Veteran's Day Story


Recommended Posts

And now, for the story . . .

Back in September 2005, Martha Cothren, a social studies school teacher at Robinson High School in Little Rock AK, did something memorable.

On the first day of school, with the permission of the school superintendent, the principal and the building supervisor, she removed all of the desks from her classroom.

When the first period kids entered the room, they discovered that there were no desks. "Ms. Cothren, where are our desks?"

She replied, "You can't have a desk until you tell me how you earn the right to sit at a desk."

They thought, "Well, maybe it's our grades."

"No," she said.

"Maybe it's our behavior."

She told them, "No, it's not even your behavior."

And so, they came and went: the first period, second period, third period. Still no desks in the classroom.

By early afternoon, television news crews had started gathering in Ms.Cothren's classroom to report about this crazy teacher who had taken all the desks out of her room.

The final period of the day came, and as the puzzled students found seats on the floor of the deskless classroom, Martha Cothren said, "Throughout the day, no one has been able to tell me just what he/she has done to earn the right to sit at the desks that are ordinarily found in this classroom. Now I am going to tell you."

At this point, Martha Cothren went over to the door of her classroom and opened it.

Twenty-seven U.S. Veterans, all in uniforms, walked into that classroom, each one carrying a school desk.

The Vets began placing the school desks in rows, and then they would walk over and stand along the wall. By the time the last soldier had set the final desk in place, those kids started to understand, perhaps for the first time in their lives, just how the right to sit at those desks had been earned.

Martha said, "You didn't earn the right to sit at these desks. These heroes did it for you. They placed the desks here for you. Now, it's up to you to sit in them. It is your responsibility to learn, to be good students, to be good citizens. They paid the price so that you could have the freedom to get an education. Don't ever forget it."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In 1968 Marine SGT. Allen Cooksey was leading a patrol on the jungles of South Viet Nam, they were coming under automatic weapons fire, as they crossed a rice paddy dike, his scout got wounded, and he told his other guys to hunker down and return fire, while he made a run, in the open to get his wounded scout, he ran under lots of automatic fire to get the scout and picked him up and ran back to cover, he put him down in front of the navy corpsman and said take care of him DOC, the medic said hell SGT. he's already dead, I need to take care of you, SGT. Cooksey had taken a round in his jaw and was bleeding lots, his jaw was hanging down, They med-eveced him to NaTrang, and then a few days later to Okinawa. after two month rehab, Sgt. Cooksey was sent back into battle, he was awarded the Navy Cross for Gallantry. Thats a true story and Allen is my uncle, the one I detect with most of the time. Grubstake

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As we walk down any street on any day we pass by heroes unsung. These are people that have paid prices far higher than most have paid and go about their daily lives shunning the light of fame but with out them none would have the life we all enjoy in our great country, past and future .

No way to really say thanks but God Bless, Wyndham

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest sandtrap

Grubstake >>Remembering him? Thay was awhile back.. All that area has been re-claimed now.. All I remember about that time is bringing ice for your coolers, and beer to put under it..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.