克林·鮑威爾: 小孩子需要結構

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啟發

可對生涯教育及所有對教育工作有興趣者有所啟發，尤其是唯智主義者，及宿命論者。教育還是有很大的功能。

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摘要

你可以怎樣幫助小孩子得到一個好的開始呢？在這次演講中，前美國國務卿克林·鮑威爾，用真誠分享個人閱歷，並請求父母、朋友和親戚，早在兒童上小學前，就透過社區以及一份強烈的責任感，為兒童提供支援。 (攝於 TEDxMidAtlantic。)

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中譯

今個下午，我想做些 與日程表中編排的有點兒不一樣的事。 要知道外交政策的話，你大抵看看， 我不知道，雷切爾·瑪多 (Rachel Maddow) 或某誰， 就可以了，不過 — (眾笑) —

我想談談年青人和結構， 年青人及結構。 上星期三的下午， 我在紐約市布魯克林區的一所學校， 是由耶穌會營辦的 Cristo Rey 高中。 我與這一班學生對話，並觀察他們。 他們從三個方向面對着我。 你會注意到他們幾乎所有人都是少數族裔。 你會注意到建築物頗為簡樸。那是個老舊的紐約市校舍建築，絕無花巧。 那裏仍有老舊的黑板，諸如此類。 而這所學校，有約 300 名小孩子就讀， 開辦迄今已有四年了， 而首屆學生亦即將畢業。 有二十二人將會畢業， 而當中全部人都會升讀大學。 二十二位來自的家庭，大部份 家中只有一位親人， 通常是母親或祖母，就沒別人了， 而他們來這裏，是為了接受教育， 以及他們的結構。

拍了這幅照片之後，在上星期就放上了 我的 Facebook 頁面， 有人寫道： 「唔，為何包先生讓孩子這樣的向他立正？」 他們接着寫道：「但孩子看起來挺不錯的。」 (眾笑)

他的確頗好看，因為小孩子需要結構， 而每次我到訪學校，必定會耍個把戲， 就是當我與小孩子說完道理後， 我就會邀請他們發問， 而當他們舉起手時，我就說：「上來」， 並讓他們排好隊在我面前站立。 我讓他們像士兵一樣立正。 雙手垂放在側， 抬起頭，睜大眼睛，直視前方， 大聲說出你的問題，讓每個人都能聽到。 不要曲起背，不要把褲子穿成大褲襠，不要碎唸。 (眾笑) 而這位年青人，名字是 -- 他姓 Cruz -- 他很喜歡這樣。 並在 Facebook 上說個不停，就像病毒般流傳。 (眾笑) 所以，人們以為我對這小子苛刻。 不，其實我們在享受一點兒樂趣。 而我想提一提，我這樣做已有多年了， 小孩子年紀愈小，就愈有趣。

當我有一班六、七歲的小孩子時， 我要想辦法讓他們安靜下來。 你知道他們經常吵個不停。因此我與他們先玩個小遊戲 才讓他們立正。

我說：「聽着。在軍隊裏， 當我們想引起你注意時， 我們有個命令。就是叫「稍息」。 意思是每個人都安靜並留心。聽好。 明白嗎？」

「唔，唔，唔。」「練習一下吧。大家開始聊天。」 之後我讓他們吵約十秒鐘，然後我說：「稍息！」

「唔！」(眾笑)

「是，將軍。是，將軍。」

不妨跟你的孩子試試。看看是否湊效。 (眾笑) 我想未必。

無論如何，這是個我玩的遊戲，而且很明顯 是來自我的軍事經驗。 因為我成人的生命裏，大部分時間 我都與年青小伙子一起工作，我叫他們「持槍少年」。 而我們將他們帶進軍隊裏，我們第一件會做的事，就是將他們 放進有結構的環境裏，將他們放進軍階中， 讓他們全都穿相同的衣服， 剃光頭髮，讓他們看來都很相似， 確保他們是按軍階站立。 我們教導他們怎樣將頭往右、往左步操， 好讓他們懂得服從指示， 並學懂不服從指示的後果。 這給予他們結構。 之後我們向他們介紹一個他們立即就會討厭的人，教官。 而他們討厭他。 教官開始向他們大聲呼喊， 並指令他們做各種難為的事情。 但最奇妙的事情，隨着時間慢慢發生。當那種結構發展出來時， 當他們明白事情背後的理由， 當他們明白：「媽媽不在這裏，小子。 我是你最壞的惡夢。我是你的爸爸和媽媽。 而這就是這裏的方式。收到嗎，小子？ 沒錯，然後當我問你一條問題時，只有三種可能答案： 『是，長官』；『不是，長官』；和『沒有理由，長官』。 不要開始告訴我，為何你沒做到。儘管說 『是，長官』；『不是，長官』；『沒有理由，長官』。」

