It s a Wonderful Life When You Make a Difference J.Ulferts, Superintendent-Principal, Shirland School District #134 Raising Student Achievement Conference 2013 St. Charles, Illinois
Where will we be tomorrow? In the winter of our lives, how will we answer these questions What, if anything, did I accomplish? Did my life have meaning? Did I make a difference? What is my legacy?, Inc. 1234 East Main Street Anycity, State, 12345
At times we all question our worth We all have mountains to climb Some of them are small and easy to traverse, Others may seem insurmountable and treacherous Not only are we uncertain that we can persevere to scale them, but we may also be unable to see what lies on the other side of them What mountains are there in your life right now?
Sometimes we may feel hopeless Problems may feel insurmountable Bills to pay Marital strife Children having difficulty Relationship issues Health problems Sick loved ones Students not behaving Students not achieving as expected Trouble getting along with peers Parents or supervisor not happy with you Loved one that is sick or dying
Every now and then we need to remember. Frank Capra s 1946 film, It s a Wonderful Life, has become a Christmas classic. The film tells the timeless story of George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart in a brilliant performance), lifelong resident of Bedford Falls. As the film opens, Bailey is in despair, considering suicide. His Guardian Angel reviews Bailey s life, from the time he was a boy to the present, to find a way to save him. Facing what seem to be insurmountable problems, George Bailey has forgotten that he has had a wonderful life.
George Bailey dreams big Bailey lived a life of sacrifice, putting aside his own desires for those of others. As a young man, he dreamed of getting out of Bedford Falls and seeing the world. He held onto those dreams even as he falls in love with Mary (played by Donna Reed). He tells Mary, I m shaking the dust of this crummy little town off my feet and I m going to see the world. Italy, Greece, the Parthenon, the Coloseum. Then I m coming back here and go to college and see what they know and then I m going to build things. I m gonna build air fields. I m gonna build skyscapers a hundred stories high. I m gonna build bridges a mile long, Inc. 1234 East Main Street Anycity, State, 12345
Dreams die, as Bailey sacrifices for others When George s dad dies suddenly, the town curmudgeon, Henry Potter (Lionel Barrymore) tries to take over the Bailey Building and Loan, the only institution in town he doesn t control. The Building and Loan s Directors agree to block his power grab on one condition that George Bailey takes his father s place and manage it. George s dreams of seeing the world and going to college die. Instead, George gives his school money to his brother, Harry, and stays in Bedford Falls., Inc. 1234 East Main Street Anycity, State, 12345
Self Reflection What dreams did you have when you were younger? Which ones came true? Which dreams were you forced to change? Did your dreams change because of sacrifices you had to make? Do you know what dreams your children have? What about your students?, Inc. 1234 East Main Street Anycity, State, 12345
George Bailey builds a life helping others George Bailey lives a life of sacrifice through his work at the Building and Loan helping the residents of Bedford Falls build homes, open businesses, and create new lives. He weds his childhood sweetheart, Mary. Together they start a family moving in to the only home they could afford, the run down old Granville House. They even sacrifice their own honeymoon using the money to save the Building and Loan after the stock market crash creates a run on banks., Inc. 1234 East Main Street Anycity, State, 12345
George Bailey despairs When his eccentric and somewhat senile Uncle Billy inadvertently hands Potter the Building and Loans monthly deposit, and the auditor comes to check the books, a warrant is sworn out for Bailey s arrest. Facing bankruptcy and prison, with everything he s worked so hard to achieve now in ruin, George Bailey finds himself on a bitter cold bridge in the midst of a snow storm contemplating suicide and wishing he d never been born., Inc. 1234 East Main Street Anycity, State, 12345
Self Reflection Have you ever felt despair? What events in your own life have led you to despair? How were you able to overcome it? Can you recognize depression? Has anyone in your family suffered from it? Do you have any students who suffer from Depression?, Inc. 1234 East Main Street Anycity, State, 12345
