It’s Back to School Time

The purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows. ~Sydney J. Harris

S ydney J. Harris wasn't anybody particularly important

(he was a newspapermanhellip;in Chicago) but he was well-known for his pithy quotes. We like this one.

Over the next couple of weeks, nearly 1,000 students in the Touchet Valley will be back on campuses in Waitsburg, Dayton, Prescott, Starbuck and at Jubilee Academy. And for many local students recently graduated, they'll be back on campuses throughout the country. Hopefully many mirrors will be converted.

For most of us, summer goes on for another few weeks. But for students, teachers, coaches, administrators and staff, autumn has arrived, along with the joy and trepidation of another school year.

Schools are a central part of life in our small communities, and we urge readers to be thankful for all the dedicated people who work in this rewarding but often difficult envi- ronment.

Be thankful when you see a yellow school bus go by in the morning or afternoon. Be thankful when you have to slow down when you pass the flashing school zone lights. Be thankful when you see small children running down the sidewalk a little too fast at 3 p.m., or high school kids driving down the street a little too fast at 3 p.m.

Here at The Times, we sometimes attend school board meetings. For the most part, they're long and (to us) boring, and there isn't much news. But we're thankful for the dedi- cated school board members who put in the hours - with no pay - to oversee the schools' operation.

Education is a big word. It means math and English and biology. And it means music and art and athletics. And it means organizing your homework and learning to meet deadlines. But it also means getting along with other students and working with them - even students who are a lot different than they are. And it means getting along with adults who aren't your parents

So welcome to the 2013-2014 school year. Let's all be thankful for it.