Rory Feek is building his daughter a schoolhouse on the family farm for the sweetest reason
He says it's what Joey would have wanted
He says it's what Joey would have wanted
He says it's what Joey would have wanted
Since his wife, Joey Martin Feek, in March 2016 after a battle with cervical cancer, country singer Rory Feek has had his hands full raising their now 3-year-old daughter, Indiana, who has Down syndrome. But as he wrote in a , he's also had plenty of time to think and pray about what Joey would be doing differently, especially on the long drives to his daughter's school.
That's how the surviving member of country duo came up with his latest dream: to build a schoolhouse right in his backyard, where Indy and other kids like her can have the best of both worlds: "Home, and school.. at the same time."
"If Joey were here, she would love both of the schools that Indiana goes to, but she would be homeschooling Indy," Feek wrote on his blog. "Not just now, but permanently. At least I believe she would. Partly because she would want our little one here at home with her, growing up and learning on our farm. And also because she would be way more interested in Indiana learning to be a good person than being a good reader. To love God and the life that He's given her, more than what a lot of the world is telling us to love. And in her mind, home is the best place to learn those things."
Feek praised the as the reason Indy is " and talking so well," and for its hands-on education style. But teaching Indy at home will fulfill what Joey would have wanted.
"Our hope is to let it be more of a farm school where besides the three 'R's (reading, writing and arithmetic), kids will get the chance to learn about another, 4th 'R'... rural life skills," Feek explained.
With the help of family, friends, neighbors, and more, Feek began building Indy's school, which is located "just across the field from where her Mama's cross sits" and was inspired by a one-room Kentucky schoolhouse from 1892 that the father and daughter recently toured.
"We could have just hired some folks to come build the schoolhouse," Feek continued. "People who do it for a living and [that] would [be] fine. Probably easier in some ways. [But] I believe that 'how you do something' is almost as important as 'what you do'. And since Joey and I and our older girls are big fans of the movie Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, we thought we'd open it up to the community. Make it something that isn't just a beautiful moment and memory for us, but for others too."
The hope is to open the school in January and enroll about a dozen kids ages 3 and 4. As the kids grow, the building and the curriculum will adapt. As far as "rural life skills," Feek says the children will have access to a garden, henhouse/barn, horses, and a concert hall which could serve as a space for both music lessons and on rainy days, a gym.
"Who knows, maybe someday when she grows up, she'll want to teach there," Feek wrote. "Or turn the building into a vegetable stand or business where she works. Or maybe even a house where she lives. I have no idea where it will lead. Just hope in where it might lead. To be a blessing to her, and to other little ones like her."