「你沒有刮鬍子。」「但是長官 —」

「不，不要告訴我今早你怎樣不斷刮傷臉皮。 我在告訴你，你沒有刮鬍子。」

「沒有理由，長官。」「不錯，真是快上手。」

但你會驚訝，當你將他們放進那種結構中時， 你能讓他們做到的事情。 在十八週內，他們學到技巧。變得成熟。 而你知道嗎？他們開始欽羡教官， 然後他們永遠難忘教官。 他們開始敬佩他。 所以我們需要將多些這類型的結構和敬佩 放進我們兒女的生命中。

我有不少時間，常常與青年人一起， 而我對人們說：「教育的過程從何時開始？」 我們常常在說：「讓我們來改善學校。 為教師提供更多配套。在學校安裝更多電腦。 讓所有事物都步上軌道。」

那不是答案的全部。僅只包含一小部分。 但真正的答案，是從帶小孩上學開始， 從那小孩心靈中的結構開始。

學習的過程從何時開始？是從一年級開始嗎？ 不，不，它的開始 是小孩第一次在母親臂中仰視母親時， 心想：「噢，這一定是我的母親。 她是哺養我的人。 沒錯，當我覺得有點兒不舒服的時候， 她會照料我。 我會學她的語言。」 而那個時候，他們就會將所有其他 那個年紀時可以學習的語言都拒諸門外， 而首三個月，她就是一切。 如果那個人，不管是母親還是祖母，不管是誰做這件事， 那就是教育過程的開始。 那是語言的開始。 那是愛的開始。那是結構的開始。 那是你開始在小孩中烙印 「你是特別的， 你與世界上任何其他一位小孩都不同。 而我們將會向你朗讀。」 得不到朗讀的小孩， 當小孩上學時可能會有風險。一個小孩，不知道自己的膚色， 或者不知道如何報時間，不知道怎樣綁鞋帶， 不知道怎樣做那些事情， 也不知道如何去做那件 自小就紮根我的腦海中的字眼：注意。 注意你的言行舉止！當心身邊的大人！小心你所說的話！ 這是正確養育兒童的方式。 我現在看着自己年幼的孫兒， 他們真令我的兒女頭疼， 他們就像我們當年一樣。你知道嗎？你要去烙印他們。

而那就是你要做的事，去準備兒童接受教育和上學。 現在我正盡全力 希望將這個訊息宣揚：我們需要學前教育，我們需要「啟蒙計劃」， 我們需要產前檢查。 教育的過程，早在小孩誕生之前已經開始， 若你不這樣做的話，就可能會面對困難。 而我們在很多社區中都面對困難， 很多學校接收一年級新生， 那些學童雙眼發亮， 他們收拾好小背包準備上學， 然後他們發覺自己不像其他一年級生， 其他人懂書，有人朗讀給他們聽，懂得英文字母。 而到了三年級，那些一開始 缺乏那種結構和思維的小孩子， 開始發覺他們落後了，然後他們怎樣做？他們行為出位。他們表現出來，然後他們就要 邁向一條鋃鐺入獄或是中途綴學的道路。 預料得到。 若你到了三年級，閱讀能力不達標， 你就是十八歲時入獄的候選了， 而我們有最高的監禁率， 因為我們沒有讓我們的小孩子在生命中得到妥當的起步。

