The late 1800s were a dynamic time in the United States. Cities grew at a dramatic rate. The mechanization of production led to vast increases in industrial output. The introduction of railroads provided the first major leap forward in transportation in centuries, which mobilized populations everywhere. Yet, with all of this burgeoning growth and development …
“Encouragement” by Mrs. Elizabeth Clementine Kinney When first peeps out from earth the modest vine,Asking but little space to live and grow,How easily some step, without design,May crush the being from a thing so low!But let the hand that doth delight to showSupport to feebleness the tendril twineAround some lattice-work, and ’t will bestowIts thanks …
"For what a man had rather were true he more readily believes. Therefore he rejects difficult things from impatience of research; sober things, because they narrow hope; the deeper things of nature, from superstition; the light of experience, from arrogance and pride, lest his mind should seem to be occupied with things mean and transitory; …
In a trend largely predicated on the notion that (1) starting earlier and working harder will yield better testing outcomes and that (2) achieving better test scores will prepare children for a more productive and successful life, many American elementary schools are now offering programs for younger children such as K3 and K4. This is …
"Democracy is a device that insures we shall be governed no better than we deserve." - George Bernard Shaw Of all the enemies who have ever menaced the United States of America, her biggest threat at all times is an insufficient number of citizens who are disposed to virtue and brimming with moral character. The …
There are no vicious horses, just spoiled ones. Likewise, there are no evil people, just damaged ones. In many if not most cases, the injuries can be repaired and the gaps can be filled through a steady diet of empathetic attention and thoughtful intervention. The ideal, of course, is to create a world wherein as …
The old and familiar maxim: "Knowledge is Power" shapes the way we look at education, marketing, politics, religion and many other areas of human activity. The idea that knowledge begets power is based on the limited view that humanity is meant to dominate his environment, rather than have dominion over it. Domination is established through …
Fabulous cheese. Elegant and complicated watches. Excellent engineering. Unflappable punctuality. Discreet banking. Nobel Prize winning scientists and engineers. These are just a few of the things that the tiny country of Switzerland is recognized for around the world. I am compelled this morning to ask what produces excellence in so many fields? The educational system …
"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter." - Winston Churchill I fear for the future of our great nation. We’ve gone a long way on the momentum generated by our forefathers, but we’ve made two mistakes in the field of education that I feel compromise our ability to maintain …
The ancient Greeks and Romans had solutions for many of the problems that plague our country today. They recognized that human nature is a double-edged sword and that steps can be taken to mitigate the expression of its lesser qualities while magnifying its finer ones. They understood as well that liberty is not a given, …
Gregory Hake 