« EVERYBODY’S DANISH Chapter (Dad’s friend, the greatest Dane of them all, Victor Borge) | Home | HUMOR & STUFF FROM BUDDIES! »
FULL GALE DALE (Schools)
By fred | March 26, 2009
Most folks bitch and moan about the job our Public Schools are
doing, and just who’s to blame for the “end product”.
In my opinion, (and of course that carries one hell of a lot of
weight), Yeah Right! There is more than enough blame to go around.
Liberals, like myself, have a tendency to blame poor choice of
subjects to study, and too many students in one classroom, as well as
the elimination of certain curricula that helped form our own ability
to cope with the real world.
Conservatives, are more selective. They blame the ACLU, Liberal
Boards of Education, and lack of Religious training, and Property
Owners without children, don’t see any reasons to pay schooling
costs, for others, kids.
Cost concerned Bureaucrats see too much being spent on
“Frivolities”, such as Sports, Drama, and the Arts, and “Home
economics”, such as cooking, and balancing the budget.
And last, but not least, Parents, that don’t want their “Little
Darlings”, punished in any way, or for any reason, as corporeal
punishment might “Mark the precious young minds for life”. Thus,
discipline, is a thing of the past, and not to be tolerated.
I’m quite sure I have mentioned here things, that some will agree
with, and others will not, or at least, will pick different things to
be objected to.
The sad part about what I have just written is, I didn’t include the
views of a single Educator, Teacher, Nurse, Coach, or Phys. Ed
Director, nor Counselor.
Of course why would I, or anyone consult them? After all their only
concern is the Education and Preparation of our youngsters, for Life.
Now we get to the “IN MY DAY”bit, that made me, and others of my
generation, so much superior to all others. (Or so we think).
There was (corporeal punishment) then. For boy’s it was generally a
few good swats on the Gluteous Maximus, (not sure of the spelling),
but think you know what I;m talking about, and perhaps, having to
report to a special “Home Room”, for a number of times, missing
movies, and other special events, that are put on during the school
semester, for entertainment, and/or educational purposes.
I don’t know what was done to the girls that may have not followed
the rules, but do know that we rarely had any real problems in our
classes, and “to my knowledge”, no one ever brought a lethal weapon
to school.
If we kept our grades up, we were allowed to take part in sports,
such as Football, Basket Ball, etc. The girls had an athletic program
as well, and all students took Phys. Ed. every day.
Our “curricula” was mainly made up of English, Math, Science, and
History, and variations thereof.
Some schools had special programs, and allowed students from outside
our districts to make use of.
At my school, Polytechnic High, we had a very highly rated school of
Architecture, and their were students from as far away as fifteen
miles that would travel that distance just to take advantage of this
program. ( I had a very good friend that did just that)!
Before a football game, and I’d be very surprised if this were not
so before other sports events, we gathered together, and said the
“Lords Prayer”. I cant remember anyone ever objecting to this,nor
anyone ever insisting upon this. We just did it. (The Sky Did Not
Fall On Us).
I never met a fellow School mate that could not read, write, speak
intelligently, nor make change for a Dollar, and it all took place
right in Los Angeles. Who woulda thunk it?
Oh! Just as an aside, if, as, or when most any of us did mess up in
school, we had far more to worry about at home than in school.
Parents then, knew the responsibilities of each venue, and kept them
separate.
Has the ACLU done any damage to our school systems. Of Course they
have! I doubt they started out with that in mind, but in doing what
they do, I.E. act like Lawyers, they manage to create as much, or
more problems than they correct.
The main function of that organization is to point out and help
correct the stupidness of some of our laws. Point them out, they do,
Correct them, they are sadly lacking in the doing, or even trying
very hard.
What they have pointed out to me is, we do have some flawed laws.
Some have, over the years been revised, (some for the better, some
not so much better), some worse.
But hey gang! Lawyers fixing Laws, is akin to Bankers giving us an
even break in re. interest rates, etc. or Oil Producers not gouging
us at the pump. Haven’t you, at times, wished we could, just for one
day a year, have a lynching party? We could correct a whole lot of
problems with a good rope and a strong tree limb, to use. … Just
Kidding!
I’m not in any way suggesting that we try to return to those days of
our youth, and operate our Schools now as were run then, but do think
that a return of control by the folks we are paying to educate these
Little Darlings is in order, and should be given back the authority
to run our schools as is necessary, and not as some outside factor
dictates.
I’m 79 years old, have no Children, school age, nor even Grand
Children, that young. Do I know it all? Of course not, but do know
something, and that’s, (in this day and age), really something.
Later… Dale.
Topics: FULL GALE DALE! | No Comments »