Remember when grandparents and great-grandparents stated that they only had an 8th grade education? Well, check this out. Could any of us have passed the 8th grade in 1895?
This is the eighth-grade final exam from 1895 in Salina, Kansas, USA. It was taken from the original document on file at the Smokey Valley Genealogical Society and Library in Salina, and reprinted by the Salina Journal.
8th Grade Final Exam: Salina , KS - 1895
Grammar (Time, one hour)
1. Give nine rules for the use of capital letters.
2. Name the parts of speech and define those that have no modifications.
3. Define verse, stanza and paragraph
4. What are the principal parts of a verb? Give principal parts of "lie,""play," and "run.."
5. Define case; illustrate each case.
6 What is punctuation? Give rules for principal marks of punctuation.
7 - 10. Write a composition of about 150 words and show therein that you understand the practical use of the rules of grammar.
Arithmetic (Time, 1 hour 15 minutes)
1. Name and define the Fundamental Rules of Arithmetic.
2. A wagon box is 2 ft . deep, 10 feet long, and 3 ft wide. How many bushels of wheat will it hold?
3. If a load of wheat weighs 3,942 lbs., what is it worth at 50cts/bushel, deducting 1,050 lbs . for tare?
4. District No. 33 has a valuation of $35,000. What is the necessary levy to carry on a school seven months at $50 per month, and have $104 for incidentals?
5. Find the cost of 6,720 lbs . coal at $6.00 per ton.
6. Find the interest of $512.60 for 8 months and 18 days at 7 percent.
7. What is the cost of 40 boards 12 inches wide and 16 ft . long at $20 per metre?
8. Find bank discount on $300 for 90 days (no grace) at 10 percent.
9. What is the cost of a square farm at $15 per acre, the distance of which is 640 rods?
10. Write a Bank Check, a Promissory Note, and a Receipt.
U.S. History (Time, 45 minutes)
1. Give the epochs into which U.S. History is divided
2. Give an account of the discovery of America by Columbus .
3. Relate the causes and results of the Revolutionary War.
4. Show the territorial growth of the United States .
5. Tell what you can of the history of Kansas ...
6 Describe three of the most prominent battles of the Rebellion.
7. Who were the following: Morse, Whitney, Fulton, Bell, Lincoln , Penn, and Howe?
8. Name events connected with the following dates: 1607, 1620, 1800, 1849, 1865.
Orthography (Time, one hour)
[Do we even know what this is??]
1. What is meant by the following: alphabet, phonetic, orthography, etymology, syllabication
2. What are elementary sounds? How classified?
3. What are the following, and give examples of each: trigraph, subvocals, diphthong, cognate letters, linguals
4. Give four substitutes for caret 'u.' (HUH?)
5. Give two rules for spelling words with final 'e.' Name two exceptions under each rule.
6. Give two uses of silent letters in spelling. Illustrate each.
7. Define the following prefixes and use in connection with a word: bi, dis, mis, pre, semi, post, non, inter, mono, sup.
8. Mark diacritically and divide into syllables the following, and name the sign that indicates the sound: card, ball, mercy, sir, odd, cell, rise, blood, fare, last.
9. Use the following correctly in sentences: cite, site, sight, fane, fain, feign, vane , vain, vein, raze, raise, rays.
10. Write 10 words frequently mispronounced and indicate pronunciation by use of diacritical marks and by syllabication.
Geography (Time, one hour)
1. What is climate? Upon what does climate depend?
2. How do you account for the extremes of climate in Kansas ?
3. Of what use are rivers? Of what use is the ocean?
4. Describe the mountains of North America .
5. Name and describe the following: Monrovia , Odessa , Denver , Manitoba , Hecla , Yukon , St. Helena, Juan Fernandez, Aspinwall and Orinoco .
6. Name and locate the principal trade centers of the U.S.
7. Name all the republics of Europe and give the capital of each.
8. Why is the Atlantic Coast colder than the Pacific in the same latitude?
9. Describe the process by which the water of the ocean returns to the sources of rivers.
10. Describe the movements of the earth. Give the inclination of the earth.
Notice that the exam took FIVE HOURS to complete.
Gives the saying "he only had an 8th grade education" a whole new meaning, doesn't it?
Also shows you how poor our education system has become and, NO! I don't have the answersto all of the questions.
oh, i'll be a smarty pants. i knew what orthography is, but only because i taught reading and had to take classes on it, though it hasn't been known as orthography for decades. same with the grammar part but, again, it's because i taught it.
the math part would have thrown me for a loop. i hated math. the first year i taught, with a background in Reading Instruction, they gave me half of the 6th grade math classes to teach!
Showing posts with label education. Show all posts
Showing posts with label education. Show all posts
23 November 2008
learning English...
i've been learning Spanish over the last couple of months in anticipation of going to Honduras in February to work with the schools through HEDAC, the charitable organization of which i'm secretary. unfortunately, the doctors have put the kabosh on my going since my back is all screwed up again.
i speak French fairly well; i spoke and understood an Italian/Albanian dialect for most of my younger years; and i took two years of Russian in College. learning Spanish has brought me a lot of new understanding about language. having taught elementary school and being a elementary school administrator for many years, i understand the concepts behind learning and teaching.
each language has a lot of idiomatic and structural challenges, but they are nothing like in English. when you are a native English speaker you take a lot for granted. people learning English have a worse time than with any other language. English is probably the hardest one to learn.
i speak French fairly well; i spoke and understood an Italian/Albanian dialect for most of my younger years; and i took two years of Russian in College. learning Spanish has brought me a lot of new understanding about language. having taught elementary school and being a elementary school administrator for many years, i understand the concepts behind learning and teaching.
each language has a lot of idiomatic and structural challenges, but they are nothing like in English. when you are a native English speaker you take a lot for granted. people learning English have a worse time than with any other language. English is probably the hardest one to learn.
here is just one little sampling of why it is so difficult:
Lovers of the English language might enjoy this. It is yet another example of why people learning English have trouble with the language. Learning the nuances of English makes it a difficult language. (But then, that's probably true of many languages.)
