[Sca-cooks] Jonathan Swift was an Optimist

[Tara]

You know, I've seen that exam.  I must admit, while those 8th graders
knew an awful lot about the history of the state of Tennessee, they'd be
pretty hard pressed to operate a computer.  Or an automobile.  Or
perform basic geometric calculations to help them design a simple wood
project without a model or pattern.  They were taught only extremely
basic science - like, what you or I learned by 6th grade.  Unless they
were expected to go to high school and college, they were taught
arithmatic, not mathmatics.  They were taught to read from the Bible,
and Johnathon Swift would certainly never have made it into their
classrooms.  Additionally, while they would know plenty about the
history and geography that would turn them into good patriots, do you
really think they were taught either good world history or critical
thinking skills that just might have led them to ask uncomfortable
questions?

Additionally, the only people who took that exam, intended to give them
passage to 9th grade, were the academically elite - not farmers sons or
the daughters of pickle vendors, both of whom needed basic reading,
writing and arithatic skills, period.

That exam is completely worthless as a comparison to modern education.
It's like comparing German Shepards to 747s.

Is our educational system perfect?  I wouldn't try to argue that.  In
fact, I plan to home-school my children.  On the other hand, is it
better than 100 years ago?  Betcha buttons it is.  We're hardly going to
hell in a handbasket just because some schools might choose to teach Ray
Bradbury instead of Johnathon Swift.  There's a *huge* corpora of
literature out there from which educators can choose.  If students stop
responding to Swift because it's not as socially relavant as George
Orwell, I see nothing wrong with revising the canon.  It's not like
they're reading less, or of a lower quality of literature.

Can we get back to food now, please?

-Magdalena

Siegfried Heydrich wrote:
>
>     Weep? You'd better start sobbing hysterically. I have a copy of an 8th
> grade final exam from 1895 that I'll be willing to bet that VERY few people
> on this list could pass. And on the whole, I'd also be willing to bet that
> as a group, we're a LOT better educated than the mooing masses being granted
> high school or even college "diplomas". If you like, I'll post it for your
> enjoyment. Then consider what an "8th grade education" meant then as opposed
> to now.
>
>     Sieggy