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 When Mary McLeod Bethune was paging through a book one day, she was ordered
to, "Put that book down! You can't read!" The words were harsh, but the words
were true. She couldn't read.
Born on July 1, 1875, Mary eventually did learn to read when a mission school opened in her neighborhood. And, when taunted by others on her way to school, she was taught to fight back with "words and reasoning, not stones and fists," a lesson she would never forget.
After graduating, she moved to Daytona Beach, FL and opened "The School." All were welcome to "Enter to Learn, Depart to Serve." No matter the supplies were few and the surroundings sparse, children were learning to read, to write and to believe in their abilities. "The School" became Bethune-Cookman College. Mary's inspiring story teaches the importance of reading and education as well as the power of conflict resolution.
RELATED CURRICULUM SUGGESTIONS:
- Career Day
- Conflict Resolution Units
- The writing of biographies
- Units on multi-cultural awareness
- Units on character education
- The subjects of social studies and language arts
 SPECIAL CELEBRATION DATES:
- October 19-25 - National CHARACTER COUNTS! Week
- November 1-6 - National Young Reader's Week
- November 15-21 - American Education Week
- January - National Book Month
- February - Black History Month
- March - Women's History Month
- April 12-18 - National Library Week
- May 1-7 - Teacher Appreciation Week
*For specific tie-ins to your state's curriculum and learning standards,
please call our office.
TESTIMONIALS:
CHICAGO:
"Excellent. Very well presented. It really held the
students' interest, and a great deal of information was presented."
-- First Grade Teacher, Berger Vandenberg School, Dolton
"I was fascinated
by the energy of the presenter. She stressed the importance of an education
as few are able to do."
-- Eighth Grade Teacher, Portage Park School, Chicago
BOSTON:
"I thought it was an excellent, informative performance
and surprisingly appropriate for young children. It opened up a lot of discussion
for us in the classroom."
-- Kindergarten Teacher, Columbus Park School, Worcester
"I was amazed.
The performance was factually interesting and emotionally powerful. What a
wonderful way to clearly make history come alive."
-- Fourth Grade Teacher, Buckingham Brown Elementary, Cambridge
MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL:
"A hot day, barometer rising and so, too,
the students - 2:00 in the afternoon, and you hypnotized them with your performance.
The time flew."
-- First Grade Teacher, Homecroft School, St. Paul
"We were so engrossed
in it, we forgot to keep an eye on the kids. When we did, they were just as
interested as we were. Great character to have portrayed."
-- Seventh Grade Teacher, IHM-St. Luke's School, St. Paul
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