There is a two-letter word in English that perhaps has more meanings than any other two-letter word, and that word is 'UP.'
It is listed in the dictionary as being used as an [adv], [prep], [adj], [n] or [v].
It's easy to understand UP, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake UP?
At a meeting, why does a topic come UP ?
Why do we speak UP, and why are the officers UP for election and why is it UP to the secretary to write UP a report?
We call UP our friends and we use it to brighten UP a room, polish UP the silver.
We warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen.
We lock UP the house and some guys fix UP the old car.
At other times the little word has a real special meaning. People stir UP trouble, line UP for tickets, work UP an appetite, and think UP excuses.
To be dressed is one thing but to be dressed UP is special.
it's no wonder some people get all f***** UP when they talk and start screaming "UP yours..."
commercial time: a group of the others is still going in February to Honduras; we are in the midst of our annual fundraising drive right now. if you would, please click on the HEDAC link in the sidebar and help us help the kids.
all money goes directly to services, supplies and school rehab for the kids, less operating expenses for things like mailings. each person who goes on our trips pays the way for him/herself.
the link allows credit card donations or you can send a check to HEDAC, 111 E. Chestnut #50G, Chicago, IL 60611. please notate my name [Mike] on the donation as we need it for accounting purposes being a 501(c)(3) with all donations being tax-deductable.
all money goes directly to services, supplies and school rehab for the kids, less operating expenses for things like mailings. each person who goes on our trips pays the way for him/herself.
the link allows credit card donations or you can send a check to HEDAC, 111 E. Chestnut #50G, Chicago, IL 60611. please notate my name [Mike] on the donation as we need it for accounting purposes being a 501(c)(3) with all donations being tax-deductable.
we thank you for your help...
m/
12 September 2008
X-Files pilot episode...
i just re-watched the pilot episode of the X-Files.
Wow...
though i've seen it before, i never realized that the entire series is capsulized in the pilot episode. Billie Myles is there; smoking man is there; the abduction signs are there; and all of the later connections are all laid out in this episode too.
i have a great appreciation for writing [i did teach it for many years] and seeing this episode again made me realize that beyond the general topics/premises of the series, the writing is so superb that it made people come back for more.
Wow...
though i've seen it before, i never realized that the entire series is capsulized in the pilot episode. Billie Myles is there; smoking man is there; the abduction signs are there; and all of the later connections are all laid out in this episode too.
i have a great appreciation for writing [i did teach it for many years] and seeing this episode again made me realize that beyond the general topics/premises of the series, the writing is so superb that it made people come back for more.
again, wow...
22 July 2008
maybe, there is a god?
HELL EXPLAINED BY A CHEMISTRY STUDENT
The following is an actual question given on a University of Washington chemistry mid term.
The answer by one student was so 'profound' that the professor shared it with colleagues, via the Internet, which is, of course, why we now have the pleasure of enjoying it as well:
Bonus Question: Is Hell exothermic (gives off heat) or endothermic (absorbs heat)?
Most of the students wrote proofs of their beliefs using Boyle's Law (gas cools when it expands and heats when it is compressed) or some variant.
One student, however, wrote the following:
First, we need to know how the mass of Hell is changing in time. So we need to know the rate at which souls are moving into Hell and the rate at which they are leaving. I think that we can safely assume that once a soul gets to Hell, it will not leave. Therefore, no souls are leaving. As for how many souls are entering Hell, let's look at the different religions that exist in the world today.
Most of these religions state that if you are not a member of their religion, you will go to Hell. Since there is more than one of these religions and since people do not belong to more than one religion, we can project that all souls go to Hell. With birth and death rates as they are, we can expect the number of souls in Hell to increase exponentially. Now, we look at the rate of change of the volume in Hell because Boyle's Law states that in order for the temperature and pressure in Hell to stay the same, the volume of Hell has to expand proportionately as souls are added.
This gives two possibilities:
1. If Hell is expanding at a slower rate than the rate at which souls enter Hell, then the temperature and pressure in Hell will increase until all Hell breaks loose.
2. If Hell is expanding at a rate faster than the increase of souls in Hell, then the temperature and pressure will drop until Hell freezes over.
So which is it?
If we accept the postulate given to me by Teresa during my Freshman year that, 'It will be a cold day in Hell before I sleep with you,' and take into account the fact that I slept with her last night, then number two must be true, and thus I am sure that Hell is exothermic and has already frozen over. The corollary of this theory is that since Hell has frozen over, it follows that it is not accepting any more souls and is therefore, extinct...... leaving only Heaven, thereby proving the existence of a divine being which explains why, last night, Teresa kept shouting 'Oh my God.'
THIS STUDENT RECEIVED AN A+.
this is the first logical explanation that i have ever heard.
well, except, remember i have a "Get out of hell, Free Card".
hmmm...
i guess i will have to reconsider my position...
11 May 2008
My mother taught me an awful lot...
for Mother's Day...
