Selected Articles
Man the Choicemaker
Nature vs. Government
A Fairy Tale of Glibness of Pap
"Be Thou an Honest Man?"
"Champion Y'shua Jesus"
Halloween 365 Nights-a-Year
Humble? On Purpose?
"In League with the Stones..."
Law or Principle
"Paid In Full."
Hands of a Teacher
"The Flyer said..."
The Force in Motion
The Jew
The Value of the Individual
"Why un-Believers Can't THINK"
"The Mathematics of Life"
Butter and Honey
Declaration of Independance - Intro
Humanism
Isaac Newton
Letter to Sam Lamb
Tribute to an Uncommon Educator
Classic Mediocrity
U.S. Marines
A New Life
Under God
"Big Jim" Causey
Leadership
Tribute To An Uncommon Educator
I have known Rick Pendleton since he was a teen-age friend of one of my sons - perhaps thirty years. It was obvious early-on that he possessed distinctive qualities of mind, character, and spirit that set him apart from the many young people who, over the years, came through our home as friends and acquaintances of our four children. Rick's reluctance to be 'average' and his attraction to excellence was an unusual distinctive in his generation and gave my wife and I increased confidence in the judgement of our son and his siblings in their ability to choose quality friends.
As a teacher and educator of thirty plus years, I have encountered a rare few who were drawn to the vocation of teaching as "a calling" - a burning desire to enlighten and edify the student to an advancing plane of understanding, value, and fulfillment. Rick's success has been marked by an on-going appreciation by students, parents, fellow-teachers, supervisors, and friends. Such has been my observation and discernment of his progression into a manly adulthood and as an exemplary educator and leader.
As a young man, Rick has been teachable and eager to learn stable and effective methods by which to accomplish his goals, thus attracting him to a natural and reasonable regard for integrity in himself and others. Finding an all-too-often compromise of principle, which he perceives to be unintelligent, boring, and an open confession of inadequacy, he has sought character and virtue in family, friends, and associates. Knowledge and progress are among his recognized solutions to the ever-present sloppy and/or stylish mediocrity often found and approved by a self-content community and society. As a true leader he knows he can do no other.
As a committed educator, Rick appreciates the lessons, information, and heritage of past generations. Additionally, he pursues decisions measured against criteria and principle which equip him with the foresight ability to understand causal and sequential relationships and anticipate results and consequences. Such wisdom and insight are the principal thing in his life and assure a high degree of valid self-respect, accomplishment, personal fulfillment and happiness.
I greatly admire, love, and respect Rick Pendleton, and treasure the blessing of his friendship.
Jim Baxter
Semper Fidelis