It has taken over 17,000 years of advancement in the way people communicate and the politics of learning to bring about Literacy Connections of Wayne County in 2019. This seems like an audacious claim, but it is backed up. People have changed from communication through gesture, to sound, to drawings, to symbols, to modern language. Each step has come with its own challenges and its own enhancements. What has not changed is the impact of knowledge. Knowledge is powerful. The ability however to communicate knowledge is transformative. The capability to clearly transfer knowledge without being personally present has become the foundation on which our entire society is built.
Communication through sound is a wonderful tool. People have utilized this ability for tens of thousands of years. Without sound, our shift from a purely responsive species to an initiative-taking species would have failed to occur. Consider that through sound, an elder can pass along his experience to a youth, thereby helping the youth devise a way to prepare for, or totally avoid, an issue. This is significant and unique among known life. This tool enables us to learn from each other. There is, however, a major flaw. Learning through sound, through basic rudimentary spoken language, requires a minimum of two people to be concurrently in a conversation. Another flaw is that an original firsthand account will endure only for the lifetime of the person who experienced the event. Sounds, and other in-person forms of communication, are incredible and transformative; however, the power of this communication conduit is limited. Enter: The ability to draw.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LascauxThe earliest discovered form of storytelling through drawing is found in the Lascaux Caves in the Pyrenees Mountains in southern France, where a series of cave paintings that date back to circa 15,000 to 13,000 B.C. depict a variety of animals and one image of a human being. When closely examined, the drawings follow a simple series of events telling of rituals performed and hunting practices. These images tell a story. They hold knowledge. The person with the firsthand experience undoubtedly discussed this event with other people during his life, but he has long since passed away. While no longer with us, his exact depiction of what he experienced remains. This fundamental difference in how communication works is why, some 17,000 years later, Literacy Connections of Wayne County is so vitally important, and relevant as we celebrate our great nation’s birthday.
We no longer draw pictures of events; we now draw mutually agreed upon symbols that make up our chosen language. The power of understanding the meaning of these symbols, these letters as we know them, is unprecedented in human history. Leaders both cherish and fear information contained in a page full of letters. During the Antebellum period of American history (roughly 1783-1861) laws were passed prohibiting entire categories of people from possessing the knowledge of understanding a page full of letters. Less than 200 years ago, right here in our own state, it was illegal to teach or to be taught if you were of a certain category. These laws stemmed from the reality that through the passing of pages full of letters from person to person came the exchange of ideas. With ideas, perspective comes to society, and with perspective comes motivation. With motivation comes action, and possibly change. It was not through accident or ignorance that these laws were changed, leaving these antiquated philosophies relegated to the past. Democracy is truly a full-contact endeavor.
In 2019 Literacy Connections of Wayne County serves to assist anyone with the desire to learn to read free of charge to the student. We are fortunate to have the complete support of the City of Goldsboro and the County of Wayne. Today we are endorsed, supported, and held accountable to ensure that we are assisting those who need us. With all of the challenges that we have faced as a country, today we are in a place where, through politics of various means, we are charged with the good work of pushing our entire community to the level of understanding those little symbols. It is our goal that everyone be able to exchange pages full of letters and explore ideas through communication. Literacy Connections of Wayne County exists because of the values that are most central to our American democratic ideals. This July, consider the path that brought us here. Gain some perspective. Be grateful that we have this country where we can participate and forge its improvement.
Be grateful for the most powerful tool you possess and remember the centuries of effort it has taken to ensure that an organization like Literacy Connections of Wayne County can exist. Happy 4th!
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