My mother would be in hysterics if she could see this list.
I OWE MY MOTHER A LOT...
1. My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE.
"If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning."
2. My mother taught me RELIGION .
"You better pray that will come out of the carpet."
3. My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL .
"If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!"
4. My mother taught me LOGIC.
" Because I said so, that's why."
5. My mother taught me MORE LOGIC.
"If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me."
6. My mother taught me FORESIGHT .
"Make sure you wear clean underwear in case you're in an accident."
7. My mother taught me IRONY!
"Keep crying, and I'll give you something to cry about."
8. My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS.
"Shut your mouth and eat your supper."
9. My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM.
"Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!"
10. My mother taught me about STAMINA .
"You'll sit there until all that spinach is gone."
11. My mother taught me about WEATHER .
"This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it."
12. My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY.
"If I told you once, I've told you a million times. Don't exaggerate!"
13.. My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE.
"I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."
14. My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION.
"Stop acting like your father!"
15. My mother taught me about ENVY .
"There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do."
16. My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION .
"Just wait until we get home."
17. My mother taught me about RECEIVING .
"You are going to get it when you get home!"
18. My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE .
"If you don't stop crossing your eyes they are going to freeze that way."
19. My mother taught me ESP.
"Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you are cold?"
20. My mother taught me HUMOR.
"When that lawn mower cuts off your toes don't come running to me."
21. My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT.
"If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up."
22. My mother taught me GENETICS.
"You're just like your father."
23. My mother taught me about my ROOTS .
"Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?"
24. My mother taught me WISDOM .
"When you get to be my age, you'll understand."
25. And my favorite: My mother taught me about JUSTICE.
"One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you!"
it's in lilac, because it was my Mother's favorite color...
My mother would be in hysterics if she could see this list.
I OWE MY MOTHER A LOT...
1. My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE.
"If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning."
2. My mother taught me RELIGION .
"You better pray that will come out of the carpet."
3. My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL .
"If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!"
4. My mother taught me LOGIC.
" Because I said so, that's why."
5. My mother taught me MORE LOGIC.
"If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me."
6. My mother taught me FORESIGHT .
"Make sure you wear clean underwear in case you're in an accident."
7. My mother taught me IRONY!
"Keep crying, and I'll give you something to cry about."
8. My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS.
"Shut your mouth and eat your supper."
9. My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM.
"Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!"
10. My mother taught me about STAMINA .
"You'll sit there until all that spinach is gone."
11. My mother taught me about WEATHER .
"This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it."
12. My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY.
"If I told you once, I've told you a million times. Don't exaggerate!"
13.. My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE.
"I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."
14. My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION.
"Stop acting like your father!"
15. My mother taught me about ENVY .
"There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do."
16. My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION .
"Just wait until we get home."
17. My mother taught me about RECEIVING .
"You are going to get it when you get home!"
18. My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE .
"If you don't stop crossing your eyes they are going to freeze that way."
19. My mother taught me ESP.
"Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you are cold?"
20. My mother taught me HUMOR.
"When that lawn mower cuts off your toes don't come running to me."
21. My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT.
"If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up."
22. My mother taught me GENETICS.
"You're just like your father."
23. My mother taught me about my ROOTS .
"Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?"
24. My mother taught me WISDOM .
"When you get to be my age, you'll understand."
25. And my favorite: My mother taught me about JUSTICE.
"One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you!"
it's in lilac, because it was my Mother's favorite color...
25 April 2008
20 January 2008
totally useless information...
Those of you who are on the youngish side will not comprehend the graphic organizer below. The rest of us will remember it as a sentence diagram. It was a way to identify parts of speech in English classes that research has proven taught absolutely nothing. Well, except how to make straight lines, maybe...
for anyone who doesn't recognize the sentence, it is the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution.
now, aren't you glad you know this?
i'm not................
[thanks QT]
for anyone who doesn't recognize the sentence, it is the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution.
now, aren't you glad you know this?
i'm not................
[thanks QT]
23 December 2007
another example of Bush's government of the people, by the people, for the people...
Bush Administration cuts $700 million in Medicaid funds for schools
What exactly does this money go to?
So what's the big deal?
Federal law mandates that students in special needs categories must be serviced.
So, now, school districts, that are already stretched to the limit, are going to have to pick up the cost. That means it is going to cost you and I more money in higher local and property taxes or other services are going to have to be cut. Say, music, drama, art....
Oh, wait, schools have already had to eliminate those things because of the NCLB requirements. Guess it'll have to be the sports programs. [What will Texas do without high school football?]
The cost in savings to the Federal government?
$3.7 Billion over a five year period.
Let's see... each day Iraq costs the U.S. $275,000,000. That means that cutting the program moneys for children in need of special services will continue the war for an additional, hmmmmmmmmm.... 13.45 days!
sounds like an equal exchange to me... what do you think?
just asking...
According to the Washington Post, “the Bush administration eliminated about $700 million a year in Medicaid reimbursements to schools, sidestepping an attempt by Congress to block such a move.”
What exactly does this money go to?
A wide variety of medical services, like speech and physical therapy, are provided to students in schools.
So what's the big deal?
Federal law mandates that students in special needs categories must be serviced.
So, now, school districts, that are already stretched to the limit, are going to have to pick up the cost. That means it is going to cost you and I more money in higher local and property taxes or other services are going to have to be cut. Say, music, drama, art....
