Where is Dwight When You Need Him?

"Bus stop, wet day, she's there, I say
Please share my umbrella
Bus stop, bus goes, she stays, love grows
Under my umbrella" ...........The Hollies


Dwight D. Eisenhower had a vision that comprehended the need for adequate transportation as a function for the advancement of our society. It was called the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways.

This morning a life long friend of mine called me. As a native of the south east part of my county and a business owner for over 30 years, one gets to know a few people as over a half of century goes by.

This particular person knows of my trials and tribulations with the local school system that spanned over a decade. They wanted to ask me if I had any insight into an issue for them.

This particular person every morning waits at a bus stop with a large group of kids. The bus that comes to pick up the kids is a nice bus. The driver is very pleasant. The kids are eager to get on the bus. The bus is regular. It gets there everyday. It gets there about the same time everyday. Right at 8:00. Sometimes a few minutes before. Sometimes a few minutes afterward.

The place the kids get on the bus is about ten to fifteen minutes away from the school, depending on traffic. The school bell rings at 8:00. I was told that when the kids get to school, some go get their breakfast. These kids then take their breakfast to the classroom.

Conversations with the bus driver indicate that the bus driver is doing the best job they can do, yet has a sense of failure every day. Because the intent of the function is not happening, despite the rationalizations offered by all, the bus driver may not last long because most people don't like the sense of daily failure.

I am sure that it costs a lot of money to obtain the true function of public school transportation.

I assured the person that our school system was one of the best you could find across the nation. Don't worry about it because our kids are being looked after by the best that money can buy.

What would Dwight have done?