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2007-08-13 Home Front: WoT

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Posted by Clart Henbane8757 2007-08-13 00:00|| || Front Page|| [8 views ] Top

#1 High School isn't what it used to be anyway. Most military schools demand more than what it takes to graduate from High Schools with high drop-out rates.

Posted by Super Hose 2007-08-13 00:49|| 2007-08-13 00:49|| Front Page Top

#2 Housing sector may be chilled in the hot markets, but unemployment is still at historic lows (shhhh, don't tell anybody, it's a secret). General economic activity is always the greatest factor affecting recruitment (I believe - someone correct me if I'm wrong).

I believe close to 50% of freshmen admitted to the California State University system (not UC) require remedial instruction in English and math. That's five-zero-percent, or half. Unbelievable. And those are high school GRADUATES. Amazing what a death of common sense (collapsse of standards, introduction of ridiculous b.s. at almost every turn) and billions of dollars can get you, huh? But at least teachers are now both better compensated AND much more secure than their private sector equivalents (according to recent studies).

Posted by Verlaine 2007-08-13 00:56|| 2007-08-13 00:56|| Front Page Top

#3 I believe close to 50% of freshmen admitted to the California State University system (not UC) require remedial instruction in English and math.

Yeah Verlaine, but our California kids are much more "well rounded" these days. Just ask them about earth day and a gay pride parade.

Posted by Intrinsicpilot 2007-08-13 01:13|| 2007-08-13 01:13|| Front Page Top

#4 50%... behold the Dhimmicratic voting base. That is exactly what they were striving for in the last 40-30 yers. Although it can be considered a failure that it is not 75%, which would be more to their liking.

I actually thought it is worse. Were involved in a web statistics course project some years back (registration, login, payments and ticket modules) and couldn't believe that I were dealing with college students. Grammar, general inanity, at times no traces of any logical faculties whatsoever... My mind boggled on daily basis.

At the root is the "Self-Esteem" paradigm that replaced Self-Respect. We have now a large cohort of neotenic narcissistic people who have been told all their lives that they are "special" and that nothing bad is really their fault.

Posted by twobyfour 2007-08-13 01:42|| 2007-08-13 01:42|| Front Page Top

#5 At the root is the "Self-Esteem" paradigm that replaced Self-Respect.

As some unknown genius once said:

"Never has there been a generation so full of self-esteem ... for so little reason."

Posted by Zenster">Zenster 2007-08-13 01:46|| 2007-08-13 01:46|| Front Page Top

#6 Collapse of school standards is very much a reality here in France too, due mostly to the *deliberate* running down and dumbing down of education by the post-68 freudo-marxists; note that already french public schooling was from the very start in 19th century a secular war machine against traditional values (education was wrestled from the hands of the Catholic Church to be put in thoses of the crusading teachers from the agressively secular/free mason IIIrd republic), though it was elitist and actually churned out very well educated youngsters, and that post-WWII, it was reshaped by the french communist party, with the Langevin-Wallon refoundation of "pubic teaching" whichn then became "national education", see the difference, the emphasis being to mold "good citizens" (wink, wink).

One other major factor is massive immigration, from the third world, which put an increasing burden (violence, restlessness, lack of basic language skills) on the over-worked functionally broken but cancerously bloated Education Nationale.

This is not limited to the USA, we've got exactly the same situation here, and in the UK, and most of the western world I'd guess.

This is a catastrophy, the advantage of the West had been education and know-how; compare education standards of early 20th century, especially in mathemathics and writing skills, with those of todays! Currents school kids can't even beggin to compete, thouh it's not their fault, it's deliberate again, from the very same people who are supposed to teach them.
Add the fact that technical skills and know-how is being lost too, while social studies and the like proliferate, and this is VERY bad for the future, when we are faced with countries that understand the value of education in the form we used to have and that made us what we are today.
There's even a noted french neurologist, Lucien Israël who has written several books on the subject (which I of course haven't read, but he is/was a regular guest on conservative talk show I listened to on radion) who said that there was a deliberate effort to change the "left brain" western civilization (logic, rationality) into a "right brain" one (emotionality), by altering reading mecanism with the global method (don't know if you've got the same over there in the USA) for example, and through the way the entertainment/msm worked, because this suited the type of society envisioned by the cultural marxists.

