Politics and Mrs. Schultz

My third-grade teachers are responsible. If not for them, I’d have grown into an even worse lout than I am. Mrs. Kresge brought me into the wide world of literacy when other teachers had failed. Mrs. Schultz offered the first and enduring lessons about politics. Not too shabby for third grade.

Today’s lesson, though, is about politics and Mrs. Schultz.

Mrs. Schultz was a naturalized American citizen who came to this country from Germany after the Second World War. She was past the average retirement age for teachers when she was my teacher.

Every day, there came a time when Mrs.Schultz would teach a lesson in German, tell us Till Eulenspiegel stories, or relate what her life in Germany had been like. Her life in Germany encompassed the post-World War One period, the Weimar Republic, and Hilter’s years. She avoided telling us much about the rise and fall of the Nazis but told us stories about the hyperinflation of the post-WWI years and Weimar. To children for whom bread was a cheap commodity, the story of how expensive a single loaf was in post-war Germany seemed almost as much a fable as stories about Till. We also learned about the dysfunction of the Weimar government. This last was cast as a lesson in history and civics.

Mrs. Schultz belonged to no American Political party but almost religiously voted in every local, state, and federal election. She emphasized to her students how important the mechanics of democratic government were and how she had personally seen them stripped away in Germany. 

It’s funny how things stick with you. Mrs. Schlutz was my teacher for about half a year in third grade. But I still remember the bits of German she taught me, and I freely admit that Till Eulenspiegel has had a, at times unfortunate, influence on my sense of humor. I also remember her civics lessons on democracy and the importance of active participation in that democracy.

Elections are not irritating intruders on your time posting on Facebook. And despite the often aggravating drama of the races, they are essential to our future. A quote from Plato that I think Mrs. Schultz would have agreed with is:

“One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.”