George Bailey meets his Guardian Angel With George about to commit suicide, his Guardian Angel, Clarence, has to think fast. To save George, he jumps in the river himself. I knew if I were drowning you d try to save me and that s how I saved you, Clarence tells George. He also grants George his wish seeing what life was like had he never been born. George finds a nightmare world where Bedford Falls has become Pottersville, his mother a bitter spinster, Uncle Billy in an insane asylum, Mary a shy introverted librarian, and where his brother, Harry, died as a young boy because George wasn t there to save him from a frozen pond. In addition, all the soldiers Harry saved in W.W. II also died., Inc. 1234 East Main Street Anycity, State, 12345
Clarence s gift to George George gets the gift of seeing what life would be like had he never been born. He discovers his life really did make a difference. Clarence tells him, You see, George, you really had a wonderful life. Don t you see what a mistake it would be to throw it away?, Inc. 1234 East Main Street Anycity, State, 12345
Self Reflection When George Bailey wishes he had never been born, his guardian angel gives him the gift of seeing what the world would be like without him. How would the world be different if you were not in it? Think about the individuals whose lives you ve made the most difference in. Why were you able to make a difference in their lives? Who has made a difference in your own life? In what way can you pay them back by offering the same gifts to others?, Inc. 1234 East Main Street Anycity, State, 12345
A powerful story, but so is the story behind the film The story behind It s a Wonderful Life is as inspirational as the film itself and has just as many messages to teach us., Inc. 1234 East Main Street Anycity, State, 12345
Never Give Up How the story earned its wings It s a Wonderful Life started in the imagination of author PhilipVanDorenStern,whosaidtheideaforthestory came to him as he shaved one morning on February 12, 1938. He quick wrote a two page outline. From there, he made several attempts to write the story, ultimately putting it aside until the spring of 1943. He shared the story with several friends who loved it, inspiring him to finally complete it. Van Doren Stern gave the manuscript to his agent, who sent it to dozens of magazines but couldn t find a publisher. Refusing to give up, Van Doren Stern had 200 24 page pamphlets of The Greatest Gift printed at his own expense and sent them out in his Christmas cards. One of his cards was shared with a Hollywood agent who bought the rights to the story for $10,000., Inc. 1234 East Main Street Anycity, State, 12345
Self Reflection Van Doren Stern found success with The Greatest Gift by believing enough in his story to never give up on it and by forging his own unconventional route to success. Share a personal or student success you ve had that was the result of your never giving up. Respond to the success story your peer shared with you. What enabled your peer to be successful? Could your replicate that success in another setting?, Inc. 1234 East Main Street Anycity, State, 12345
Director Frank Capra A Wonderful Choice Frank Capra was already an Oscar winning director when he produced It s a Wonderful Life. Capra first achieved fame with It Happened One Night starring Clark Gable and Myrna Loy., Inc. 1234 East Main Street Anycity, State, 12345
Director Frank Capra A Wonderful Choice One afternoon, Capra attended a showing of this highly successful romantic comedy in a local movie theater. After the film ended, Capra asked the man in front of him whether he liked the movie or not without revealing that he was the picture s director. It was alright, the man said, but that director has an audience in the dark for two hours. He should have taught them something. From then on, every film Capra made had a powerful message in it., Inc. 1234 East Main Street Anycity, State, 12345
Director Frank Capra A Wonderful Choice Mr. Smith Goes to Washington warned against powerful external special interest groups and lobbyists who threatened to corrupt our democracy. With a message perhaps even more relevant today than in 1939 when it was released, democracy prevails when a freshmen senator refuses to be bought by a political machine. This film, along with Mr. Deeds Goes to Town and Meet John Doe, had the same message as It s a Wonderful Life the common man can make a difference. What are the messages that you most want to send to your family? To your students?, Inc. 1234 East Main Street Anycity, State, 12345
Always the teacher, Capra teaches a young boy a lesson he ll never forget, Inc. 1234 East Main Street Anycity, State, 12345
