School then vs school now. A question.

[Brookswood]

If schools could get the boys to do as well as the girls on the standardized tests, there would be a big increase in student scores. However,K-12 is mostly run by women who think girls are somehow being left behind, though they often have the best test scores, are elected to student offices, etc. However, after 12th grade, the trade schools are mostly male and a lot of boys who did not do well in K-12 suddenly do well when learning to be welders, plumbers, machinists, electricians, etc. So there is hope.

 

[Pappy]

School in the 40s was a blast. No shootings, stabbing and raising hell in the classroom. You did as your teacher told you to do or march down to the principal’s office. I was more scared of mom finding out when they sent a note home informing her of my behavior.
We would settle fights off campus and be great pals the next day. Spitballs were a common way to entertain ourselves.

 

[Eupher]

Even in my day schools were beginning to unravel.

Where my high school had once offered Latin, Greek, and Hebrew in addition to several foreign languages things had fallen to just Latin along with German and Spanish.

Students had to opt in to Geometry, much less Trigonometry and pre-Calculus. After gutting it through introductory Algebra most were done except for a follow-up class in Bonehead Math: Relearning times tables, balancing a checkbook, and.. what? Playing records after that first week?

Science? Don't get me started. All optional and taking another Bonehead class would suffice. Many weren't even offered unless you took AP classes and (often) rode another bus to get to the one school in town where those classes were still held. Enrollment was down that far!

History? Again, one General Survey For Dummies class got one off the hook.

I grew up in the suburbs of Detroit, graduating HS in 1974, so assuming you are a Michigan local, we might've been classmates. You're absolutely correct regarding Math. I sucked at it and really didn't do well at it at all, even in college after studying and working with my instructor far beyond most people. So I did the Intro to Algebra thing and concluded, "I don't give a damn what "x" is" and still feel that way. I can count on one hand the number of times I needed to know what that variable was, even later in life in my 2nd career working in quality assurance.

Anyway, you're also correct about Science. I remember taking Biology and Chemistry and barely survived, mostly because I resented Mr. Reimer, who - outfitted with his enormous belly and suspenders - actually expected his students to think before asking questions. That was something that stuck with me, not necessarily element valances and the periodic table.

I enjoyed History and what was called "Social Studies" (sorta mingled with Geography) and even appreciated English, even though I was a band geek.

I studied German in HS and became a part-time qualified linguist long afterwards, so I think something stuck with me. Of course, I had a commander who suggested that I spoke "disco Deutsch" which wasn't true. I insisted on going to quieter settings to interact with meinen deutschen Mädchen.

 

[DaveA]

How would it be easier to cheat?

I enjoyed my spot in time growing up and I believe that today’s kids enjoy theirs.

I hope that today’s kids don’t live in fear and dwell on all of the things that might happen anymore than we did.

For most folks. I think you're correct. Our grandkids, and greatgrands never talk about this, only their parents in some cases.

 

[EmptyCup]

HAH! WE had Civil Defense SIRENS !!!
And learned to duck under the desks.


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I really disliked this. The smell of stale gum stuck under desks - spearmint. At least we knew it was the same time every week.

 

[David777]

Don't know much about K12 schools after I HS graduated in 1966. Not impressed by what public schools seem to have become but also as a single person, have not been involved. When I went into the USAF during the Viet Nam War, I who had only attended middle class white suburban schools was astounded how uneducated and learning crippled many other men were from other parts of the USA.

But what I do recall is how drastically it seemed to change for my siblings by the early 1970s in terms of allowed clothing and nightly homework. For most of those years, I rode a bike to school. Over those 13 years went to 10 different schools as my father moved around due to his career. Hated moving, being a new kid, especially since I was a year younger than others, young looking, and usually the shortest guy.

The most enthusiastic part of school days for myself and other kids during my California K8 school period was playing outside during recess and lunch periods. Always had a lot of homework that I expect also resulted in my success as an adult getting work done one does not always enjoy.