John Wooden was born on October 14, 1910, in Hall, Indiana, to a poor but close knit family.  As a boy he played basketball by shooting a homemade ball that his mother made into a peach basket nailed to the hay loft.  He grew to become a high school star and led the team to a state championship.  His next stop was Perdue University where he became an All American.  His team won the national championship in his senior year.  He taught and coached on the high school level before serving in World War II.  After the war he coached at Indiana State Teacher’s College before going to UCLA where he became the legendary coach who won ten national championships and once had a winning streak of eighty-eight games.  John Wooden is the only person ever inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame as both a player and a coach.

 Perhaps you now think that you know the reason I would have liked spending time with John Wooden.  Yes, I am an avid sports fan and yes, I love to win.  But while Coach Wooden’s entire life was filled with successes and achievements, it is not all those winning statistics that impress me most.  Rather it was the philosophy of life that he developed and his ability to remain true to those principles.  Permit me to illustrate this statement with some stories and quotes from Coach Wooden’s life.

 When John Wooden completed his first year of coaching at Indiana State Teacher’s College, his successful season earned the team a berth in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Tournament.  Wooden turned down the opportunity to participate because one of his players, Clarence Walker, an African American, would not have been allowed to play.  One year later the rules were changed allowing African Americans to participate.

 Coach Wooden did not like a multitude of rules.  Actually he had only three.  There was to be no profanity on his team, players were always to be on time and finally no player was ever to criticize a teammate.

 When asked for advice, Wooden would often say, “Talent is God given.  Be humble.  Fame is man given.  Be grateful.  Conceit is self given.  Be careful.”

 The coach understood the difference between character and reputation.  He often said,  “Be more concerned with your character than your reputation because your character is what you really are while your reputation is merely what others think you are.”

 He had a clear understanding of what was truly important in life and while he was not “preachy” he had a deep and abiding faith.  Once he stated, “Material possessions, winning scores, and great reputations are meaningless in the eyes of the Lord, because he knows what we really are and that is all that matters.”

 I cannot conclude my tribute to John Wooden without mentioning his life long devotion to his wife, Nel, the only girl he ever dated.

 John Wooden is gone now, but he has a lasting legacy.  He often said that a person should try and make each day their masterpiece.  While he was not perfect, the coach appears to have come close to accomplishing that goal.  In his long coaching career he received only two technical fouls and one occurred when the official mistook Wooden saying something that was actually uttered by someone sitting nearby.  His typical response to a bad call was, “dad burn it, you must have seen that double dribble.”  You will never see a video of Wooden throwing a chair across the court or hitting one of his players on the sideline.  Rather he will always remain an example to follow if you are a big time college coach or the coach of your five year olds soccer team or simply living out your life.  His was a life well lived.  Thanks Coach Wooden.

      I have been reading a just released book entitled Thirteen Bankers.  It is a complicated read, but if I understand the thesis of its coauthors it says that all we need is a simple law that limits the financial size of any bank.  Once done, they say, let capitalism work.  Let the banks make whatever decisions they wish, knowing that should they make irresponsible gambles and lose they will be allowed to fail because no bank will be large enough to negatively alter the world economy.  I doubt that such a simple solution will ever be enacted since most of the people in control of these things move back and forth from Wall Street to government positions making such a solution contrary to their self interests.  What appears to exist is an oligarchy of banks/politicians.

      Having said all this, I do not look at the future bleakly.  From my two books and monthly newsletters you know of my Jeffersonian leanings, and we Jeffersonians are alive, well, and growing in numbers.  My favorite description of Jeffersonian democracy comes from an 18^th century New England intellectual named Jeremy Belknap. Belknap called for well kept communities where homes and fences were neatly maintained.  He envisioned a local economy where most transactions were between friends and neighbors (sorry Wal-Mart), and called for strong churches, properly run local schools, and ever growing libraries.  True, a national government was necessary, especially to handle foreign relations.  But it was to be relatively simple, inexpensive and responsive to the people’s needs.  Jefferson himself was especially suspicious of big financial institutions and a quote attributed to him goes like this:

"I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies.”  

