Matthew Lee wrote:Roy Pitchford wrote: We hold our kids today to significantly lower standards than we did then. I can also tell you from the books I have read that certain stories from history have been scrubbed.
OK. I'll bite.
1) What, specifically, are examples of how we hold our kids to lower standards?
2) What, specifically, are stories that have been scrubbed from history?
Thanks!
I view your request as an ongoing project, so if you don't mind, I may end up writing several responses.
Regarding lower standards:
1. Penmanship is disappearing. We no longer ask our kids to write legibly and cursive is going to disappear.
2. I listen to children speak all the time at work. They could all use diction lessons. We're allowing kids to become sloppy.
3. I've encountered teenagers (one was 18, I asked him) who are incapable of reading an analog clock. Come on, this is a 1st or 2nd grade skill.
4. Our emphasis on spelling has devolved significantly. I looked up the "McGuffey Eclectic Speller" which was used in schools throughout the mid and late 1800s.
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/15456/15456-pdf.pdf(PDF version from Project Gutenberg)
Notice: There's a note from the transcriber stating "Do you remember how to spell "pharmacopoeia" or "Winnipiseogee"? This was for sixth grade!"
If phonics is taught in schools anymore, I'd imagine its rare.
Kids are taught the how or the what, but not as much the why.
Why is "bicycle" spelled the way it is?
bi is the Latin for 'two' and
cycle is Greek (kyklos) for 'wheel' or 'circle'.
5. Speaking of Latin and Greek, those used to be staples of education as well. Thomas Jefferson started studying both languages at age 9. James Madison mastered both before college. The story is that President James Garfield, could write Greek and Latin at the same time with both hands.
6. Finally, what will I'm sure be a controversial statement, but religion is missing from the schools in the last 100 years as well. Actually, that decision is within the last 50 years. Whether you call them "The Ten Commandments" or "The Ten Moral Tips" they are good rules to go by.
Regarding missing stories:
1. Jamestown attempted communism and failed.
A History of the United States, 1904 wrote:"All things in common" is very well in theory, but its successful practice requires ideal conditions. These were not present in the Jamestown colony. Many of the colonists were vicious idlers and jailbirds, picked up on the streets of London. To such persons, "All things in common" meant, "Put in as little as possible; get out as much as you can."
I don't recall covering that in my AP US History class.
2. The Koszta Affair of 1853.
A History of the United States, 1904 wrote:Martin Koszta had been a prominent leader, along with Louis Kossuth, in the Hungarian rebellion. When the rebellion failed, he came to the United States, and immediately took out naturalization papers, thereby taking the first steps toward becoming a citizen of the United States, and therefore entitled to its protection in any country of the world. In the year 1854 he went to Turkey and was given permission by the Turkish authorities to go ashore at Smyrna, under the passport of an American citizen. While ashore, at the instigation of the Austrian consul at Smyrna, he was seized by bandits, thrown into the bay, picked up by an Austrian boat in waiting for the purpose, and taken on board an Austrian man-of-war. The American consul at once demanded his release. This being refused, the American sloop-of-war, St. Louis, then in the bay of Smyrna, loaded her guns, ran up her flag, prepared for action, and demanded Koszta's surrender at the cannon's mouth. Hereupon the Austrian authorities agreed to turn Koszta over to the French government for safe-keeping, and to refer the final question of his release to arbitration between the two governments. This proposal was at once agreed to by the American consul. In the controversy which ensued between the government at Washington and Austria, the United States was completely triumphant, and Koszta was released. This diplomatic victory greatly strengthened national pride. It was now felt that "to be an American citizen was a greater honor than to be a king."
Contrast that with what happened September 11, 2012 in Benghazi, Libya.
3. The beating of Senator Charles Sumner.
A History of the United States, 1904 wrote:When President Pierce sent his message to congress condemning the Topeka constitution, it drew from Charles Sumner, on the 20th of May, 1856, his celebrated speech, "The Crime against Kansas." Sumner was a scholar of distinguished ability, an eloquent orator, and a master of invective. When he pointed his shaft of scorn, it went straight to the mark and stung his victim. During the course of his speech he took occasion to comment severely upon the conduct of Senator Andrew P. Butler of South Carolina, who, at the time, happened to be absent from the senate chamber. Two days later the senate had adjourned earlier than usual, and Sumner remained writing at his desk, when Representative Preston Brooks, a relative of Butler's, entered the rear of the senate chamber, accompanied by Representative Lawrence M. Keitt, — each armed with a cane. "You have libelled the state of South Carolina and my aged relative," shouted Brooks, as he rushed upon Sumner, violently striking him over the head with his cane. He struck blow after blow with his gutta percha weapon, while Keitt stood by to see that no one interfered. Sumner, although a powerful man, was so stunned by the first blow that he was unable to rise and turn upon his assailant. He soon fell bleeding and unconscious to the floor, and was carried from the chamber by friends who hastened to his assistance. His injuries were so serious that he was unable to resume his seat for three years, but during all that time the state of Massachusetts kept his seat vacant, as a silent protest against this cowardly attack upon the freedom of debate.
