Education as life mission
On a Teachers day, I see a lot of posts about favorite teachers and mentors all around. On a different note, wanted to write about educationalist I read about and my parallel thoughts around that.
“ЁЭС╡ЁЭТР ЁЭТУЁЭТВЁЭТДЁЭТЖ ЁЭТДЁЭТВЁЭТП ЁЭТСЁЭТУЁЭТРЁЭТФЁЭТСЁЭТЖЁЭТУ ЁЭТХЁЭТКЁЭТНЁЭТН ЁЭТКЁЭТХ ЁЭТНЁЭТЖЁЭТВЁЭТУЁЭТПЁЭТФ ЁЭТХЁЭТЙЁЭТВЁЭТХ ЁЭТХЁЭТЙЁЭТЖЁЭТУЁЭТЖ ЁЭТКЁЭТФ ЁЭТВЁЭТФ ЁЭТОЁЭТЦЁЭТДЁЭТЙ ЁЭТЕЁЭТКЁЭТИЁЭТПЁЭТКЁЭТХЁЭТЪ ЁЭТКЁЭТП ЁЭТХЁЭТКЁЭТНЁЭТНЁЭТКЁЭТПЁЭТИ ЁЭТВ ЁЭТЗЁЭТКЁЭТЖЁЭТНЁЭТЕ ЁЭТВЁЭТФ ЁЭТКЁЭТП ЁЭТШЁЭТУЁЭТКЁЭТХЁЭТКЁЭТПЁЭТИ ЁЭТВ ЁЭТСЁЭТРЁЭТЖЁЭТО.”
“ЁЭС╗ЁЭТЙЁЭТЖ ЁЭТЙЁЭТВЁЭТСЁЭТСЁЭТКЁЭТЖЁЭТФЁЭТХ ЁЭТСЁЭТЖЁЭТРЁЭТСЁЭТНЁЭТЖ ЁЭТВЁЭТУЁЭТЖ ЁЭТХЁЭТЙЁЭТРЁЭТФЁЭТЖ ЁЭТШЁЭТЙЁЭТР ЁЭТЕЁЭТР ЁЭТХЁЭТЙЁЭТЖ ЁЭТОЁЭТРЁЭТФЁЭТХ ЁЭТЗЁЭТРЁЭТУ ЁЭТРЁЭТХЁЭТЙЁЭТЖЁЭТУЁЭТФ. ЁЭС╗ЁЭТЙЁЭТЖ ЁЭТОЁЭТРЁЭТФЁЭТХ ЁЭТОЁЭТКЁЭТФЁЭТЖЁЭТУЁЭТВЁЭТГЁЭТНЁЭТЖ ЁЭТВЁЭТУЁЭТЖ ЁЭТХЁЭТЙЁЭТРЁЭТФЁЭТЖ ЁЭТШЁЭТЙЁЭТР ЁЭТЕЁЭТР ЁЭТХЁЭТЙЁЭТЖ ЁЭТНЁЭТЖЁЭТВЁЭТФЁЭТХ.”
That is Classic Booker Washington for you.
A man who rose from the despairing depth of Slavery in the Southern states of US to be marked as a hope and pioneer of Blacks in late 19th Century and Early 20th Century.
While we read his ghost written (allegedly) biography, one admires his grit in raising from dumps of humanity to raise to a most influencing African American of his times. His account of his early life moves us greatly, largely due to collective effect from many accounts of such experiences that have told volumes about Black misery, suppression and exploitation.
His autobiography is not about darkness of Slavery alone. His narration is about a man who saw a salvation of blacks in education. He dedicated his life for that. His view of education was not to affirm the prevailing notion that education is a gateway to life of relative affluence. Instead it is a slow march that would move the black life in America out of its ignorance and rejection to that of value and respect.