我的著作中最後一章，名為 「一份好的開始的禮物」。 一份好的開始的禮物。每個小孩生命中都應該有個好開始。

我有幸能夠有這種好的開始。 昔日的我不是個傑出的學生。 我是紐約市一個讀公立學校的學生， 而我各方面的表現都不好。 我從紐約市教育局拿到一副 從幼稚園到大學的完整成績單。 我想索取的原因是，當時我在寫我第一本書。 我想看看我的記憶是否正確， 結果是，老天，果然沒錯。 (眾笑) 各科一律都是 C。 而我終於在高中時期翻身， 以平均分 78.3 進了紐約市立學院， 以這種分數我是無法被錄取的， 之後我專攻工程學， 而這只維持了六個月。 (眾笑) 之後我轉攻地理學，「基礎地理學」。很簡單。 之後我發現了預備軍官訓練團 (ROTC)。 我發現了一樣我做得好，同時喜歡做的事情， 我也發現了一群年青人，像我一樣有相同的感覺。 自此之後，我的人生就奉獻給預備軍官訓練團和軍方。 而我到處都跟年輕小伙子說，隨着你長大， 隨着這個結構在你身上發展時， 永遠試着找尋你做得好的事，以及你熱愛做的事， 而當你能將兩者結合時，老兄，你找對了。 這是一路發生的過程。而我就找到了那一樣事物。

此時，紐約市立學院當局開始厭倦我在那兒讀書了。 我在那兒讀了四年半，將近五年， 而我的成績等級不太理想， 我中間與校方也有些過不去。 之後他們說：「但他在預備軍官訓練團做得很好。 看，他在那兒全部奪 A，但其他就完全沒有了。」 之後他們說：「看，不如取他在預備軍官訓練團的成績， 一併計進整體成積均點 (Overall GPA)，看看如何。」 他們照做，結果讓我攀升到 2.0。 (眾笑) 對。(眾笑) (掌聲) 他們說：「這個成績足以打政府工。 將他送給軍隊吧。我們不會再見到他了。我們不會再見到他了。」 就此他們將我送到軍隊裏，時移世易，眾多年後， 我獲認為紐約市立學院歷屆最傑出的舊生之一。(眾笑) 所以，我四處都對年青人說， 不是你在生命中的起點，而是你用生命做甚麼， 決定你人生的目的地， 而你生活在這個國家，實在是個祝福， 無論你在哪裏起步，你都會有機會， 只要你相信自己，相信社會和國家， 相信你可以自我提升 並沿途可以教育你自己。 而那就是成功的關鍵。

但一切源於這一份好開始的禮物。 若我們不給予我們每一個小孩子那份禮物， 若我們不在最早階段作出投資， 我們將會走進困境中。 這是為何我們整體的綴學率接近百分之 25， 而我們的少數族群人口將近一半 都活在低收入地區， 因為他們得不到一個好的開始作為禮物。

我得到一個好的開始作為禮物，不單是生在不錯的家庭， 一個好的家庭，而且亦是有家人會對我說： 「聽好了，早在 1920 和 1924 年， 我們乘坐香蕉船來到這個國家。 我們每一日都在製衣廠下做牛做馬。 我們這麼辛苦，不是為了讓你吸毒追龍， 或是惹是生非。更休想中途綴學。」 若我試試回家，對着兩位第一代移民的父母說： 「你知道嗎，我厭倦上學，我要綴學了」， 他們會說：「我們斷絕關係了。當沒生過你這個兒子。」 (眾笑)

他們對所有表堂兄弟，以至住在南布朗克斯 遠方親戚的移民子弟都抱有期望， 而他們對我們，更是超乎期許之上。 就像匕首一樣，他們將一份尊榮心 刺進我們的心坎裏：「不要將家族之名蒙愧」。 有時我會惹上麻煩， 我父母回家途中， 而我就在自己的房間中佇候發落，我會獨自坐着，對自己說：「好的，看， 就讓皮鞭鞭打我吧，但，老天，不要再罵我甚麼『丟盡顏面』了。」 我母親對我這樣說時，實在是很大的衝擊。

而我亦都有這一個延伸的網路。 兒童需要一個網路。兒童需要成為 部落、家庭、社區的一份子。 在我的情況中，那就是住在所有那些唐樓中的阿姨。 我不知道在座有多少位是紐約人，但紐約市昔日有這些唐樓， 而這些女士經常就是探頭窗外， 倚着枕頭。 她們永遠不會走開。(眾笑) 我，願主庇佑，我是逛過這些街道長大的， 而她們永遠都在。 她們永遠不會上洗手間。她們永遠不會煮食。(眾笑) 她們永遠不幹任何事。 然而她們做的，卻是督促着我們。她們不斷鞭韃我們。 而她們不管 他朝你會成為醫生、律師還是上將， 而他們從來也沒有期望家門出名將， 只要你接受教育，之後找到一份工作。

