Look up "Prussian model/reforms". Realize that the foundation of our compulsory primary/middle school system was the need for a more effective military capability.
Then look up the origins of the USDA school lunch program- Again, this was originally about MILITARY PREPAREDNESS- An unacceptable % of draftees had been found militarily useless due to childhood malnutrition related mental & physical disabilities.
Next, let's discuss the origins of the Interstate Defense Highway system?
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After 12 years of (mostly) organized boredom, graduating HS and a brief stab at a state university undergraduate degree, I've been teaching myself for 40 + years.
Aside from four atypically engaging and competent math and science teachers (and one each in English language and arts) in HS, my time in public schooling has been fairly useless to my actual life and work.
My understanding is it had more to do with the U.S. needing citizens to buy into the corporate system. Go get a job. It may bore the hell out of you, but we've prepared you to handle that. The government doesn't want or need intelligent, independent thinkers. Is that not at least part of the case in your view?
Consider my remark to deal with Prussia's motives as the originator of state organized compulsory education.
The school lunch program in USA was also to some extent sold politically as an agricultural commodities support program. But back in 1946, the defense driven motivations WERE the impetus.
I wonder if the fact that the Prussian model, as we might call it, regarding just about everything anglo-euro-centric could be applied differently in different places compared others? For instance, the mercantile or business model -- which is absolutely one of Britains (The Empire's) raisons d'etres -- worked, and works, better in the USofA than in Germany at the time. On the other hand, the military approach of that same "Prussian system" worked better in Das Rheinland because of the nature of its culture as it had arisen and developed over time.
Different environments certainly lead to different emphasis in state mandated schooling?
USA had the luxury of two large oceans to our East & West a long with relatively militarily weak/mostly less belligerent neighbors to our North & South-
Meanwhile, the Prussians got armies rolled over them by various neighboring countries & empires in a deadly tag team over several centuries.
Yes, quite right. It seems as though the Prussians were always "the military". The whole region was a never-ending war amongst "brothers". As you say "over several centuries".
Also, it's important to mention (no it's not) that I was more of a Galaga guy but I did get top scores many times. Weirdly still somewhat proud of that. I have a shitty post-grad thesis to attest to the time spent on arcade games vs. schooling 'back in the day'.
During my teaching days I used to take breaks from grading papers and walk down to the arcade to play Zaxxon....never got a high score though. Had to look up Galaga...don't think I ever played it.
Yeah, I was teaching at the time, too (just TA stuff). Also, I remember Zaxxon being around but not in the arcade area at the university so I never got into it. Maybe same thing for you. Galaga was definitely 2D though, so maybe a bit easier once you got the hang of it.
Worry not, I was there at the beginning, too. Pong is really the progenitor of it all, isn't it? My problem quite often with Pong was that if my opponent didn't defeat me, eventually the drink would (it was all of bars and pubs back then).
You may be older than dirt, but some of us are also a bit dusty.
Well....I was certainly around that age. I walked to the bowling alley. There was one machine there....I was absolutely mesmerized by it. Maybe 11? 12? It was right around there.
Our school, high-school, uni experiences were very similar, but at the time, I probably would have preffered pronouncing Nietzsche as "Butkus". Excellent book review and well written. Gatto pretty much seems to be right about everything. I think he only died a few years ago, but still I'm glad he left the legacy of his books.
Look up "Prussian model/reforms". Realize that the foundation of our compulsory primary/middle school system was the need for a more effective military capability.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prussian_education_system#:~:text=It%20expanded%20the%20existing%20schooling,required%20additional%20payment%20by%20parents.
Then look up the origins of the USDA school lunch program- Again, this was originally about MILITARY PREPAREDNESS- An unacceptable % of draftees had been found militarily useless due to childhood malnutrition related mental & physical disabilities.
https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/nutrition-on-the-home-front-in-world-war-ii.htm
Next, let's discuss the origins of the Interstate Defense Highway system?
----------
After 12 years of (mostly) organized boredom, graduating HS and a brief stab at a state university undergraduate degree, I've been teaching myself for 40 + years.
Aside from four atypically engaging and competent math and science teachers (and one each in English language and arts) in HS, my time in public schooling has been fairly useless to my actual life and work.
My understanding is it had more to do with the U.S. needing citizens to buy into the corporate system. Go get a job. It may bore the hell out of you, but we've prepared you to handle that. The government doesn't want or need intelligent, independent thinkers. Is that not at least part of the case in your view?
@The Inmate
In the USA, everything is a business model.
Prussia, however, was hatched from a cannon ball.
Consider my remark to deal with Prussia's motives as the originator of state organized compulsory education.
The school lunch program in USA was also to some extent sold politically as an agricultural commodities support program. But back in 1946, the defense driven motivations WERE the impetus.
I wonder if the fact that the Prussian model, as we might call it, regarding just about everything anglo-euro-centric could be applied differently in different places compared others? For instance, the mercantile or business model -- which is absolutely one of Britains (The Empire's) raisons d'etres -- worked, and works, better in the USofA than in Germany at the time. On the other hand, the military approach of that same "Prussian system" worked better in Das Rheinland because of the nature of its culture as it had arisen and developed over time.
Different environments certainly lead to different emphasis in state mandated schooling?
USA had the luxury of two large oceans to our East & West a long with relatively militarily weak/mostly less belligerent neighbors to our North & South-
Meanwhile, the Prussians got armies rolled over them by various neighboring countries & empires in a deadly tag team over several centuries.
Yes, quite right. It seems as though the Prussians were always "the military". The whole region was a never-ending war amongst "brothers". As you say "over several centuries".
I think I've mentioned this before, but I'll say it again; I haaaaaaaaaaaated screwl. It was prison. 😬
Yup!
Also, it's important to mention (no it's not) that I was more of a Galaga guy but I did get top scores many times. Weirdly still somewhat proud of that. I have a shitty post-grad thesis to attest to the time spent on arcade games vs. schooling 'back in the day'.
During my teaching days I used to take breaks from grading papers and walk down to the arcade to play Zaxxon....never got a high score though. Had to look up Galaga...don't think I ever played it.
Yeah, I was teaching at the time, too (just TA stuff). Also, I remember Zaxxon being around but not in the arcade area at the university so I never got into it. Maybe same thing for you. Galaga was definitely 2D though, so maybe a bit easier once you got the hang of it.
Pong. On a black & white TV. Dirt is younger than I.
Worry not, I was there at the beginning, too. Pong is really the progenitor of it all, isn't it? My problem quite often with Pong was that if my opponent didn't defeat me, eventually the drink would (it was all of bars and pubs back then).
You may be older than dirt, but some of us are also a bit dusty.
My first video game was asteroids at the bowling alley when I was about 10. Saved up 10 dollars in quarters.....boy that went fast.
Wait a minute --- I know how old you are. Asteroids was not around when you were 10! Unless maybe you were living in Japan, then maybe. ;)
Well....I was certainly around that age. I walked to the bowling alley. There was one machine there....I was absolutely mesmerized by it. Maybe 11? 12? It was right around there.
Our school, high-school, uni experiences were very similar, but at the time, I probably would have preffered pronouncing Nietzsche as "Butkus". Excellent book review and well written. Gatto pretty much seems to be right about everything. I think he only died a few years ago, but still I'm glad he left the legacy of his books.