Oh, wait, schools have already had to eliminate those things because of the NCLB requirements. Guess it'll have to be the sports programs. [What will Texas do without high school football?]
The cost in savings to the Federal government?
$3.7 Billion over a five year period.
Let's see... each day Iraq costs the U.S. $275,000,000. That means that cutting the program moneys for children in need of special services will continue the war for an additional, hmmmmmmmmm.... 13.45 days!
sounds like an equal exchange to me... what do you think?
just asking...
07 December 2007
public schools and prayer...
There is a lot of talk about religion in government lately. Well, more than usual with Romney and Giuliani. In Illinois the state legislature passed a law entitled The Illinois Silent Reflection and Student Prayer Act. I will state up front that I am totally opposed to this kind of law as set out in the US Constitution
The courts have repeatedly struck down any law passed as being construed to foster religion. It's called playing it safe.
I want to take a different tack. I have been a teacher, administrator and educator my entire adult life. From the standpoint of a teacher, we would, in any circumstance, love to have moments of silence in our classrooms. When you have up to 30 kids in a single room there are points in the day when sanity comes into question. When you work with the youngest, sanity is in question most all day.
I can see a built-in excuse for teachers to enforce some silence from time to time during the day by telling the kids, "Hey! It's the LAW. [Sometimes, though rarely, they believe anything.]
So, from that viewpoint, I could go along with the law - just asking for silence. What the child does with the silence is totally up to him/her. Most kids, from my experience, would read.
Here's where the idiots in the Illinois Legislature made their mistake, and most other legislatures do the same thing. Read the title carefully - The Illinois Silent Reflection and Student Prayer Act
duh!!!!!!!! Put the courts on notice by using the word in the title of the act - Prayer!
If the legislators had backed it up with an explanation of time to refocus on instruction or let's catch our breaths or GIVE me a break you're driving me NUTS! there wouldn't be a problem.
If the parents, who are so inclined, want to tell their children, "You know when you have to be silent during the day? Would you do me a favor? Say a little prayer for...." Who'll be the wiser? Of course, the parent better tell their children not to tell anyone they are doing it. Kids are notorious for being cruel to each other. [Um, that's an understatement.] I saw kids every day bow their heads, mumble some words, or cross themselves silently, to themselves with no attention. No one bothered to notice. You can pray anyplace you want. It's your business.
Just don't tell me that I HAVE to sanction and set aside a time for it to happen as prayer. And the silent reflection thing? Honey, that's just another word for prayer.
My personal rule is - you can do anything you want as long as it doesn't hurt me physically or emotionally. BUT... you have to do the same for me. It is my choice not to believe or not to pray or to dance on the desk or be silent, as long as I don't do anything that can hurt you physically or emotionally - and don't tell me that my not praying hurts you emotionally. If you're that fragile, you need help.
Deal?
First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
The courts have repeatedly struck down any law passed as being construed to foster religion. It's called playing it safe.
I want to take a different tack. I have been a teacher, administrator and educator my entire adult life. From the standpoint of a teacher, we would, in any circumstance, love to have moments of silence in our classrooms. When you have up to 30 kids in a single room there are points in the day when sanity comes into question. When you work with the youngest, sanity is in question most all day.
I can see a built-in excuse for teachers to enforce some silence from time to time during the day by telling the kids, "Hey! It's the LAW. [Sometimes, though rarely, they believe anything.]
So, from that viewpoint, I could go along with the law - just asking for silence. What the child does with the silence is totally up to him/her. Most kids, from my experience, would read.
Here's where the idiots in the Illinois Legislature made their mistake, and most other legislatures do the same thing. Read the title carefully - The Illinois Silent Reflection and Student Prayer Act
duh!!!!!!!! Put the courts on notice by using the word in the title of the act - Prayer!
If the legislators had backed it up with an explanation of time to refocus on instruction or let's catch our breaths or GIVE me a break you're driving me NUTS! there wouldn't be a problem.
If the parents, who are so inclined, want to tell their children, "You know when you have to be silent during the day? Would you do me a favor? Say a little prayer for...." Who'll be the wiser? Of course, the parent better tell their children not to tell anyone they are doing it. Kids are notorious for being cruel to each other. [Um, that's an understatement.] I saw kids every day bow their heads, mumble some words, or cross themselves silently, to themselves with no attention. No one bothered to notice. You can pray anyplace you want. It's your business.
Just don't tell me that I HAVE to sanction and set aside a time for it to happen as prayer. And the silent reflection thing? Honey, that's just another word for prayer.
My personal rule is - you can do anything you want as long as it doesn't hurt me physically or emotionally. BUT... you have to do the same for me. It is my choice not to believe or not to pray or to dance on the desk or be silent, as long as I don't do anything that can hurt you physically or emotionally - and don't tell me that my not praying hurts you emotionally. If you're that fragile, you need help.
Deal?
26 November 2007
H.E.D.A.C. -- a little bit of hope ...
goes a long way...
In spite of the politics going on in this country, we've just finished a holiday for thanksgiving and we are beginning a holiday of giving. The media is rife with all the news of spending and gift giving and cheer and happiness. I'd like to take this time to let you in on a little secret that began here in Chicago in 2005 by some friends.
As a result of Hurricane Mitch in 1998, most of the countries in Central America suffered unbelievable damage and destruction. Hurricane Mitch was probably the strongest to ever hit the area with winds over 180 mph.
One of the most devastated countries was Honduras. It's infrastructure as well as economy was nearly destroyed. One of the biggest losers was education. The schools in the outlying regions were in complete disarray and non-functioning. The children were the most effected and the least worried about.
