Hi-jack highway - education.

[backhoeboogie]

The grammar discussion is evolving into formal educations. Rightly so I suppose.

How many have you known with very little formal education, but were very well read? Subject matter experts in many fields, thanks to their own study? I have known a few elderly folks that had remarkable knowledge and were constantly reading about something.

 

[chrisy]

My Grandfather, he had no education at school, his older Brother taught him to read, but he was a wealth of information, and when you checked it out he was always right, Life experiance can be better than all the schooling. Although I would never tell one of my children this.

 

[john250]

If you can read, you can learn almost anything else. Too bad we don't teach reading anymore.

Henry Ford had a very limited education. Abe Lincoln comes to mind. All the old timers I grew up around had minimal educations, but they could all read and comprehend.

Let us remember that before it can be read, it has to be written. We don't teach writing these days either.

 

[Lammie]

I agree, John. We teach for the test anymore, instead of for the love of learning. We cram a lot of stuff into kids' heads for the test and then after that, it all leaves. Rote memorization. I think that I have seen a new emphasis on subjects like reading and geography. When I was in school I never took a course in geography. It was bundled into social studies. Still, I can find anything on a map, except maybe some of the "Stans". Stuff that used to be the Soviet Union.

There are kids, and adults as well, who can't even find THIS COUNTRY on a map. Had a kid ask me where the Korean Pennensula was. Duh... They were studying a unit on Korea.

My dad can still recite the Rhyme Of The Ancient Mariner. He learned that in the '30's. Can't remember what his medications are...

 

[Green Creek]

I agree, John. We teach for the test anymore, instead of for the love of learning. We cram a lot of stuff into kids' heads for the test and then after that, it all leaves. Rote memorization. I think that I have seen a new emphasis on subjects like reading and geography. When I was in school I never took a course in geography. It was bundled into social studies. Still, I can find anything on a map, except maybe some of the "Stans". Stuff that used to be the Soviet Union.

There are kids, and adults as well, who can't even find THIS COUNTRY on a map. Had a kid ask me where the Korean Pennensula was. Duh... They were studying a unit on Korea.

My dad can still recite the Rhyme Of The Ancient Mariner. He learned that in the '30's. Can't remember what his medications are...

Bless his heart, my Mom can recite all the presidents and really gets agitated if she can't remember them. She is 86 and like your Dad, can't get her meds straight or much of anything else.

 

[dun]

I'll go along with the "My Dad" sentiment. Had to quit school at 12 to help support the family. Taught himself refrigeration, although back then it was just barely refrigeration. Taught himself electronics, fixed radios and TV and made his own test equipment. Built a hand cranked machine to make cement drainage pipe, built his own table saw, metal and wood lathe. Those are just a few I remember.

 

[john250]

I agree, John. We teach for the test anymore, instead of for the love of learning. We cram a lot of stuff into kids' heads for the test and then after that, it all leaves. Rote memorization. I think that I have seen a new emphasis on subjects like reading and geography. When I was in school I never took a course in geography. It was bundled into social studies. Still, I can find anything on a map, except maybe some of the "Stans". Stuff that used to be the Soviet Union.

There are kids, and adults as well, who can't even find THIS COUNTRY on a map. Had a kid ask me where the Korean Pennensula was. Duh... They were studying a unit on Korea.

My dad can still recite the Rhyme Of The Ancient Mariner. He learned that in the '30's. Can't remember what his medications are...

He's "old school".
At various grades I was required to recite from memory the Gettysburg Address, the Apostles Creed (raised Catholic), several sonnets by renaissance lovers and certain passages from Shakespeare.
"What light through yonder window breaks
Tis the east, and Juliet is the moon." (aside--How did Shakespeare get away with that remark about Juliet and the moon?)
I'll say this. If someone can recite something, I think that's a positive. I would say doing a recitation taught a student to Prepare, prepare prepare. Memorize that sucker. Perform it for the family. And then deliver. Stand up in public and talk (recite). This is how you get to be president.
I hated rote memorization when I was the victim.
:lol:
Now, I see more value in it.
Lammie--the "Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner" is what? 487 verses? Pretty impressive. I can do most of Dylan"s "Like a Rolling Stone" and all of "Sweet Home Alabama", for what that's worth. I can just hear my daughter saying "He has to get his hair cut".
Adding just a couple more: Pledge of Allegiance and Declaration of Independence and Preamble to the Constitution. I'm a little rusty on those, now. Please don't challenge me. :lol:

 

[dun]

Adding just a couple more: Pledge of Allegiance and Declaration of Independence and Preamble to the Constitution.