     So in the spirit of Jeffersonian democracy I urge you to do several things:

           -Stay informed but don’t dwell on the problems until they consume you.

           -Read a book that inspires you.

           -Deal with local community banks, ones that know your name and avoid risky

            practices.

           -Buy locally as much as possible

           -Support farmers markets.

          -Grow a small garden, even if it is only a few pots on your deck.

           -Give to local charities.

           -Go to church.

          -Spend time with your friends.

          -Join with others who advocate a Jeffersonian lifestyle.

So let’s see…the government allows oil companies to drill off our coast lines, huge pipes are driven into the ocean floor until they reach the oil fields, and then the oil is pumped to platforms on the ocean’s surface where it is loaded into huge tankers. 

Now there is an accident.  The platform explodes, workers are killed, and oil from deep beneath the ocean floor gushes into the Gulf of Mexico.  Within days the oil reaches the Gulf Coast with devastating effects on the eco system as well as the economy.  Now why didn’t the oil company simply shut off the valve on the pipe beneath the ocean’s surface - you know, like I do on my lawn mowers? Apparently because there isn’t one.  Apparently neither the company nor our government felt it was necessary.  So right now, as I write this article, oil continues to spill into the Gulf.  No one knows how many gallons per day are spilling nor do they know how to stop it. 

Here is the “politics of oil” as I understand it.  Most Republicans have favored offshore drilling.  Most Democrats have traditionally opposed such drilling.  Recently, however, President Obama announced that he favored offshore drilling.  That announcement then prompted most Democrats to decide that offshore drilling is alright after all.  Then came the accident and President Obama now appears to be against offshore drilling until new safety standards are set.  That has now prompted most Democrats to return to their original stance against offshore drilling.  I am not sure where the Republicans now stand but I suspect they are in favor of offshore drilling unless President Obama proposes it.  I am quite certain that neither the Republicans nor the Democrats care to know my position on offshore drilling but I will state my views anyway. 

I was against offshore drilling when the Republicans favored it.  I continued to oppose it when President Obama began to favor it.  Now, after the accident, I oppose it even more vigorously and if they find a really safe way to drill I will still oppose it. 

No matter how much oil is found it will never be enough.  We will still need to purchase huge amounts from countries that hate us and they will continue to use our own money to fund the terrorists who wish us harm.  The only answer to our energy problems is to rid ourselves of oil addiction and commit ourselves to a massive development of solar and wind power.  We have the ingredients already and they are all free and inexhaustible.  All we need is the will to perfect the technology.  How I wish that an advocate would emerge: someone non political who can capture our imaginations regardless of political persuasion.  It can’t be an Al Gore type. He is a lightning rod and no matter what he says half of the population will oppose it simply because he was the one to say it.  Further, I believe he is a phony who urges everyone to be environmentally responsible while flying the world over is his private jet and then returning to his 30.000 square foot home.

I wish that Thomas Friedman, a bright man who makes much sense, could lead the crusade for wind and solar.  But alas, his ties to the New York Times and its alleged liberal bias make him an automatic reject to huge numbers of people. Still there must be someone out there with reason, intelligence, innovation and the ability to communicate who can step forward and convince people of all political persuasions that the time for petroleum has ended and the time for wind and solar has arrived.

