WHY IS HOME SCHOOLING
GOOD FOR AMERICA?
"WE do not…separate what God is doing in the wilderness of home education from what God is doing in America. Home education is blessing America. From the demand of independency and the enjoyment of liberty which are naturally inherent to home education, generations are arising which are not as disposed to socialization as their fathers and mothers were; old patterns of life and living which have supported the increasing of socialism in this nation are being set aside and new patterns of individual enterprise and independency of the State are being set for generations to come.
Thus, we ask ourselves: Could Providence not be preparing generations to live unto Him, those future American generations who would seek to please Him, having the mind of Christ concerning history, government and education? Could God, perhaps, be weaning our nation from a belief in the all powerful state unto faith in the absolute, eternal and unchanging power of God? Could it be that home education in America represents the beginning of the end of socialism in America? The positive hope is real because we know from personal experience of the power of Christ in the life of the individual, of his home, of his church, of his business and of his local community.
Graduates, were you not born for this time, that you might contribute to the bringing of individual self government to the foreground of the current history of the world, that you might represent Christ and his form of government to the nations, that they might seek after Christ and find His form of freedom, individual liberty; that the world might acknowledge what power Christ is in the life of the individual American Christian; that nations might want instead of our military and monetary aid, want our Christ, who is the foundation of our liberty and self government?”
Miss Katherine Dang, President, Philomath Foundation (www.philomathfoundation.com) 2008 Commencement Address at American Christian Academy.
WHAT DISTINGUISHED AMERICANS WERE EDUCATED AT HOME?
“When HSLDA was founded 20 years ago, we faced an educational and political climate that was hostile toward the idea of parents teaching their children at home. In the 18th century, however, the idea of home education was flourishing.
“200 years ago, parents taught their children using the Bible as a foundation and the one-on-one tutoring ratio as an advantage. Several of these students became Presidents of the United States.
"Homeschooled children also grew up to become delegates to the Constitutional Convention. Benjamin Franklin and 16 of his fellow homeschoolers became the authors of the most significant constitution in the history of the world.
"Later generations of homeschoolers grew up to become military greats like General Robert E. Lee, General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson, General Douglas McArthur, and General George Patton. Other prominent leaders such as Andrew Carnegie and Booker T. Washington were also taught at home, as was inventor Thomas Edison.
"All of these great leaders share a commonality in their method of education and the love of learning that it engendered. That same passion is responsible for the rebirth of the modern homeschool movement. And after two decades of protecting the rights of homeschoolers, HSLDA's 20th anniversary is marked by a cultural climate that is once again recognizing the benefits of home education. And until next time, I'm Mike Smith.”
HSLDA Homeschool Heartbeat radio program, Volume 46, Program 27, August 5, 2003