ON DRAWING FORTH Options

[Alan]

ON DRAWING FORTH
(Education, properly a drawing forth, implies not so much the communication of knowledge as the discipline
of the intellect, the establishment of the principles, and the regulation of the heart : Webster Dictionary, 1913)

In olden days when Webster ruled,
the schoolhouse was where folk were schooled;
not squat, a modern concrete blot
quite oversized, on city plot
resembling "institute" with bars,
no way designed to reach the stars.

Back then, a school was human-size,
bright-painted sight for sour eyes,
while Miss was prim and quite correct -
who'd give, also demand, respect.
If youngster sinned, fair punishment,
that corner called, so there you went.

Then, parents, if they knew you'd sinned
would descend too, fast as the wind,
to bawl you out, a grounding too.
Thus, soon you would know what to do.
Now, if teacher says even "Boo",
parents still come, to blast the school !

Education, a "drawing out"
made the whole person, a good scout,
so you, your country too, of course,
became a power-house; a force
for good, though chaos all around,
keen to improve that which you found.

That old school-house was rocket-shaped.
I think that then, folk had it taped;
they knew that if you they'd inspire
to fix your sights above the mire,
that stuffing in was not so smart,
while "drawing forth" enhanced the heart.

Alan McAlpine Douglas