Teachers are observed formally several times if they are untenured and once each subsequent year throughout their careers.  The formal observation, however, is only the tip of the ice burg. Permit me to explain.  All good administrators spend much of the school day outside their offices and in the school community.  Let us say, for example, that an administrator is walking through the halls ten minutes into a class period and he observes that students in a particular classroom are visiting amongst themselves and that the lesson has yet to commence.  He makes a written note of that observation, complete with time and date.  During subsequent days and weeks he observes and documents similar incidents.  Then, perhaps, during the formal observation he finds other issues - perhaps lack of control, lack of organization, or lack of subject competence. The list could be endless.  These observations, along with the informal ones are included in the teacher’s formal evaluation form in which they receive an unsatisfactory rating.  The administrator then meets with the teacher and makes recommendations for correcting the problems.  Sometimes this is all that is needed.  I have seen teachers take constructive criticism seriously, work hard to correct the problems and become outstanding educators.  Other times, however, the problems persist.  Once again the administrator carefully documents these issues through formal and informal observations. If a second unsatisfactory rating is issued, the teacher, even if tenured, can legally be dismissed.  While the procedure may vary slightly from state to state, that is generally the way the system works.  Problems occur when an administrator, whether through weakness, incompetence, or in many cases, an overabundance of paperwork, fails to properly document issues.  Then, suddenly the semester ends, evaluation forms are due and the teacher who should have received an unsatisfactory rating receives a satisfactory.  Tenure, therefore, does not protect bad teachers from being fired.  Rather, ineffective evaluations are the culprit.  In my view, the concept of tenure is a necessary protection for good and effective teachers who may be victims of the very political nature of public education.  Without tenure the excellent teacher and coach who cuts the child of an influential person in the community from the basketball team may find his job in danger.  Without tenure an effective teacher may find her position in jeopardy if a school board member’s relative recently graduated from college and wants a teaching position in the district.  Without tenure the exceptional teacher who has a personality clash with his building principal may be unfairly dismissed.  I could go on.  The reasons for tenure are endless.  Still, tenure does not prevent bad teachers from being dismissed.  Tenure is not a teacher problem, but rather an administrative one.

I do agree with those who say our public schools need improvement.  Sadly, the endless banter about tenure blinds us from the real problems that need to be addressed.  While there are many valid issues that warrant debate, I will limit myself to a discussion of student attendance and academic atmosphere.  Let me begin with attendance.

If you undertook an accurate study of student attendance at any struggling public school, you most certainly would be both shocked and enlightened by the correlation between weak academic skills and excessive absentee rates.  It is my view that more than two or three absences in a ninety day semester is excessive. And the absentee rate for many students is far greater than that.   

Most good educators teach in what I refer to as units of study. My field, for instance, might have a three week unit on the Great Depression of the 1930’s.  Teaching such a unit is like building a structure.  You begin with a foundation, which in my example would be a reading and discussion of the complex causes of the economic collapse. Should a student miss that lesson, the remainder of the unit becomes a confusing collection of facts - people, laws, programs and concepts that he only needs to know for some future exam.  Throw in a few more absences and the confusion multiplies. 

I recall that I was once told that my Advanced Placement American history students were expected to score no lower than four out of five on their AP exams.  I relished the challenge of preparing them for the exam and expected to be held accountable, but only if attendance to class mattered.  The best teacher in the world could not produce high AP scores from empty desks. 

Equally important to effective teaching is the subject of school atmosphere.  It is my sincere belief that schools in general and classrooms in particular are very special places. Critical thinking skills are developed there. Respect for the views of others are nurtured there.  Controversial issues are discussed there.  Learning takes place there.  How you present yourself, how you act, and the language you use there matters. Sadly, this kind of respect, even reverence, for the classroom is missing in many schools.  It has been replaced by a loud and anxious tempo.  Dress is inappropriate.  Electronic gadgets such as cell phones and mp3 players are everywhere.  Coarse language permeates the air.  Little learning can occur in conditions such as these.  Before real improvements can take place these issues must be addressed.  But this is difficult when students are bombarded by a popular culture that promotes incivility. It is difficult when the media glamorizes bad behavior.  And yes it is difficult when the vice president of the United States, when introducing the president at the White House for what they call historic legislation, uses crude language into a “hot” microphone and then is exulted in the media as “Joe Cool” for the following seventy two hour news cycle. 

There are many other reasons for the poor performance of many American public schools and it is my hope that this newsletter sparks a discussion of those issues.  I simply conclude by restating what I said at the beginning – American education has serious and complex problems and the media’s obsession with tenure is typical of their shallow and simplistic profession.  To think that getting rid of tenure will suddenly produce a nation of perfect SAT scores is rubbish.

