Community Chat

[RoughDraft]

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@BirkiLady wrote:

It astounds me how many posters haven't or didn't travel with their families. Our family traveled throughout the US (all 50 states) and abroad. It was part of our education, as well as family vacations. 

We did the same with our son. And now my son, DIL and grandson are doing the same. It's a lifestyle for learning within the family.

Not all education is expected from schools and teachers; it begins within the home and family. Educational games were always played in our homes. The conversation during those games included additional education, which was absorbed by osmosis! Who knew learning was being passed on? LOL

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It astounds me that so many are unaware that not all families had the wherewithal to travel the world.  Perhaps studying up on the nation's economic divide shoud be added to school curriculums.

[BirkiLady]

@proudlyfromNJ  Where were your camping trips? To other states? Didn't you learn about various cities and states from other license plates? That was a game we always played in the car, even on long weekend trips. 

Didn't those family vacations include camping in National Parks and tours of nearby museums (usually free or very low cost) and historical landmarks or something educational? Or didn't your family leave the camping place at all?

Hope you, like us, always take books along on vacations! A five minute read here and there is wonderful and, of course, a good read each evening.          

[on the bay]

I know my generation had a great all inclusive education.

Then the next, not so much on geography or civics etc.

Though my children also had wonderful teachers,, so I guess it depends on the school system.

I am still so envious of them knowing all the fifty states and capitals by that song they learned! And also the Presidents with a song!

Did any of you or your kids learn that? I still am amazed by that.

And I agree, that if we don't use information every day, we lose it.

I am sure I would not pass the citizens test given today!

I also was one of those students complaining about some subjects-aside from passing the grade, how will we ever use this in real life?

but, I ended up using it, so I was wrong about that!

[BirkiLady]

@RoughDraft  Many traveled back in the day by hitching or with VW vans full of kids. If anyone had the will to travel, there was a way. Going to Europe was another inexpensive place for many students. I had many, many friends who stayed in Hostels and hitched from place to place. Not all of them could afford to travel any other way, but they were determined to see everything . . . and they did!

I admire them for their ability and savvy to work odd jobs while speaking French (which we took in Jr. and Sr. High classes) in order to live abroad for an entire year. They had the best time ever. While I was a newlywed, those same fearless friends were off, again with little money but lots of enthuisiasm, in the summer of 1969 to the concert of all concerts! They had a ball. On none of their excursions were anyone hurt.  

Today, those same friends are able to travel with their children and grandchildren throughout the USA and abroad.  I've never been unaware of other's financial situations. We never compared finances; we have been friends without restraints or biases since grade school.

I'm offended you would even mention such a thing. Perhaps you are the one who is insecure?

[BirkiLady]

@on the bay   Seems to me several generations of our family missed the songs you are speaking about! How I'd love to hear them. What a wonderful way to learn repetitive things to be memorized!       

[RoughDraft]

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@BirkiLady wrote:

@RoughDraft  Many traveled back in the day by hitching or with VW vans full of kids. If anyone had the will to travel, there was a way. Going to Europe was another inexpensive place for many students. I had many, many friends who stayed in Hostels and hitched from place to place. Not all of them could afford to travel any other way, but they were determined to see everything . . . and they did!

I admire them for their ability and savvy to work odd jobs while speaking French (which we took in Jr. and Sr. High classes) in order to live abroad for an entire year. They had the best time ever. While I was a newlywed, those same fearless friends were off, again with little money but lots of enthuisiasm, in the summer of 1969 to the concert of all concerts! They had a ball. On none of their excursions were anyone hurt.  

Today, those same friends are able to travel with their children and grandchildren throughout the USA and abroad.  I've never been unaware of other's financial situations. We never compared finances; we have been friends without restraints or biases since grade school.

I'm offended you would even mention such a thing. Perhaps you are the one who is insecure?

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@BirkiLady 

Congratulations on the sense of adventure you, your family and friends shared.  We've apparently lived very different lives.

Poverty, family illnesses, responsibilities and rough starts for people in my neck of the woods may have hindered my sense of travel adventure.  How I could have offended you with my experiences is a mystery to me.  I never attacked you personally.  I was merely giving my viewpoint from my "viewpoint."  Hitching rides?  That was considered very dangerous where I grew up.

On the rosy side, I was able to overcome many things as I grew up.  I did travel, create a strong family, take care of those that needed care taking, and became financially and emotionally secure.  But thanks for your concern.

Have a great day.

[songbird]

Geography in public schools was eliminated long time ago.  They thought it was not necessary.  

The most common problem are mixing up continents with countries.  Many people assume Africa, Asia and Europe are countries.  Also many people don't recognize North America on maps.  there was something on TV where they asked Americans to find North America.  Many couldn't.

[agb80]

@gardenman   Just about any test looks difficult to those who haven’t recently been steeped in the material it covers. 

From Snopes:

To pass this test, no knowledge of the arts is necessary (not even a nodding familiarity with a few of the greatest works of English literature), no demonstration of mathematical learning other than plain arithmetic is required (forget algebra, geometry, or trigonometry), nothing beyond a familiarity with the highlights of American history is needed (never mind the fundamentals of world history, as this exam scarcely acknowledges that any country other than the USA even exists), no questions about the history, structure, or function of the United States government are asked (not even the standard “Name the three branches of our federal government”), science is given a pass except for a few questions about geography and the rudiments of human anatomy, and no competence in any foreign language (living or dead) is necessary. An exam for today’s high school graduates that omitted even one of these subjects would be loudly condemned by parents and educators alike, subjects about which the Salina, Kansas, students of 1895 needed know nothing at all. Would it be fair to say that the average Salina student was woefully undereducated because he failed to learn many of the things that we consider important today, but which were of little importance in his time and place? If not, then why do people keep asserting that the reverse is true? Why do journalists continue to base their gleeful articles about how much more was expected of the students of yesteryear on flawed assumptions? Perhaps some people are too intent upon making a point to bother considering the proper questions.

[proudlyfromNJ]

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@BirkiLady wrote:

@proudlyfromNJ  Where were your camping trips? To other states? Didn't you learn about various cities and states from other license plates? That was a game we always played in the car, even on long weekend trips. 

Didn't those family vacations include camping in National Parks and tours of nearby museums (usually free or very low cost) and historical landmarks or something educational? Or didn't your family leave the camping place at all?

Hope you, like us, always take books along on vacations! A five minute read here and there is wonderful and, of course, a good read each evening.          

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@BirkiLady  Thank you for your concern of my growing up years, but I don't think it merits an answer. 

[Spurt]

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@Desertdi wrote:

I'm in Phoenix.......most of my "pals back East" don't believe I have electricity and running water....    

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@Desertdi @Kachina624 

I understand....and since we are here in Texas the thinking is we ride horses to work and we all wear Cowboy boots and Cowboy hats and live on ranches like JR Ewing....😖

And yes Kachina I heard that about NEW Mexico too...LOL