The School room

(deactivated member)
on 3/25/08 12:05 pm - Columbus, GA
Wanted to share this with you... The School Room

Back in September of 2005, Martha Cothren, a social studies school teacher at Robinson High School in Little Rock, did something not to be forgotten.

On the first day of school, with the permission of the school superintendent, the principal and the building supervisor, she removed all of the desks out of her classroom. When the first period kids entered the room, they discovered there were no desks. Looking around, confused, they asked, "Ms. Cothren, where're our desks?"

She replied, "You can't have a des****il you tell me what you have done to earn the right to sit at a desk.

They thought, "Well, maybe it's our grades."

"No," she said.

"Maybe it's our behavior."

She told them, "No, it's not even your behavior."

And so, they came and went through the first period, second period, third period, still with no desks in the classroom.

By early afternoon, television news crews had started gathering in Ms. Cothren's classroom to report about this crazy teacher who had taken all of the desks out of her room. The final period of the day came and as the puzzled students found seats on the floor of the desk-less classroom,

Martha Cothren said, "Throughout the day, no one has been able to tell me just what he/she has done to earn the right to sit at the desks that are ordinarily found in this classroom. Now, I'm going to tell you."

At this point, Martha Cothren went over to the door of her classroom and opened it. Twenty-seven U.S. Veterans, all in uniform, walked into the classroom. Each one was carrying a school desk. The Vets began placing the school desks in rows, and then walked over to stand alongside the wall. By the time the last soldier had set the final desk in place, the kids started to understand, perhaps for the first time in their lives, just how the right to sit at those desks had been earned.

Martha said, "You didn't earn the right to sit at these desks. These heroes did it for you. They placed the desks here for you. Now, it's up to you to sit in them. It is your responsibility to learn, to be good students and to be good citizens. They paid the price so that you could have the freedom to get an education. Don't ever forget it."

Brenda R.
on 3/25/08 12:25 pm - Portage, IN

That was great, Marc, and so true. We owe so much to our vetrans and so many people don't stop to think about it. I try to thank them when I see them in public. I think more people should do that. Thanks for sharing this. I want to copy this.

                    It's not what you gather, but what you scatter 
                        that tells what kind of life you have lived.

                          oh_c_card-2.gif picture by kittikat22


 

KathiKins
on 3/25/08 12:31 pm - CA
HI Marc, I had seen this before but never fail to read it with a smile and pride.  Hubby is retired US Navy and we both come from strong military familes. I love the message in your post. Kathi
(deactivated member)
on 3/25/08 9:05 pm - Columbus, GA
Hubby is retired US Navy and we both come from strong military familes. Tell hubby an old retired Coast Guard Chief Boatswains Mate says Hi... He'll probably call me a Puddle Pirate, but that's OK
Cajun Angel
on 3/25/08 2:40 pm - New Orleans, LA
Thanks for sharing this Marc!  We can never thank our service people enough for all they've done and continue to do for us.
JudyC
on 3/25/08 9:39 pm - Harrisburg, PA
Marc, this is great!  I've never seen this before but you can be sure I won't forget it now.  Thanks so much! Judy
MLONG
on 3/25/08 10:29 pm - Wales , MA
THANK YOU  HOW HEART FILLED THAT WAS AND SO TRUE  BOO 
Connie D.
on 3/25/08 11:36 pm
Thank you Marc....what a beautiful story....it brought tears to my eyes. God bless all the people in military...active or otherwise.  Hugs, connie d
Nancy H.
on 3/25/08 11:47 pm - Traverse City, MI
 Thanks Marc, having a husband who was in  Vietnam many years ago, & many other family members that have served &  a son that is active Military now that was great. Thanks to all who served, whenever they served & where ever served. Nan
J Brown
on 3/26/08 12:28 am - Omaha, NE
fan-flippin-tastic.. As American Legion District President, I will be reading this at my Spring Conference next month.. Thanks for sharing and for your service. ( Military Brat and wife)
JeanB
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