15 December 2007 Dear Mr. Fears, Thank you for your considered response. I see no reason why you can't stand by your opinion and why I might regard it as a sweeping generalization. There seems to be a vast amount of room here and no one's breaking any furniture or checking their stock of fulminating cotton. However, your response did bring up some things for me to think about and I've done so with an eye towards greater understanding of the differences expressed here. You ask "But, to the point, if the future of our society rests in our children, should not those who guide them be among the highest paid servants?" Boy-howdy, but do I want to go back in time and hear Mr. Twain answer this one! He might seize a word here and humorously entertain the contrasting idea of having the servants educate one's children instead of a more professional class or someone at least not bound or otherwise in any way indentured to service. He valued his Oxford honors highly but might have been less impressed with the place if he'd been given his robes by the night porter. In my own thinking, I can't hardly argue with the obvious answers to your questions, those being summed up, if you will permit me, as yes, we need to place education in a much greater and vital place in all of society. But when it comes down to money I am not sure sure that humans in general and Americans in particular initially respond with anything more sincere than avarice to the siren call of high salaries. And that avarice can be put into service in a variety of disguises, such as some that carry the title of full Professor and sit on a chair with another man's name attached and funding it. One of the things about service is that it requires some sacrifice of one's individual desires. Knowing one will be very well paid often attracts the less than honest among us. Of course, a general across-the-board national raising of all teacher's salaries would be a great thing instead of continuing to fund expensive wars. But I'm not quite convinced that simply raising the payscale will attract the kind of people best suited to teaching young people, to foster "the ability to think" as you say. As long as we have a profit motive central to the soul of our society I do not think that education, outside the vocational and functionary trades such as business, law and accounting, will ever have the generous funding to pursue the widespread of life of the mind that seems not only desirable but also essential to human nature. (Perhaps essential to its very survival.) To be sure this country has produced exceptional thinkers and scholars (I think one or two might be on this forum) and will continue to do so. But as long as the "bidness of American is bidness," we're going to have a hard time making sure people understand the value of teaching let alone paying the teachers well. This forum is, at least, a splendid reminder and ongoing discussion of the value of literature and the teaching of it. Thank you also for your hopes for my understanding of your occasional role as a provocateur. I can hardly think of a role in literature and writing that is more traditional or essential to keeping the mind alive and well. For my replying you are welcome and I hope my opinions won't get me into much trouble. One last thing. You state "An educated populace is vital to preserve and renew democracy." Of course and I don't know many here that would disagree. However, I'm not convinced the current corporate funding of education and name-branding of halls, athletic facilities and impressive university erections (usually the "bidness" or law schools) actually wants an educated populace so much as a -trained- one. (I think Mr. Twain would have spotted this howler early on and been very suspicious of so many "benevolent" enterprises setting up shop on campus.) Goodness knows that a freethinking populace might find something wrong with the status quo and if they remember they can vote it might not turn out so well for "Engulf & DeVour Inc.," the current masters of the capitalist universe who also like to publish books as long as they sell very, very well. I look forward to hearing what you or anyone has to say on this forum and remain until then Yours cordially, Benjamin van der Wel