HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1976-10-06, Page 14Sugar and Spice.
by Bill Smiley
School critics all wet.
That strong gust of wind you felt in early
September, as the nation's schools
reopened, wasn't a, warm front moving in
from the west. It was hundreds of
thousands of mothers giving a simul-
taneous sigh of relief at getting their
offspring out of the house and out from
underfoot for five days 'a week out of the
next 10 months.
There was another gust of hot air at the
same time. This one came from the critics
of education, who •are numerous as the
sands of the desert, and who wonder, in
print and aloud„ what- the taxpayer is
getting for his education dollar.
Well, for one thing, he or she is getting
me. For the next 10 months, I will devote
myself, at a nominal remuneration, to the
task of trying to teach 'y oung people how to
read, write and speak their own language
with some degree of accuracy. Like, you
know, it's crazy man, but that's the way
the frisbee flies.
Far -be it from me•to bite the hand that
feeds me, but most of the critics are all
wet.
Some, with extra-bright- children,
are furious that the public school gyitem
does not provideenrichedc ourses for their
kids, so that they'll emerge from high
-school with the equivalent of a private
school and a university education.
But they don't pay any more school taxes
than I do, and I have no children in school.
I'm helping pay for their kids' echication.
Others, too lazy or scared to discipline
their own. kids, expect the schools to do it,
then are the first to sue a teacher who
finally, being human, can't resist giving
their darling a whack on the head.
'A growing number of critics take up. the
chant of "getting back to the basics,"
when they find that their kids can't do long
division without a calculator, can't write a
servile letter, and know more about sex
than they do about science.
What these people really mean is: "Why
don't them there teachers give the kids a
real good training in the basic elementals
like what I got?"
These are people who can't do short
division, unless it's two into four, use the
dash as their only punctuation mark when
writing a letter, and know nothing about
either science or sex.
There's another type of critic. This is the
type Who deals in figures. He is infuriated
when he sees that the town council spent
46 per cent of its budget on education and
only 22 per cent on the Works Department.
He'd rather spend money on straightening
out roads than on straightening out his
kids' heads.
There is one critic for whom I feel some
sympathy. This is the mis-named Senior
Citizen. He, or she, never got much
education, because in those days you had
to go to work, and only the elite, the sons of
doctors and lawyers and such had a h ope
of going to college.
These people feel a righteOuS indig-
nation that their moderate incomes are
taxed to support those overpaid teachers
and those expensive buildings and all those
young layabouts who • should be out
working, when they, themselves, get
absolutely nothing out of their education
taxes.
Well, tough toenails, Oldtimers. You
helped elect the governments that are
bleeding you. And another point. We all
have to pay, sooner or later. You and I are
leaving, these kids so far in'. debt they'll
never get out.
The critics don't bother, me. I work hard
at my job, and 99 per cent of the teachers in
the country do the same. We are not all
either a Socrates, or a Jesus, but we do the
best we can with what we have.
You know; we're not turning out
pulpwood br sausages or cake mixes. We
are not producing a product, whatever the
manufacturers and, business, people think
we should be doing.
We are dealing,, every day, for several
years of their lives, with that most intricate
of mechanisms, a human being. And we
are doing that at the most sensitive and
delicate stage of its metamorphosis into'
adult. Try that on for size. ,
And wer're n of doing it that badly. The
old, mindless authoritarianism, which
attracted the weak and the bullies into the
teaching profession, along with many
first-class people, is gone. That's good.
The old system, under which kids from
professional families went on and kids from
poor families went into service or fabtories
or common laboring is gone. That 's good.
We're trying to offset the mindless,
-garbage of television by teaching kids to be
curious and skeptical and challenging of
the shoddy and insidious. And that',S, good: -
Let me give an example. I was in the
bank during the summer. Right behind me
was ed, a boy I'd taught about three years
ago. H e'd been caught drinking beer in a
car in the school grounds, and was expelled
for a week. Asked him how things were
going.
"Oh, pretty good, Mr. Smiley. I'm a
in construction with Mose. Remember
Mose?" I did. Mose was a large,
good-natured fellow who had staggered
through the two-year course in high school.