H.E.D.A.C. was organized by friends to directly deal with the children, the schools, the towns and the people instead of going through a myriad of governmental and philanthropic organizations. They go down to Honduras each January and work with the schools and system. The organization takes itself to the fore. Here are some photos that show what they do.
piles of backpacks...
supplies in each backpack...
a truckload of desks for a school...
painting one of the classrooms...
a gaggle of the kids,
with their backpacks...
the group on the 2007 trip
As you can see, they put themselves out-there for these kids.
I invite you to visit their website - H.E.D.A.C. and help out.
The site has a link to MAKE A DONATION and I have put a permanent link in my sidebar. The 2008 trip is coming up quickly in January and you can help make a difference.
Education is the greatest gift you can give - to anyone...
In spite of the politics going on in this country, we've just finished a holiday for thanksgiving and we are beginning a holiday of giving. The media is rife with all the news of spending and gift giving and cheer and happiness. I'd like to take this time to let you in on a little secret that began here in Chicago in 2005 by some friends.
As a result of Hurricane Mitch in 1998, most of the countries in Central America suffered unbelievable damage and destruction. Hurricane Mitch was probably the strongest to ever hit the area with winds over 180 mph.
One of the most devastated countries was Honduras. It's infrastructure as well as economy was nearly destroyed. One of the biggest losers was education. The schools in the outlying regions were in complete disarray and non-functioning. The children were the most effected and the least worried about.
H.E.D.A.C. was organized by friends to directly deal with the children, the schools, the towns and the people instead of going through a myriad of governmental and philanthropic organizations. They go down to Honduras each January and work with the schools and system. The organization takes itself to the fore. Here are some photos that show what they do.
piles of backpacks...
supplies in each backpack...
a truckload of desks for a school...
painting one of the classrooms...
a gaggle of the kids,
with their backpacks...
the group on the 2007 trip
As you can see, they put themselves out-there for these kids.
I invite you to visit their website - H.E.D.A.C. and help out.
The site has a link to MAKE A DONATION and I have put a permanent link in my sidebar. The 2008 trip is coming up quickly in January and you can help make a difference.
Education is the greatest gift you can give - to anyone...
15 November 2007
wach wat yu du sai...
I spent nearly all of my adult life in education. Sometimes I wonder what effect I had on the kids. I just hope that this person wasn't one of my students...
Keep in mind this actually really did happen!!!!
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
This is someone who was moving from an insurance claims office.
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
Okay, so this is how I imagine this conversation went:
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
Walmart Employee: “Hello ‘dis Walmarts, how can I help you?”
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
Customer: “ I would like to order a cake for a going away party this week.”
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
Walmart Employee: “What you want on the cake?”
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
Customer: “Best Wishes Suzanne” and underneath that “We will miss you”.
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
Please, scroll down to see the cake...
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
NCLB is supposed to work, but you have to put your money where your law is. The Tsar has never done that and he's lauded the law's successes. Instead, he's giving our money to things like Blackwater, Iraq contractors who have not done their job, and to support a war that has not really seen any true long term success.
So, I guess we'll just have to look forward to surprise parties with surprises like the one above...
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
This is someone who was moving from an insurance claims office.
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
Okay, so this is how I imagine this conversation went:
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
Walmart Employee: “Hello ‘dis Walmarts, how can I help you?”
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
Customer: “ I would like to order a cake for a going away party this week.”
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
Walmart Employee: “What you want on the cake?”
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
Customer: “Best Wishes Suzanne” and underneath that “We will miss you”.
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
Please, scroll down to see the cake...
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
⇓
NCLB is supposed to work, but you have to put your money where your law is. The Tsar has never done that and he's lauded the law's successes. Instead, he's giving our money to things like Blackwater, Iraq contractors who have not done their job, and to support a war that has not really seen any true long term success.
So, I guess we'll just have to look forward to surprise parties with surprises like the one above...
13 November 2007
wasteful spending my a**...
The veto, of a measure providing $150.7 billion in discretionary spending for the Departments of Education, Labor, and Health and Human Services, was announced as Bush was en route to southern Indiana to deliver an economics speech at which, his spokeswoman said, he would criticize Congress for its "wasteful spending."
This as Tsar George signed a $450 Billion bill for non-war funding for the Pentagon and is soon to be presented with a bill for billions of war funding.
We are approaching $500 Billion for the "war on terror". If one included such factors as the higher cost of oil, lost productivity and interest payments on money borrowed to finance the wars, the real costs would nearly double, to more than $1.5 trillion. (International Daily Herald)
Our kids, our elderly, our health, our laborers are not important.
The tsar charges this Congress as spendthrift needing to remove the pork. This from the man who took us from a balanced budget with surplus to the largest debt in the country's history with things like a Republican Congress that funded a million dollar bridge to nowhere in Alaska?
Oh, and this was all done while he was on his way to give an economics speech in Indiana.
We don't even know if the man can add 2 + 2.
give me a break...
28 September 2007
shift happens...
this is absolutely, positively mind-boggling and beyond descriptions using words...
i was in a room full of 8th grade teachers when i saw it the first time. you could hear a pin drop - and the floor was carpeted!
amazing, thought provoking piece of work. pass it on if you can. everyone should see this...
i was in a room full of 8th grade teachers when i saw it the first time. you could hear a pin drop - and the floor was carpeted!
amazing, thought provoking piece of work. pass it on if you can. everyone should see this...
weekender bonus...
