The Lesson

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From my Blogger blog, about ten yrs. ago.  I was reminded of it after emailing back and forth with an L.P. friend about reading. 

(there's an "inside joke" about a link to another blog post I had made: "My Sister's Feet".  It still gets quite a few hits and it once had over a thousand visits when the search engines picked it up.  Besides my "Cast Away" movie posts, it and my post "Gay Irish Dwarfs" are the most visited.)

Click any pic for a larger view.


 

This statue is in front of the Pampa Lovett Memorial Library; it's one of a pair that were dedicated Jan. 9, 2005. (blog post about the other, Pioneer Woman)

Here is a closeup of the plaque on the base:

The statue was done by Don Ray of Channing and is named "The Lesson".

A closer look reveals the superb detail:


To me, the woman looks tired, but glad to take the time to help educate her young charge:


I like the expressions on both faces, but the one on the boy's seems to be a combination of love and trust, almost an amazement at what the woman had been reading to him.


The boy is barefoot, and the attention to detail by the sculptor is evident, even in a part that might be overlooked in favor of others.


(and no, I'm not trying for the unintentional hits that this blog received from "My Sister's Feet" )

Stepping around to the back of the statue shows more of the fine detail that normally wouldn't be seen...


...even down to the slingshot in the boy's rear pocket.


From the library's website:

Gift of R. L. Franklin: The sculptures are dedicated to all those women whose service to family, church, and community has brought and brings aspects of American life to what was so recently in historic perspective a dangerous and daunting land. Four women of such acumen and industry are: Virginia Green, Louise Franklin, Betty Henderson, Annie Buckler.
Entry #115

Comments

Avatar eddessaknight -
#1
Thanks Mike, a wonderful Franklin gift to humanity-excellent foundry work
Avatar mikeintexas -
#2
Thanks, eddessaknight. There's a link to another one they have in the garden, The Pioneer Woman. The Food Network's Ree Drummond contacted me once about using the photo in her blog, but I got the impression she wanted to use it in her logo. I told her (or whoever was writing the email for her) that they'd have to get permission from the bronze's creator and most likely from the library as well, but they said they didn't think so, that they just needed MY permission since it was my photo. She did not have a TV show yet, but was starting to be a big deal so I asked how much remuneration they offered...and I never heard back. Yeah, what I thought. Sumpthin' for nuthin', that's how those people work.

She's a right old fraud and unless they had offered several hundred bucks, I would have turned her down anyway. I find it hard to believe she has such fanatical followers.   She's a rant for another time, though.
Avatar rcbbuckeye -
#3
Really interesting statue Mike. Great detail by the artist. Thanks for posting.
Avatar mikeintexas -
#4
Thanks, RC.   It's a very nice library for a fairly small town like Pampa.
Avatar CARBOB -
#5
I started school in 1947, five years old, the third youngest of eight children. My first-grade teacher Mrs. Rodgers taught all of us in the first grade. My youngest brother was born the same year. When he started she told my mom, Mrs. Walters I have your baby now I can retire. I remember her very well even today.
Avatar CARBOB -
#6
The woman's picture reminded me of her. I really believe she thought of us as her kids. They don't have teachers like that anymore very sad today's kids don't have teachers like her. Thanks for bringing back a very fond memory.
Avatar mikeintexas -
#7
Great story, Bob. I always enjoying reading things like that from my L.P. friends. The only other impressions I can get are from reactions to news stories in these blogs...and most are like my own, full of anger and resentment. It's nice to read something else for a change.

No, they don't have "teachers like that" anymore, a shame. Both of my nieces are teachers (as is their mother, my youngest sister) and I'd like to "audit" one of their classes to take in their "style".

Funny how, as a kid, we think of our teachers as positively ancient, but when I read the obituary of a teacher of mine, I do the math and realize most were in their 30's and 40's.   When I went back to tech school some yrs. back, I was older than several of my teachers

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