My mother and father were not snobs

My mother and father were not snobs.
Mom did not graduate from eighth grade. She began working as soon as she could to help support her family, attended part-time school, became the first woman merchandiser at Monkey Wards in the area, raised five kids, and aspired that all of them should enter college, and maybe achieve a degree. She was proud of all that we did, whether we were carpenters, teachers, nurses or college professors. I think she was happy to tell people about all of it though. But snobbery was not my mother. Proud, yes; snob, no.

And Dad, he graduated from high school, often joked that he had taken four years of Latin (Latin 1 for two years, and Latin 2 for two years…highly irregular!). He was determined that all of us should go on to some education beyond high school, and also aspired to have  all of us graduate from college. He was pleased when some of us did it in the short time of 4 years after high school.  He was far from snobbery.

Mom and dad were excited when one of us completed a one or two year certificate program. And they were so proud when some of us completed degrees later in life. Completion of college was welcomed and celebrated at any time.
Education was extremely important to my parents. They were a son and daughter of immigrant stock. Higher education was elusive to most of their generation. Secondary education was difficult enough, even elementary school.

They managed to assure that the proper home environment was available so that we could study. They engaged themselves in the process of schooling by sitting with us while we did homework. They made sure that we had library cards so we could continue reading  throughout the year. And they were present at school meetings and teacher conferences when they were held.

I was fortunate to have benefited from their aspirations. As a guidance counselor for over 25 years, I talked of college education to thousands of students, hoping to engage them in similar goals. The district where I worked had a mix of students ranging from those who wanted college to a group who never dreamed of darkening the doors of a college campus. As the years went on, the college going rate at the school rose from about 50% to over 80%. This was partially caused by the rise of community colleges, federal and state incentives (Pell grant, TAP, GSL, etc.), and a real change in the attitudes of the parents and students themselves. Some parents even entered community college the same year as their son or daughter. Aspirations became realities. And these hard working people were not snobs.

And now comes that sorry man, that candidate for the presidency, who calls our current president a snob because he wants people to go to college. He assails the aspiring parents of  college bound young people as being snobs. I wonder if his parents would be considered snobs because he was encouraged to pursue college. Give us all a break.

Encourage us to better ourselves instead of deprecating the ideals and efforts that have made this country great and have improved the lot of so many Americans.  Encourage us to embrace steps that will increase our earning power and make the significant contributions to our society we so desperately need.