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1 <br /> 7 <br /> used to be known as disciplines. And so we arrive at the idea, endlessly reiterated in the news <br /> media, that education can be improved by bigger salaries for teachers--which may be true, but not, <br /> as the proponents too often imply, by bigger salaries alone. There must also be a love of learning <br /> and of the cultural tradition and of excellence. And this love cannot exist, because it makes no <br /> sense, apart from the love of a place and community. Without this love, education is only the <br /> importation into a local community of centrally prescribed "career preparation" designed to <br /> facilitate the export of young careerists." <br /> Wendell Berry <br /> The Work of Local Culture <br /> "Where the control of education is taken out of the hands of the family and the community, and <br /> schooling gets further and further away from the people who have a direct stake in it, the quality <br /> suffers. It is that which accounts in the largest part, for the deplorable state of American <br /> education today." <br /> Kilpatrick Sale, <br /> Human Scale,page 127 <br /> On March 14, FREE was awarded charters to establish two new public schools. On April <br /> 2, we held our first public Board of Directors meeting in the Carrboro Town Hall. The main <br /> meeting room was packed and members of the public were standing in the corridors. Our board <br /> members were overwhelmed by the enthusiasm of the participants. When the meeting closed we <br /> were"pumped up"as if we had just been awarded Nobel prizes. The next day, reality hit us when <br /> we thought about the problems that we have to overcome in only five months. We need to find <br /> start up funds, buildings, staff and much, much more. What if we should fail? <br /> It takes full-time salaried professionals four years to create a new public school. We are <br /> part-time unpaid amateurs. With your support, our chances of success will be much improved. <br /> The education establishment is responsible for the poor state of K through 12 education in North <br /> Carolina. When their representatives come to call, I hope that you will not be swayed by their self <br /> serving pleas to weaken or delay much needed reforms. <br /> Sincer , <br /> Peter;vlorcombe <br /> Director <br /> CC: Governor Hunt <br /> Jay Robinson <br /> Grova L. Bridgers <br /> Moses Carey <br /> John Link <br /> Herald-Sun, News& Observer, WCHL, WPTF, WRAL, WUNC <br /> Douglas Haynes, Robert Luddy, William Mauldin, Stephen Zelnak <br /> D.L.Cuddy, Dianne Jackson, Vernon Robinson, Sarah Stewart <br /> Louise Cole, Rebecca Coyne, Roger Gerber <br /> lobbyl.doc Page 3 of 3 <br />