Posted by anonymous5089 2007-08-13 04:26|| 2007-08-13 04:26|| Front Page Top

#7 Btw, one funny thing is, today's education systems from ex-colonies actually have kept the old french system, and have higher standards (educated africans often speak a better, purer french, for example, even if north african countries are busy re-arabizing their school systems).

Posted by anonymous5089 2007-08-13 04:29|| 2007-08-13 04:29|| Front Page Top

#8 From: ...
To: undisclosed-recipients:
Sent: Friday, April 20, 2007 8:08 PM
Subject: Fw: Only an 8th Grade Education

I can't believe I finished high-school

What it took to get an 8th grade education in 1895...

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 , KS , 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, vai n, 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 incl ination 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 answers!

Posted by anonymous5089 2007-08-13 04:32|| 2007-08-13 04:32|| Front Page Top

#9 The young people that I know appear to be picking careers earlier than I did. Even if they don't go past high school, many low pay service jobs can morph into the high end of the same sector. Also, banks are more willing to invest in easy entry franchise operations, as long as the client has some front money, and a good economic plan. I didn't drop out, but I don't think that a young person who does, is certain not to make it in society. However, nobody should have to drop out because they have reason to be afraid at a public school.

Posted by McZoid 2007-08-13 04:39|| 2007-08-13 04:39|| Front Page Top

#10 Speaking of 3rd world education. I'll leave this cut and paste in case the mods don't want this here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GE6Q-iZZHno

Posted by McZoid 2007-08-13 05:23|| 2007-08-13 05:23|| Front Page Top

#11 http://www.snopes.com/language/document/1895exam.asp

Posted by Albemarle Cleaque8456 2007-08-13 06:35|| 2007-08-13 06:35|| Front Page Top

#12 Oh, well. That'll teach me, I guess.

Posted by anonymous5089 2007-08-13 06:41|| 2007-08-13 06:41|| Front Page Top

#13 Schools are too focused on PC and self-esteem and too little on learning something useful. Discipline has become a real problem in many schools.

Posted by JohnQC 2007-08-13 09:22|| 2007-08-13 09:22|| Front Page Top

#14 "I never understood math ... for four years in high school I couldn't do it," said Vojta, a private first class with the Ohio National Guard who passed her GED test and hopes next to become a military police officer. "Come here for a couple of weeks and I got it down because they've actually taken the time to explain it."

As others here have already stated...this is the bottom-line of today's "Public Education" system. And, do NOT blame the teachers on this one. Blame the Teacher's Union (a whole different group of folks) as most teachers I know WANT to truly TEACH the kids, but are hampered by unending paperwork, lack of resources, overbearing bureaucracy, and PARENTS who don't back them up.

My mom, who retired from teaching a few years ago (she stayed at home when I and my sis were little, then went back to teaching after laying out for about 8-10 years), summed it up this way:

"It used to be parents would ask 'What did Johnny do today?' Now, they ask 'What did you do to Johnny today?'"

Posted by BA 2007-08-13 09:51|| 2007-08-13 09:51|| Front Page Top

#15 Isn't it the responsibility of the local school board to assure the kids are getting an education?

Posted by Heriberto Ulusomble6667 2007-08-13 11:43|| 2007-08-13 11:43|| Front Page Top

#16 Heriberto Ulusomble6667, no. It's the responsibility of the Parents. When they delegate this responsibility to "experts" we get what passes for education here.

Posted by Deacon Blues">Deacon Blues 2007-08-13 11:53|| 2007-08-13 11:53|| Front Page Top

#17 in the immortal words of Bart Simpson:

"Me fail English? That are unpossible!"

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2007-08-13 13:33|| 2007-08-13 13:33|| Front Page Top

#18 Actually that quote is from Ralph Wiggum, Police Chief Wiggum's son. Not Bart.

Posted by jds 2007-08-13 14:58|| 2007-08-13 14:58|| Front Page Top

#19 "Isn't it the responsibility of the local school board to assure the kids are getting an education?"

Did someone actually ask that question?

