---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It takes a long time to educate a…"
description: "\"It takes a long time to educate a community and it can't be done by spellbinders, moneybags, hypnotizers or magicians or Aladdin's lamp. Character is w..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d8/harry-j-grant-241640_community_it-takes-a-long-time-to-educate-a-commun_480548.jpg"
---

#  It takes a long time to educate a community and it can't…

![“It takes a long time to educate a community and it can't be done by spellbinders, moneybags, hypnotizers or magicians or Aladdin's lamp. Character is what matters on a paper.” quote by Harry J Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d8/harry-j-grant-241640_community_it-takes-a-long-time-to-educate-a-commun_480548.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d8/harry-j-grant-241640_community_it-takes-a-long-time-to-educate-a-commun_480548.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d8/harry-j-grant-241640_community_it-takes-a-long-time-to-educate-a-commun_480548.jpg)

> “It takes a long time to educate a community and it can't be done by spellbinders, moneybags, hypnotizers or magicians or Aladdin's lamp. Character is what matters on a paper.”

Harry J Grant

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Emphasizes that character development outweighs quick fixes in community education

**In simple terms:** Long-term character building is essential for societal progress

Key Takeaway

Prioritize character over shortcuts in teaching

Themes

education character community long-term development values

Mood

inspirational serious

Type

essay argument

When to use this quote

- school curricula
- community workshops
- parenting programs
- nonprofit initiatives

Key Concepts

philosophy of education social development ethics

Questions to Reflect On

- How can character be effectively taught?
- What measures assess long-term educational impact?

A Different Perspective

Quick fixes may ignore deeper issues

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/)

## Related quotes

> [If you teach a boy, you educate an individual; but if you teach a girl, you educate a community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mortenson/if-you-teach-a-boy-you-educate-an-individual-but-if-you-teach-a-girl/)

[Greg Mortenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mortenson/)

> [Take some time and educate your mind, in the long run I'm sure you're fine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coolio/take-some-time-and-educate-your-mind-in-the-long-run-i-m-sure-you-re/)

[Coolio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coolio/)

> [“Educate a boy, and you educate an individual. Educate a girl, and you educate a community.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adelaide-hoodless/educate-a-boy-and-you-educate-an-individual-educate-a-girl-and-you/)

Adelaide Hoodless

> [“It’s a waste of your time to teach them.” This dismissal, inexplicably, starts to eat through your patience. “It’s never a waste of time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/it-s-a-waste-of-your-time-to-teach-them-this-dismissal-inexplicably/)

[N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/)

> [It will take time to educate people about sustainability, why it is so important and how it will make a difference to our planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanya-malhotra/it-will-take-time-to-educate-people-about-sustainability-why-it-is-so/)

[Sanya Malhotra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanya-malhotra/)

> [Winning begins with culture and character matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vlade-divac/winning-begins-with-culture-and-character-matters/)

[Vlade Divac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vlade-divac/)

> [When you cover politics, you realize that knowing how to talk about character matters more and more. The way we hold ideas is more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/when-you-cover-politics-you-realize-that-knowing-how-to-talk-about/)

[David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/)

> [Character matters; leadership descends from character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/character-matters-leadership-descends-from-character/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

> [If I love the character, then that's all that matters to me. It doesn't really matter what genre it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-cooke/if-i-love-the-character-then-that-s-all-that-matters-to-me-it-doesn-t/)

[Olivia Cooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-cooke/)

> [“Nearly every parent on earth operates on the assumption that character matters a lot to the life outcomes of their children. Nearly every government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/nearly-every-parent-on-earth-operates-on-the-assumption-that/)

[David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/)

> [“And that is the problem: academic intelligence offers virtually no preparation for the turmoil—or opportunity—life’s vicissitudes bring. Yet even though a high IQ is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-goleman/and-that-is-the-problem-academic-intelligence-offers-virtually-no/)

[Daniel Goleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-goleman/)

> [We are all in this world together, and the only test of our character that matters is how we look after the least fortunate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-douglas/we-are-all-in-this-world-together-and-the-only-test-of-our-character/)

[Tommy Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-douglas/)

> [Character matters most. It will outlast physical beauty, athleticism, intelligence, and since you can't take it with you, prosperity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rock-cowles/character-matters-most-it-will-outlast-physical-beauty-athleticism/)

[Rock Cowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rock-cowles/)

> [I'm eternally optimistic about the future. I believe that if we are committed towards it and if we continue to educate people and get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-yeang/i-m-eternally-optimistic-about-the-future-i-believe-that-if-we-are/)

[Ken Yeang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-yeang/)

> [I've been an activist in the LGBT community for a long time. I think nothing's changed, I'm just a little bit more focused on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaz-bono/i-ve-been-an-activist-in-the-lgbt-community-for-a-long-time-i-think/)

