Paying it Forward: Responsibilities beyond our lifetime #137
Have we become too lazy and self-centered to sacrifice today for the future benefits we want for our children's children? Volunteer in service to those who follow us. Else get what you deserve!
Paying it Forward: Responsibilities beyond our lifetime #137
Jack Browne, Wichita Falls Times Record News edition, Sunday October 26, 2025
Think of your family history. My grandfather was part of the greatest generation, born in 1897. He fought in World War I and was the first in his family line of farmers to go to college.
He graduated with a with a doctorate degree in geography using the GI bill of the times and a passion to educate the teachers needed to bring America to its potential as a world leader.
He and my father would argue about individuals’ responsibility to pay income taxes. My dad would argue that my grandfather paid too much and could take more deductions; he countered that the country needed the funds for the greatness that would come.
We have a responsibility to others in service beyond our lifetime. Wishing better outcomes for all is good for all as compared to a self-centered focus on individual progress, else who will our children lead and manage?
The world is flat – ideas, creation of products and businesses revenue know no boundaries. The challenge is human capital, the workforce that powers the economy.
Mass production and automation have decimated the need for many large work forces in manufacturing. Good manufacturing jobs require high education, focusing on science, technology, engineering and math skills.
Knowledge workers in finance, law and medical research labor for years learning the vast range of foundational information for the mastery that leads to excellent earnings potential.
Artificial Intelligence subsumes these apprenticeship requirements for knowledge workers. But without the real-world experiences, AI suggestions become “Artificial Insanity” as ideas are not well vetted before suggested, while many people blindly rush such suggestions into practice without due process.
We must prepare all children for the future that is coming. Otherwise, our country’s greatest days are behind us.
Consider the focus on education throughout the world. Ranking hours per day in school and days per year in school, US, France and Canada are at the bottom of the list with students spending 180-190 days in school classes that last 6-7 hours per day.
Countries like Japan, South Korea and China set a high bar for the educational focus necessary to prepare tomorrow’s workforce of 220 to 240 days per year with 6-7 classroom instruction hours per day.
Looking at countries known for manufacturing, consider Germany, Taiwan, and Thailand. In Germany children attend school 240 days per year for 5.5 hours per day. In Taiwan and Thailand children go to school for 9 hours per day 190-200 days per year.
Locally, Wichita Falls ISD is challenged to have all schools meet the STAAR test standards set by the Texas Education Agency else we lose local control of our schools. The WFISD board has taken the bold step to outsource some of our campuses to Third Future Schools whose calendar has students in school more days per year and more hours per day.
Instead of excited for the opportunity for a better education for their children, parents complain about the inconvenience of the different attendance hours and days as well as bemoaning the practice of challenging middle school students in sixth, seventh and eighth grade with questions about multiplication tables of single digit whole numbers.
Third Future Schools uses this metric to help identify students who need more hands-on time with educators to catch up with the basic skills expected at their grade, as well as necessary for future success on the path to a high school degree.
Have we become too lazy and self-centered to sacrifice today for the future benefits we want for our children’s children?
I believe America will continue to grow stronger as we see beyond today and ourselves.
Challenges today develop the skills, knowledge and leadership that keeps our economy growing – locally and nationally.
Volunteer to raise the tide for the future. Participate where, when and how you can.
Or else you may get what you deserve.
Jack Browne is a community activist and former technology engineer, sales and marketing executive at Motorola and other top tech companies.