One of the most thoughtful notes was from reader Charlotte Harper, whose comments were so helpful and positive, they deserve printing here.
Take it away, Charlotte:
"I think your column summarizes the problem faced by Imhotep Charter School very neatly, and your conclusions (that while the national flag flown at half-mast out of respect for a beloved educator is permissible, flying it at half-mast to mark the death of a student who died in an act of violence is not) are valid.
"I would encourage the Charter School to contact the WWII veteran - and every other WWII veteran they can find in their community! - and ask these men and women to share their memories of that conflict with the students.
"The purpose is twofold:
"Firstly, the veterans are a historian’s treasure - Primary Source Material - and they are a finite resource that is rapidly diminishing. The students should learn to respect and to honour this precious resource that, for this instant, is all around them! Maybe the Charter School could take on conservation and preservation as a project in honour of their late educator, a project that would help them to “heal” - and, ultimately, perhaps come to grips with the subjects of death and loss by assisting their community in preventing the loss of their own history.
"Secondly, should Imhotep take up the challenge of conserving and preserving (listening to and learning from) their WWII veterans, perhaps they could broaden their historical research and begin to preserve the memories of those who served in subsequent military actions – Korea, Vietnam and Desert Storm.
"Perhaps hearing from men and women who were thrust into combat and who lived with mortal danger for the sake of these children’s freedom would move these young people to eschew pointless violence in the streets of Philadelphia.
"Maybe hearing from the genuine heroes living amongst them would inspire these kids to pursue goals worthy of their intellects and discourage them from engaging in any kind of risk-taking, illegal behaviour that will endanger their futures.
"The young people need to take pride in 'who they are,' and the best way for them to learn 'who they are' is to learn from those living around them 'where they have been'. The past informs the future by making the present comprehensible.
"Our history is all around us in rich, vibrant colour and we ignore so much of it! I wonder how many Tuskegee airmen live in ordinary houses within walking distance of Imhotep? Is there someone who fought their way up the beach-head at Anzio sitting on that front porch? Was Aunt So-and-So in England ferrying bombers? And what was it like, and what does she remember about being there? What did 'Gramps' feel when he heard about Pearl Harbour? Did he rush to 'join up' and get rejected by the brand-new Army Flying Corps, so he joined up with the Marines, instead? What was it like to be seventeen in 1942 and be not quite old enough to serve? Did Uncle Whomever lie about his age and end up on a Tin-Can floating in the Pacific?
"Our young people need to hear these stories from the source, not read about them second/third-hand in a book written by someone else. They need to make the film, not watch it on WHYY or have it served up to them like canned soup by an editorializing Hollywood film-maker. Why be a mere passive observer when one can be engaged in living history?
"Education is a lot like mining for precious metals: Unless you grab what’s to be had on the surface while it’s available, you’re going to have to shift a lot of rock to find the good stuff. Imhotep should use these tragedies to pursue gold."
Thank you, Charlotte Harper. I couldn't have said it better.
When my phone rings here at the Daily News, nine times out of ten the caller begins the conversation with, “Yeah, so what happened was…”.
Because this is Philly, the caller doesn’t say, “My name is Bob” – or Mary – “and I wonder if I could have a moment of your time?” Philadelphians are too direct for that. They just say, “Yeah, so what happened was…”, and then tumble into a tale they think oughta be shared with a wider audience. I love getting these calls (even the ones where it becomes clear, after 30 seconds, where the caller sowed the seeds of his own misery), because they give me chance to connect with fellow citizens in a way that no other job allows. Well, okay, no other job for which I’m remotely qualified.
That’s why my blog is titled “So What Happened Was…”. To me, it’s the quintessentially Philly way of saying, “Once upon a time.” When I hear it, I know a good story is coming. And I can’t wait to see how it turns out.
Ronnie Polaneczky has been an award-winning columnist for The Philadelphia Daily News since 1999, offering a front-steps perspective on every aspect of city life, from the sublime to the stupid. In her past life, she was the editor-in-chief of Atlantic City Magazine, associate editor at Philadelphia Magazine and a fulltime freelancer published in Ladies Home Journal, Good Housekeeping, Redbook, Reader's Digest, Men's Health, MarieClaire and others. She lives with her husband, daughter and various pets in the city's Fairmount section, where she dreams of one day singing The National Anthem at an Eagles game. In addition to her column and blog, you can enjoy Ronnie's musings in podcast form here.
Read more from Ronnie Polaneczky at Earth to Philly, the Daily News blog on anything and everything "Green
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