Literacy – Key to Humanity
By Dan Hall - Promotion of literacy is a key goal for Rotarians. As Rotarians, we value public and private education in our local schools and institutions of higher education. We honor students for exceptional civic and academic achievement. This is done universally, in all of our fifty five clubs, who are part of RI District 6040.
By: Dan Hall - Promotion of literacy is a key goal for Rotarians. As Rotarians, we value public and private education in our local schools and institutions of higher education. We honor students for exceptional civic and academic achievement. This is done universally, in all of our fifty five clubs, who are part of RI District 6040.
Now, let me tell you why I find this subject of literacy so vital. First, on a strictly personal level, becoming knowledgeable (literate) has been my key to a more enjoyable life. Webster defines one who is literate as “a well-informed, educated person.” My wife will confirm that “no one gets more value from a newspaper” than I do. At my mature age, I have the ability to look both back at my life and forward as to what can yet be achieved. This vantage point allows me to understand that perhaps one never becomes fully literate, rather it is a lifelong process of striving to be ever more “well-informed, educated.”
Second, I have come to see that much of what troubles humankind can be traced back to the antonym of literate ….illiterate. Illiteracy is the “fertile soil” of inhumanity, cruelty, economic and social poverty all of which often leads to tyranny. Thomas Jefferson, put it well when he said: “I have sworn eternal hostility to every form of tyranny over the minds of man.” Jefferson, incidentally, wanted to be remembered as founding the University of Virginia and not for having been US President. He believed that the only hope for the American system of government was in a universally literate electorate. The inescapable conclusion is that to promote literacy is to promote the flowering of the human spirit.
Such literate people embrace what is good in other people…whether next door or in the world village. They learn to love their fellow human being. The literate person only wants to build peace, goodwill, and economic and spiritual prosperity for all.
So, we Rotarians really do “walk the walk” not just “talk the talk” when it comes to promotion of literacy. In this March, 2012, issue of the RI District 6040 Newsletter you will read articles written by Rotarians just like yourself who have truly embraced the mission of literacy both at home and abroad. I encourage you to take a few minutes and read every story.