The Bryant Hornets and fans returned to War Memorial Stadium last week, the first time since panic ended the Salt Bowl early and provided a glimpse into the anxiety facing high school students. By now, you know the story of that August night. A fight broke out; someone yelled "gun!" and students did what students are supposed to do: They ran. While running, fans heard the sounds of barriers knocked to the ground and concession-stand doors slamming, which fueled the worst fears.
Run. Hide. Fight. The new mantra of education rings in the ears of schoolchildren across the nation. In addition to the insistence that education fill the mind and advance the soul, we now admonish our kids to react in the face of the worst kind of danger. The kids at War Memorial did just that during the Salt Bowl. They did what they were taught to do. That scenario could have played out in California, in Nebraska, in Florida, virtually in any state in the Union.
But, back to Little Rock. War Memorial Stadium serves as a functional monument, a testament to the sacrifice of our state's lifeblood in time of peril. The gray walls stand as symbols of strength and come together as a vision of cupped hands, holding within them the physical contests and entertainment of the field. In 1947, the state of Arkansas envisioned War Memorial as an enduring picture of youth that roams and plays freely thanks to the sacrifice of those enshrined in its name.
Over 70 years later, War Memorial has grown into a landmark with a future woven into the future of its host city, Little Rock. The city's economics, crime rate, and ages of social interactions are embedded within the concrete of the stadium's walls. The city's ideals of community engagement, financial growth, and improved opportunities for outdoor activities all fashion its base. But, when going back to Little Rock, one must appreciate that any genuine positive will emanate from those who reap the greatest benefits from the stadium--its youth.
Nancy Rousseau, longtime principal of Little Rock Central High School, has been a good friend and colleague for years. We've shared lecterns several times in our promotion of educational opportunities within our city. Every time we've done so, I've been drawn to a line that Nancy repeats time and again, "Parents send us their very best. They send us their most important work and their greatest dreams. We, in turn, embrace the responsibility of giving our best back to them in our efforts, our environment, our own important work." For me, those simple words form the backbone of the future. Every educational institution should have those lines as a guiding light.
And so should the city. With Little Rock, it will always be about the schools. It will always be about the buffet of opportunities we present our youth. We can expect our kids to stand up and fill a plate on their own, but it's up to us to first lay out the feast.
Important in the near future is the Little Rock mayor's race. With Mark Stodola declining a run for re-election, the city has a handful of strong contenders, each with his own idea of what the future of Little Rock looks like and the paths necessary to get there. We need to attract businesses. We need to provide equal opportunities for commerce, for pleasures of the spirit, for activities that reinforce healthy social and familial interaction. We need to probe the actual wounds that cause crime instead of constantly bandaging the superficial symptoms. We need to do so free from an "us against them" mentality.
And, we need a laser-like focus on our schools, on our kids. Those running for mayor understand that any future Little Rock has--immediate or distant--is sitting in the seats of the various classrooms within its boundaries. We can always do better. We must. There is a lot to offer here.
That's precisely why War Memorial is more than a stadium. War Memorial is a symbol enshrined within its weathered walls. A symbol of strength surrounding our youth. A symbol of unity applauding their feats. A symbol of history actively involved in the future.
The Bryant Hornets football team is stellar this year, strong in every area. It's certain that fear made some fans reluctant to attend the game, but the ones wearing Hornet blue in the restaurants and streets around War Memorial Stadium last Friday night had the opportunity to see a good game and their hometown team once again winning.
Those fans also saw War Memorial Stadium, the monument. They saw the effort by stadium staff to overcome any hesitation about being there. They saw what passes for a large, urban city in Arkansas entertain and enjoy the youth in its presence.
Give us your best, we say. Give us your best and we will turn today into promise. Give us your best, and we will turn the future into the pride of a city. With those paths illuminated, we can be sure our young will always find their way back to Little Rock.
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Steve Straessle, whose column appears every other Saturday, is the principal of Little Rock Catholic High School for Boys. You can reach him at sstraessle@lrchs.org.
Editorial on 10/06/2018