I found it disheartening last week when the cheif of police who is also a mjor in the national guard was supposed to recite the pledge of allegiance at the race at Loudon and he screwed it up.

 

[chrisy]

Tis the east, and Juliet is the moon." (aside--How did Shakespeare get away with that remark about Juliet and the moon?)qoute

sorry but the quote is.....

But soft! What light through yonder window breaks?
It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.
Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon, Who is already sick and pale with grief, That thou, her maid, art far more fair than she.

now in modern text it is Jealous moon. Diana is the goddess of the moon and of virginity, Romeo implies that Juliet is a servant of the moon as long as she is a virgin.

Read Romeo and Juliet as an exam book and had to remember all of the quotes.

 

[flaboy?]

My grandpa got a visit from the school one time. They told him his son (my dad) had to wear shoes to school or not come back. Grandpa told them he might could get him some the next year. They said NOW! My dad never went back to school. This was in the 8th grade. It varies a little. One time he says 6th and other times 8th.

At 18 he started climbing poles for the phone company. He retired 37 years later as some honcho with the phone company.

 

[dun]

My grandpa got a visit from the school one time. They told him his son (my dad) had to wear shoes to school or not come back. Grandpa told them he might could get him some the next year. They said NOW! My dad never went back to school. This was in the 8th grade. It varies a little. One time he says 6th and other times 8th.

At 18 he started climbing poles for the phone company. He retired 37 years later as some honcho with the phone company.

Hope he was wearing shoes when he started climbing poles

 

[flaboy?]

My grandpa got a visit from the school one time. They told him his son (my dad) had to wear shoes to school or not come back. Grandpa told them he might could get him some the next year. They said NOW! My dad never went back to school. This was in the 8th grade. It varies a little. One time he says 6th and other times 8th.

At 18 he started climbing poles for the phone company. He retired 37 years later as some honcho with the phone company.

Hope he was wearing shoes when he started climbing poles

Yep, he got some boots and strapped on those climbing spikes and became a pole monkey. He used to get really mad at me when I put them on and climbed pine trees. :lol:

 

[chrisy]

Auh! there's our connection fla, my husband used to be a pole monkey when he started out at work, never had spikes though, just a waist harness. He can still shimmy up them poles.

 

[hillbilly beef man]

My grandpa got a visit from the school one time. They told him his son (my dad) had to wear shoes to school or not come back. Grandpa told them he might could get him some the next year. They said NOW! My dad never went back to school. This was in the 8th grade. It varies a little. One time he says 6th and other times 8th.

At 18 he started climbing poles for the phone company. He retired 37 years later as some honcho with the phone company.

Hope he was wearing shoes when he started climbing poles

I thought them Florida boys used their toenails? And they have phones there too? :shock:

Congratulate your father on making it to retirement. 41 more years and I can quit climbing poles. :help:

 

[dun]

My grandpa got a visit from the school one time. They told him his son (my dad) had to wear shoes to school or not come back. Grandpa told them he might could get him some the next year. They said NOW! My dad never went back to school. This was in the 8th grade. It varies a little. One time he says 6th and other times 8th.

At 18 he started climbing poles for the phone company. He retired 37 years later as some honcho with the phone company.

Hope he was wearing shoes when he started climbing poles

I thought them Florida boys used their toenails? And they have phones there too? :shock:

Congratulate your father on making it to retirement. 41 more years and I can quit climbing poles. :help:

Friend of mine back in the 60s moved to hawaii and went native. I visted him once and he looped a piece of rope/twine/string/whatever between his big toes barefooted and used it to shinny up trees for coconuts.

 

[Wewild]

The grammar discussion is evolving into formal educations. Rightly so I suppose.

How many have you known with very little formal education, but were very well read? Subject matter experts in many fields, thanks to their own study? I have known a few elderly folks that had remarkable knowledge and were constantly reading about something.

Granddad use to read the paper or at least act like he was as he learned to sign his name in his sixties. He was big on the TV news for the hour it came on.

The man amassed farms that in time have appreciated to the point that his efforts now make it more practical to sell some and buy back further North from here.

He married a school teacher. He went to school twice and one time was in his brothers place.

I saved the papers where he practiced his signature.

 

[flaboy?]

I thought them Florida boys used their toenails? And they have phones there too? :shock:

Congratulate your father on making it to retirement. 41 more years and I can quit climbing poles. :help:

Yeah we got phones here now thanks to the yanks. I would prefer to not have phones and no yanks. :lol:

No, it's our girls that climb with their toenails.