Home School Heartbeat Radio Program

In recent years, families on the mission field have increasingly turned to homeschooling in order to educate their children. Mike Farris, President of Home School Legal Defense Association, tells the story of one famous woman who was the product of home education on the mission field, today on Home School Heartbeat.

Michael Farris:
Pearl S. Buck grew up on the mission field in China, and became a famous American author and winner of the 1932 Pulitzer Prize. A lively, precocious child, she pestered her mother with countless questions. Pearl's mother, realizing that her daughter needed a creative outlet, began her education at home. She especially focused on Pearl's skill for writing, and encouraged her to write something every week. At the age of 6, Pearl began writing for missionary magazines. Her writing was also published regularly by the Shanghai Mercury, an English newspaper that offered prizes for the best stories and articles written by children.

It was not surprising when Pearl decided as a young adult to become a novelist. She went on to write more than 65 books, plus hundreds of short stories and essays. She is best known for her books dealing sympathetically with life in China, including her widely acclaimed novel, The Good Earth. In 1938, Pearl S. Buck received the Nobel Prize for literature.

Although Pearl received her later education at various schools, her most significant years of academic training were spent at home. It was her mother who recognized her flair for writing and fostered her creative development. Pearl S. Buck is yet another example of the power of parent-directed education.

This is Michael Farris.