If there is one figure in America who stands above politically based criticism or politics of any kind, it's Dolly Parton.
You don't even have to be a country music fan to admire her.
The country music icon was even inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame last year, despite her modest protestations.
And who can argue with Parton's 28-year effort to get more books into the hands of children?
Her mail delivery program of personally selected books, known as Imagination Library, has just opened to every child in Washington under age 5. Rich or poor, in cities or rural towns, some 455,000 youngsters are eligible. Parents or caregivers need only sign up, and a new, age-appropriate book will arrive each month, addressed to their child. As of this week, 76,000 kids are already on the list.
Parton started the giveaway in 1995, prompted by her own father's lifelong difficulty with literacy. "He was the smartest man I have ever known but I know in my heart his inability to read probably kept him from fulfilling all of his dreams," Parton has said.
Her goal at first was simply to fill children's homes with books, and she began close to home in Sevier County, Tennessee. Nearly three decades later, Parton's Imagination Library is sending picture books and stories to 2.5 million children in 11 statewide programs and four countries outside the U.S. Every month.
Commendably, the Dollywood Foundation has participated in multiple studies of its own impact, attempting to quantify the outcomes of providing young children and their families with a plethora of free reading material. The results are no surprise. The program is "extremely popular" in communities where it exists and "shows promise in promoting changes in home literacy environments, children's attitudes toward reading, and early literacy skills," as the foundation notes.
Yet, in these strange times not even literary altruism escapes scrutiny or political brinkmanship. In Kentucky, a Republican state senator concerned about "today's environment" suggested the legislature certify that Imagination Library in the Bluegrass state offer only "subject-appropriate" material.
The greeting locally has been warmer. "We welcome the great Dolly Parton," said Gov. Jay Inslee, heralding a visit from the country legend next week to celebrate her Washington state kickoff.
That is no small thing. Bringing Imagination Library here involved a partnership between the Department of Children, Youth and Families and Office of Public Instruction, which provided $2.3 million in startup money last year. Gov. Inslee recently earmarked another $2 million to ensure the program's expansion into all of Washington's 39 counties.
The state pays half the cost of the books and shipping. Nearly 50 school districts, libraries, United Way chapters, Rotary clubs and other community groups cover the rest. Dollywood headquarters in Tennessee selects the books, handles distribution and manages the mammoth mailing list.
"This is absolutely a collaborative team effort," said Brooke Fisher-Clark, executive director of Imagination Library Washington. "You just don't see collaboration like this that often."
Amen to that.
