My thanks to Kay Logsdon

Hi everyone,,

The world has some generous, kind people in it and KAY LOGSDON is one of them. Last night she let me know that she has updated my Wikipedia page for me. I wouldn’t know how to do that, but she does, and so she did. Kay, I thanked you last night but I thank you again. I would not have had a Wiki page without you in the first place. For anyone interested, here’s the link. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_L._Harrison

Not only that but Kay’s daughter, DANA, was one of the authors of the book WHAT I’VE LEARNED SO FAR! I found her quote on page 139. “What I’ve learned so far is that no one is perfect, no one is supposed to be perfect.” That’s sage advice for a 12-year-old student at Pleasant View Middle School back in 1993. Dana is driving up from Rogers, Arkansas to attend this evening’s 30th anniversary celebration, and Kay is coming with her. Yay!

This evening from 5:30 – 7:30 at White River Conference Center is the 30-year-anniversary of the student-written book, WHAT I’VE LEARNED SO FAR. I’m eager to meet/re-meet some of the authors of the book while we catch up on thirty years of news over drinks and hor d’oeuvres. During the program, Executive director of the Foundation for Springfield Public Schools, NATALIE MURDOCK, will M.C. the event. SPS superintendent DR. GRENITA LATHAN will speak and introduce me. I’ll speak and introduce Springfield Little Theatre student performers. Music will be provided by SHAUN MUNDAY.

What I’ve learned so far

Hi everyone,

My thanks to CLAUDETTE RILEY for her article today in News-Leader about the upcoming party to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the student-written book, WHAT I’VE LEARNED SO FAR.

Tickets can be purchased for $30 through Thursday for the event, set for 5:30-7:30 Friday at the White River Conference Center, 600 West Sunshine. Here’s the link to order online: https://www.supportsps.org/what-ive-learned-so-far-reunion/.   

Music for the celebration will be provided by well-known musician SHAUN MUNDAY, who was one of the authors in the book when he was 7. There will be performances by Springfield Little Theatre and the Academy of Fine & Performing Arts students, and I will be giving some remarks. All proceeds from the event will go to support the writing fund, which was established from sales of the book when it was published in 1993 and has operated to benefit teachers and their students ever since.

I hope you or someone you know can plan to attend, reminisce with some of the authors (who are now from 34 – 49 years old!), and help the Foundation for Springfield Public Schools strengthen the writing fund.

What I’ve learned so far…

Hi everyone,

If you’re in the neighborhood of Springfield, Missouri on August 11, I hope you’ll buy a ticket and join the fun as we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the student-written book, WHAT I’VE LEARNED SO FAR. Our host is Foundation for Springfield Public Schools and the party will be at White River Conference Center on W. Sunshine next to Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarian.

Are you the former student who wrote, “What I’ve learned so far is if you’re making a C in art, life goes on?” If it wasn’t you, maybe you’ll meet the author who did share that bit of wisdom. Don’t miss the chance! Click on this link for all the details.

https://www.facebook.com/Foundation4SPS I’m having trouble getting this link to work. If you do, too, try https://www.supportsps.org/ and look under upcoming events. I hope to see you there!

A fun anniversary

Hi everyone,

The Foundation for Springfield Public Schools just posted this reminder about an upcoming event in August. If you live in the area, this party is one you might want to attend. If you are one of the 1,000 authors of the book being celebrated, for you it’s a must.

Springfield’s public school district is the largest in the state and nearly half the student body submitted their thoughts to be considered for the book. The challenge was to complete the prompt: What I’ve learned so far . . . I had the help of fourteen teachers throughout the district who volunteered to be editors and proof readers. It was a huge job. After all these years I still remember some of my favorite responses and have dipped into quotations from the book to spice up speeches many times. I even used some of them in two university commencements addresses. The link for one of them is on my website — https://www.davidlharrison.com/ — under VISITS. Click on the picture of me in a cap and gown. Last night I attended a Sister Cities function and visited with TODD PARNELL, who was president of Drury University when I was awarded an honorary doctorate of letters and presented the commencement address. I said in 2008 and I say now, “Never go camping with one pack of hotdogs.”

Are you coming to the party?

Hi everyone,

It’s time to start getting serious about a special upcoming event. This is repeated information but I need to say it again..

The date is set. On the evening of August 11, 2023, Foundation for Springfield Public Schools will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the book, WHAT I’VE LEARNED SO FAR.

This was one of my all-time favorite projects. With the full support of our public school system, I formed a committee of more than fifteen teachers and we asked the district’s 24,000 students Prek-12 and 2,400 staff members to finish the prompt, “What I’ve learned so far is…“

More than 12,000 students and staff responded. My committee and I pared the contributions down to 1,100. After students illustrated the book, I had it printed in Cassville, Missouri, got it copyrighted, registered it with the Library of Congress, obtained an ISBN number, and we started selling our masterpiece. It was by every measurement a runaway success.

Add 30 years to those K-12 kids (and many of their teachers) from 1993, and there will be many fascinating stories to share. Our goal is to fill the hall (location to be named soon) with authors of that well-loved book. The more the better! If you live in the area, plan on attending. If you’ve moved away, plan a trip to Springfield in August so you can join the fun. I just spoke to one your classmates who now lives on the other side of the world. She can’t make the party but wanted me to know that WHAT I’VE LEARNED SO FAR was a project that she remembers fondly from her high school days at Kickapoo.

For more information and updates leading up to the celebration, please send a note to Natalie Murdock at nmurdock@spsmail.org and copy me at davidlharrison1@att.net. This will be an unique kind of reunion. Don’t miss the fun!