      I cannot help but wonder why Congress and the Obama administration would pass this type of irresponsible legislation.  How difficult would it be to stipulate that the construction of the turbines must take place within the United States borders?  And where is the Media in all of this?  Except for the ABC story I have heard no reports concerning this disturbing incident.  There was a time when journalists were so respected that they were referred to as the “fourth branch of government.”  Now, rather than cover the crucial issues they endlessly discuss such things as the fact that Sarah Palin writes notes on her palm. 

      I urge you to make your government aware that you are aware of their ineptness.  You will need to take initiative because the media certainly won’t.

“Up until 9/11, America treated the Arab world basically as a collection of big gas stations – the Saudi station, the Libyan Station, the Kuwaiti station. “Guys,” we told them – it was only guys we talked to – “here’s the deal: Keep your pumps open, keep your prices low, and don’t bother the Jews too much, and you can do what ever you want out back.  You can treat your women badly.  You can deprive your people of whatever civil rights you like.  You can print whatever conspiracy theories about us you like.  You can educate your children to be intolerant of other faiths as much as you like.  You can preach from your mosques any venom you care to…Just keep the pumps open, your prices low, don’t hassle the Israelis too much – and do whatever you want out back.”

Those attitudes that were so true before 9/11/01 seem to me essentially the same in January 2010.  Our nation still functions on an arrangement where oil is the essential ingredient that moves our cars, runs our factories, lights and heats our homes and therefore maintains our standard of living.  Take away the oil and this country immediately retreats to the dark ages.  Without oil we would, in a matter of hours, cease to be the world’s most powerful nation, becoming instead a people with third world status, vulnerable from abroad and subject to chaos and massive civil unrest.

One of my great hopes for our country when President Obama took office was that this issue would be a prime focus of his administration.  Finally, I thought, after eight years in which both the president and vice president were “oil men” with close, personal ties to Saudi Arabia, we have a leader who sees the need for a new national energy grid, powered by massive wind farms and solar fields.  I envisioned a stimulus program where tens of thousands would be put to work on this innovative idea.  I saw idle car plants quickly retooled to build wind turbines and solar panels.  I saw thousands employed constructing the new grid on, most likely, the millions of acres already owned by the national government in areas where both wind and sun are readily available. It would solve so many problems, I dreamed. This could be the spark that would ignite a new era of innovation and entrepreneurship for which this nation has always been known. No more dependence on petro-dictators who hate us. No more American money used to fund terrorist groups.  Instead, a clean source of cheap energy brought about by the creation of millions of green jobs. Yes, I thought, finally we will see our country move forward after a generation of stagnation.

Alas, I was wrong.  One year into the Obama administration I hear nothing of a new energy grid.  I see no American factories converted to the production of wind turbines and solar panels.  Rather I see massive government spending on tired, old legislation filled with the usual useless and wasteful earmarks.  The president who promised that the old era had ended, that he would check the federal budget “page by page and line by line” now signs bills that he admits contain the same waste as before.

Let’s face it.  Our government is dysfunctional.  Both parties are incapable of solving basic problems.  We don’t need more Republicans and we don’t need more Democrats.  We need more leaders; leaders who are more interested in the nation’s future than the next election cycle; leaders who are willing to put aside partisan rhetoric, seek common ground and, in a spirit of unity, common sense and civic responsibility, actually solve basic problems.  I urge you to demand from your representatives, senators and president a real change of course on energy issues.  I urge that you demand it immediately, for I fear that the time for solving this problem is winding down. 

William C Webster

!4 Cedar Lane

Matamoras, PA 18336

                                             November Newsletter

 What is the proper role of government in our lives?  The debate over this question has been perennial in the American dialog since the revolution against Parliament and George III.  Fully addressing that debate would require volumes rather than a single newsletter, but I will highlight a few examples.

