Text 1709, 69 rader
Skriven 2006-07-15 23:52:00 av BOB KLAHN (1:123/140)
     Kommentar till en text av BOB ACKLEY
Ärende: prescription problems
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 DC>>> Nope.  Public education probably should have been included as
 DC>>> one of the Bill of Rights.

 BA>>> I disagree, it's not a proper function of the federal government.
 BA>>> Or, FTM, of state governments, either.  And that includes providing
 BA>>> funding.

 I understand why you think it's not a function of the federal
 govt, though I disagree - but - why not the state government?

 ...

 BA> Note that colleges and universities are now providing
 BA> education equivalent to that of community colleges decades
 BA> ago, community colleges are functioning as high schools
 BA> did, etc. etc.

 Are they? Have you seen what kids are doing in high school these
 days? When my daughters started high school I wanted to know why
 a high school freshman needs a $100 graphing calculator.

 Now days they do reports that require internet research the way
 we did book reports. I think they are pushing ahead too far.
 Which is why I think the basics get short shrift, too much
 trying to push for the moon.

 ...

 BA> Back in the mid-1990s the Wall Street Journal published, on
 BA> their editorial page, ten questions from an examination
 BA> that was given to prospective students who wanted to attend
 BA> a *high school,* either in New York or New Jersey.  This
 BA> examination was given in the early 1900s, and the WSJ could
 BA> not, with all of its resources, provide an answer to one of
 BA> the questions (the reason, IIRC, is that the meaning of the
 BA> words have changed over the years).  Remember, this exam
 BA> was given to *8th* graders.

 I believe I have seen that test. Only it was not New York or New
 Jersy, but someplace out west. As is often found with urban
 legends, the facts often shift.

 If it's the one I think it is, no one has any actual evidence it
 is for any particular school. It could be college for all we
 know.

 BA> FWIW, I have in my possession several school textbooks that
 BA> date from the late 1800s/early 1900s.  The chapter
 BA> exercises in some of them are *hard*, and most of these are
 BA> not *high school* texts, most are essay questions and
 BA> obviously require some thought and understanding of the
 BA> material.

 Have you ever read any of the letters from people who lived back
 then? They are uniformly poor grammatically. Spelling also bad.
 Unless they are from someone from the upper class or a teacher
 etc.

  Also, remember, it wasn't until WW2 that even half our young
  people got a high school diploma.

 Only a few of the dedicated got one around 1900, and before.

BOB KLAHN bob.klahn@sev.org   http://home.toltbbs.com/bobklahn

... Just when you realize that life is a bitch, she has puppies!
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