Its also worth noting: Many are taught that the Civil War was about "state's rights". Read the Confederate Constitution.
No bill of attainder, ex post facto law, or law denying or impairing the right of property in negro slaves shall be passed.
The Confederate States may acquire new territory; and Congress shall have power to legislate and provide governments for the inhabitants of all territory belonging to the Confederate States, lying without the limits of the several states; and may permit them, at such times, and in such manner as it may by law provide, to form states to be admitted into the Confederacy. In all such territory, the institution of negro slavery as it now exists in the Confederate States, shall be recognized and protected by Congress, and by the territorial government: and the inhabitants of the several Confederate States and Territories, shall have the right to take to such territory any slaves lawfully held by them in any of the states or territories of the Confederate states.
4. Our first "War on Terror"...the Barbary Wars.
A History of the United States, 1904 wrote:The Barbary states were a group of pirate states located along or near the northern coast of Africa, of which the chief were Algiers, Tunis, Tripoli, and Morocco. These states made their living by preying upon the commerce of other nations or demanding tribute money. By the treaty with Algiers in 1795, the United States agreed to pay tribute to the pirates of that country. She later entered into a similar treaty with Tunis, but in spite of this annual tribute, American commerce continued to be molested, and her officers insulted. In 1800, a few of these states made a demand upon President Adams for more tribute money. The following year, a similar demand was made upon his successor. Jefferson replied by sending a fleet of American war vessels under Commodore Dale to make a demonstration (1801) on the coast of the pirate states. A pirate cruiser was captured, and for a time American commerce had the freedom of the Mediterranean.
Two years later, however, congress declared war against Tripoli, which was concluded by a treaty of peace in 1805. In this war, Lieutenant, afterwards Commodore, Decatur first distinguished himself as a naval officer. The American fleet captured many vessels, though it suffered the loss of the frigate Philadelphia, under Captain Bainbridge, who, with all his crew, fell into the hands of the Tripolitans. By the provisions of the treaty, these prisoners were ransomed by the payment of $60,000.
Some interesting additional information that doesn't even make my 1904 text can be found on Wikipedia:
Wikipedia wrote:In March 1785, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams went to London to negotiate with Tripoli's envoy, Ambassador Sidi Haji Abdrahaman (or Sidi Haji Abdul Rahman Adja). Upon inquiring "concerning the ground of the pretensions to make war upon nations who had done them no injury", the ambassador replied:
It was written in their Koran, that all nations which had not acknowledged the Prophet were sinners, whom it was the right and duty of the faithful to plunder and enslave; and that every mussulman who was slain in this warfare was sure to go to paradise. He said, also, that the man who was the first to board a vessel had one slave over and above his share, and that when they sprang to the deck of an enemy's ship, every sailor held a dagger in each hand and a third in his mouth; which usually struck such terror into the foe that they cried out for quarter at once.
Jefferson reported the conversation to Secretary of Foreign Affairs John Jay, who submitted the Ambassador's comments and offer to Congress. Jefferson argued that paying tribute would encourage more attacks. Although John Adams agreed with Jefferson, he believed that circumstances forced the U.S. to pay tribute until an adequate navy could be built.
Wikipedia wrote:In 1795, Algeria came to an agreement with the U.S. that resulted in the release of 115 sailors they held, at the cost of over $1 million. This amount totaled about 1/6 of the entire U.S. budget, and was demanded as tribute by the Barbary States to prevent further piracy. The continuing demand for tribute ultimately led to the formation of the United States Department of the Navy, founded in 1798 in order to prevent further piracy attacks upon American shipping as well as to end the extremely large demand for tribute from the Barbary States.
I could continue, but its getting late.
If you want to somehow debate education past versus present, go ahead. I'm going to busy myself thinking about education's future.
Those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it. Our future depends on NOT allowing the past to be altered or forgotten.
