There'll be some changes made

I love South Dakota.  Sweatin' like an oldie one day, covering up like an oldie the next.  Truly infinite in its variety.  The only constant is the oldie!  This past weekend, I got a call from a former student wondering if I would stop in at their 10th reunion.  I was honored.  This would be the class to whom I gave my farewell address (called the commencement speech).  They looked great.  I learned a lot. And surprise of surprises, I told a joke.  (It was so nice to be able to tell a joke and not worry if I would get a parental call!)  While there, it struck me that they were young, but not really!  They had jobs.  They had families.  They had made significant decisions.  They were what they were supposed to be--functioning members of society!  And I?  I was proud!  If I had a part in that development, well, isn't that grand.  I know that if I did not, some other teacher did.  That's the beauty about the personalities of teachers.  They're all different, thank god, and there is someone there that for every student.  At least there should be.  But there won't, if we don't make some drastic changes--like make teaching a career to which to aspire.  Pay them.  Educate them.  Work for and with them.  The best and the brightest should be teaching the best and the brightest.  But it ain't gonna happen if there aren't (see title above!)