The title narrates the story of how the school, founded by women pioneers of public education in a Rocky Mountain mining settlement, became the centre and sustaining force of the town's community life from its beginning in the 1870s to the present day.

For over 200 years legislators, educators, and public-minded citizens have debated ways of governing their country's public schools. In these debates the opportunity, or its absence, of participating in the choice and the administration of their children's school has been an ever-present concern to parents. This book reviews these debates and discusses such present-day school choice related issues as racial integration, ethnicity, social class, vouchers, charter, magnet and private schools in the United States, the former German Democratic Republic, and the Federal Republic of Germany.

The book narrates the story of how the school, founded by women pioneers of public education in a Rocky Mountain mining settlement, became the centre and sustaining force of the town's community life from its beginning in the 1870s to the present day.

For over 200 years, legislators, educators, and public-minded citizens have debated how to govern public schools. This book reviews these debates and discusses racial integration, ethnicity, social class, vouchers, charter, magnet and private schools in the United States, the former German Democratic Republic and the Federal Republic of Germany.

Malthus Kierin always dreamed of adventuring, of making his mark upon the world of Kalan. After he earns his robe and staff, rewards for passing the tests required to become a wizard, the door to his dreams stands open. However, a nightmare lurks on the other side, a black-hearted wizard who, along with his vile undead minions, systematically assassinates all of Kalan's heroes, and then hunts Malthus.

After a narrow and expensive victory that nearly split Malthus's band of companions apart, they control the Stone of Zoral, a powerful artifact that can reverse the tide of darkness sweeping across the land. A decisive battle approaches as the enemy's forces converge on the few remaining outposts of free peoples remaining in Kalan. Can the Merranai of prophecy, wielding the Stone, reclaim lands lost and avert an age of darkness?

Malthus Kierin always dreamed of adventuring, of making his mark upon the world of Kalan. After he earns his robe and staff, rewards for passing the tests required to become a wizard, the door to his dreams stands open. But he finds a nightmare on the other side, a black-hearted wizard who, along with his vile undead minions, systematically assassinates all of Kalan's heroes, then hunts Malthus down. Malthus and his small band of companions survive many trials, including imprisonment deep in an enchanted wood, and meet a loremaster who claims an artifact, a sphere of stone created by the immortal Zoral, can repel the undead that hunt them, and turn back the tide of evil. But can they survive long enough to find the stone? Or will Kalan fall into an age of darkness?

What if all the heroes died? Malthus Kierin always dreamed of adventuring, of making his mark upon the world of Kalan. After he earns his robe and staff, rewards for passing the tests required to become a wizard, the door to his dreams stands open. But a nightmare awaits him on the other side, a black-hearted wizard who, along with his vile undead minions, systematically assassinates all of Kalan's heroes. The tale of Malthus and his small band of companions begins, as they flee from the Darkener on a seemingly hopeless quest for aid. Who now will become heroes? Or will Kalan fall to an age of darkness?