[AT] Fwd: 100 years ago

Thu Apr 27 12:27:19 PDT 2006

George:

I too also agree. My father was born in 1903 and did not have much of a
formal education but I can assure you he knew how to spell and did math in
his head that would cause me to look at him in awe. Most of the farmers and
my Dad's peers in our neighbor hood had limited formal education but I can
guarantee you that they would put some of our supposedly educated kids of
today to shame. My only guess as to why this was is they did apply
themselves with what little formal education they did get, their parents
also made damn sure they did and since English was a second language they
were responsible enough to know that as American citizens it was their duty
to do what was needed. I also believe that since the church and religion was
central to their lives that they also were formally educated by that
association as well. 

But I do know they knew the value of formal education and passed on a deep
conviction that the next generation would have a better education
opportunity than they had. There was absolutely no choice about that. 

It appears to me that the responsible parenting and respect for a good
education has deteriorated, in many cases, to the point we just don't care
any more. We graduate kids from high school who cannot spell and who have
not really taken advantage of their educational opportunity. There is a lot
of blame to pass around in this area. And it's not just the kids.

My oldest daughter had a real spelling challenge in JR High and High School.
We really had to work with her and she had to work really hard to get over
the handicap. She now is the most meticulous speller I have ever met and
successfully teaches English at the high school level. And I can guarantee
you that none of her students get by with poor spelling. She has an almost
unhealthy fetish about it.

I struggle with spelling every message I write but fortunately I usually can
detect when I have misspelled something and try to get it corrected before I
send the message. I don't always succeed. Thank God for spelling checkers. 

I am strongly opposed to any relaxation of the old requirements of what it
takes to become a US citizen. I've observed and been part of the benefits of
those proper and appropriate rules. There should be no free lunch relative
to education or citizenship! 

Rant OFF!

Dean A. Van Peursem
Snohomish, WA 98290

Forbidden fruits create many jams!

www.deerelegacy.com

http://members.cox.net/classicweb/email.htm

-----Original Message-----
From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com
[mailto:at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com] On Behalf Of George Willer
Sent: Thursday, April 27, 2006 10:51 AM
To: 'Antique tractor email discussion group'
Subject: RE: [AT] Fwd: 100 years ago

Mike,

We are in complete agreement.  It is becoming fashionable to be a poor
speller and have no apparent notion of the meaning or spelling of words, the
most important part of communication.  A case in point is the many who can
no longer understand the difference between "losing" and "loosing".  It
seems most nowadays get it wrong.  There are many more examples I could
cite, but shouldn't the ball be carried by those stuffy guys who have an
advanced education?  (which I don't) I don't expect to be here in a decade
or two when communication fails completely.  Shouldn't we all pay more
attention?

Just so you know... I was past 60 when I first began to type, so I *DO* try
to pay attention.  That's why I proofread most of what I type before
submitting and expecting others to figure out what I meant.  I don't always
succeed!  :-(

George Willer 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com [mailto:at-
> bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com] On Behalf Of Mike Sloane
> Sent: Thursday, April 27, 2006 12:38 PM
> To: Antique tractor email discussion group
> Subject: Re: [AT] Fwd: 100 years ago
> 
> As far as the fact that 2 out of 10 adults could not read or write, I
> question that, as public schooling, at least through the fifth grade,
> had been around for at least a century in this country. In fact, I
> suspect that, aside from immigrants, most adults were probably more
> literate than adults today - the main source of news and entertainment
> was reading newspaper and books.
> 
> Richard Fink Sr wrote:
> > Interesting
> > R Fink
> >
> >
> >> This will boggle your mind, I know it did mine...   The year is 1906.
> >> One hundred years ago. What a difference a century makes!   Here are
> >> some of the U.S. statistics for the Year 1906:   The average life
> >> expectancy in the U.S. was 47 years.   Only 14 percent of the homes in
> >> the U.S. had a bathtub.   Only 8 percent of the homes had a
> >> telephone.   A three-minute call from Denver to New York City cost
> >> eleven dollars.   There were only 8,000 cars in the U.S., and only 144
> >> miles of paved roads.   The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10
> >> mph.   Alabama, Mississippi, Iowa, and Tennessee were each more
> >> heavily populated than California.   With a mere 1.4 million people,
> >> California was only the 21st most populous state in the Union.   The
> >> tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower!   The average
> >> wage in the U.S. was 22 cents per hour.   The average U.S. worker made
> >> between $200 and $400 per year.   A competent accountant could expect
> >> to earn $2,000 per year, a dentist $2,500 per year, a veterinarian
> >> between $1,500 and $4,000 per year, and a mechanical engineer about
> >> $5,000 per year.   More than 95 percent of all births in the U.S. took
> >> place at home.   Ninety percent of all U.S. doctors had no college
> >> education. Instead, they attended so-called medical schools, many of
> >> which were condemned in the press and by the government as
> >> "substandard."   Sugar cost four cents a pound.   Eggs were fourteen
> >> cents a dozen.   Coffee was fifteen cents a pound.   Most women only
> >> washed their hair once a month, and used borax or egg yolks for
> >> shampoo.   Canada passed a law that prohibited poor people from
> >> entering into their country for any reason.   Five leading causes of
> >> death in the U.S. were:   1. Pneumonia and influenza 2. Tuberculosis
> >> 3. Diarrhea 4. Heart disease 5. Stroke   The American flag had 45
> >> stars.   Arizona, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Hawaii, and Alaska hadn't been
> >> admitted to the Union yet.   The population of Las Vegas, Nevada, was
> >> only 30!   Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and ice tea had not been
> >> invented yet.   There was no Mother's Day or Father's Day.   Two out
> >> of every 10 U.S. adults could not read or write.   Only 6 percent of
> >> all Americans had graduated from high school.   Marijuana, heroin, and
> >> morphine were all available over the counter at the local corner
> >> drugstores. Back then the pharmacist said, "Heroin clears the
> >> complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach and
> >> bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health."   Eighteen
> >> percent of households in the U.S. had at least one full-time servant
> >> or domestic help.   There were about 230 reported murders in the
> >> entire U.S.   So, to think I forwarded this from someone else without
> >> typing it myself, and posted it to you in a matter of seconds!   Try
> >> to imagine what it may be like in another 100 years.
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > AT mailing list
> > Remembering Our Friend Cecil Monson 11-4-2005
> > http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at
> >
> >
> 
> --
> Mike Sloane
> Allamuchy NJ
> <mikesloane at verizon.net>
> Website: <www.geocities.com/mikesloane>
> Images: <www.fotki.com/mikesloane>
> 
> Permanent good can never be the outcome of untruth and violence. -Mahatma
> Gandhi (1869-1948)
> 
> 
> --
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