David's BlogMonday, November 18, 2013Learning from our Past While Investing in our Future
My love
for Duluth is enhanced by my increasing awareness of our community's
remarkable, colorful history. Understanding our shared history enables us to
better understand the shared challenges we currently face in Duluth.
With
this as a motivation, I read as many books as I can find pertaining to Duluth's
history. This inspires me to make routine pilgrimages to the Duluth Public
Library. It is time to confess; I am a library nerd.
My most
recent visit to the library was particularly productive. I was able to procure
the recently published book, DJC Remembered - The Life of Duluth Junior
College. It is authored by Margaret Bateman Thomas. She and her book are
community treasures.
Her
book illustrates how the early 1900s was a transformational time in Duluth.
Forward-looking Duluthians, along with members of their Board of Education,
provided an astonishing number of new schools for their families and their
community. Between 1900 and 1927, twenty-five new schools were erected: twenty
elementary, four junior high schools, and Denfeld High School. This was in
addition to the Central High School, which was built in 1892.
The
funding for these twenty-five schools, in a twenty-seven year span, was made
possible by our gracious and optimistic ancestors. They typically had fewer
personal resources than do we. Yet, they gave proportionally far more towards
the education of their youth. I am delighted they did. We are beholden to them.
The
closest our community has ever come to matching this commitment to - and
investment in - our public schools was between 2008 and today. Just as 1900 to
1927 was a transformative time in Duluth; the past five years have been equally
transformative. Community members funded the construction of four new schools
and the comprehensive revitalization of our remaining nine schools.
The
Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce's leadership is pleased and proud that our
community made this investment in our public schools. We understand that Duluth
competes on a national scale to recruit and retain businesses and talent.
Business owners, employees and their families consider and value the quality of
our public school system. The strength of our schools is paramount to the
success of our business community.
The
Duluth Public School District's thirteen new or like-new schools are
magnificent. Eighty-one years passed between the end of the 1900-1927
transformation and the beginning of the 2008-2013 transformation. The intervening
generations largely got a pass, drawing from the investment made in the early
1900's. It was too long to do so.
The
Chamber's leadership hopes and trusts that our community will not allow another
eighty-one years to pass before another forward-looking, gracious and
optimistic generation reinvests in our beloved community's public schools.
David Ross, President & CEO
posted by David Ross
at
6:57 AM
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