「別跟我們談甚麼實踐理想。 你找份工作，就踏出家門。 我們沒有時間可以浪費在那。 然後你就可以撐起這個家。這是你們男孩子的責任。」

所以，很重要的一點是，我們應該將這種文化 放回我們的家庭，所有的家庭。 而這是如此重要，因為今日在座各位 都是成功人士， 而我相信你們都有美好的家庭、兒孫滿堂， 這並不足夠。你需要再踏出一步， 探本溯源，找回像 Cruz 先生這樣的小孩子， 若你給予他們結構，那些小孩子做得出來， 若你回首並伸出援手，若你身體力行給予指導， 若你投資在男女幼童軍， 若你與你的學校系統攜手合作， 確保它是最佳的學校系統， 不只是你孩子的學校，也是那所在哈林區住宅區的學校， 而不只是在西邊市中心的蒙台梭利學校。 我們每一位都應該表現出承擔，貫徹實踐。 而我們不只是投資在小孩子身上。 我們也在投資我們的未來。

再過一代人，我們將會變成一個 少數族矞成為大多數的國家。 我們現在稱為少數族矞的人，將會變成大多數。 而我們需要確保他們準備好成為大多數。 我們需要確保他們準備好成為領袖， 帶領這個屬於我們的偉大國家， 一個與眾不同的國家， 一個每一天都讓我新奇的國家， 一個易怒的國家。我們經常互相爭吵。 這卻是制度應該運作的方式。 它是個有如此反差的國家，但它是國度中之國度。 我們觸及每個國度。每個國度也觸及我們。 我們是一個移民的國度。 所以我們需要完善的移民政策。 如果我們沒有一套完善的移民政策，去歡迎那些想來這裏並成為這個強大國度的一份子的人，實在荒謬， 又或者，我們可以將一套教育送返故鄉， 幫助他們的人民從貧困中站起來。 其中一個讓我津津樂道的得意故事，就是我喜愛回去我在紐約的故里走一趟， 並在風和日麗的一日，走上公園大道， 欣賞身邊一切，並看着身邊擦過 來自世界各地的人。 但我經常都要做的事，就是在其中一個轉角處停步， 並從那個移民的手推車檔口中買一個熱狗。 忍不住口要吃個熱狗。(眾笑) 而無論我身處何方或在做甚麼， 我都要這樣做。 甚至在就任國務卿期間，我都這樣做。 我會從華爾道夫酒店的酒店套房走出來 — (眾笑) — 在街中步行，然後在第 55 街交界轉角， 找尋移民手推車檔口。 那些年，我身邊有五個保鏢， 加上三輛紐約市的警車會沿途護航， 確保當我走上公園大道時沒有人會重擊我。(眾笑) 而我就會向那個小販買個熱狗， 他就會開始弄，然後他環顧四周， 見到那些保鏢和警車 -- 接着說：「我有綠卡的！我有綠卡的！」(眾笑) 「沒事的，沒事的。」

但現在我獨自一個。我一個人。 我再沒有保鏢。我再沒有警車。我甚麼也沒有。 但我都要吃我的熱狗。

我上星期才買過。那是個星期二的黃昏， 就在哥倫布圓環附近。 這種場景重複了不計其數。我上前買個熱狗， 那個小販就會弄，而當他差不多弄好時， 他就會說：「我認得你。你上過電視。

你是…欸…你是包威爾上將。」

「是，是。」「噢…」

我給他錢。

「不，上將。你不能給我。我受過很多人情了。 美國已給了我許多。我永遠無法忘記我來自的地方。 但現在我是個美國人。長官，多謝你。」

我接受了那個盛意之請，繼續走在街頭， 腦海只浮現出一片景象，老天， 這就是相同的國家，九十年前以這種方式迎接我父母。

所以，我們仍然是那個雄偉的國家， 但我們得到來自世界各地不同鄉土的年青人 來到這裏，推動我們， 而我們作為貢獻社會的公民， 為了我們這個美妙的國家， 是我們的責任，去確保每一個小孩都不會被遺忘。

多謝各位。

(掌聲)

