As a former high school teacher and a student in a class of 60

Hear the words of Bill O’Reilly, who looked back to his days as both teacher and student, and declared: “As a former high school teacher and a student in a class of 60 urchins at St. Brigid's grammar school, I know that education is all about discipline and motivation. Disadvantaged students need extra attention, a stable school environment, and enough teacher creativity to stimulate their imaginations. Those things are not expensive.” In these words, he reminds us that the true wealth of education is not in grand buildings or costly devices, but in the hearts of teachers and the spirit they kindle in their students.

For what is education but the shaping of the mind and spirit? It is not enough to fill the memory with facts or the hands with tasks; the young must be guided by discipline—the strength to endure, to focus, to persist—and by motivation, the fire that drives them to reach beyond themselves. Without discipline, talent withers; without motivation, knowledge lies unused. O’Reilly calls us back to these timeless pillars, too often forgotten in the noise of modern reform.

He speaks also of the disadvantaged students, the children who come not from homes of wealth but from places of struggle, where hunger, instability, or neglect might dim their light before it even has a chance to shine. Such children, he says, do not need pity or excuses—they need extra attention, the firm but caring hand of a teacher who refuses to let them fade. They need a stable school environment, a sanctuary where chaos gives way to order, where the classroom becomes a place of safety and growth. And they need teacher creativity, the spark that ignites imagination, turning weary eyes into eyes that see possibility.

History gives us many witnesses to this truth. Consider the tale of Booker T. Washington, who as a boy of poverty and former slavery longed so deeply for learning that he walked miles to attend school. What kept him going was not money, but discipline and motivation. Later, as the founder of Tuskegee Institute, he gave thousands of disadvantaged students the very stability and attention O’Reilly describes, proving that greatness often begins not in wealth, but in persistence, guidance, and imagination.

Even in ancient times, this principle was known. Aristotle, teaching the young Alexander, did not lavish him with wealth but with attention and discipline. It was not palaces but careful instruction and creativity that helped shape the boy who would one day become Alexander the Great. Thus, O’Reilly’s words stand in line with the wisdom of ages: the true power of teaching is not bought with gold, but wrought in patience, imagination, and care.

The meaning of this quote is clear: the tools that build the minds of the young are within reach. Discipline, motivation, attention, stability, creativity—these are not expensive, but they require dedication. A school may lack riches and still be a fountain of greatness if these qualities are present. But a school that neglects them, no matter how wealthy, will fail its children.

The lesson for us is profound: whether as teachers, parents, or guides of any kind, we must never forget that to lift up a child is not a matter of wealth but of will. Do not say, “I lack resources”; rather, ask, “Do I give my attention? Do I offer stability? Do I inspire imagination?” These are gifts that every person can give, and they transform lives more deeply than money ever could.

Thus let O’Reilly’s words be remembered: education is not expensive—it is a labor of love, of discipline, of creativity, and of care. Give these to the children, especially to those who begin life at a disadvantage, and you will change not only their future, but the future of the world. For a single child lifted up is a flame lit in the darkness, and many such flames together can set the whole age alight with hope.