Some dont recall it, while others dont wish to acknowledge how at one time public education was a model for American values and progress. Most parents, if it was within their reach, wanted better for their children. Before public education was available, the likely ways to do this were by signing a child (sometimes for a fee) to indentured service (free labor) so he (in general only males were educated) could learn skills, to a guild (much the same as indenture), or a favored few (in part due to limited capacity) were allowed entry to a church school where a boy learned to copy, sing, and do menial work. The poor and their children had little opportunity to move above their station in life. Many children learned skills strictly from work with their parents or in their community, the majority of whose members were illiterate. The Protestant Reformation with its emphasis on individuals reading the Bible in their own tongue caused many parishes to provide limited education, primarily in reading, often excluding fem
As a kid in Chicago I remember our basement holding an item that was my fathers pride and joy. (It seemed to rival me in his affection, so I remember it very well.) That item, kept gleaming clean despite ...
Thinking about the forthcoming John Beargrease Race, I was reminded of an old friend who in melodic Swedish voice used to say, Weve got two seasons: winter and a couple months of tough sledding. Hes gone ...
If the Maya are correct we are in for big a bad time, as in an End-of-the-World style trouble. Well, it is possible, though in my view youd need to push the notion of possible very far ...
I dont have my outdoor lights up. A few years I missed getting them out completely. It depends on the weather and what comes up. Im not too concerned though. As a kid I more than made up for any seasonal deficiencies now ...
Over Thanksgiving while looking for a serving bowl I found a stray cup, the sort of thing most would rightly discard. Even in a second hand store how much value is found in one old cup?
I learned what Id call a form of hard knocks politics from my father. In his mind and words my dad was absolutely a staunch conservative who knew what was right and would not back down. He was adamant about that.
This time of year my local Post Office falls short on providing source material because with chill winds blowing and chores to get done between rain showers and before the snow flies we dont linger as much to chew into mulch whatever it is ...
Its easy to lose sight of how fortunate we are to live where we do. The approach of winter (we cant stop its arrival) causes a certain amount of its coming to get us anxiety, but we pull ourselves together and soldier on knowing theres ...
