The Emporia Gazette

May 28, 2012

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IT SEEMS to me that volunteerism and public service are often considered to be the same thing. That is far from true, in my opinion. I would like to tell you why I think that. I would, if I had my way.

Newton High School had a volunteering requirement for service in order to graduate. Perhaps they still do. A bit of publicity about it came out some months ago. That was because one young woman refused to comply. She felt that requiring people to volunteer for community service was not really volunteerism.

I think she was right. My dictionary says that volunteerism is “service by one’s free will.” Certainly, making service a requirement for graduation from high school is not considering a person’s free will. It is not volunteerism.

So what is volunteerism? How does it work? A couple of years ago, our Emporia State Bulletin gave a rather good idea on the subject. The article pointed out that college students are some of the biggest users of our planet’s resources. Therefore, during summer vacation time, they should do some giving back.

Such things as volunteering for Habitat for Humanity, the Peace Corps, Americorps, Big Brothers and Big Sisters and similar organizations would be one possibility. The article pointed out that serving in an organization was not the only voluntary possibility. It does not have to be organized. Just stepping forward to help others is also worthy volunteerism. Good thinking, ESU Bulletin, in my judgment.

We do have a good bit of volunteerism going on in Emporia. If you go into our hospital or the medical center there, you see volunteers. Many people volunteer to help in our schools and to deal with reading programs, as our Literacy Program volunteers do. People volunteer to help the zoo, the library, the museum, etc. The people in service clubs volunteer for many things. That is part of the reason for service clubs. Church people regularly give rides to church and other places to the elderly and other people. They also call on the sick and elderly simply to be friendly.

There is much individual volunteerism. People open doors for others; they pick up rubbish in the streets and on roadsides, they help their neighbors and they just smile and say hello to others. People with artistic skills volunteer. Musicians, for example, volunteer to play in nursing homes and before other such groups. And on and on with other types of volunteerism.

Now, let us think a bit about public service. I shall not attempt to define that. It is too broad and complicated. But I do have thoughts about it. I would share them with you, if I had my way.

There are at least two prominent reasons in my mind for public service. One is that we should all do our part in making our communities and our society work better. We all need to contribute something.

My other reason is that I have long thought that every citizen should serve two years of public service somewhere between the ages of 18 and 30. My reason for thinking this so ardently is because of my nearly 40 years of teaching at the college level.

It has been my observation that those students who have been in the military or the Peace Corps or worked a few years before entering college are much better students. They have seen other things and had a chance to think about where they want to go and what they want to do.

I would make it a personal option between the ages of 18 and 30 because those who do know what they want to do should be able to do that first. If one knows he or she wants to go into medicine, for example, he or she should go right into it. Then, when finished, the two years of public service could be served in that area.

Based on my experiences in higher education, I think that such a requirement would be good for everyone. It would be better for many college students. It would be good for our country and our world.

One related side-thought which has long been in my mind is that we should start something like the CCC of the 1930 Depression days. Young men went into it and CCC units were all over the country. They did public service work – taking care of public parks and other properties, doing public repair and clean-up work, etc. It was marvelous for the young men and fine public service.

Enough on this subject. As I write this, I have wondered several times if I really know what I am talking about. It is a complex service. Who is to decide what activity is truly volunteerism or public service? I am glad I do not have to do that. Regardless, we should all think about these things and do what we can for others and our world. We all would, if I had my way.