Public school back when I was a boy was totally different than today’s embarrassment. In the early grades, we learned the basics of the Three R’s – reading, riting and rethmatic. We also were subject to paddling if we acted up. My third grade teacher was good at palm paddling. Proper palm padding technique was as follows: 1. Palm up, 2. Grab the fingers and arch the palm upward, 3. Smack that palm several times with a wood ruler. Such always got my attention. It altered my unacceptable behavior and certainly did not warp my id. My parents were ok with Mrs. Cooper’s behavior towards my sometimes bad attitude. Instead of threatening to sue the school board and have dear Mrs. Cooper fired, they asked her to do whatever she deemed necessary to keep my attention. Whatever I got at school, I got more at home that night.
Schools back then were neighborhood schools. They served a certain area of the city. One could easily walk to and from school. In the metropolitan cities, there were no school buses because there was no forced desegregation. One attended his or her neighborhood school. From first grade through high school, I never had a Black schoolmate. The South was segregated which meant “separate but equal”. Separate they were, equal they were not.
I was never a star student. I would say I was average. I loved lunch, recess and math. I learned some things out of fear. I feared my teacher. I feared my Dad and my Mom taught me that I had better fear God and that God definitely did not like slackers. That was fine. Learning by fear is better than not at all, right?
In junior high school, I became aware of girls. I was shy and the prettier they were, the more intimidated I was. I always thought girls, especially the pretty ones, were perfect. They would never use four-letter words and certainly never give anyone the ‘bird”. Well I learned I was wrong on both counts.
One started to attend parties in junior high school. The one's where for the first hour the girls were on one side of the room and us guys on the other side. There was always one particular one who got my eye. I wanted to dance with her. I desperately wanted to hold her hand. But the coward I was came through and I acted as though I was not at all interested in girls.
I had a friend, Thomas, who was just the opposite. He was aggressive with the ladies. He even kissed at least one of them before the night was over. He was not at all shy or intimidated by girls and they seemed to be more interested in him than certainly me. The seventh grade was definitely frustrating when it came to girls.
I loved sports and the seventh grade was my introduction to real football. In the earlier years, we played sandlot football in a field behind our house. No protective gear but tackle football. Lots of cuts and bruises in those days. Thes were scares that made is proud though.
My mother almost messed me up though. When I was in the fifth grade, she decided I needed some culture. Music lessons were in my future. She let me choose what instrument I would play. I chose the trumpet because it looked far more macho to me than the piano or violin. I took lessons all one summer. It was not as bad as I thought it would be. After six weeks my instructor informed me that he had several other students and he had planned a recital for all of us in two weeks. I was to pick a tune I thought I could easily play in front of all the parents. How could I get sick in two weeks. The week before the recital I asked one of my friends to sock me in the mouth hard enough to put my lips out of commition for at least a week. He refused because my mom had invited him to attend the recital. He was my only friend who even knew I was taking lessons and he would be there to giggle at my attempt to get through my part.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Back when I was a boy, part 2
According to today's regulators and bureaucrats, those of us who were kids in the 40's, 50's, 60's, 70's or even the early 80's, probably shouldn't have survived.
Our baby cribs were covered with bright colored lead-based paint. We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets, and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets. (Not to mention the risks we
took hitchhiking.)
As children, we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags. Riding in the back of a pickup truck on a warm day was always a special treat. We drank water from the garden hose. Horrors! We ate cupcakes, bread and butter, and drank soda pop with sugar in it, but we were never overweight because we were always outside playing.
We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle, and no one actually died.
We would spend hours building go-carts out of wood scraps fruit crates and then rode down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem. We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the street lights came on. No one was able to reach us by cell phone. Unthinkable! We did not have Playstations, Nintendo 64, X-Boxes, no video games at all,no 99 channels on cable, video tape movies, surround sound, personal cell phones,personal computers, or Internet chat rooms. We had neighborhood friends! We played dodge ball, and sometimes, the ball would really hurt. We played other games such as Kick the Can and Capture the Flag. We fell out of trees, got cut, and broke bones and teeth, and there were no lawsuits from these accidents. They were accidents. No one was to blame but us.
We had fights and punched each other and got black and blue and learned to get over it. We were still friends. We made up games with sticks and tennis balls and ate worms, and although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes, nor did the worms live inside us forever.
