Bob,

Just to let you know you're teaching many, MANY, more than your History students. My WDGC radio DJ's this summer are putting together daily updates based on your entries and announcing your website for others to see. They really enjoy reporting something INTERESTING in our local news! It's a wonderful (and rare) experience when teaching takes on this much of a life of its own. Congratulations on the "lesson plan" and keep up the good work.

I agree -- all of us are getting so much via your experiences. I hope my newspaper kids have been doing some summer work! As my husband and I are expecting our second baby soon, I will not be there when school starts to see how they have followed your story. If they miss this one they will miss one of the best stories -- ever -- about one of our successful and dedicated faculty. Thank you for taking us along.
Congratulations to you and keep safe.

Twice, now, you have quoted the first verse of "America" - on July 4th and in your epilogue. You might find another verse equally interesting (I think it's the second verse):

Oh, beautiful, for pilgrims' feet
whose stern, impassioned stress
a thoroughfare for freedom beat
across the wilderness

(to this point, this is fodder for a lot of discussion, but the next part is my favorite)

America, America
God mend thine every flaw.
Confirm thy soul in self control,
thy liberty in law.

It seems we have the last two lines backwards, lately. Another way of saying it is that we seem to be trying to 'legislate morality' or trying to confirm our national soul in law. Can't be done. You just wind up limiting freedoms, which is the opposite of the last line - saying we should be confirming our liberties in law.

I was drawn to remark after the 4th of July, but this cinched it.

Congratulations on a summer's worth of teaching. I'm still shaky with emotion and I didn't pedal an inch of it.

Good job. (We hope the donations are improving.)