Day Quote by Tom Brokaw
“My mother, who graduated from high school at sixteen, had no hope of affording college, so she went to work in the local post office for a dollar a day. She was doing better than her father, who earned ten cents an hour working at a nearby grain elevator.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The American Dream, 2005
A mother with limited education works low‑wage jobs to support her family, highlighting socioeconomic barriers to higher education.
In simple terms: Hard work and low pay illustrate education challenges.
Key Takeaway
Address systemic barriers to education.
Themes
poverty
education
social mobility
Mood
concerned
hopeful
Type
inspirational
reflective
When to use this quote
- family budgeting
- policy advocacy
- scholarship programs
Key Concepts
economic inequality
access to education
Questions to Reflect On
- What policies could reduce educational inequity?
- How can communities support low‑income students?
A Different Perspective
Hard work alone may not overcome structural obstacles.
![“[My grandmother] was the assistant pastor at Palma Ceia Baptist Church in Hayward - my grandmother, Evie Goines. And so my mother was doing - I remember when my mother graduated from beauty college, so I was about 5, and so I guess she was about 21. And I just remember being there, taking the…” quote by Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/53e/mahershala-ali-6687_assistants_my-grandmother-was-the-assistant-pastor_3196292.jpg)
