The River Reporter
Thursday, March 30, 2000, p. 5.
OP-ED

Following is the speech given by Lawrence H. Cooke, retired Chief Judge of the State of New York, at a March 26 groundbreaking for the "Classroom 2000" Facilities Project of Monticello Central School District:

Members of the clergy, the board of education, Superintendent Casey, the faculty, distinguished guests, fellow residents.

To the board, school administration and the people-heartiest congratulations in sending off Classroom 2000 Facilities Project on its way!

Paraphrasing Plato: no greater ambition hath any man or woman than but his or her son or daughter be the best of men and women.

The groundbreaking we witness here is the latest manifestation of the determination of this community to do the most possible for the youth of this area.

Fortunately, we have come a long way since the darkness of mental neglect. For some time, our goal has been universal education.

Laudably, our intellect has been honed so that our minds are better equipped than even before; and our arts and sciences are ready, able and anxious to take on new challenges.

Unfortunately-and it is a reflection of society itself-the other faculty, the will, has been overlooked at times and completely forgotten.

The most powerful of vehicles is of little value if it cannot be kept on the roadbed. Even our earthly survival is threatened by a gross lack of respect.

This vacuum of control reveals too starkly an absence of civilization itself.

A well-rounded system of education will recognize the merit of self-control and provide lessons, drilling, training and exercises, developing habits of personal restraint and curbing our excesses. It will also promote and insist upon thoughtfulness and courtesy.

There must be regulation-personal and collective. There must be a politeness between neighbors and nations. The world is complex and all the passage cannot fit on one side of the street. That would lead to chaos, the antithesis of concord.

If we are to have production instead of destruction, order instead of disorder, peace instead of violence, the inhabitants of the world must harness their mighty powers and devote their whole being to master our almost unlimited talents.

It is not archaic to be right; and we must proclaim that axiom to those beneath our educational umbrella.

From this groundbreaking, for this most worthy project, may there evolve an "incubator of discipline"-for the good and welfare of all!