We rode bikes or walked to a friend's home and knocked on the door, or rang the bell or just walked in. Few worried about locking the doors.
Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with it. And there were no trophies for everybody at the end of the season. We played because we wanted to be with our friends and it was fun. There were no 8-,12-,or 15 year old all-star teams. If parents attended games, they behaved.
Some of us weren't as smart as others, so we failed a grade and were held back. Horrors! Tests were not adjusted for any reason. There was no such thing as a retest. Our actions were our own. Failure was a possibility, no one to hide behind. If I got paddled at school - yep, paddling was used and the experience did not warp anyone's ID. And I got another one when I got home. You see, like parents, teachers were always right!
This generation has produced some of the best risk-takers and problem solvers and innovators, ever. We even put men on the moon.
The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas. We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned how to deal with it all. If you're one of us, Congratulations!
Our baby cribs were covered with bright colored lead-based paint. We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets, and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets. (Not to mention the risks we
took hitchhiking.)
As children, we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags. Riding in the back of a pickup truck on a warm day was always a special treat. We drank water from the garden hose. Horrors! We ate cupcakes, bread and butter, and drank soda pop with sugar in it, but we were never overweight because we were always outside playing.
We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle, and no one actually died.
We would spend hours building go-carts out of wood scraps fruit crates and then rode down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem. We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the street lights came on. No one was able to reach us by cell phone. Unthinkable! We did not have Playstations, Nintendo 64, X-Boxes, no video games at all,no 99 channels on cable, video tape movies, surround sound, personal cell phones,personal computers, or Internet chat rooms. We had neighborhood friends! We played dodge ball, and sometimes, the ball would really hurt. We played other games such as Kick the Can and Capture the Flag. We fell out of trees, got cut, and broke bones and teeth, and there were no lawsuits from these accidents. They were accidents. No one was to blame but us.
We had fights and punched each other and got black and blue and learned to get over it. We were still friends. We made up games with sticks and tennis balls and ate worms, and although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes, nor did the worms live inside us forever.
We rode bikes or walked to a friend's home and knocked on the door, or rang the bell or just walked in. Few worried about locking the doors.
Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with it. And there were no trophies for everybody at the end of the season. We played because we wanted to be with our friends and it was fun. There were no 8-,12-,or 15 year old all-star teams. If parents attended games, they behaved.
Some of us weren't as smart as others, so we failed a grade and were held back. Horrors! Tests were not adjusted for any reason. There was no such thing as a retest. Our actions were our own. Failure was a possibility, no one to hide behind. If I got paddled at school - yep, paddling was used and the experience did not warp anyone's ID. And I got another one when I got home. You see, like parents, teachers were always right!
This generation has produced some of the best risk-takers and problem solvers and innovators, ever. We even put men on the moon.
The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas. We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned how to deal with it all. If you're one of us, Congratulations!
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Back when I was a boy
I was born in February of 1942. The Second World War was raging in Europe, Asia, Africa, Japan and practically every nation on the planet. Except for the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor in December of 1941, mainland America was untouched by this horrific conflict. But American sons and daughters served, fought and died in lands they never expected to see in their lifetimes. It is estimated that over 60 million people died in the conflict of 1939-1945. All of these lost lives due to the madness of Adolf Hitler.
Since I was an infant during these years, I have no remembrance of the conflict, V-E Day or V-J Day. My father served in the US Navy on a supply ship in the Pacific during the last two years of the war. I vaguely remember my mom and I living in a three room apartment in what is now East Nashville, Tennessee.
My youth was spent growing up in a segregated South. I never attended school with black children. In the 40's, 50's and early 1960"s, black folks were referred to as Colored or Negroes. Many ignorant Whites did use the term nigger. This was the way it was and I knew no better. Regretfully I didn't think much about it, I just accepted it.
During the summer of 2011, I plan to share with any interested readers, my experiences back when I was a boy. The downside of a blog is that chronology the "first" is always the "last". Please join me in recalling those days. Before then you could read Tom Brokaw's THE GREATEST GENERATION.
Since I was an infant during these years, I have no remembrance of the conflict, V-E Day or V-J Day. My father served in the US Navy on a supply ship in the Pacific during the last two years of the war. I vaguely remember my mom and I living in a three room apartment in what is now East Nashville, Tennessee.
