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Your ancestors fought for you to have a share in that institution over there. It's yours. See the school board, and every Friday night hold your meetings there. Have your wives clean it up Saturday morning for the children to enter Monday. Your organization is not a praying institution. It's a fighting institution. It's an educational institution along industrial lines. Pray for the dead and fight like hell for the living!
Mother Jones
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote emphasizes the importance of taking action and responsibility in education, rather than relying solely on prayer or waiting for change.

Mother Jones stresses the legacy of struggle and sacrifice made by ancestors for the benefit of future generations, particularly in terms of educational access and communal responsibility. She encourages active participation in educational institutions and the necessity of mobilizing efforts to improve the lives of the living, reinforcing the idea that education is a battlefield demanding effort and engagement rather than passive acceptance.

Themes

EducationActionAncestorsResponsibilityCommunityFighting

In practice

Example use cases

In a speech about community involvement, you might use this quote to inspire local leaders to engage in educational initiatives.

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