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English Transcribed

What I want to do this afternoon is something a little different than what's scheduled.Foreign policy, you can figure that out by watching, I don't know, Rachel Maddow or somebody, but — (Laughter) —

I want to talk about young people and structure, young people and structure. This was last Wednesday afternoon at a school in Brooklyn, New York, at Cristo Rey High School, run by the Jesuits. And I was talking to this group of students, and take a look at them. They were around me in three directions. You'll noticed that almost all of them are minority. You'll notice that the building is rather austere. It's an old New York school building, nothing fancy.They still have old blackboards and whatnot. And there are about 300 kids in this school,and the school's been going now for four years, and they're about to graduate their first class. Twenty-two people are graduating, and all 22 are going to college. They all come from homes where there is, for the most part, just one person in the home, usually the mother or the grandmother, and that's it, and they come here for their education and for their structure.

Now I had this picture taken, and it was put up on my Facebook page last week, and somebody wrote in, "Huh, why does he have him standing at attention like that?" And then they said, "But he looks good." (Laughter)

He does look good, because kids need structure, and the trick I play in all of my school appearances is that when I get through with my little homily to the kids, I then invite them to ask questions, and when they raise their hands, I say, "Come up," and I make them come up and stand in front of me. I make them stand at attention like a soldier. Put your arms straight down at your side, look up, open your eyes, stare straight ahead, and speak out your question loudly so everybody can hear. No slouching, no pants hanging down, none of that stuff. (Laughter) And this young man, his name is -- his last name Cruz -- he loved it. That's all over his Facebook page and it's gone viral. (Laughter) So people think I'm being unkind to this kid. No, we're having a little fun. And the thing about it, I've done this for years, the younger they are, the more fun it is.

When I get six- and seven-year-olds in a group, I have to figure out how to keep them quiet.You know that they'll always start yakking. And so I play a little game with them before I make them stand at attention.

I say, "Now listen. In the army, when we want you to pay attention, we have a command. It's called 'at ease.' It means everybody be quiet and pay attention. Listen up. Do you understand?"

"Uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh." "Let's practice. Everybody start chatting." And I let them go for about 10 seconds, then I go, "At ease!"

"Huh!" (Laughter)

"Yes, General. Yes, General."

Try it with your kids. See if it works. (Laughter) I don't think so.

But anyway, it's a game I play, and it comes obviously from my military experience.Because for the majority of my adult life, I worked with young kids, teenagers with guns, I call them. And we would bring them into the army, and the first thing we would do is to put them in an environment of structure, put them in ranks, make them all wear the same clothes, cut all their hair off so they look alike, make sure that they are standing in ranks.We teach them how to go right face, left face, so they can obey instructions and know the consequences of not obeying instructions. It gives them structure. And then we introduce them to somebody who they come to hate immediately, the drill sergeant. And they hate him. And the drill sergeant starts screaming at them, and telling them to do all kinds of awful things. But then the most amazing thing happens over time. Once that structure is developed, once they understand the reason for something, once they understand, "Mama ain't here, son. I'm your worst nightmare. I'm your daddy and your mommy. And that's just the way it is. You got that, son? Yeah, and then when I ask you a question, there are only three possible answers: yes, sir; no, sir; and no excuse, sir. Don't start telling me why you didn't do something. It's yes, sir; no, sir; no excuse, sir."

"You didn't shave." "But sir —"

"No, don't tell me how often you scraped your face this morning. I'm telling you you didn't shave."

"No excuse, sir." "Attaboy, you're learning fast."

But you'd be amazed at what you can do with them once you put them in that structure. In 18 weeks, they have a skill. They are mature. And you know what, they come to admire the drill sergeant and they never forget the drill sergeant. They come to respect him. And so we need more of this kind of structure and respect in the lives of our children.

I spend a lot of time with youth groups, and I say to people, "When does the education process begin?" We're always talking about, "Let's fix the schools. Let's do more for our teachers. Let's put more computers in our schools. Let's get it all online."

That isn't the whole answer. It's part of the answer. But the real answer begins with bringing a child to the school with structure in that child's heart and soul to begin with.

