Juventus Spes Mundi

Harry Truman, giving a speech in 1952 after his presidency to a group of scholars in Virginia about the keys to the success of the country, states the following:  “Youth, the hope of the world.  That was the motto on the front door of the high school from which I was graduated, only it was written in Latin, “Juventus Spes Mundi.”  I will never forget it.  I never have forgotten it, and I still think that youth is the hope of the world, and that they always will be.  It is just as true now as it was when I came out of that small town high school. It is necessary for the young people to understand the road to be followed, if this country is to accomplish the mission which God intended it to accomplish in this world.”  This simple Latin expression assembled in stained-glass and displayed prominently above the main entrance to the only school young Harry received a diploma from, guided the 33^rd president throughout his political career as one the greatest US presidents and world leaders of the 20^th century.  Truman also understood the importance of public architecture with its symbols of values and strength and provided leadership in maintaining and preserving public buildings for their continued use for the citizens of a strong democracy.  He didn’t just discard them when situations became difficult.  It’s somewhat ironic that the very property where “Juvenus Spes Mundi” was inscribed above the entrance doorway lintel, the Independence Public Schools abandons an empty historic building once dedicated to youth and now contaminated with toxic mold while turning it over to a for-profit developer to convert it to low-income senior housing.    And the Independence Public Schools invested tremendously in an old hospital property next to the local campus of Graceland University to develop their administrative offices and a business incubator for young start-ups and entrepreneurs, then supported low-income senior housing in the adjacent high-rise that was ideally located to support commercial use for young entrepreneurs or youth education.  And the Independence School District supported the sale and redevelopment of two historic elementary school buildings for, you guessed it, low-income senior housing located in neighborhoods with high concentrations of low-income rental property and desperate for investments from young families.  And with the closing of reputable youth institutions such as the YMCA, St. Mary’s High School, etc. along with cuts to Head Start and other programs for young students, are we experiencing trends that will sustain our community and support investments in market-rate housing, businesses, and job creation?  Will these trends attract young families to Old Town Independence?  Shouldn’t we be maintaining and expanding youth institutions and programs for the generation of US citizens that will be responsible for the 17-trillion-dollar debt (and climbing) from entitlement spending attributed to our generation for, in part, government-subsidized housing programs?  Aren’t we just digging the hole deeper?  Will our youth still be considered the “Hope of the World” when saddled with inflated college loans, neglected neighborhoods and infrastructure, and a monumental national debt?