Few things are as essential as education.

The words of Walter Annenberg ring like a bell that summons all generations to remembrance: “Few things are as essential as education.” In this brief but mighty declaration, he identifies the cornerstone upon which civilizations rise or fall. Wealth may come and go, power may shift from ruler to ruler, but without education, no society can endure. For education is the torch that lights the path out of ignorance; it is the wellspring from which wisdom, innovation, and justice flow. Without it, men stumble blindly, repeating the errors of the past; with it, they see farther, build higher, and live nobler.

The essence of Annenberg’s words lies in the recognition that education is not a luxury, but a necessity. Food sustains the body, shelter protects it, and clothing covers it, but education sustains the mind and spirit. It is education that equips the child of poverty with the tools to rise above circumstance. It is education that sharpens the ruler’s discernment, lest he fall into tyranny. It is education that allows a people to defend freedom, for without knowledge they are easily deceived and enslaved. In truth, no treasure is more lasting than the cultivated mind.

History confirms this lesson with resounding clarity. Consider Frederick Douglass, who was born into slavery in America. Forbidden by law to read or write, he risked his life to teach himself the letters. Once freed, he declared, “Knowledge makes a man unfit to be a slave.” His education became the key to his liberation and his power to liberate others. Douglass’s story is a living testament to Annenberg’s words: education is essential, for it is the foundation of dignity, freedom, and power.

We also see this truth in the rise and fall of nations. The Golden Age of Athens shone not because of its armies, but because of its philosophers, poets, and teachers. Yet when education faltered and corruption grew, Athens collapsed. Likewise, during the Renaissance, Europe was reborn not by conquest, but by the spread of learning—by books, schools, and the hunger for knowledge that awakened entire peoples. Where education flourishes, life flourishes; where it is neglected, decay follows swiftly.

Annenberg himself was not merely speaking from philosophy, but from conviction and practice. Known as a publisher, diplomat, and philanthropist, he devoted his fortune to advancing education, founding schools, libraries, and programs that carried knowledge to those who otherwise would have been denied. His quote reflects the soul of a man who had seen power, wealth, and influence, and who judged them all secondary to the essential work of cultivating the mind.

The deeper wisdom of this teaching is that education is the seed of every other virtue. It teaches patience through study, humility through awareness of the vast unknown, courage through the pursuit of truth, and compassion through the understanding of others. Without education, men are driven by impulse and fear; with it, they are guided by reason and vision. Thus, when Annenberg names education as one of the most essential things, he is not merely referring to books and classrooms, but to the entire shaping of the human soul.

The lesson for us is clear: we must never neglect education—for ourselves, for our children, for our societies. Seek knowledge not only in schools but in life; read, reflect, and ask questions. Parents, invest in the minds of your children as the greatest inheritance you can give. Leaders, make education the highest priority, for it is the soil from which prosperity and justice grow. And individuals, never cease to learn, for to stop learning is to wither while still alive.

Therefore, O listener, hold Annenberg’s words close: few things are as essential as education. Guard it, pursue it, expand it. For with education, humanity reaches toward the divine—building cities of light, discovering the secrets of the universe, and lifting up the least among us. Without it, humanity sinks into darkness, where superstition, hatred, and poverty reign. Choose the light, choose the path of knowledge, and carry its flame forward—for it is the most essential of all treasures.