Investing In Our Children Is A Decision by Robert Socha

My wife of 25 years and I chose to move our family to Michigan almost 12 years ago to enroll our children in Hillsdale Academy, a K-12 private school under the umbrella of Hillsdale College. The College’s mission of pursuing truth and defending Liberty without a dime of government money, state or federal, and the Academy’s motto of virtue and wisdom inspires us to this day that this 1,250-mile move was the best investment in our children’s future.

One of the Academy’s strengths is its opening ceremony, during which the lower school gathers every day outside in front of the American flag, weather permitting. At this auspicious location, the children in grades K-7 recite the Pledge of Allegiance, sing a patriotic song (think America the Beautiful), and a public recitation from one of the students. In kindergarten, the oratory is relatively simple, such as our youngest child’s first oration:

Abraham Lincoln, author unknown,

When Lincoln was a little boy
He studied by the fire
He chopped the wood
And worked so hard
He never seemed to tire
He lived in small log cabins
And was honest as can be
He was our 16th President
And stood for Liberty.

The recitations are a key component of the Academy’s classical education model and progressively increase in length and complexity through their high school career.

Fast-forward to this school year. Our child mentioned above is now a six-foot-five junior in high school, an athlete, and a scholar who loves music and has been self-taught for a few years. About 18 months ago, my wife and I discussed music lessons for our son as we had failed to provide them to round out his education. She asked him what he would like to study, and without hesitation, he asked, “May I have voice lessons?”

That young man worked diligently to train his voice to sing, and his hard work paid off when he tried out for the Academy’s annual theatre production. This year, they ambitiously tackled the magnificent musical Les Misérables, and our son earned the role of Jean Valjean.

In an interview on Radio Free Hillsdale, the College’s radio station, the last question asked, “What’s the most important thing you learned from watching, performing, learning the show? My son’s response astounded me in its maturity and determination:

“I had to work really, really hard to get this role…Months, months, and months before, right when they announced it, I was, like, I’m getting the lead role, and so I went and got voice lessons, and practiced and practiced and practiced, and then eventually it paid off. I’ve worked hard for things before and really haven’t seen the reward, I know it did happen, but in a lesser way, but this really showed me that my hard work can lead to success, and it does matter.”

The confidence he exuded on stage carried a performance that earned standing ovations for all three performances. He acted well and honored the entire cast and ensemble, declaring that they strengthened the lead’s roles and made the leads better. His voice captivated me, it captivated us all. It was breathtaking. Especially witnessing my son’s success.

The father of the young man who played Javair, the law who hunted Jean Valjean throughout the musical, was so taken by the performance Friday evening that he called his brother on Saturday morning. His brother got in a car and drove 10 hours from New Jersey to Michigan to witness the performance live, arriving just in time for the 7 PM curtain call. When I asked him why he made such a sacrifice, he told me this production included the three things he loves the most: Faith, Family, and Theatre, and he couldn’t be more thrilled to come. At the end of the day, when we were all gathering in front of the theatre to congratulate the cast, he found me, and with tears in his eyes, he said, “Please give your son a hug for me and tell him, well done.”

Sunday morning before church, as I was reflecting on the weekend’s performances during a quiet time, proud tears welled in my eyes, as they are while I type, of my son’s accomplishment. I marvel at his vocal control and command of the stage. It was breathtaking. I began to think of the Father above looking down on us while we navigate this life’s turbulence and yearning for Liberty, and the thought occurred to me that if we continue to work hard in the pursuit of things that are beautiful and true, and boldly present them to the world, especially pertaining to the theme of the musical, grace and mercy in time of need, then we must surely be encouraged with the hope that God will say to us on that day, “Well done my good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your rest.”