Ed showed me the cheque he was
cashing. I almost fell on the floor of the
bank. Those two guys were making, each,
almost' as much as I was, after years of
education and experience.
Thirty years ago, they'd both have
wound up on the end of a pick or shovel.
`Nuff said. It may be costing you an arm
and a leg, but education today is doing
more thathchurning out cheap labor for the
masters of society.
NOW PAYING
A HIGH RATE OF
1 0 % 0/
Guaranteed
0 Trust •
Certificates for 5 year term
a rnember'of the Canada Deposit
Insurance Corporation
•
Ronnenberg
Insurance Agency
Brussels openTuesdayS and Fridays
Phone 887-6668
MONiTON PHONE 347,2241
Monday to Saturday noon [anytime]
'14.114E BRUSSELS .POST, OCTOBER g, 1976
Huronyiew .ladt
plan bazaar
was a good attendance. All were
welcomed by . the president,
Mrs. W. Colclough,who presided
for the business session.
the financial reports. The Acting
Sectretary from Londesboro
Treasurer Mrs. Robinson gave
W * I
. These
ohulerd theas
purchase
oilfl a trophies graocfeth e residents Yc
°
e
corner sh
tlwrareett
of crafts, gave the financial
statement. She announced tli'
read the minutes of the previous ''
meeting. Owing to the sudden and some hand painted pictures
Before adjournment, 'the
— passing of Mrs. Gauley of
be named.
Londesboro, a new secretary is to entrance of the north door,
president reminded membeti to - Roll call was, answered by each,
member naming ,the month of her• bring an article for the bazaar
table and bake table. marriage. ,_ Members Preliminary plans were made ,- are, also to help with the lunch,
Huronview . •
Communion _ held
of Huronview
The quarterly communion service for all faiths was held
in the- Chapel conducted by Reverend Wittick of the Blyth
United Church assisted by. Mrs, Webster',. Mrs. McCli •nchey
and Mrs. Watt. ' ,
Ralph Shuurman, principal of the Clinton Christian
Reformed School, led ihe Sunday• evening song service with
members of •the congregation formIng' a choir to lead the
singing. ,
Mrs. Meston of Hensall was welcomed to the Hoine at
Monday afternoons program. Marie Flynn and Norman Speir
provided, the old .tyme music and the .Christian Reformed ,
volunteers helped, with activities.
Mrs. Martindale of Toronto, the former Beatrice Campbell
Of Goderich showed coloured slides taken while on a trip to
• Washington and several' interesting places in the United
States at the Family N ight program. During the intermission
Mrs. Elsie HenderSon; Mrs. Myrtle" Parker and Mrs.Meston
entertained with pianti solos. Mrs. Doak expressed the
appreciation of the residents.
Plans are being made for the new seasons Family Night
programs and if you or your group: could entertain some
Tuesday night, we would appreciate hearing from you.
The
100th Anniversary
of
Brussels United Church,
Sunday, Oct. 10
Guest Speakers:
Rev. Harry 'Mahoney
Rev..Allan Johnston
Saturday,. Oct 1 6th
A MUM-Cal.-Concert' -by Listowel .
Secondary School choir at 8:00 pm
Tickets Available fromitioy inientlliti.Ottlie United ChtitOhChotr.
Sunday •, 17th
Guest Speakers'--•-
Rev.. Betty MOOttiiiit genke"
..ReVitioyet Brown Evening ervka'
Sehittet4 xt 11 Ai1VI,:ailiqt30
**la *isle Each-. ittMoiy ChSt
The *ill
at 010011iiiiit Lunch In the evetiling of each` Sund~Y'
14"'''IVAtild*Nakfttittiitti4titiat
The September monthly for the upcoining bazaar, tea an meeting of the Huronview Ladies bake sale, including draws
Auxiliary met in the. Craft. Room, - A. letter of thanks front . th Monday, September 20. .There residents conveyed
appreciation for the th
gifts apples from time to time front th
Ladies Auxiliary.
• Mrs. M. McGregor con
th,
Morning Service
Evening Service
;Pete
I No
fly t
eatui
.ca
on
'stio
Own
sari
tack