Posted on 03/12/2006 4:13:25 AM PST by Born Conservative
I don't recall the source (another post?)but another interesting, and seemingly valid, claim about a "benefit" from WWII, was the generation of "leadership" military service in WWII created. People from all economic classes, ethic groups, education level etc., who would have never learned they had leadership skills or had the opportunity to practice them, especially in critical situations, literally under fire, or on such a large scale. The military draft enhanced the reach and impact of this result.
I graduated from a small rural upstate NY school in '71. During my senior year we started to get a few young teachers (who we thought were very cool); but most of my school years were under the watchful eyes of many of the same teachers who'd taught my Dad.
And they were good. I swear one of them, Clara Hall, could have taught a dog to speak Latin. Unfortunately they were all, one by one, retiring
My younger brothers and sisters received an education at that same school that was very different from mine. Needless to say, Latin was not part of it and English wasn't much either.
Not to mention the sudden demand for a warm place where the newly minted soldier scholars, and quite often their wives, might lay down their heads at the end of the day.
Also, we have had too many seats in an overbuilt college system ever since. Two reasons for nonsense on campus.
Yes. Thank you.
That's precisely the kind of unintended consequence I was groping for.
Read Horowitz's list of 101 Professors who are teaching bogus subjects like 250 Peace Studies departments, ethnic studies etc.
Does he look at how why those overbuilt college systems bungled the opportunity handed to them? If not, do you know of others who have tried to explain it? Rarely, IMHO, do we have such a clearly recognizable paradigm shift.
Good questions. No easy answers.
Our daughters are 20 and 18, now both in college in the midwest (one at St. Olaf, one at Northwestern). So, one thing we did was to encourage (strongly) colleges outside of the extremely liberal Northeast where the best schools seem pretty far off the deepend.
Living in the greater New York metropolitan area suburbs, we did not regard homeschooling as an reasonable option when our kids hit school around 1990. At that point, homeschooling was not acceptable for admission to the better colleges and universities and the networks for relatively 'mainstream' homeschoolers that now exist did not, at least around here.
We did pick an affluent community with a reputation for excellent public schools. We were reasonably happy with our public schools, assuming a lot of parental involvement. Character education was all home and church, however. We considered private single sex education for the girls when they were still in elementary school, going so far as to have them admitted to the best of the local private girls schools. Problem was we would have had to have a split year - one in private school and one in public - as the school had no space for our younger daughter (though they promised they would take her the following year). We decided to pass. Except in math, I don't think they were hurt by staying in the public schools: they did lots of honors and AP classes with other very bright kids, and had excellent opportunities in sports (field hockey, soccer, fencing and sailing) and music, of which they took full advantage. We did supplement the public schools curriculum and put the kids in the Pre-College division of Manhattan School of Music. The only area where we were truly unhappy was mathematics: neither of our daughters ever liked mathematics or were particularly good at it. The math instruction the kids received was mostly pretty middling to poor. Some of it was luck of the draw, some of it was give the best teachers the best kids at math. We tried working with them ourselves, and with tutors, but their own resistance could not be overcome. I think a much more traditional memorization/rote drill oriented math curriculum in the lower grades would have helped.
Now, what do I think should be done? I think the very first and most important thing would be to return to the idea that education is a privilege, not a right, albeit a privilege available to anyone who applies him- or herself. I would tighten discipline at the earliest grade levels and boost academic content. I would also have no homework at those levels, but more drill in school where it can be watched (so the parents don't do the work for the kids). I'd have a longer school day, but with significantly more recesses for the kids (especially boys) to run around outside and let off steam. When I was in elementary school in the '50s, we had a 10 minute recess every hour of our 8-3:30 day, except that we had an hour lunch period (most of which was spent playing) and often a half-hour of organized sport in the afternoon. My kids had only a single 20 minute recess in the morning and a 20 minute period after lunch. I think it's silly to expect 5-10 year olds to concentrate for more than 45 minutes at a stretch without letting them blow-off steam.
Next, I would have middle and high schools run by ex-military officers who would set an example of bearing, be a presence around the school, and set a tone demanding respect from and for the students (who by middle school would be addressed by their surnames and Mr. and Miss). And, I would reinforce the discipline by suspending, and if necessary expelling, those who would not conform. Without any alternative schooling provided by the public treasury.
That's where I'd start. I'd revise the curriculum wholesale as well, but that's another story.
I'm about the age of the writer, and things had begun to sour in my 'small' town. There were rumblings, and my education wasn't all that it could have been, but no one could have guessed the direction it was headed at that point. That said, those four years younger than me got squat and the responsibility for that was not shared, no responsibility was laid to rest on the schools-it all was put on the students. Extremely brilliant minds were wasted. And yes, I mean that in all senses of the word.