Do you know what 6th graders get for Christmas?hormones!
god, i can't tell you how true that is. i taught 6th grade more than any other grade. i left screaming and begging to let me teach younger kids. my own puberty was bad enough. going through it again and again with all those 6th graders? i give credit to those teachers who can stick with them.
i hate 6th grade girls and i'm not alone with that. i've heard it from many, many teachers and administrators over the years. luckily, over the 2 months of summer vacation they come back to 7th grade and you have to ask, "Who are these kids. I've never seen them before!" they are completely different!
go figure...
20 June 2007
something wicked this way comes...
is one of my favorite books by Ray Bradbury. He has written many short stories and novels over the years and many have been made into movies and plays. His most prominent book is Fahrenheit 451.
The story is set in the not so distant future. [It was written in 1953.] The premise of the story is that the government has banned all books. The reference of the title is that paper begins to burn at 451 degrees. The book tells the story of one of the firemen responsible for hunting out and destroying books and the personal struggle he goes through. It's quite a prophetic tale.
One of my earliest posts on this website was entitled flickers of 1930's germany... on 10 May 2005. It dealt with Oklahoma lawmakers trying to ban books with gay themes or references. It made reference to the Nazi book burnings as the most infamous of bookburning's history.
Well, we haven't come very far since either Nazi Germany or Oklahoma in 2005. Here is a story that is not just ironic but sad. Your jaw will drop when you see the irony in this video of a local news broadcast. It is 100% legit.
I could go in a very sardonic* direction with this story, but I am really very, very sad over it. The man and his daughter are... are... idiots! I have a very specific definition of an idiot, one that a class of 4th grade students I taught came up with. I may have mentioned it before in a post.
It's very sad that these people do not realize just how ironic what they are doing is.
It is things like this that test my belief in hope. It is things like this that in the past made me think that maybe a nuclear war would have been a good thing. We would have been forced to start all over. The problem with this idea is in the upper left-hand corner of the website - Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
*sardonic - grimly mocking or cynical.
The story is set in the not so distant future. [It was written in 1953.] The premise of the story is that the government has banned all books. The reference of the title is that paper begins to burn at 451 degrees. The book tells the story of one of the firemen responsible for hunting out and destroying books and the personal struggle he goes through. It's quite a prophetic tale.
One of my earliest posts on this website was entitled flickers of 1930's germany... on 10 May 2005. It dealt with Oklahoma lawmakers trying to ban books with gay themes or references. It made reference to the Nazi book burnings as the most infamous of bookburning's history.
Well, we haven't come very far since either Nazi Germany or Oklahoma in 2005. Here is a story that is not just ironic but sad. Your jaw will drop when you see the irony in this video of a local news broadcast. It is 100% legit.
I could go in a very sardonic* direction with this story, but I am really very, very sad over it. The man and his daughter are... are... idiots! I have a very specific definition of an idiot, one that a class of 4th grade students I taught came up with. I may have mentioned it before in a post.
ignorant is okay. It only means you don't know something but you can find it out.
stupid is knowing better but doing something anyway.
idiocy is being too stupid to know that you are ignorant.
It's very sad that these people do not realize just how ironic what they are doing is.
It is things like this that test my belief in hope. It is things like this that in the past made me think that maybe a nuclear war would have been a good thing. We would have been forced to start all over. The problem with this idea is in the upper left-hand corner of the website - Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
*sardonic - grimly mocking or cynical.
09 March 2007
really, really tough IQ test...
or it may be a test for dementia:
don't feel too bad. i only got the last one correct and that was because i had heard it before.
Only takes a couple of minutes !
INSTRUCTIONS
Below are four (4 ) questions and a bonus question.
You have to answer them instantly. You can't take your time, answer all of them immediately. OK?
Let's find out just how clever you really are....
Ready? GO!!!
(scroll down)
[no cheating by scrolling ahead...]
First Question: You are participating in a race. You overtake the second person. What position are you in?
[remember, no cheating by scrolling ahead...]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Answer: If you answered that you are first, then you are absolutely wrong!
If you overtake the second person and you take his place, you are second!
Try not to screw up next time. Now answer the second question, But don't take as much time as you took for the first question, OK ?
Second Question: If you overtake the last person, then you are ______________? (scroll down)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Answer: If you answered that you are second to last, then you are wrong again. Tell me, how can you overtake the LAST person?
(You're not very good at this, are you?)
Third Question: Very tricky arithmetic! Note: This must be done in your head only. Do NOT use paper and pencil or a calculator. Try it.
Take 1000 and add 40 to it.
Now add another 1000.
Now add 30.
Add another 1000.
Now add 20.
Now add another 1000
Now add 10. What is the total?
Scroll down for answer.....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Did you get 5000?
The correct answer is actually 4100.
If you don't believe it, check it with a calculator!
Today is definitely not your day, is it?
Maybe you'll get the last question right...
....Maybe
Fourth Question: Mary's father has five daughters: 1. Nana, 2. Nene, 3. Nini, 4. Nono. What is the name of the fifth daughter?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Did you Answer Nunu?
NO! Of course it isn't. Her name is MARY.
Read the question again!
Okay, now the bonus question. This one may just save you:
A mute person goes into a shop and wants to buy a toothbrush. By imitating the action of brushing his teeth he successfully expresses himself to the shopkeeper and the purchase is done. Next, a blind man comes into the shop who wants to buy a pair of sunglasses; how does HE indicate what he wants?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
He just has to open his mouth and ask...
