By Rusty Potter
Mary McLeod Bethune became one of the most important teachers in history. She said, “ I plunged into the job of creating something from nothing… Though I had not a penny left, I considered cash money as the smallest part of my resources. I had faith in a living God, faith in myself, and a desire to serve.” Mary Bethune was an educator, an organizer, and an advisor to President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
She wanted to give something to children who had a very limited education. Mary Bethune is quoted as saying, “We have a powerful potential in our youth, and we must have the courage to change old ideas and practices so that we may direct their power toward good ends.” Her vision for her school started in her mind and grew from there to become a reality. She is the founder of Bethune – Cookman University located in Daytona Beach, FL. Mary Bethune was one of the few women in the world to become a university president at that time. Honored with many awards, her life was celebrated with a memorial statue in Washington DC in 1974 and a postage stamp in 1985. Mary Bethune also said, “Believe in yourself, learn, and never stop wanting to build a better world.”
