The Country School is an independent, coeducational, Pre-K through 8 school founded in 1934.

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Glimmers of Christmas & The CS Values Compassion & Generosity

By: Neil Mufson
As we head into winter break, Mr. Mufson shares what our generosity can mean for families less fortunate.

 

As you know, last week our student council sponsored a book drive for the benefit of the children of those incarcerated at the Dorchester County Detention Center. A new director there planned to implement some significant changes to visiting procedures. First, the children of the inmates would be able to visit their parents weekly rather than monthly. Then he decided that it would be wonderful if the children, while awaiting these “behind the glass wall” visits, had some appropriate books to look at, read, and borrow until their visit the next week. But budgets didn’t allow it.
 
That’s where our student council came in… Katie Hertelendy works out with one of the county workers who knew of the need. Katie went to Adele Showalter, one of our student government sponsors. Adele pitched it to the student council, and they were off!  The kids then organized, publicized, and executed a book drive that far exceeded the detention center’s wildest expectations.  In fact, because of the overwhelming generosity and compassion shown by TCS families, they received so many books that the director had another idea. Parent inmates will be able to choose one book as a present for each of their children, and then the detention center will arrange to have them wrapped. At visits during Christmas week, the inmates will give each of their children a wrapped present of a book — from “behind the glass wall” and because of the generosity of our families.
 
So often our lessons of generosity and compassion tend toward the abstract. So often we talk with our children about the importance of showing concern for those less fortunate. Yet it is difficult to imagine a more vulnerable or deserving population than the children of inmates, those little ones who did nothing wrong but find themselves in unimaginable, life-determining situations. There are countless other lessons embedded here, too: sharing our bounty with others; the way small gestures can have huge impacts; the fact that gifts don’t have to be shiny and new to be deeply meaningful; and the value of reading and how books can connect us. I could go on. I spoke with the children about this at our holiday assembly practice on Wednesday, and you might want to also.
 
But as we approach Christmas and the gift to humanity that it represents, and as we contemplate the miracle of Hanukkah, I feel profound happiness about the way our community has made a difference. I can only imagine the joy of those young faces as they receive a gift from their parent — and the delight of the parents who are able to make those gifts to those they love — and miss — most.
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