is so easy for we seniors to be skeptical in this day and age. It seems to go with the over-70 territory. Every now and then, however, I have little nudges that draw me out of my advanced cynicism with resultant emotions of hope and faith in the current and future generations.
It has become a regular morning ritual with me, when I am up in time, to listen to the 9:00 a.m. opening exercises at the G. C. Huston Public School, which is directly across Fairy Lake from my home in Southampton. The school's public address system comes loud and clear across the lake and generally coincides with letting Lucy out the back door for her first you-know-what of the day.
I always find the five minutes that I share across the water with the students and teachers, uplifting and not beyond transporting me back in time some 65 years. I never cease to be impressed with the quality of the opening exercises -- the appropriately-taped music (Christmas carols at present time) which precedes the announcements, the singing of O' Canada (generally by a musically-gifted student, or group of students) and a theme for the day.
The school's theme for this month is "generosity" and giving freely of one's time and resources. This morning, for instance, a student spoke about the role of the local food bank and the need for donations in the form of non-perishable items such as canned goods, cereal and macaroni. From where I stand on my back porch, pretty commendable.
What schools like G. C. Huston in Southampton are doing on a daily basis is not only teaching the ABC's but subtly molding the character and sensitivity of our next generation. So, don't be so quick with that handbasket my senior friends, we're going to be in good hands -- a certain public address system gives every indication of that.
The playground at the back of G. C. Huston Public School, as seen from my back yard.
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