"ЁЭСиЁЭТХ ЁЭСпЁЭТВЁЭТОЁЭТСЁЭТХЁЭТРЁЭТП ЁЭС░ ЁЭТПЁЭТРЁЭТХ ЁЭТРЁЭТПЁЭТНЁЭТЪ ЁЭТНЁЭТЖЁЭТВЁЭТУЁЭТПЁЭТЖЁЭТЕ ЁЭТХЁЭТЙЁЭТВЁЭТХ ЁЭТКЁЭТХ ЁЭТШЁЭТВЁЭТФ ЁЭТПЁЭТРЁЭТХ ЁЭТВ ЁЭТЕЁЭТКЁЭТФЁЭТИЁЭТУЁЭТВЁЭТДЁЭТЖ ЁЭТХЁЭТР ЁЭТНЁЭТВЁЭТГЁЭТРЁЭТЦЁЭТУ, ЁЭТГЁЭТЦЁЭТХ ЁЭТНЁЭТЖЁЭТВЁЭТУЁЭТПЁЭТЖЁЭТЕ ЁЭТХЁЭТР ЁЭТНЁЭТРЁЭТЧЁЭТЖ ЁЭТНЁЭТВЁЭТГЁЭТРЁЭТЦЁЭТУ, ЁЭТПЁЭТРЁЭТХ ЁЭТВЁЭТНЁЭТРЁЭТПЁЭТЖ ЁЭТЗЁЭТРЁЭТУ ЁЭТКЁЭТХЁЭТФ ЁЭТЗЁЭТКЁЭТПЁЭТВЁЭТПЁЭТДЁЭТКЁЭТВЁЭТН ЁЭТЧЁЭТВЁЭТНЁЭТЦЁЭТЖ, ЁЭТГЁЭТЦЁЭТХ ЁЭТЗЁЭТРЁЭТУ ЁЭТНЁЭТВЁЭТГЁЭТРЁЭТЦЁЭТУ’ЁЭТФ ЁЭТРЁЭТШЁЭТП ЁЭТФЁЭТВЁЭТМЁЭТЖ ЁЭТВЁЭТПЁЭТЕ ЁЭТЗЁЭТРЁЭТУ ЁЭТХЁЭТЙЁЭТЖ ЁЭТКЁЭТПЁЭТЕЁЭТЖЁЭТСЁЭТЖЁЭТПЁЭТЕЁЭТЖЁЭТПЁЭТДЁЭТЖ ЁЭТВЁЭТПЁЭТЕ ЁЭТФЁЭТЖЁЭТНЁЭТЗ-ЁЭТУЁЭТЖЁЭТНЁЭТКЁЭТВЁЭТПЁЭТДЁЭТЖ ЁЭТШЁЭТЙЁЭТКЁЭТДЁЭТЙ ЁЭТХЁЭТЙЁЭТЖ ЁЭТВЁЭТГЁЭТКЁЭТНЁЭТКЁЭТХЁЭТЪ ЁЭТХЁЭТР ЁЭТЕЁЭТР ЁЭТФЁЭТРЁЭТОЁЭТЖЁЭТХЁЭТЙЁЭТКЁЭТПЁЭТИ ЁЭТШЁЭТЙЁЭТКЁЭТДЁЭТЙ ЁЭТХЁЭТЙЁЭТЖ ЁЭТШЁЭТРЁЭТУЁЭТНЁЭТЕ ЁЭТШЁЭТВЁЭТПЁЭТХЁЭТФ ЁЭТЕЁЭТРЁЭТПЁЭТЖ ЁЭТГЁЭТУЁЭТКЁЭТПЁЭТИЁЭТФ. ЁЭСиЁЭТХ ЁЭТХЁЭТЙЁЭТВЁЭТХ ЁЭТКЁЭТПЁЭТФЁЭТХЁЭТКЁЭТХЁЭТЦЁЭТХЁЭТКЁЭТРЁЭТП ЁЭС░ ЁЭТИЁЭТРЁЭТХ ЁЭТОЁЭТЪ ЁЭТЗЁЭТКЁЭТУЁЭТФЁЭТХ ЁЭТХЁЭТВЁЭТФЁЭТХЁЭТЖ ЁЭТРЁЭТЗ ЁЭТШЁЭТЙЁЭТВЁЭТХ ЁЭТКЁЭТХ ЁЭТОЁЭТЖЁЭТВЁЭТПЁЭТХ ЁЭТХЁЭТР ЁЭТНЁЭТКЁЭТЧЁЭТЖ ЁЭТВ ЁЭТНЁЭТКЁЭТЗЁЭТЖ ЁЭТРЁЭТЗ ЁЭТЦЁЭТПЁЭТФЁЭТЖЁЭТНЁЭТЗЁЭТКЁЭТФЁЭТЙЁЭТПЁЭТЖЁЭТФЁЭТФ, ЁЭТОЁЭТЪ ЁЭТЗЁЭТКЁЭТУЁЭТФЁЭТХ ЁЭТМЁЭТПЁЭТРЁЭТШЁЭТНЁЭТЖЁЭТЕЁЭТИЁЭТЖ ЁЭТРЁЭТЗ ЁЭТХЁЭТЙЁЭТЖ ЁЭТЗЁЭТВЁЭТДЁЭТХ ЁЭТХЁЭТЙЁЭТВЁЭТХ ЁЭТХЁЭТЙЁЭТЖ ЁЭТЙЁЭТВЁЭТСЁЭТСЁЭТКЁЭТЖЁЭТФЁЭТХ ЁЭТКЁЭТПЁЭТЕЁЭТКЁЭТЧЁЭТКЁЭТЕЁЭТЦЁЭТВЁЭТНЁЭТФ ЁЭТВЁЭТУЁЭТЖ ЁЭТХЁЭТЙЁЭТРЁЭТФЁЭТЖ ЁЭТШЁЭТЙЁЭТР ЁЭТЕЁЭТР ЁЭТХЁЭТЙЁЭТЖ ЁЭТОЁЭТРЁЭТФЁЭТХ ЁЭТХЁЭТР ЁЭТОЁЭТВЁЭТМЁЭТЖ ЁЭТРЁЭТХЁЭТЙЁЭТЖЁЭТУЁЭТФ ЁЭТЦЁЭТФЁЭТЖЁЭТЗЁЭТЦЁЭТН ЁЭТВЁЭТПЁЭТЕ ЁЭТЙЁЭТВЁЭТСЁЭТСЁЭТЪ"
"ЁЭС┤ЁЭТЪ ЁЭТЖЁЭТЩЁЭТСЁЭТЖЁЭТУЁЭТКЁЭТЖЁЭТПЁЭТДЁЭТЖ ЁЭТКЁЭТФ ЁЭТХЁЭТЙЁЭТВЁЭТХ ЁЭТХЁЭТЙЁЭТЖЁЭТУЁЭТЖ ЁЭТКЁЭТФ ЁЭТФЁЭТРЁЭТОЁЭТЖЁЭТХЁЭТЙЁЭТКЁЭТПЁЭТИ ЁЭТКЁЭТП ЁЭТЙЁЭТЦЁЭТОЁЭТВЁЭТП ЁЭТПЁЭТВЁЭТХЁЭТЦЁЭТУЁЭТЖ ЁЭТШЁЭТЙЁЭТКЁЭТДЁЭТЙ ЁЭТВЁЭТНЁЭТШЁЭТВЁЭТЪЁЭТФ ЁЭТОЁЭТВЁЭТМЁЭТЖЁЭТФ ЁЭТВЁЭТП ЁЭТКЁЭТПЁЭТЕЁЭТКЁЭТЧЁЭТКЁЭТЕЁЭТЦЁЭТВЁЭТН ЁЭТУЁЭТЖЁЭТДЁЭТРЁЭТИЁЭТПЁЭТКЁЭТЫЁЭТЖ ЁЭТВЁЭТПЁЭТЕ ЁЭТУЁЭТЖЁЭТШЁЭТВЁЭТУЁЭТЕ ЁЭТОЁЭТЖЁЭТУЁЭТКЁЭТХ, ЁЭТПЁЭТР ЁЭТОЁЭТВЁЭТХЁЭТХЁЭТЖЁЭТУ ЁЭТЦЁЭТПЁЭТЕЁЭТЖЁЭТУ ЁЭТШЁЭТЙЁЭТВЁЭТХ ЁЭТДЁЭТРЁЭТНЁЭТРЁЭТЦЁЭТУ ЁЭТРЁЭТЗ ЁЭТФЁЭТМЁЭТКЁЭТП ЁЭТОЁЭТЖЁЭТУЁЭТКЁЭТХ ЁЭТКЁЭТФ ЁЭТЗЁЭТРЁЭТЦЁЭТПЁЭТЕ."