It's really very simple.... He's BLIND not MUTE!
just like you!
don't feel too bad. i only got the last one correct and that was because i had heard it before.
monday morning mayhem...
[a bit early, because I'm leaving early Saturday morning on a cruise...]
1. modern education...
2. check this out...
3.computers make the world a better place...
4. suffer the little chldren...
1. modern education...
Recently, when I went to McDonald's I saw on the menu that
You could have an order of 6, 9 or 12 Chicken McNuggets. I Asked for a half dozen nuggets. "We don't have half dozen nuggets," said the Teenager at the counter. "You don't?" I replied. "We only have six, nine, or twelve," was the reply. "So I can't order half Dozen nuggets, but I can order six?" "That's right." So I Shook my head and ordered six McNuggets.
2. check this out...
I was checking out at the local Wal-Mart with just a few items and the lady behind me put her things on the belt close to mine. I picked up one of those "dividers" that they keep by the cash register and placed it between our things so they wouldn't get mixed. After the girl had scanned all of my items, she picked up the "divider", looking it all over for the bar code so she could scan it. Not finding the bar code, she said to me, "Do you know how much this is?" I said to her "I've changed my mind; I don't think I'll buy that today." She said "OK," and I paid her for the things and left. She had no clue to what had just happened.
3.computers make the world a better place...
My neighbor works in the operations department in the central office of a large bank. Employees in the field call him when they have problems with their computers. One night he got a call from a woman in one of the branch banks who had this question: "I've got smoke coming from the back of my terminal. Do you guys have a fire downtown?" [Think she was blond?]
4. suffer the little chldren...
3-year-old Reese:
"Our Father, Who does art in heaven, Harold is His name.
Amen."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A little boy was overheard praying:
"Lord, if you can't make me a better boy, don't worry about it.
I'm having a real good time like I am."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After the christening of his baby brother in church,
Jason sobbed all the way home in the back seat of the car.
His father asked him three times what was wrong.
Finally, the boy replied, "That preacher said he wanted us brought up in a Christian home, and I wanted to stay with you guys."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One particular four-year-old prayed,
"And forgive us our trash baskets
as we forgive those who put trash in our baskets."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A Sunday school teacher asked her children as they
were on the way to church service,
"And why is it necessary to be quiet in church?"
One bright little girl replied,
"Because people are sleeping."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A father was at the beach with his children when the four-year-old son ran up to him, grabbed his hand, and led him to the shore where a seagull lay dead in the sand. "Daddy, what happened to him?" the son asked.
"He died and went to Heaven," the Dad replied.
The boy thought a moment and then said,
"Did God throw him back down?"
01 January 2007
what's going on here (part XIV)...
Shooting of 6 at party may be hate crime
tolerance? violence? diversity? Iraq? our great leader's influence? war mindset? Love thy neighbor...? just asking...
The shame of punishment as pornography
Purported to be the most humane form of execution - there is only a small cold tingling sensation when the blade touches the back of the neck according to Dr. Guillotine - it was not thought to be a cruel and unusual punishment. What punishment? The guillotinee is removed from all earthly pains, problems and stresses. Saddam knew he could never return to the life he once had. His country is in shambles. He was older. He was not in the best of health. He was defiant right up until the end. He had nothing to loose. He already lost it all. On the other hand, what do the Shia and Sunni have to gain with his execution? The antics by the people witnessing the execution were obscene - dancing, chanting, applauding. Aren't they the ones stuck in a centuries-old conflict that has no immediate settlement with which they are unwilling to deal? just asking...
Overlooked Stories of 2006: Scientists Prove That Homosexuality Is Natural
Yes, wait. there's more...
HOW OLD IS THE GRAND CANYON? PARK SERVICE WON’T SAY — Orders to Cater to Creationists Makes National Park Agnostic on Geology
AND...
My New Year's Eve Dream About Fundamentalist Atheism (And a Word About Mom)
Why would natural homosexuality, an ageless Grand Canyon, and fundamentalist atheism have anything in common? Think about it. is there no end to the low level of tolerance? you got it - just asking...
Sources: suntimes.com, telegraph.co.uk, Night Lite, PEER: (Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility), The Huffington Post
Two masked gunmen kicked open the side and back doors of a South Side home known as the "Gay House" and started shooting up a party there early Sunday morning.
tolerance? violence? diversity? Iraq? our great leader's influence? war mindset? Love thy neighbor...? just asking...
The shame of punishment as pornography
Nietzsche's warning that "he who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster" has seldom seemed more apt. The rhetoric of a war launched in the name of civilisation has degenerated into the cackling of a tricoteuse at the foot of the guillotine. We should be bloody ashamed.
Purported to be the most humane form of execution - there is only a small cold tingling sensation when the blade touches the back of the neck according to Dr. Guillotine - it was not thought to be a cruel and unusual punishment. What punishment? The guillotinee is removed from all earthly pains, problems and stresses. Saddam knew he could never return to the life he once had. His country is in shambles. He was older. He was not in the best of health. He was defiant right up until the end. He had nothing to loose. He already lost it all. On the other hand, what do the Shia and Sunni have to gain with his execution? The antics by the people witnessing the execution were obscene - dancing, chanting, applauding. Aren't they the ones stuck in a centuries-old conflict that has no immediate settlement with which they are unwilling to deal? just asking...
Overlooked Stories of 2006: Scientists Prove That Homosexuality Is Natural
Here's an overlooked story of 2006: Museum-goers were finally exposed to the widespread evidence that homosexuality is a naturally-occurring phenomenon throughout the animal world. Scientists have long known that many animals exhibit homosexual behavior, but a popular museum exhibit finally gave the general public the chance to learn all about it for themselves.
Oh, wait. That museum exhibit was in Norway. You aren't too likely to see something like that in this country any time soon. The censorship that the fundamentalist lobby exercises over American museums is so powerful they're afraid to discuss evolution, much less something as inflammatory (for them) as homosexuality.
Yes, wait. there's more...
HOW OLD IS THE GRAND CANYON? PARK SERVICE WON’T SAY — Orders to Cater to Creationists Makes National Park Agnostic on Geology
Washington, DC — Grand Canyon National Park is not permitted to give an official estimate of the geologic age of its principal feature, due to pressure from Bush administration appointees. Despite promising a prompt review of its approval for a book claiming the Grand Canyon was created by Noah's flood rather than by geologic forces, more than three years later no review has ever been done and the book remains on sale at the park, according to documents released today by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER).
“In order to avoid offending religious fundamentalists, our National Park Service is under orders to suspend its belief in geology,” stated PEER Executive Director Jeff Ruch. “It is disconcerting that the official position of a national park as to the geologic age of the Grand Canyon is ‘no comment.’”
AND...
My New Year's Eve Dream About Fundamentalist Atheism (And a Word About Mom)
The fundamentalist atheists are an active and highly vocal subset of atheists who object to a great many things, not the least of which is being described as 'fundamentalist atheists.' But here's why I still think it's the right term:
They're dogmatic. Their movement is based on a piece of dogma which can't be challenged without enraging them. It's sociological and historical in nature, not theological, and can be summed up as follows:
"Humans would be better off if religion in all forms was eradicated."
Why would natural homosexuality, an ageless Grand Canyon, and fundamentalist atheism have anything in common? Think about it. is there no end to the low level of tolerance? you got it - just asking...
Sources: suntimes.com, telegraph.co.uk, Night Lite, PEER: (Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility), The Huffington Post
05 November 2006
what I'm reading...
I have this habit that I picked up from my father. It's called reading. He constantly had books, multiple books, that he was reading at the same time. I do the same thing. I can be reading anywhere from 5 - 10 books in the process of reading at any one moment.
Here is the current list. It kind of speaks to where my head is from time to time. Some of them have been in process for a while others I recently picked up.
In process:
The Conservative Soul: How We Lost It; How to Get It Back by Andrew Sullivan
The War of the World by Niall Ferguson
Misquoting Jesus by Bart D. Ehrman
The One-Percent Doctrine by Ron Suskind
Evolution's Rainbow : Diversity, Gender, and Sexuality in Nature and People by Joan Roughgarden
Just finished:
When Nietzsche Wept by Irvin D. Yalom
Waiting in the wings:
Teacher Man: A Memoir by Frank McCourt
And They All Sang: Adventures of an Eclectic Disc Jockey by Studs Terkel
And in process for a long period of time:
Autobiographie Erotique by Bruce Benderson. [I bought this in Paris a year or so ago in it's original French. It hadn't been translated into English yet even though Benderson is from New York. It's slow going for me because of all the idiomatic language and colloquilisms. Even though it's now in English, entitled The Romanian: Story of an Obsession, I refuse to get it until I finish the original French.]
This list is in no way complete. there are piles of books all over the house. These are the ones in reach and current. I have others that I'll get around to eventually.
Reading is the most important thing anyone can do. It is the source of not only information but of pleasure, wisdom, riches, and position. I have been dedicated to teaching reading all of my professional life. When a kid can read, a kid can be/do anything he/she wants to be. If you have children, read to them every day. If you know children, buy them books that will last forever. If you have time, volunteer for a Literacy Program to give someone the gift you already have. It can change a life. Two lives - yours and theirs.
What do you have to loose?
just asking...
Here is the current list. It kind of speaks to where my head is from time to time. Some of them have been in process for a while others I recently picked up.
In process:
The Conservative Soul: How We Lost It; How to Get It Back by Andrew Sullivan
The War of the World by Niall Ferguson
Misquoting Jesus by Bart D. Ehrman
The One-Percent Doctrine by Ron Suskind
Evolution's Rainbow : Diversity, Gender, and Sexuality in Nature and People by Joan Roughgarden
Just finished:
When Nietzsche Wept by Irvin D. Yalom
Waiting in the wings:
Teacher Man: A Memoir by Frank McCourt
And They All Sang: Adventures of an Eclectic Disc Jockey by Studs Terkel
And in process for a long period of time:
Autobiographie Erotique by Bruce Benderson. [I bought this in Paris a year or so ago in it's original French. It hadn't been translated into English yet even though Benderson is from New York. It's slow going for me because of all the idiomatic language and colloquilisms. Even though it's now in English, entitled The Romanian: Story of an Obsession, I refuse to get it until I finish the original French.]
This list is in no way complete. there are piles of books all over the house. These are the ones in reach and current. I have others that I'll get around to eventually.
Reading is the most important thing anyone can do. It is the source of not only information but of pleasure, wisdom, riches, and position. I have been dedicated to teaching reading all of my professional life. When a kid can read, a kid can be/do anything he/she wants to be. If you have children, read to them every day. If you know children, buy them books that will last forever. If you have time, volunteer for a Literacy Program to give someone the gift you already have. It can change a life. Two lives - yours and theirs.
What do you have to loose?
just asking...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)