When does the learning process begin? Does it begin in first grade? No, no, it begins the first time a child in a mother's arms looks up at the mother and says, "Oh, this must be my mother. She's the one who feeds me. Oh yeah, when I don't feel so good down there, she takes care of me. It's her language I will learn." And at that moment they shut out all the other languages that they could be learning at that age, but by three months, that's her. And if the person doing it, whether it's the mother or grandmother, whoever's doing it, that is when the education process begins. That's when language begins. That's when love begins. That's when structure begins. That's when you start to imprint on the child that "you are special, you are different from every other child in the world. And we're going to read to you."A child who has not been read to is in danger when that child gets to school. A child who doesn't know his or her colors or doesn't know how to tell time, doesn't know how to tie shoes, doesn't know how to do those things, and doesn't know how to do something thatgoes by a word that was drilled into me as a kid: mind. Mind your manners! Mind your adults! Mind what you're saying! This is the way children are raised properly. And I watched my own young grandchildren now come along and they're, much to the distress of my children, they are acting just like we did. You know? You imprint them.

And that's what you have to do to prepare children for education and for school. And I'm working at all the energy I have to sort of communicate this message that we need preschool, we need Head Start, we need prenatal care. The education process begins even before the child is born, and if you don't do that, you're going to have difficulty. And we are having difficulties in so many of our communities and so many of our schools where kids are coming to first grade and their eyes are blazing, they've got their little knapsack on and they're ready to go, and then they realize they're not like the other first graders who know books, have been read to, can do their alphabet. And by the third grade, the kids who didn't have that structure and minding in the beginning start to realize they're behind, and what do they do? They act it out. They act it out, and they're on their way to jail or they're on their way to being dropouts. It's predictable. If you're not at the right reading level at third grade,you are a candidate for jail at age 18, and we have the highest incarceration rate because we're not getting our kids the proper start in life.

The last chapter in my book is called "The Gift of a Good Start." The gift of a good start. Every child ought to have a good start in life.

I was privileged to have that kind of good start. I was not a great student. I was a public school kid in New York City, and I didn't do well at all. I have my entire New York City Board of Education transcript from kindergarten through college. I wanted it when I was writing my first book. I wanted to see if my memory was correct, and, my God, it was. (Laughter)Straight C everywhere. And I finally bounced through high school, got into the City College of New York with a 78.3 average, which I shouldn't have been allowed in with, and then I started out in engineering, and that only lasted six months. (Laughter) And then I went into geology, "rocks for jocks." This is easy. And then I found ROTC. I found something that I did well and something that I loved doing, and I found a group of youngsters like me who felt the same way. And so my whole life then was dedicated to ROTC and the military. And I say to young kids everywhere, as you're growing up and as this structure is being developed inside of you, always be looking for that which you do well and that which you love doing, and when you find those two things together, man, you got it. That's what's going on. And that's what I found.

Now the authorities at CCNY were getting tired of me being there. I'd been there four and a half going on five years, and my grades were not doing particularly well, and I was in occasional difficulties with the administration. And so they said, "But he does so well in ROTC. Look, he gets straight A's in that but not in anything else." And so they said, "Look, let's take his ROTC grades and roll them into his overall GPA and see what happens." And they did, and it brought me up to 2.0. (Laughter) Yep. (Laughter) (Applause) They said, "It's good enough for government work. Give him to the army. We'll never see him again. We'll never see him again." So they shipped me off to the army, and lo and behold, many years later, I'm considered one of the greatest sons the City College of New York has ever had. (Laughter) So, I tell young people everywhere, it ain't where you start in life, it's what you do with life that determines where you end up in life, and you are blessed to be living in a country that, no matter where you start, you have opportunities so long as you believe in yourself, you believe in the society and the country, and you believe that you can self-improve and educate yourself as you go along. And that's the key to success.

But it begins with the gift of a good start. If we don't give that gift to each and every one of our kids, if we don't invest at the earliest age, we're going to be running into difficulties. It's why we have a dropout rate of roughly 25 percent overall and almost 50 percent of our minority population living in low-income areas, because they're not getting the gift of a good start.

