I imagine a classroom;
it's the year 2050.
I can see colorful streamers
and a multiplication table
and a weather chart
and a classroom job board.
And an easel with
"Welcome, Class!" written
in bubbly block letters.
And along one wall,
a parade of quotes.
Words without attribution.
Statements from
humans of consequence.
On the opposite wall,
a series of pictures
of the people who
had said those words.
On a third wall,
are written the names
of people, who presumably
uttered the commentary:
Sir Henry Royce
Maya Angelou
DJT
Kamala Harris
Christina Koch
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Henri Matisse.
And on the fourth wall,
the roles or titles
of each of the people
whose quotes are displayed:
Artist
Engineer
Pastor
Poet
President
Scientist
Vice President.
I scan this room
on a quest for wisdom.
I come across some quotes
that catch my eye:
"Creativity takes courage."
= = =
"To the children of our country,
regardless of your gender,
our country has sent you
a clear message:
Dream with ambition,
lead with conviction,
and see yourself in a way
that others might not see you...
And we will applaud you
every step of the way."
= = =
"We will explore.
We will build.
We will build ships.
We will visit again.
We will construct science outposts.
We will drive rovers.
We will do radio astronomy.
We will found companies.
We will bolster industry.
We will inspire.
But ultimately,
we will always
choose Earth.
We will always
choose each other."
= = =
"Life’s most persistent
and urgent question is,
‘What are you
doing for others?’”
= = =
"A whole civilization
will die tonight,
never to be
brought back again."
= = =
“Strive for perfection
in everything you do.
Take the best that exists
and make it better.
When it does not exist,
design it.”
= = =
"When someone shows you
who they are,
believe them
the first time."
= = =
Ah. Oh. I can see now!
This is a dynamic installation.
Not mere passive decor,
the walls are meant
as a matching game, one
to force a conversation.
The teacher must want
the kids to do the work
to delve into the words
to be detectives
to deduce who said what
and how much
those words mattered.
I wonder how this class
will interpret:
these portraits
these job titles
these names
these words.
Statements tell
the character of a person.
Faces show the soul.
Titles hint at self-identity.
And names are accountability;
they underscore the weight.
I wonder, what will this class of
young forming minds and hearts
in 2050 absorb and infer
from this four-wall puzzle?
Taken in whole
four aspects as one
serve as inspirations,
so that students
can shape their selves.
Words matter.
Which ones will linger?
Which will be overwritten?
Arguably this is more vital
than learning how to tie one's shoes.
Humanity hangs in the balance.
