Port Washington Pride arrived at our house today. In contrast to the dismal news we are receiving elsewhere, the school district’s newsletter was an instant picker-upper. For an old guy like me, it was a joy to read.
Schreiber senior Harry Paul deserves kudos and the respect of not just the Union Free School District, but also of our entire community. What a role model! Instead of sitting in a corner, bemoaning his fate, he did something about it. His goal is a noble one: to help children everywhere who are victimized by a condition they were born with. That says a lot about Harry Paul’s values—and values are what determines a person’s character. (Parents take note).
It was good to read that, thanks to the Port Washington Education Foundation, Schreiber’s television studio is awake and taking nourishment. Speaking from the experience of my Johnny Carson days et al., television needs more trained people behind the camera than in front of it. I would hazard a guess, however, that more young people would prefer to perform. Although no one asked for it, the best advice I can offer to the latter is to get a college degree.
That way, if stardom does not come your way, you will have options that will provide you with a decent living. Remember, there are at least 11 professions that require you to have a license to work at them professionally. The performing arts require none. Therefore, the competition is all inclusive and fierce.
Murphy Siegel, addressing his classmates at commencement, declared: “Our generation cares more about the future of our world than any generation before us.”
But caring and doing are two different verbs. All of us stand here today on the backs of the American colonists who, in 1765, cared so much about their country that they did something about it for the next 18 years. The world is a beneficiary of that kind of caring and doing. It is heartening to hear that Mr. Siegel’s generation cares about the future of our world. That is a good start; now comes doing something about it.
In 1777, President John Adams wrote to his daughter, Nabby, on her 12th birthday: “To be good, and to do good, is all we have to do.”
It also takes good luck, which is what I wish for every member of the Paul D. Schreiber Class of 2014. My money is on them.
—Howard Blankman
