Sonja M. (meri) reviewed on 10/23/2011 + 39 more book reviews

This is the inspiring true story of Jesse Stuart, a man who grew up poor, but valued his own education and wanted to pass an education on to other children. He had to use every tool at his disposal in order to teach in the hard mountain country of Kentucky. This was when teachers had to teach every grade level in a one room school house for very little pay. Teachers were at the mercy of school boards and the families that elected them. It was not uncommon for a teacher to be abused at the hands of older students. Fortunately for Jesse, he had a working knowledge of football tackling and was able to hold his own with unruly, large pupils and even the odd adult who challenged him. It is a raw tale of how teachers fought for their own education and the education of all students, both rural and those in the larger cities. It was a pleasant read and I definitely recommend it for those interested in the history of education in the United States.

Back to all reviews by this member
Back to all reviews of this book
Back to Book Reviews
Back to Book Details