Posted by mcsegeek1 2007-08-13 15:01|| 2007-08-13 15:01|| Front Page Top

#20 ...or in the immortal words of Hank Hill to his son Bobby: "you failed english?! Son, you speak english"

Posted by Broadhead6 2007-08-13 15:02|| 2007-08-13 15:02|| Front Page Top

#21 Deac, you're spot on. The lack of parenting in this country is sending our future generations down the river in a concrete boat w/o paddles.

Of course, many in the U.S. have no problem letting the gubmint step in as "parents" anyways, so you get what ya pay for, I guess.

Posted by BA 2007-08-13 15:04|| 2007-08-13 15:04|| Front Page Top

#22 a bit off topic.

I can get all the kids the military needs to fill ranks, no sweat.

****************

All I need are the EXSISTING $$$$ set aside for the kids here in CaliPhornia. But first it must be said that the Educational system here is broken.

Too many Youngsters aren't turned on by learning like we were/are. What happned to their basic curiosity level?

There is plenty of money being wasted here in my estimation and I would like to show the Caliph's beauracrats a thing or two, plus fill the ranks of our services.

From the State & Fed budget for 30 students then..

the pro rated $$$
all the monies allocated..
busing
insurance
physical buildings
books
State and Fed monies

Guessing its something like $25,000+ from the top...

30 x $25,000 = $750,000

Let's see, could you teach 30 kids the 3 Rs for one year for $750,000?

for every day indoors we spend a day outdoors!

Hummmm,

#1) Get all the free stuff from the Military you can get! ;-)

$50,000 Buy some insurance
$100,000 1 Olde Bolde Ret 1st Sgt!
$180,000 hire 2 real good teachers to supervise
$180,000 Hire 4 real good post grad tutors
$45,000 Lease Bus/Camping and Road trips
$45,000 Boat Rentals Ocean, River, Lake Work

Can you think of some more.....
only $600,000 spent so far....

Posted by Red Dawg">Red Dawg 2007-08-13 15:11|| 2007-08-13 15:11|| Front Page Top

#23 Why am I havin' flashbacks of "Red Dawn", eh, Red Dawg?

Posted by BA 2007-08-13 15:47|| 2007-08-13 15:47|| Front Page Top

#24 And that is why I am home schooling my child.

Publik Ejication a laff.

Posted by DarthVader">DarthVader 2007-08-13 16:11|| 2007-08-13 16:11|| Front Page Top

#25 Much comment oabove n the California specific problems.
I can only point out that as of the begining of the baby boomer cycle, the California educational system was the envy not just of the US, but of rest of the world as well.
So much lost in little more than a generation.
As far as solutions go, I say give education budgets back to the nuns and let them run the show.

Posted by Capsu78 2007-08-13 19:20|| 2007-08-13 19:20|| Front Page Top

#26 Sorry Sister Dorthy Joseph,
I tried so hard to write my comment without a typo...OWWWW...don't hit me with that pointer...OWWWW!

Posted by Capsu78 2007-08-13 19:22|| 2007-08-13 19:22|| Front Page Top

#27 I can only point out that as of the begining of the baby boomer cycle, the California educational system was the envy not just of the US, but of rest of the world as well.

Thank you, Capsu78. While going to school, the student to microscope ratio at my junior high school was amongst the highest in the nation. That California, number eight or ten in the world's economies, is so lacking in scholastic achievement is nothing short of a crime against humanity. My high school was among the top ten in the nation with access to the finest computing facilities in the entire world. Now, it is the laughingstock of all America, except that the rest of the nation has taken an even worse nosedive.

Posted by Zenster">Zenster 2007-08-13 23:40|| 2007-08-13 23:40|| Front Page Top

23:58 Zenster
23:40 Zenster
23:15 newc
22:53 Swamp Blondie
22:53 Ebbineque Grugum4237
22:37 Zenster
22:25 Eric Jablow
22:22 Barbara Skolaut
21:51 Rob Crawford
21:50 Pappy
21:37 Pappy
21:20 Pappy
21:08 john frum
20:51 Cyber Sarge
20:43 OldSpook
20:38 Zenster
20:35 tu3031
20:33 Natural Law
19:39 DepotGuy
19:22 Capsu78
19:21 gromgoru
19:20 Capsu78
19:18 Redneck Jim
19:07 Excalibur