In message , Ed Rasimus
writes
Probably my lowest expectations were unmet the time, on Nov. 11th, I
asked the class what was significant about the day. Few knew, until
after prompting that it was some kind of holiday, one student
remembered it was Veteran's Day. When asked if they had ever heard it
called Armistice Day, none had. Asked why it was 11/11, they didn't
know that the armistice to end the "War to End All Wars" had been
signed at 11:00 AM on 11/11. When asked which war that was, they
guessed Vietnam, Korea and the Civil War.....all high-school grads and
all enrolled in college! Amazing, isn't it?

Yeah, but...

WW1 wasn't a critical win-or-die for the US. Meanwhile, ask your typical
class of UK under-18s what happened at Appotamox (probably spelled that
one wrong... shows how much I know!), or why Gettysburg was significant,
or about just about anything about the War Between The States or the War
Of Those Ungrateful Rebellious American *******s Forsaking Our
Enlightened Rule (I'm sure there's a more politic US phrase for both of
those )

For that matter, ask your typical UK under-18 to find the Somme or Ypres
and they'll probably point to somewhere in the Middle East (it was a big
fight and that's where we fight our wars, right?). Let's not even start
on trying to pin Spion Kop or Omduran or Balaklava on the map, even for
UK students. (Let's be modern: where's Imphal, where's Goose Green,
where's Neuve Chapelle, where's Dhofar?)



There's a lot of UK history I don't actually know jack about, let alone
other countries'. I console myself by admitting ignorance and trying to
learn when I feel the need: or, in areas that interest me, by bothering
those with experience.


I'd suggest that basic school education isn't necessarily able to
provide detailed world history (my World History O-level covered the
Russian and Chinese revolutions, the economic and political buildup to
WW2, and the Arab-Israeli conflicts: good stuff and I really enjoyed it,
helped by a good teacher, but how much of the 20th century's woes went
ignored if that's all you think about?) but to at least let the student
know that there aren't usually quick, simple soundbite answers to the
problems of the real world and to give some idea of where to look to
learn more if you're interested.


And I admire and respect teachers as a general rule. Tough job with few
thanks.


It's late, I'm tired and emotional, I'm rambling. All opinions above
have been assayed as worth at best $0.02.

--
When you have to kill a man, it costs nothing to be polite.
W S Churchill

Paul J. Adam MainBoxatjrwlynch[dot]demon{dot}co(.)uk