Adams on education

My husband is a history nerd, and about a year ago, he read through John Adams by David McCullough. He kept trying to convince me to pick it up, said I would relate very well to Abigail, John Adams' wife and "dearest friend." He was convinced that I am as saucy as she was, that he respects and loves me like Mr. Adams did Abigail. Theirs is one of the most-well documented love stories of all time.

I finally got through a few other books I have been meaning to read, the latest being The Help, which was fantastic. I started in on John Adams about two months ago. It took me awhile to get into it, especially since it's not the type of book I can read with the boys awake, it's just too intense, too many transitions, takes too much brain power. However, I have been taking about a half hour every night to read half of a chapter. I feel like the story just gets better and better. Not only do John & Abigail fall in love, but their marriage was fraught with trial after trial after trial. Really, I look to her legacy because I don't count myself immune to divorce. Just because I love my husband, doesn't mean there won't one day be a cause he is called to that won't take him away from this, our home, our growing children, and the peace our presently happy marriage brings; that he couldn't break my heart, as I am sure Abigail's heart was broken time after time. But she stuck it out, she fought, she loved him fiercely. I hope to so remain and be strengthened as Mark's dearest friend.

And I admire her husband just as much. He was incredible. There are some really inspirational people out there, note my recent post about a contemporary American leader. But Adams helped write the Declaration of Independence! He was a Founding Father! He was an awesome husband and friend! He also drew up the Consititution for the state of Massachusetts. In it, there is a section specifically dedicated to education. He basically states that if men are free and freely educated, our society will be set up to thrive. He was a visionary and a man of great intellect, I'd say genius. Here is the excerpt of the section on education, as written in the biography of John Adams by David McCullough:

"Wisdom and knowledge, as well as virtue, diffused generally among the body of the people being necessary for the preservation of their rights and liberties; and as these depend on spreading the opportunities and advantages of education in various parts of the country, and among the different orders of the people, it shall be the duty of legislators and magistrates in all future periods of the commonwealth the cherish the interests of literature and the sciences and all seminaries of them, especially the university at Cambridge, public schools, and grammar schools in the towns; to encourage private societies and public institutions, rewards and immunities, for the promotion of agriculture, arts, sciences, commerce, trades manufactures, and a natural history of the country; to countenance and inculcate the principles of humanity and general benevolence, public and private charity, industry and frugality, honesty and punctuality in their dealings, sincerity, good humor, and all social affections, and generous sentiments among the people."

This kind of education is what my husband does for a living; it is what he is striving for at present. I love and respect that so much.