Bush speaks about literacy to women's insurance society
By Tracy Jan
Minneapolis Star Tribune
August 1998

Former First Lady Barbara Bush stressed the importance of reading to children Monday during a speech to 250 women and their families attending the Woman’s Life Insurance Society annual convention. Through reading aloud, Bush said, parents can help develop children’s imagination, enrich their vocabulary and instill in them an early love of reading.

As the keynote speaker of the three-day national convention in Minneapolis, Bush spoke passionately about the importance of literacy as a foundation to solving the problems of American families.

Dressed in her trademark blue suit and a triple strand of pearls, Bush sprinkled humorous anecdotes and touching tales throughout her 45-minute speech.

Six years after leaving the White House – which Bush described as a "bully pulpit for doing good things," – she said, "You don’t have to worry about the Bushes anymore. We’re very happy with our loves and what we’re doing."

"Unfortunately, the family is going through a very tough time in America these days."

After listing statistics related to teen pregnancy, gun violence and domestic abuse, Bush praised Woman’s Life for helping combat the numbers by "reminding us that our first task always remains at home."

"You never know when you may plant a seed that someday will sprout and bloom forever," she said. "With literacy comes a sense of self-worth and self-respect. But without action, words and ideas are about as good as wheelbarrows without the wheels."

For the last 18 months, more than 300 chapters of the national society have held literacy events, raising a total of $20,000 through luncheons, spaghetti dinners and bake sales. Members expect another $6,000 to be raised during the convention through the sale of raffle tickets.

The money, presented to Bush during Monday’s luncheon, will benefit the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy.

Women make up 65 percent of the 90 million illiterate Americans.

"Women need basic skills such as reading and writing in order to create a better life for themselves," said Michigan resident Janice Whipple, national president of the nonprofit organization, which is dedicated to helping women and their families achieve financial security and independence.

In addition to fund-raising, each chapter in the United States and Canada conducted service projects, such as one-on-one tutoring for adults and children.

Volunteers from Minnesota’s seven chapters held reading extravaganzas around the state – donating books and magazines to battered women’s shelters, local libraries and nursing homes.

The efforts will continue after the convention, which ends today, as Whipple hopes to make family literacy a national cause of the organization.