Motivation for working on my genealogy. I have several reasons that my work on genealogy is important to me. My first and foremost reason is a desire to record my mother's family. My mother was always very proud of her heritage and she always asked me to research and record our family history. My mother loved her grandchildren. It was important to my mother that her grandchildren knew her family. In particular her grandmother, Armenita Clementine Chapin. Armenita was quite a character.

But there is a more compelling reason to motivate me to continue to record and share "our story". That reason is to educate our younger generation on American History!!

I am feeling very strongly about doing this genealogy work. I think my education and dedication to this work has led me to research and preserve this data. I feel so strongly about it because American History is being rewritten for the next generation of American children by people and interest groups that were not here!!
In order to preserve our country we must keep the ideals of America alive. If these special interest groups felt so strongly about Americas ideals why did they not try it in their own country. I will tell you why because it takes sacrifice, heroism, and a vision.

This country may not be perfect but it is the best country in the world. My personal profession at Working to move industry to China, India, Iraq, Israel --- reminds me of how much "growing" these countries are going to need. America went through our Industrial Revolution, the Great Reform and the establishment of public education.
Just like these countries are now-------Until the 1840s, school systems were localized and available only to wealthy people. The Great Reformers (mostly Protestant) who wanted all children to benefit the education process opposed this. These reformers fought for the case that public schooling could create good citizens, unite society and prevent crime and poverty. Seems to me those should be the goals of schools today. The efforts and work of the GREAT REFORMERS are not taught in school today). As a result of their efforts, free public education at the elementary level was available for all American children by the end of the nineteenth century. By 1918 all states had passed laws requiring children to attend at least elementary school (Great School Staff, 2003). The first publicly supported secondary school in the United States was founded in 1635. The attendance in secondary schools was very little because the curriculum was specialized and difficult. A demand for more intelligence and skills within the labor force (the industrial revolution which India, China, and so many other countries are experiencing now) led Benjamin Franklin to start a new kind of secondary school. Franklin established, the American Academy which was established in Philadelphia in 1751. American high schools eventually became more prominent. The rise in American high school attendance was one of the most shocking developments in the U.S. education system during the twentieth century. As the twentieth century progressed, high school was becoming more and more important to society. The effects that the history of public education took on shaping America in the early years of the twentieth century are often overlooked. Likewise, things like The Great Depression, wars with other countries, civil rights movement, student protests and the numerous political events within the country all had their effects on the education system. All of these, plus more were key ingredients to the efforts in shaping the American public school (Thattai, 1999). American public schools are built around the beliefs of everyone is welcome and no child will be left behind. Public schools are schools that are provided by state and federal funding. Ninety percent of the children in America attend a public school. Until 1951 the "Protestant" Lord's Prayer was said in Public schools each day.
As the world evolves, these lessons are going to help make better decisions in the future. Education is key to create good citizens, unite society and prevent crime and poverty.
Bringing that part of history to our grand kids is very important to me.

I do believe there is an anti-American wave of thinking being popularized. But for me and my family I will try to keep the story (or at least this side of it) straight.

So off to work on setting the records straight. More later, Ruth

Ok I will jump off my soap box and get focused on my research.