Posted on 05/30/2002 10:18:13 AM PDT by robowombat
I'm not in my 60's, but was in high school on the 50's and early 60's. I had four solid years of history classes; from two dealing with American history, to one each of ancient history and World ( mostly European ) history. Yes, that was private school ; however, I had friends who went to public and parochial schools and they all took the same courses . In public grammar school, history, and YES geography used to be taught and taught thoroughly. The first few grades weren't in much depth. By the 4th grade ( world history, and not to shabbily done , BTW ) we were getting more specifics, 5th grade was USA history and geography ( and in MORE depth than I bet you got in college... if you ever went to one ) , 6th was South America ( with geography again ! ) , 7th was European and REALLY hitting it hard, with 8th grade back to USA and heavy on the documents, leaders , ecconomy, wars. It's been many decades ago, but from 5th grade, I can still place every state, know the major waterways, cities, state capitals, some flags, birds, flowers, nicknames ( Pa. is the Cornerstone state : - ) ), and what products they were known for in the '50's.
My mother used to grumble that she was taught more. She was; I used to read her old text books, as a kid, for fun. So, dear, don't talk about that which you only know about anecdotally, from a funny story. It just may be apocraphol.
It doesn't surprise me if there are stories about misguided seniors from such a generation. This doesn't imply lack of knowledge of the senior.
With respect to geography, I've been dumbfounded to bump into high school graduates who are unable to discern locations of countries even in the same continent, or confusing cities for states, nations for states, and even the location of oceans....(by the sea would be more intelligent an answer than some I've heard).
One justification for property taxes to fund education systems is a social law. Generally, the society as a whole will become more efficient with a better educated populous. Another asserts the higher average normalized education, the better quality of social structure will emerge able to base its decisions on more enlightened understanding of pertinent issues. I have seen cases where the lack of a higher educational norm does result in poor decisions and a lower standard of living. I have also seen cases where a lack of education, still fails to prevent an illiterate faithful person from being joyful or living a more fruitful life than the 'enlightened'.
In the 40s-60s it still wasn't too uncommon to have 1 in 30 people unable to read or perhaps write in the workforce. In the 80s, I suspect the number was closer to one in 200. Today, I wouldn't be surprised if the number wasn't back to 1 in 10 for the younger generations.
Seems as though irresponsible leadership emerged in the mid60s-70s which promoted using the educational system as a direct conduit to mold younger minds into personal liberal political agendas, institutionally.
An interesting sidenote....there are some rigorous Bible doctrinal positions which hold that the ONLY Scripturally justified institution is the Church. The doctrine goes further to add that ANY other man made institution as a product of man's will independent from God's will becomes a devise within the plans of the Adversary. The consequences of these institutional works happen to provide some interesting confirmation that any system outside of God's will results in unfavorable product. Doesn't mean one shouldn't bear their own burden, but the consequences of these magnificent atheistic institutions seem to prove their inefficacy as reliable institutions.
I almost never pick on someone's grammar or spelling ; however, since you have decided to smear me, for absolutely no reason, using FALSE assimption, perhaps you will take the following with good grace and learn something to boot. You say you were " amazed " of " . It is amazed AT . Then you later typed : " or have how many myths and legends they believe are true." This isn't English ! " Or have how many .... " ? I'm not even ging to try to attempt to make that into correct English. Now, yet another : " the questions of the guides " . This should be : the guides' questions.
Just because someone is old , doesn't mean that they are intelligent, nor even well educated, any more than the same is true for someone who is middleaged or young. There are unfortunately more stupid, ill educated people, than the other kind. What IS true, though, is that all schools used to do a much better job of teaching the children in their care, than is done today. Your miniscule anecdotal example is specious; at best, dear.
I almost never pick on someone's grammar or spelling ; however, since you have decided to smear me, for absolutely no reason, using FALSE assumption, perhaps you will take the following with good grace and learn something to boot. You say you were " amazed " of " . It is amazed AT . Then you later typed : " or have how many myths and legends they believe are true." This isn't English ! " Or have how many .... " ? I'm not even ging to try to attempt to make that into correct English. Now, yet another : " the questions of the guides " . This should be : the guides' questions.
Just because someone is old , doesn't mean that they are intelligent, nor even well educated, any more than the same is true for someone who is middleaged or young. There are unfortunately more stupid, ill educated people, than the other kind. What IS true, though, is that all schools used to do a much better job of teaching the children in their care, than is done today. Your miniscule anecdotal example is specious; at best, dear.
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