My youth was spent growing up in a segregated South. I never attended school with black children. In the 40's, 50's and early 1960"s, black folks were referred to as Colored or Negroes. Many ignorant Whites did use the term nigger. This was the way it was and I knew no better. Regretfully I didn't think much about it, I just accepted it.
During the summer of 2011, I plan to share with any interested readers, my experiences back when I was a boy. The downside of a blog is that chronology the "first" is always the "last". Please join me in recalling those days. Before then you could read Tom Brokaw's THE GREATEST GENERATION.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
It's all about ME 2!
After losing his starting position, former University of North Carolina guard Larry Drew II asked to transfer from the school. What can we learn as athletic administrators from his great show of teamwork and fortitude?
Drew left school after his parents allegedly pressed for the coaching staff to move their son back to a starting position after spending four games coming off the bench. They then approved their son's departure from the team when he wasn't reinstated as the team's starting point guard.
While this is a college-level incident, this type of thing has occurred for years at the high school level. Over-zealous, unrealistic parents place demands upon a coach or athletic administrator and create a ruckus when they don't get their way.
It is purported that athletics is a great vehicle to develop life-long values. One has to wonder what can we take away from this example?
Here are some critical points for athletic administrators to consider in times like these:
1. Parents may not be the most realistic judge of their child's athletic ability. Love usually overrides logic and reason.
2. All rules, policies and procedures are great until they directly affect a parent's child.
3. While athletics does not develop character, it is revealed in participation and competition.
Athletics is, after all, a privilege and not a right. Being part of a team and how much one plays should be based upon what is done in practice and what is best in terms of the team--not individuals. Demands from unrealistic parents cannot be allowed to influence this critical part of education.
Dr. David Hoch, CMAA
Drew left school after his parents allegedly pressed for the coaching staff to move their son back to a starting position after spending four games coming off the bench. They then approved their son's departure from the team when he wasn't reinstated as the team's starting point guard.
While this is a college-level incident, this type of thing has occurred for years at the high school level. Over-zealous, unrealistic parents place demands upon a coach or athletic administrator and create a ruckus when they don't get their way.
It is purported that athletics is a great vehicle to develop life-long values. One has to wonder what can we take away from this example?
Here are some critical points for athletic administrators to consider in times like these:
1. Parents may not be the most realistic judge of their child's athletic ability. Love usually overrides logic and reason.
2. All rules, policies and procedures are great until they directly affect a parent's child.
3. While athletics does not develop character, it is revealed in participation and competition.
Athletics is, after all, a privilege and not a right. Being part of a team and how much one plays should be based upon what is done in practice and what is best in terms of the team--not individuals. Demands from unrealistic parents cannot be allowed to influence this critical part of education.
Dr. David Hoch, CMAA
Thursday, March 24, 2011
It's all about ME!
 |
| Please watch this video |
Such attitudes are not just found in middle- or high schools. The colleges have their share of prima donas. Bobby was a high school stud. He was offered scholarships by several schools. Yet if he doesn't get significant playing time as a freshman, he complains and wants to transfer.
Or worse, look at the pros, particularly the NFL. A defensive lineman sacks the opposing quarterback, then jumps up and pounds his chest. Look at me, look at me. Well he practices sacking quarterbacks every day in practice. He gets paid to sack quarterbacks. Sacking quarterbacks is his job. Why celebrate or call attention to oneself for doing what is expected of you? Oh well. Nobody asked me.
Please see Look at me
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Money, Money, Money. But not for education
It's the basketball time of year referred to as March Madness. Millions, maybe even billions of dollars will change hands for game tickets, colas, popcorn and hotdogs, and parking by fans. Television will rake in millions in advertising.
Two years ago CBS promised the NCAA $6 billion for the rights to televise tournament games for 10 years. Pretty good wad of money there. Where does it all go? Obviously the participating basketball teams will get some of it, depending how far in the brackets they advance. This will allow those schools to pay expenses for participating in the tournament. I suppose that most of the coaches have an incentive clause in their contracts, so they will get a portion. But one thing is for sure: The Biology professors at the university won't get a dime of this money.
March Madness is all about education, isn't it? Maybe every school in the tournament has a major in basketball or entertainment or tattooing or proper use of the F-word on the court or bench area.
Why do we need a national champion in any sport? Bragging rights? Is a national champion school a better school academically? Didn't I read in my newspaper that 23 of the 64 teams in this year's tournament failed the APR (academic performance rating) criteria. This caused the Knight Commission, which is an academic watchdog of big time college sports, to publicly call for having the acceptable APR numbers as a qualification for participating in the tournament. Where are the college presidents in supporting this proposal?