My gift of a good start was not only being in a nice family, a good family, but having a family that said to me, "Now listen, we came to this country in banana boats in 1920 and 1924.We worked like dogs down in the garment industry every single day. We're not doing it so that you can stick something up your nose or get in trouble. And don't even think about dropping out." If I had ever gone home and told those immigrant people that, "You know, I'm tired of school and I'm dropping out," they'd said, "We're dropping you out. We'll get another kid." (Laughter)

They had expectations for all of the cousins and the extended family of immigrants that lived in the South Bronx, but they had more than just expectations for us. They stuck into our hearts like a dagger a sense of shame: "Don't you shame this family." Sometimes I would get in trouble, and my parents were coming home, and I was in my room waiting for what's going to happen, and I would sit there saying to myself, "Okay, look, take the belt and hit me, but, God, don't give me that 'shame the family' bit again." It devastated me when my mother did that to me.

And I also had this extended network. Children need a network. Children need to be part of a tribe, a family, a community. In my case it was aunts who lived in all of these tenement buildings. I don't know how many of you are New Yorkers, but there were these tenement buildings, and these women were always hanging out one of the windows, leaning on a pillow. They never left. (Laughter) I, so help me God, I grew up walking those streets, and they were always there. They never went to the bathroom. They never cooked. (Laughter)They never did anything. But what they did was keep us in play. They kept us in play. And they didn't care whether you became a doctor or a lawyer or a general, and they never expected any generals in the family, as long as you got an education and then you got a job.

"Don't give us any of that self-actualization stuff. You get a job and get out of the house. We don't have time to waste for that. And then you can support us. That's the role of you guys."

And so, it's so essential that we kind of put this culture back into our families, all families.And it is so important that all of you here today who are successful people, and I'm sure have wonderful families and children and grandchildren, it's not enough. You've got to reach out and back and find kids like Mr. Cruz who can make it if you give them the structure, if you reach back and help, if you mentor, if you invest in boys and girls clubs, if you work with your school system, make sure it's the best school system, and not just your kid's school, but the school uptown in Harlem, not just downtown Montessori on the West Side.All of us have to have a commitment to do that. And we're not just investing in the kids.We're investing in our future.

We're going to be a minority-majority country in one more generation. Those that we call minorities now are going to be the majority. And we have to make sure that they are ready to be the majority. We have to make sure they're ready to be the leaders of this great country of ours, a country that is like no other, a country that amazes me every single day,a country that's fractious. We're always arguing with each other. That's how the system's supposed to work. It's a country of such contrasts, but it's a nation of nations. We touch every nation. Every nation touches us. We are a nation of immigrants. That's why we need sound immigration policy. It's ridiculous not to have a sound immigration policy to welcome those who want to come here and be part of this great nation, or we can send back home with an education to help their people rise up out of poverty. One of the great stories I love to tell is about my love of going to my hometown of New York and walking up Park Avenue on a beautiful day and admiring everything and seeing all the people go by from all over the world. But what I always have to do is stop at one of the corners and get a hot dog from the immigrant pushcart peddler. Gotta have a dirty water dog. (Laughter) And no matter where I am or what I'm doing, I've got to do that. I even did it when I was Secretary of State. I'd come out of my suite at the Waldorf Astoria — (Laughter) — be walking up the street, and I would hit around 55th Street looking for the immigrant pushcart peddler. In those days, I had five bodyguards around me and three New York City police cars would roll alongside to make sure nobody whacked me while I was going up Park Avenue. (Laughter) And I would order the hot dog from the guy, and he'd start to fix it, and then he'd look around at the bodyguards and the police cars -- "I've got a green card! I've got a green card!" (Laughter)"It's okay, it's okay."

But now I'm alone. I'm alone. I've got no bodyguards, I've got no police cars. I've got nothing.But I gotta have my hot dog.

I did it just last week. It was on a Tuesday evening down by Columbus Circle. And the scene repeats itself so often. I'll go up and ask for my hot dog, and the guy will fix it, and as he's finishing, he'll say, "I know you. I see you on television.

You're, well, you're General Powell."

"Yes, yes." "Oh ... "

I hand him the money.

"No, General. You can't pay me. I've been paid. America has paid me. I never forget where I came from. But now I'm an American. Sir, thank you."

I accept the generosity, continue up the street, and it washes over me, my God, it's the same country that greeted my parents this way 90 years ago.

So we are still that magnificent country, but we are fueled by young people coming up from every land in the world, and it is our obligation as contributing citizens to this wonderful country of ours to make sure that no child gets left behind.

Thank you very much.

(Applause)