HORIZONS OF HOPE is the author's autobiography which is bound to give encouragement to those who are determined to build a better world.
This is the author's exciting life story. All events are remembered with a keen sense of detail. The story begins in his native country Czechoslovakia. H e recounts his daring escape from the Nazi invasion first by train, then on a bicycle and finally on a Spanish freighter on a forty day journey to America.
The author went back to Europe with the U.S. Army, as a medic. In combat, rendering aid to wounded men, he lost his leg.
After World War II he began to build bridges with his former enemies and aided in the moral and spiritual reconstruction of Germany. He later became involved with the Up With People program, teaching Social Studies in their high school, as they traveled though the U.S., Canada, Europe and Brazil.
Finally he describes his invaluable experiences in Tulsa's private and public schools as "Social Studies- Preparation for Life."
In a revised second edition the author describes his first visit to his native country in 54 years in 1992 and the "Joy of Retirement".
He concludes his autobiography with a moving g experience of his beloved wife Agnete "going home".
HORIZONS OF HOPE is the story of a man with a mission to promote world understanding and education. This book shows his exploits and will inspire others down the path of hope.
John G. Pribram was born in Prague, Czecho-Slovakia. He escaped Nazi occupation by way of a dramatic journey to America.
He was educated at Harvard, served as a combat medic with the U.S.Army in Europe, and received a Purple Heart,a Bronze Star and a Silver Star for gallantry in action .
The author later returned to Europe where he contacted former enemies. He helped in the creation of the Up With People High School and taught Social Studies on three continents.
For twenty years he has been a Social Studies educator at Monte Cassino and Union Junior High School in Tulsa,Oklahoma.
Various articles on Education have been published by the author. 'A Living Civics Course' in Today's Catholic Teacher in April 1989 and 'An Unusually Exciting Civics Course' in the Oklahoma Council For Social Studies Bulletin, March 1991.
In September, 1989, the author was featured on Channel 2 (NBC) as one of Oklahoma's "First Class" teachers. The Union School district honored Mr. Pribram as "Teacher of the Month" in March, 1990, and he has been named to the first edition of "Who's Who Among America's Teachers" in 1990.
At the time of the "Velvet Revolution" in Czechoslovakia Channel 6 (CBS) interviewed the author. He was elected President of the United Nations Association of Eastern Oklahoma in 1989 and re-elected in 1991.
In1995 he received the "Service to Mankind Award" from the Sertoma chapter of East Tulsa and the "Senator John R. McCune Volunteer Mediator of the Year Award " from the Oklahoma State Supreme Court.
In 1996 he was made "honorary citizen" of the city of Pribram in the Czech Republic
Chapter 589 of the Military Order of the Purple Heart honored him as the outstanding 'Americanism Officer' in 1997 , 1998 , 1999 and
2000.
Since 1999 he is second vice-president of the Board of the Friends of the Tulsa Public Library.
John and Agnete Pribram received the Every Day Hero award for the year 2000 from Up With People.
