William Andrew Glaser
Graduated: June 12, 2004
From a Father’s Perspective
Mark Glaser’s remarks upon presenting his son William with a homeschool diploma
William was named after 2 great men in our family. Sara’s dad, Dr. William Brink, and my grandpa, William F. Glaser. William was the kind of boy that, once Sara taught him to read, he took it from there. To this day, if you don’t see William around the house, he’s either out hunting or in his favorite spot: lying on his bed reading.
I could spend 20 minutes listing Will’s accomplishments. All I will say is, William, you are an honor to God, to your family, to your church, and to your country. You make us thankful to God for giving you to us. There is one word William has never learned: compromise! Never learn that word!
Only God knows what the future holds for you, son. You could be our nation’s next great leader. You could spend your life spreading God’s Word to those who have never heard it.
Micah 6:8 tells us what God requires: “Act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.” This is my charge to you. If you do this, no matter what your life’s vocation is, you will hear those words “Well done thou good and faithful servant.”
Sara and I present this diploma to you as a symbol of the completion of high school. Well done so far—continue to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.
Thoughts from the Class of 2004
speech given by William Glaser at his homeschool graduation on June 12, 2004
Distinguished guests, family, friends, and fellow graduate…. Thank you all for being here today. It is my honor to say a few words on behalf of this homeschool graduating class.
Yesterday, America paid tribute to one of her heroes, as the 40th President of the United States was laid to rest. Today I want to recognize some less-heralded heroes. These are people whose heroic moments were not played out on a movie screen or national television. But like Ronald Reagan they believe in personal responsibility, in family, and in faith. These are people who chose to be their children’s primary teachers rather than send them off to a public or private school. These are people who believe that it does not take a village to raise a child; but that it takes one father and one mother. You might call them the biggest force of unpaid teachers in history; I speak, of course, of homeschooling parents.
A good number of these heroes are in this room this afternoon, and I am proud to call two of them mom and dad. As I graduate today, I want to thank my parents for their sacrifice and devotion in educating me. I truly believe that besides giving me life and imparting their faith in Christ, the greatest gift that my parents have given me was my homeschool education.
When I speak to people unfamiliar with homeschooling, most seem to assume that it is a disadvantage for me. They ask the usual questions: “What do you do for a diploma?” “What about college?” “You couldn’t play sports, could you?” And, of course, some form of the question, “What about socialization?”
But homeschooling has held nothing but advantages for me. It has both provided me with an excellent academic education and allowed me to learn a good deal about life. The truth be known, I have spent relatively little time in the last twelve years working through textbooks. I have done my schoolwork at the time and pace that was most convenient. This allowed me to do many things that would have been impossible if I had attended a “regular” school. For example, last spring I took seven credits at Western Baptist College while working three days a week for Representative Jeff Kropf. This Spring I have had the opportunity to travel from Hawaii to Massachusetts with TeenPact Leadership Schools, being gone for over fourteen weeks. Of course, I have also had time to do a good deal of working and hunting with dad.
By far the greatest benefit of homeschooling that my parents have imparted their beliefs to me. It has been observed that it is impossible to teach science, history, government, art, literature, or even arithmetic, without imparting values. Our current state education system attempts to teach knowledge without recognizing its source and tries to explain Creation while denying the existence of a Creator. Therefore I consider myself privileged to have received an education rooted in the Bible.
As Jonathan and I conclude our education at home, we are truly grateful for the teaching we have received. We also would like to thank all of you that have had an influence in our lives, siblings, grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, teachers, employers, and friends. Most importantly, we would like to thank our Gracious Father in Heaven who has bestowed us with all these blessings of faith, family, and friends. May the Lord be our Wisdom as we face the future and may He be the vision of this homeschool graduating class of 2004.
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