I, personally, have a very interesting theory about public education which I will offer:
I believe public education began well enough with a sound theology. It became a tool to keep a section of our country, blacks, repressed. WWI and WWII drained first fathers, and then both fathers and mothers from 'the hearth' and teachers took up the slack, bit by bit, as would be natural. Women (guardians of the hearth) began to move into the work force in the 50's, giving teachers more authority over the nation's children. The 60's found everyone stoned....who's watching the kids? Teachers. The 70's found everyone still stoned and now screwing...who's watching the kids? Teachers. I became a parent in the 80's. I and many others took responsibility for our kids. But when mine started school, it wasn't what I remembered. I had a constant struggle to get teachers to understand these kids belonged to me. Why? They'd become accustomed to being in control. And when I made it clear that they were not in control of MY children... that this didn't work in my book- they didn't like it, not one bit.
Much of the problem is the left, indeed! However, much of the problem IMHO stems from the public inadvertently dumping responsibility on teachers (when folks 'needed' help) then taking them for granted and never resuming personal responsibility and/or teachers being in charge and loving it and/or the left seeing a 'in' and taking advantage of the situation.
I certainly didn't think that jumping off the wagon was a good idea (nationally) I decided to stay on the wagon and get the reins back.
BTW, BTS....My mother called to tell me she just rented the best movie of her life. It's called, 'Beyond the Sea"!
The new generation -- our son is 19/ he and his friends are a good representation -- is great. They are clear-thinking, many of them discern and HATE the old hippies who spew garbage in their classrooms, many are conservative and orthodox. They have tried on the Utopia their parents' generation 'built' and found it built on sand.
Do not fear. This tenth grader in Aurora stood tall and said, "The Emporer (Jay Bennish) has no clothes." That was pretty courageous for a 15 year old. His parents did not believe him, tried to discourage him.
I think the new generation holds great promise.
Plus, MANY of them are being homeschooled, where they will be taught to think clearly and to stand for what they believe.
I'm not kidding........ it's time for a revolution....... it's waaaay past time for a revolution. Some people need to be eliminated from power.......... not violently, but they MUST GO!
It's never going to happen, the commie/socialists in our institutions are too strong, numerous, and ensconced, and the people are fat, happy enough, and mostly nearly completely uninformed .......... to be honest the creation of 'The Founders' is finished......... unless the good people get together to revolt".
But that's not going to happen at all (jmo), because the sleeping American public couldn't even get it together to protest the abominable and unconstitutional Campaign Finance Reform or the abysmal Supreme Court decision on PRIVATE PROPERTY!
It's time for a revolution.......... but the media is so strong today, quiting the subjects, they are able to keep most Americans ignorant of what is happening!
What can we do? You tell me!
****
p.s. One of the most obvious ways to illustrate how totally sick this nation is is to just look at how difficult it is to get rid of a lousy teacher or professor in our schools. It's just sick.
LOL.............. I had a Latin teacher in eighth grade who really actully taught me how to speak English!
YES
LOL .......... she must have loved Bobby Darin, as I did (I'm a male but I know brilliance when I hear it). ;-)
Kevin Spacey was supposed to have done a great job playing Darin (and even singing) in the movie. Believe it or not I have yet to see it. But I will.
****
Like painted kites, those days and nights, they went flyin' by
The world was new beneath a blue umbrella sky
Then softer than a piper man one day it called to you
I lost you, I lost you to the summer wind
****
Fabulous
bump--read later :-(
I think the new generation holds great promise. --- I hope that you are right. I just do not see the numbers.
Plus, MANY of them are being homeschooled, where they will be taught to think clearly and to stand for what they believe. --- the homeschooled are going to have to take over, but I do not see how.
That is the truth.
You hit the nail right on the head. Unfortunately; most Americans either don't care or are too poorly educated to figure it out.
17. Get control of the schools. Use them as transmission belts for socialism and current Communist propaganda. Soften the curriculum. Get control of teachers' associations. Put the party line in textbooks.
YEP!
How will the homeschoolers take over? They will be the ones who, early on, see clearly, have a plan, step over the detritis in the gutter and TAKE ACTION. Cream rises.
I hope you are right. I just hope they remember the Amendment right after the First. They may need it to take over.
for later
What can we do? You tell me!
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I am very hopeful about talk radio and cable TV.
People are not stupid. Good ideas will win! ( in a free market of ideas). We must fight to keep the market of free ideas FREE!
How nice. According to you, ONLY homeschooled children have any future.
Let me tell you, homeschoolers won't be taking over MY children.
The arrogance and superiority shown by many homeschoolers is disgusting.
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