[Chaz Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaz-bono/)

## More Community quotes

> [Race is the idea that a human being is more superior than another human being, race in society grants illusional rights to mistreat each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/race-is-the-idea-that-a-human-being-is-more-superior-than-another/)

[Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/)

> [But we are convinced that if we are to play a meaningful role nationally, and in the community of nations, we must be second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-sarabhai/but-we-are-convinced-that-if-we-are-to-play-a-meaningful-role/)

[Vikram Sarabhai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-sarabhai/)

> [In the hearing world, I'm constantly having to lip-read and trying to understand what's going on. Sign language is so beautiful. It gives you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-ayling-ellis/in-the-hearing-world-i-m-constantly-having-to-lip-read-and-trying-to/)

[Rose Ayling-Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-ayling-ellis/)

> [The strains and stresses suffered by the individual in society are grounded in the normal functioning of that society (and of the individual!) rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-marcuse/the-strains-and-stresses-suffered-by-the-individual-in-society-are/)

[Herbert Marcuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-marcuse/)

> [Hackney gets a bit of a bad rap, but it's the only place I've ever lived that felt like a community. I know my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-horgan/hackney-gets-a-bit-of-a-bad-rap-but-it-s-the-only-place-i-ve-ever/)

[Sharon Horgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-horgan/)

> [ The social \[media channel\] isn't about beauty contests and popularity contests. They're a distortion, a caricature of the real thing. It's about trust, connection,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umair-haque/the-social-media-channel-isn-t-about-beauty-contests-and-popularity/)

[Umair Haque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umair-haque/)

> [We're at a point in history were we have to become a part of the neighborhood of inhabited planets, like a neighborhood of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/we-re-at-a-point-in-history-were-we-have-to-become-a-part-of-the/)

[Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/)

> [I have to feel the audience. I enjoy that feeling of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gahan/i-have-to-feel-the-audience-i-enjoy-that-feeling-of-community/)

[Dave Gahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gahan/)

> [It rolls off my back. Ridicule doesn't mean anything - even from people you're supposed to wear knee pads around, like the scientific community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-schultz/it-rolls-off-my-back-ridicule-doesn-t-mean-anything-even-from-people/)

[Dwight Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-schultz/)

> [Jeff Chu's pilgrimage across America to discover his own place as a gay man in the Christian church as well as attitudes about being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-freitas/jeff-chu-s-pilgrimage-across-america-to-discover-his-own-place-as-a/)

[Donna Freitas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-freitas/)

> [I think that most of us, anyway, read these stories that we know are not "true" because we're hungry for another kind of truth:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/i-think-that-most-of-us-anyway-read-these-stories-that-we-know-are/)

[Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/)

> [Human life consists of doing certain things ... to take part in the life of the community; to be able to talk about subjects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/human-life-consists-of-doing-certain-things-to-take-part-in-the-life/)

[Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/)

> [Parents who are stressed or disturbed will have more difficulty in meeting their children's needs. Parents who have little support--from friends, relatives, neighbors, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-kamerman/parents-who-are-stressed-or-disturbed-will-have-more-difficulty-in/)

Sheila Kamerman

> [I think what was special about 'Music by Prudence' was the classic story of the title subject's life path - from being an outcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-think-what-was-special-about-music-by-prudence-was-the-classic/)

[Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/)

> [Perhaps the greatest and least visible form of impoverishment caused by the Corporate State is the destruction of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-a-reich/perhaps-the-greatest-and-least-visible-form-of-impoverishment-caused/)

[Charles A. Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-a-reich/)

[Browse all 13,840 Community quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "It takes a long time to educate a community and it can't be done by spellbinders, moneybags, hypnotizers or magicians or Aladdin's lamp. Character is what matters on a paper.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Harry J Grant"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-j-grant/it-takes-a-long-time-to-educate-a-community-and-it-can-t-be-done-by/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Community"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-j-grant/it-takes-a-long-time-to-educate-a-community-and-it-can-t-be-done-by/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d8/harry-j-grant-241640_community_it-takes-a-long-time-to-educate-a-commun_480548.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d8/harry-j-grant-241640_community_it-takes-a-long-time-to-educate-a-commun_480548.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d8/harry-j-grant-241640_community_it-takes-a-long-time-to-educate-a-commun_480548.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“It takes a long time to educate a community and it can't be done by spellbinders, moneybags, hypnotizers or…” — Harry J Grant",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Harry J Grant",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-j-grant/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "It takes a long time to...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-j-grant/it-takes-a-long-time-to-educate-a-community-and-it-can-t-be-done-by/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-j-grant/it-takes-a-long-time-to-educate-a-community-and-it-can-t-be-done-by/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
