Johnny Can't Read

Even in 1950, when I was a student at UNC-Chapel Hill, educators were appalled with the quality of education from the state of North Carolina. I knew the great, late president of the university, Dr Frank Porter Graham; as well as the late, great professor and leader in education, Dr. Guy Phillips. In talking with them, neither could understand why in our advancement with technology, and a higher standard of living, students were getting dumber, less prepared for academics, brazen in their apathy toward achievement. I had just come out of the military, was president of the state's Young Democrats, went to work on the Terry Sanford gubernatorial campaign. I still have copies of political advertisements which helped win him the governor's election in the state and probably helped catapult him to the US Senate and the presidency of Duke University.

When he continuously asked the question, “Why can't Johnny read?” You see, as basic as breathing, every child wants to read. The products of the 'one room country schools' could read. At one time, the New Hanover County High School was considered the best high school in the state. In hiring part-time help, over many years, to assist me in my endeavors I have been absolutely amazed at the recent graduates of that high school who could not read, and could barely write, certainly could not spell. We still come across letters which some of these former students typed for me, which were sent out, and since I am totally blind, did not know their quality and someone will say to me “You don't mean this went out?! It looks like it was done by an elementary student.”

Academics advise me all the time about how much remedial work must be done for college students who are accepted for matriculation. Teaching has become political instead of professional. We hear constant complaints about 'low pay'; my 5th grade teacher was paid $85 a month and she was a marvelous teacher. I look back with great nostalgia at all my teachers, all well prepared for their jobs, probably happy with the money which they received. Many of today's parents, realizing the quality of instruction as well as the psychosis involved in most schools, determine to home-school their children. These are the students of achievement. My mother, with only a 6th grade education, taught her 4 children how to read as she had done with her 6 sisters and brother (her 4 children are all college graduates, never had any academic problems; all with Masters and Doctorates). If a mother who has never been to a teacher's college can home-school her children and are in all ways prepared for college, please, school board members, tell me what has happened to the government schools who subtract from our taxes $5-17,000 per student, for professional education?

I heard a member of the Massachusetts school board say on TV recently, ”In Massachusetts, we should close all public schools and just start over.” Even in Washington, DC, where $17,000 is spent on each student in public school, 1/3 of those entering high school do not graduate. It is difficult enough to survive with a college education, how do parents expect their children to survive without even a high school education; even a very poor high school education. I would be ashamed to be in the field of education, teacher, administration, elected board member, and not have the ability to extend remedial instruction to any student that could not read and write, the fundamentals of all life activities, and find and encourage training courses involving occupations such as cooking, carpentry, mechanics, something of interest to students whereby they can make a living. Does any American citizen have any curiosity about the fact that non-citizens who get across the border are always prepared to make a living? Go to any construction site, and you will find non-citizens working and the owners, who employ these workers at great risk, will tell you that they are their best employees. 1. Work Ethic-On time, ready to give a days work for a days pay 2. Reliable training- prepared to work correctly. 3. Prepared to follow instructions, although a language problem, can hear and see and react.

In North Carolina, as across the country, we have been besieged by “Pre-Kindergarten” programs. After years of these programs, they have been evaluated and it has been found that they have been of little help in the general education program. By the 4th and 5th grade, experts report that there is no difference in those who attended these remedial programs and those who did not. The best pre-1st grade training programs are in the home. It was determined long ago that a child's eyes are not developed enough until the age of 5 to handle the stress of reading and hand-to-eye coordination. Children should be allowed to be children, nurtured, not subjected to regimentation at such an early age. Children should have fun, time for fun.

Rearing children, and it has been done since the beginning of time with more success than today, is largely a matter of common sense. When I heard Dr. Jean Scott, pastor of the University Cathedral in Los Angeles, specify that no child would be allowed to attend church services until the age of 12 and that from the age of 12 until marriage, a family would sit together, children with parents, I thought this was strange, because I attended a small country church as a small child. But, I realize now, I was too young to comprehend the teaching and preaching prepared for adults. In Dr. Scott's church, as well as in most informed churches, children are in church school with children's activities. Why totally turn off your children toward worship and the beauty of Christian teaching by drowning them in doctrine and theology of interest to adults, when they are too young to comprehend any of it? People who have forgotten they were ever children are bothered by their energy.

The first thing I observed, in the Marxist, communist rearing and educating of children, the state takes over at a very early age. The state owns your children, as well as you. Large kindergarten, nursery, elementary school type facilities (in China, called children's palaces) are provided for the communist worker's children in their cradle to casket care. Children of all ages are deposited at the facility each day, where trained workers take over their total development. But, I noticed, that the very young were involved in child interest play and activity. With precision, they know at what age and at what stage of development these children should start dancing, singing, playing with certain instruments and toys, etc. I fully realize that the Marxists embedded in this country's education system are trying to do the same thing. They have forgotten that, scientifically and psychologically, there are planes of developmental achievement. A child can be turned against reading as quickly as one can be turned toward it. Reading is the most rewarding achievement of man. From the males trying to escape an 800 pound sabre-toothed tiger (Smilodon) riding and trying to read messages left by other males, to today's youth trying to read a comic book with a flashlight under the covers after forced bedtime in the modern home, children, of all economic strata, every skin color, every IQ, love to read.

NO ONE IS STUCK WHERE THEY START OUT. It is the written word, whether the conventional book or on the computer screen, that we have our bridge to opportunity transporting us to any economic level of achievement. The world's most brilliant physician, physicist, or parliamentarian started out by being able to comprehend the printed word. Life has become so much better for many of us; 10 million people take cruises every year. We read constantly of the life activities of the rich and famous. With nostalgia, we look back to our early teachers, coaches, those who encouraged us. Even in old age, we romanticize about the 'good ole days'. The days were not that good. There is nothing romantic about a car without A/C or radio. There is nothing romantic about window screens or kerosene heat. There is nothing romantic about paper everything, even drinking cups, or buttons and snaps, before the time of zippers and plastic. There is nothing romantic about one light bulb hanging down from the ceiling in a home or school. There is nothing romantic about black and white film reels and film projectors. There is nothing romantic about crayons and paste. There is nothing romantic about cursive writing with pens and bottled ink.

Common sense has not kept up with technology. Even during a suspected Swine Flu epidemic, in an age of electronic microscopes, the best we can get is advice on hand-washing. Don't these people know that washing your hands is almost useless? The first doorknob or hand rail you touch, the first chair arm or seat you touch, which some other person has used, even in a doctor's office, is covered in germs. In this time of fast food, about the only place most people can afford to eat out, tables are seldom wiped down. Germ laden people have coughed and slobbered all over them. A fright should be illegal citizens in the kitchen. Don't they know salmonella problems can be greatly erased by a cheap water-hose washing these cantaloupes and cucumbers before they are shipped? Don't they know that in a time of suspicious epidemic your drinking water should be boiled, particularly the water in pipes that comes out of a river in which sewage is dumped; and your food should be well cooked. Heat will destroy most germs.

Some sanitary rules, some regimentation in life, is good and expected. When students are polled about their best teacher, it is always the coach. The coach comes from an education economy of rules; he enforces his rules. The coach comes from a background of clothing and showers. The rewards of humankind, unlike the lower animals, is correct clothing and cleanliness. Survival in the 21st Century depends almost entirely on your ability to read and comprehend the written word. whether on tablets of stone (God could read and write) or the computer screen or Kindle screen. Our parents, employers, and neighbors are too busy, too apathetic to encourage people, regardless of age, to bask in the thrill of comprehending the written word; whether God's Holy Word or your local politically-correct newspaper.