A Harder Task Than Making Bricks Without Straw Summary and Analysis

Washington says that from the beginning, he wanted to show the students how labor could be something other than drudgery by using the latest methods. With that in mind, he establishes a policy requiring that students do the building. They need bricks for the foundation of the first hall and Washington admits that he had always felt sorry for the children of Israel who were forced to make bricks with no straw. He says he also thought making bricks would be easy. As they begin the process, he discovers that's not the case. They fail at their first four attempts at building a kiln, even with outside help. When they finally succeed, they are able to fill a need Washington had seen in the community - production...