"ЁЭС╗ЁЭТЙЁЭТЖ ЁЭТКЁЭТПЁЭТЕЁЭТКЁЭТЧЁЭТКЁЭТЕЁЭТЦЁЭТВЁЭТН ЁЭТШЁЭТЙЁЭТР ЁЭТДЁЭТВЁЭТП ЁЭТЕЁЭТР ЁЭТФЁЭТРЁЭТОЁЭТЖЁЭТХЁЭТЙЁЭТКЁЭТПЁЭТИ ЁЭТХЁЭТЙЁЭТВЁЭТХ ЁЭТХЁЭТЙЁЭТЖ ЁЭТШЁЭТРЁЭТУЁЭТНЁЭТЕ ЁЭТШЁЭТВЁЭТПЁЭТХЁЭТФ ЁЭТЕЁЭТРЁЭТПЁЭТЖ ЁЭТШЁЭТКЁЭТНЁЭТН, ЁЭТКЁЭТП ЁЭТХЁЭТЙЁЭТЖ ЁЭТЖЁЭТПЁЭТЕ, ЁЭТОЁЭТВЁЭТМЁЭТЖ ЁЭТЙЁЭТКЁЭТФ ЁЭТШЁЭТВЁЭТЪ ЁЭТУЁЭТЖЁЭТИЁЭТВЁЭТУЁЭТЕЁЭТНЁЭТЖЁЭТФЁЭТФ ЁЭТРЁЭТЗ ЁЭТУЁЭТВЁЭТДЁЭТЖ."
He sincerely believed that a pacifist approach with the White population of the South would help the blacks move upward.
"ЁЭС░ ЁЭТЖЁЭТВЁЭТУЁЭТНЁЭТЪ ЁЭТНЁЭТЖЁЭТВЁЭТУЁЭТПЁЭТЖЁЭТЕ ЁЭТХЁЭТЙЁЭТВЁЭТХ ЁЭТКЁЭТХ ЁЭТКЁЭТФ ЁЭТВ ЁЭТЙЁЭТВЁЭТУЁЭТЕ ЁЭТОЁЭТВЁЭТХЁЭТХЁЭТЖЁЭТУ ЁЭТХЁЭТР ЁЭТДЁЭТРЁЭТПЁЭТЧЁЭТЖЁЭТУЁЭТХ ЁЭТВЁЭТП ЁЭТКЁЭТПЁЭТЕЁЭТКЁЭТЧЁЭТКЁЭТЕЁЭТЦЁЭТВЁЭТН ЁЭТГЁЭТЪ ЁЭТВЁЭТГЁЭТЦЁЭТФЁЭТКЁЭТПЁЭТИ ЁЭТЙЁЭТКЁЭТО, ЁЭТВЁЭТПЁЭТЕ ЁЭТХЁЭТЙЁЭТВЁЭТХ ЁЭТХЁЭТЙЁЭТКЁЭТФ ЁЭТКЁЭТФ ЁЭТОЁЭТРЁЭТУЁЭТЖ ЁЭТРЁЭТЗЁЭТХЁЭТЖЁЭТП ЁЭТВЁЭТДЁЭТДЁЭТРЁЭТОЁЭТСЁЭТНЁЭТКЁЭТФЁЭТЙЁЭТЖЁЭТЕ ЁЭТГЁЭТЪ ЁЭТИЁЭТКЁЭТЧЁЭТКЁЭТПЁЭТИ ЁЭТДЁЭТУЁЭТЖЁЭТЕЁЭТКЁЭТХ ЁЭТЗЁЭТРЁЭТУ ЁЭТВЁЭТНЁЭТН ЁЭТХЁЭТЙЁЭТЖ ЁЭТСЁЭТУЁЭТВЁЭТКЁЭТФЁЭТЖЁЭТШЁЭТРЁЭТУЁЭТХЁЭТЙЁЭТЪ ЁЭТВЁЭТДЁЭТХЁЭТКЁЭТРЁЭТПЁЭТФ ЁЭТСЁЭТЖЁЭТУЁЭТЗЁЭТРЁЭТУЁЭТОЁЭТЖЁЭТЕ ЁЭТХЁЭТЙЁЭТВЁЭТП ЁЭТГЁЭТЪ ЁЭТДЁЭТВЁЭТНЁЭТНЁЭТКЁЭТПЁЭТИ ЁЭТВЁЭТХЁЭТХЁЭТЖЁЭТПЁЭТХЁЭТКЁЭТРЁЭТП ЁЭТВЁЭТНЁЭТРЁЭТПЁЭТЖ ЁЭТХЁЭТР ЁЭТВЁЭТНЁЭТН ЁЭТХЁЭТЙЁЭТЖ ЁЭТЖЁЭТЧЁЭТКЁЭТН ЁЭТЕЁЭТРЁЭТПЁЭТЖ."
Booker Washington methods talk about a model of education that goes to basics of making students learn by performing most menial tasks and useful trade as part of the education. His was not a method that seeks to promote an elite model that kept the students on a pedestal insulated from the chores of the normal life.