It s a Wonderful Life Capra s favorite film It s a Wonderful Life sums up my philosophy of filmmaking. First, to exalt the worth of the individual. Second, to champion man plead his causes, protest any degradation of his dignity, spirit, or divinity. And third, to dramatize the viability of the individual as in the theme of the film itself. Frank Capra How do you show your students that they have worth? How can you be a champion of your students? How can you teach them their viability as individuals?, Inc. 1234 East Main Street Anycity, State, 12345
James Stewart A Wonderful Choice Jimmy Stewart was the first Hollywood star to enter in service during W.W. II. Weighing just 138 pounds, he was turned down when his draft number came up. But, refusing to give up, he went home, ate everything in sight, and enlisted in the Army Air Corps this time passing his physical. In March 1944 he became the lead pilot of the B-24 Liberators in the 453rd Bombardment. He was assigned for the duration not subject to a quota of missions. Stewart flew 20 combat missions as command pilot. His bombing raids took him to Berlin, Brunswick, Bremen, Frankfurt, and Schweinfurt. When another squadron made an error in navigation, Stewart saved them from certain annihilation by not breaking his own 48 aircraft from their formation resulting in his being awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. Stewart flew many more missions than he was credited with the 389th Bombardment Group and the 20th Combat Bomb Wing. He went from private to colonel in just four years., Inc. 1234 East Main Street Anycity, State, 12345
Clarence s gift to George Veteran Worden Bishop of Spokane, Washington remembers serving with Jimmy Stewart, Inc. 1234 East Main Street Anycity, State, 12345
By 1946, Stewart returned from the war disillusioned A bomber pilot knows that not every bomb hits the target it was intended for. By the end of W.W. II, the allies as well as the axis were practicing Total War everyone was a potential target. In Dresden, Germany, for example, firebombing killed between 35,000 and 135,000 in just two days, February 13 th and l4th, l945. Approximately 25,000 people died in the bombing of Berlin with about 130,000 dead in Tokyo. Not surprisingly, the war left Stewart disillusioned, perhaps questioning the very decency of humanity., Inc. 1234 East Main Street Anycity, State, 12345
Dresden, Germany Berlin, Germany Tokyo, Germany, Inc. 1234 East Main Street Anycity, State, 12345
What It s a Wonderful Life met to Col. Stewart It s A Wonderful Life was his first film upon being discharged and once again paired him with his favorite director. It helped restore Stewart s faith in humanity with its simple message. Stewart got a phone call from Frank Capra asking him to come over to his house because he had an idea for a picture. Stewart recalled, the two main ideas were: one, no one is born to be a failure; and two, no one is poor who has friends. That was it. He told me all this, but then he said, I don t know I don t know, and I said, Frank! PLEASE! I think it s wonderful and when do we start?, Inc. 1234 East Main Street Anycity, State, 12345
What It s a Wonderful Life met to Col. Stewart On why the film wasn t successful at first It has always been amazing to me that after the war people didn t want this story. They had been through too much It just took a while for the country to sort of quiet down. Then we could start to think about family and community and responsibility to family and work and so on. On what made Capra successful The best thing that ever happened to my career was that he gave me a chance to watch him get that magic up on the screen the way he does (How does he do it?) I think that you ve got to go back to the value that Frank puts on life, on work, on responsibility, and on genuine family togetherness. Those are the values he has, and he has them very strong. Love of country, love of God he s tremendously strong on those. And he s able to get them up on the screen without preaching., Inc. 1234 East Main Street Anycity, State, 12345
Self Reflection It s a Wonderful Life helped to restore Stewart s faith. How do you keep the faith in yourself and others? Stewart credits Capra s core values as being the keys to his success. What values do you bring to your school district? Capra s favorite actor to work with was Jimmy Stewart because he shared his values. Because they shared the same values, they worked together well. In what ways, do you demonstrate that you share your school district s vision? Most successful administrators would rather hire a new employee that shared the organization s values than any other trait. Why do you think this is so important?, Inc. 1234 East Main Street Anycity, State, 12345
Closing thoughts Always believe you can make a difference, Inc. 1234 East Main Street Anycity, State, 12345