The Journey of Ardro Knight
A Cap and Gown Mystery
by
Book Cover & Preview Text
Formats
Softcover
£16.95
Softcover
£16.95
Book Details
Language :
Publication Date :
13/11/2006
Format :
Softcover
Dimensions :
6x9
Page Count :
151
ISBN :
9781425724658
About the Book
This story is about one black youth whose checkered school past abruptly ends with an ugly incident that gets him kicked out of school. He comes near to joining the thousands of black males who each year, fail to graduate from high school and/or college. He doesn’t realize that—according to prolific research data--he may be one of the 62% of black males that do NOT finish high school in four years.The Journey of Ardro Knight, ends in triumph,
But it is a story of Stark Reality.
It concerns something everybody knows about.
It scares a lot of people.
Others don’t want to hear about it.
Some try to hide it.
Others don’t care,
But we all gotta deal with it in one way or another!!!
Ardro finds himself in juvenile detention where, as he reviews his life, he searches for root causes of the many factors that brought him to this end. As he leaves detention, and wanders aimlessly through his out-of-school experience, fear, anxiety, and social /emotional disorientation assail him. He first encounters delight, then a violent shock, which initiates an all-at once frightening, angering, beautiful and euphoric episode.
This appalling experience ends with an awakening that overpowers him with a happy resolve, and a brand new set of problems. In order to make his newfound dreams possible, his resolve, and his search for answers leads him into love, and a series of intriguing adventures that focus him into a new life.
We meet Ardro’s family, his school, his teachers, his peers, his church, the Community Service Agencies, Law Enforcement, Health facilities, etc; all having the responsibility for providing and satisfying, on a daily basis, his social/emotional development, as well as his security, moral guidance, and companionship needs. All, of these role groups—in close communication and association—are responsible for Ardro’s management and control. These folks also provide instruction, and answers to his moral questions. Most importantly, they all ought to provide encouragement, security, roots, and feelings of approval, admiration, and love. Not one of the characters in Ardro’s story is aware that he or she is either part of his great umbrella of support, or a possible vehicle for his destruction. Helene, of course, wants to be the support system, but without help and support she could easily become destructive. As in real life, characters do not communicate their emotions, anxieties, desires, etc. to others. Communication is nil. Each tries to fulfill his role to educate Ardro, or place him in a niche where his life can be managed for him—all without knowledge of each other’s efforts.
It is a wild pipe dream that Cap and Gown manufacturers would find a lucrative new market in high school and college graduations for young black men. How this will happen remains a tantalizing ------ mystery.
About the Author
Before the Depression years, William A. C. Polk was born into the family of a Methodist Preacher. After H.S. graduation, in 1940, and 3 years in WWII, he graduated from Fisk University in 1949. Ten years later he returned to the University of Pittsburgh to achieve two Graduate Degrees while teaching, counseling and helping resolve issues related to school integration in the 60’s & 70’s. His first published work was an Autobiography. Memoirs of an OREO, a Social History, was published in 2000. Though 83 years old, retirement is still an elusive concept.