When I read his experiments and efforts in building the Modest institution in Tuskgee to one of the premier universities, I felt the striking resemblance to the Gandhian method of education. Not Surprisingly, I learnt Gandhi was influenced by him even when he was in South Africa. He had spoken and written about it even. This fact clearly calls out the fallacy of those who seek to cast Gandhi as a Anti Black while in South Africa.
Even more than Gandhi I am also reminded of Mahatma Jyotiba Phule and Savitribai Phule who identified education as their life mission in their goal of enabling the oppressed mass to their salvation.
The similarity to Gandhi and Phules ends there.
Towards the end, Booker Washington's life was marked by controversies on his pacifist ways and his refusal to incriminate the White supremacists even at the Hight of Jim Crow laws and Mass lynching across the south. His "ЁЭШ╛ЁЭЩЦЁЭЩиЁЭЩй ЁЭШ┐ЁЭЩдЁЭЩмЁЭЩг ЁЭЩФЁЭЩдЁЭЩкЁЭЩз ЁЭШ╜ЁЭЩкЁЭЩШЁЭЩаЁЭЩЪЁЭЩй ЁЭЩТЁЭЩЭЁЭЩЪЁЭЩзЁЭЩЪ ЁЭЩФЁЭЩдЁЭЩк ЁЭШ╝ЁЭЩзЁЭЩЪ" quote from his Atlanta Speech - which strangely did not condemn any single atrocity during the height of Black suppression in the south - became the mark of self denouncement later.
His refusal to take up mass issues, refusing political activism, all starkly contrasted with Gandhi who was a mass activist and fighter till the end. Gandhi chose every fight carefully and turned every oppressive move as an opportunity in bringing people together, a lesson he learnt by his experience and reading also fierce detractors of Booker Washington like W.E.B.Du Bois. That is the reason later leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. could relate to Gandhi more while trying to distance themselves from Booker Washington.
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