Folks, people in this country don't care about anything but winning. They don't care if their gladiators go to class, or commit a felony as long as MY University beats the crap out of yours. An APR? Who gives a s**t about that stuff. Besides these aren't really college teams, but NBA minor league franchises that are allowed to use college names and venues. This tournament has nothing, absolutely nothing to do with education.
Please visit College Sports by Charlie for the most irreverent news and commentary.
Two years ago CBS promised the NCAA $6 billion for the rights to televise tournament games for 10 years. Pretty good wad of money there. Where does it all go? Obviously the participating basketball teams will get some of it, depending how far in the brackets they advance. This will allow those schools to pay expenses for participating in the tournament. I suppose that most of the coaches have an incentive clause in their contracts, so they will get a portion. But one thing is for sure: The Biology professors at the university won't get a dime of this money.
March Madness is all about education, isn't it? Maybe every school in the tournament has a major in basketball or entertainment or tattooing or proper use of the F-word on the court or bench area.
Why do we need a national champion in any sport? Bragging rights? Is a national champion school a better school academically? Didn't I read in my newspaper that 23 of the 64 teams in this year's tournament failed the APR (academic performance rating) criteria. This caused the Knight Commission, which is an academic watchdog of big time college sports, to publicly call for having the acceptable APR numbers as a qualification for participating in the tournament. Where are the college presidents in supporting this proposal?
Folks, people in this country don't care about anything but winning. They don't care if their gladiators go to class, or commit a felony as long as MY University beats the crap out of yours. An APR? Who gives a s**t about that stuff. Besides these aren't really college teams, but NBA minor league franchises that are allowed to use college names and venues. This tournament has nothing, absolutely nothing to do with education.
Please visit College Sports by Charlie for the most irreverent news and commentary.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Going to extreme measures for child athletes
Like many other American teens, 14-year-old Nick Heras wants to be a professional quarterback someday.
Unlike most teens, he has left home and moved across the country to attend an elite athletic training program. His family foots a hefty bill for Nick's dreams: More than $50,000 a year.
The Haves and Have-Nots ... the rich get richer and poor stay that way
The University of Texas' groundbreaking $300 million, 20-year television deal with ESPN has generated considerable praise for the financial windfall it could create for the university. However, it's also fueled plenty of discussion about competitive balance, and the even bigger gap between the haves and have nots in big-time college athletics.
National Signing Day 2011: Which Top Recruiting Classes Will Suffer the Most?
Andy Rooney and Prayer
Andy Rooney said it on 60 MINUTES
I don't believe in Santa Claus, but I'm not going to sue somebody for singing a Ho-Ho-Ho song in December. I don't agree with Darwin, but I didn't go out and hire a lawyer when my high school teacher taught his Theory of Evolution.
Life, liberty or your pursuit of happiness will not be endangered because someone says a 30-second prayer before a football game.
Back when I was a boy a Coke was 5 cents, gasoline was 30 cents and No meant No!
Read these and more at our website. http://www.collegecharlie.com/
Like many other American teens, 14-year-old Nick Heras wants to be a professional quarterback someday.
Unlike most teens, he has left home and moved across the country to attend an elite athletic training program. His family foots a hefty bill for Nick's dreams: More than $50,000 a year.
The Haves and Have-Nots ... the rich get richer and poor stay that way
The University of Texas' groundbreaking $300 million, 20-year television deal with ESPN has generated considerable praise for the financial windfall it could create for the university. However, it's also fueled plenty of discussion about competitive balance, and the even bigger gap between the haves and have nots in big-time college athletics.
National Signing Day 2011: Which Top Recruiting Classes Will Suffer the Most?
Andy Rooney and Prayer
Andy Rooney said it on 60 MINUTES
I don't believe in Santa Claus, but I'm not going to sue somebody for singing a Ho-Ho-Ho song in December. I don't agree with Darwin, but I didn't go out and hire a lawyer when my high school teacher taught his Theory of Evolution.
Life, liberty or your pursuit of happiness will not be endangered because someone says a 30-second prayer before a football game.
Back when I was a boy a Coke was 5 cents, gasoline was 30 cents and No meant No!
Read these and more at our website. http://www.collegecharlie.com/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)