 The Articles of Confederation, our first government, was created out of fear of tyranny.  Designed to be weak, it was essentially a legislative body dependent on the individual states to carry out executive and judicial responsibilities.  Recognizing this system to be ineffective, the founding fathers met in Philadelphia in the hot summer of 1787 to amend and strengthen the Articles.  Instead they disregarded their instructions and created an entirely new system; The United States Constitution.  Known as federalism, our form of government divides power among three branches, giving each branch a system of checks and balances to prevent any one from becoming tyrannical.  Additionally, the powers over many issues that impact the daily lives of average citizens were denied the national government by the tenth amendment, which I quote here in full:

 The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states, or to the people.

 With the new Constitution in place in 1789, our nation began its long march through history.  This march has seen the debate over the size and role of government surface continually.  It was the essence of Hamilton and Jefferson’s ongoing confrontations during George Washington’s administration.  It was an issue when the Louisiana Territory was purchased from France and when Andrew Jackson took on the National Bank.  Lincoln’s near dictatorial policies during the American Civil War, especially the suspension of habeas corpus, fueled the fires of debate over the growing power of government.

 Events of the twentieth century did nothing to decrease the relevance of this debate.  Read about the Sedition and Espionage Acts passed during WWI or the enormous growth of presidential power during FDR’s New Deal program and WWII.  The nation was literally torn apart during the 1960’s and 70’s over the fighting of an undeclared war in Vietnam.  Then, of course, came the Watergate episode in which Nixon and his advisors seemed to adopt the philosophy that any action taken by the president could not be considered illegal, even if it was.

 My list of events that have fueled the discourse on governmental power is brief and woefully incomplete, but as I stated earlier, a complete discussion would require books rather than a newsletter.  Still I hope that the point has been made as to the historic concern of the American people over the power of government and the role it should play in our lives.  That said, we are now nearly a decade into the twenty first century and, in my view, the discussion has never been more relevant.  George Bush’s eight years in office saw a dramatic expansion of governmental power and control.  The concept of “preemptive” wars was instituted whereby the policy of our nation was to attack first those countries that might pose future threats.  This policy, birthed by the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, also included passage of the Patriot Act, a law that is literally jaw dropping to thinking people who fear tyranny.  I urge you to google the Patriot Act and read its contents.  And now we have the administration of Barak Obama, who in less than a year has overseen passage of a 825 billion dollar stimulus package, bailed out banks and insurance companies, taken control of General Motors and is currently revamping the nation’s health care system.

 It is my view that the issue of government’s proper role in our lives has sparked ongoing debate throughout the nation’s history.  I further believe that it is an essential debate that needs to be vigorous, open and civil.  I find it discouraging that our inept media outlets are constantly duped into endlessly covering stories that distract from the discussion.  I am very tired of stories about the “birthers.” David Letterman’s private life should be in the tabloids not the evening news.  The Roman Polanski story is important to him, the victim and the California justice system, but endless national coverage is unnecessary.  Sometimes even legitimate national spokespeople are a distraction from the real debate.  Former President Jimmy Carter’s recent remarks, that to question health care reform is somehow racist, borders on the bizarre.

 I urge you to join the real debate on the proper role of government in our lives.  It is important to our future as a free society. 

I hope you are enjoying your summer.  Mine has been too busy but things will soon slow down a bit.

Thank you for checking in.

Several years ago, when I was working on my first book, One Year in the Life of Benjamin Thomas, I discovered that in order to develop my major characters it was necessary to create minor ones.  And so, in order take one key person, Reeta, where I wanted her to go, I invented a gentle nun named Sister Sarah.  As the story progressed I found that Sarah was developimng a life of her own- almost as though she was telling me what to say rather than me creating her.  Before I had finished the first book I realized that there would be a second and that in that story Sarah would take center stage.  Sarah is not alone.  All the people featured in the first book return.  There are Ben and Reeta, of course, as well as Slim and Mary.  Jim Braxton plays a larger role than he did in the first book as does George Rogers.  There are also new characters that I hope you will like, most notably Dr. Carter Gray, a man who takes the Hippocratic oath seriously.

I will say no more about the specifics of Wilson Hill. I hope the story will be as enjoyable for you to read as it was for me to write.