Friday, May 27, 2005
THEY WENT THAT 'A WAY! Edward L. Ayers, who is the ”Hugh P. Kelly Professor of History” at the University of Virginia, at Charlottesville, Virginia also serves Thomas Jefferson's fine establishment as ”Dean of the College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences.” Two such fine titles such as those certainly qualify him as a man who has seen college students come and go in sufficient numbers, varieties, and a wide gamut of potentials to sorted out as types and to some determinations applied as we wonder how they may evolve academically. In a short preface-editorial in the June 2005 edition of “Arts & Sciences” magazine, concerned with special regard concerning the choices students make of degree programs available, Dean Ayers included this comment: “Serendipity strikes in other cases when young graduates end up happily doing something they never dreamed of.” I am thankful that such a superbly qualified educator has spoken out and made this type of graduate problem a possible subject for serious discussion when degree guidelines are being considered. It is more than ever of importance that colleges and universities begin to take flexibility of degree qualifications more seriously. The obvious increasing “diploma mills” and marked tendency to acceptance such a farcical structures as multi-million dollar business in the print media and on the Internet. Just a glance at drop-out figures shows how more-and-more students are giving upon college because it has lost meaning for them as an antiquated amalgam of ideas, ideals and imagines of by-gone eras. Thomas Jefferson had in mind, it seems, that which he called he called and education which “was broad, and liberal and modern”. Few of today's college and universities can assure those qualities in that which they offer today. The present system uses “broad” to mean “width” or “mass”.The number of courses being offered b y a school grows longer - so much so that, a decade ago,it was being noised about that a student would,have to attend classes eight hours per day for five hundred and four years to “take” all of the courses offered by Harvard. That would seem to have been “broad” enough. Jefferson's second term “liberal” has been warped and re-woven to allow it to appear to suggest a variety of meanings. The most popular twist, perhaps, is to speak of it as as being “politically correct” which can be said in scorn or praise by patron or foe alike. The term ”modern” changes as it is being said or written. It fails many a college graduate as he attempts to associate it with today's world in which he has to live and vie with others to attain and hold a worthy place. If it is to be a working system he find he must modify it to suit his preset-day needs. There's a real threat, too, in accepting “modern” and turning to faddish futuristic farce. Business leaders need more “serendipity” graduates in their working ranks. Educators, too, might find it to be wise to make room for several, as well. A.L.M. May 27, 2005 [c524wds]
Thursday, May 26, 2005
BOIL AND BUBBLE The complexity of some days can prove to be an adventure. We are called upon to face up to problems which are foreign to our ways of thinking and knowing and we are, then, forced to seek guidance and help we feel we must have and we turn to those men and women trained, experienced and more aware of the those subtitles, often unique, areas of learning concerned. We acknowledge and accept Truths in existence beyond our awareness of their being available. I can understand, and even agree, to some extent, with those people who insist that those persons who have always had everything their own way; seemingly free from any real setbacks, living in a near-perfect settings determined, usually, by mis-applied love from doting parental or even grand-parental caregivers – can also be among the world most miserable individuals. There can be no one more certain way by which you can be certain to give your child a miserable adulthood than to be overzealous in protecting hem from all mishap or ill fortune. The ultimate tragedy is even larger than it might appear to be. You see a genetic portion of yourself in your child and may feel sorry to see it mis-spent or even wasted by unseemly conduct. Their example causes others - spouse, children, friends, - even strangers who follow their example in living outside the natural standards of excellence demanded of us by our creator. Fortunate, indeed, are you if you can sincerely and quite naturally append the terms “sustainer” and “redeemer” to that word “creator”. It is the resurgence of our faith in the Lord that we will, in time, bring an end to our miseries - both great and small. Since the very first line of this page I have intended to say that when it came out. It may strike some as an easy way out. It is. There is nothing difficult in acknowledging God's overlord ship of all. Our Congress can continue to gather in caucus, conclave or clique to haggle endlessly over terms and words and other courts in the nations - both old and new – can do the same. All are, however, subject to the Word which has,long ago, been set. Penitent prayer would seem to be the most likely stance of the moment. But, gently. Our nation, though showing signs of doing so, is not yet ready for a genuine, long lasting religious revival. Ask yourself, why not? A.L.M. May 26, 2005 [c422wds]
Wednesday, May 25, 2005
TWO UNKNOWNS I often think of how grateful we ought to be as citizens of a nation of our very own, marked as being distinctive in many ways, ought to be especially grateful for two things we do not know. Such negative philosophy is not often applauded, or even mentioned in public, less we be thought of as being inherently stupid and unaware of what makes us “tick” as a governing mechanism designed and built by men and women not unlike our own sum and substance. During recent weeks with all the hassle about those elected officials we insist on calling “Senators” have been engaged in playing an enlarged version of a silly little poly-play game called “filibustering “. If it gets started, one side has to keep talking to prevent the other side cannot say anything... and it's all said to be legal, too. I have been wondering what might have been fermenting in the mind of Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia who is now is now the sole remaining super-filler-blustering champion since Strom Thurmond stopping talking and hence, assumed to be dead. Byrd is no slouch at it and kicks off bluster like he does one of his endless fiddle tunes. Back in 1999 we were in a snit about putting our entire Constitution of our States United on line along with a time-line study which would tell exactly what it had been, what it seemed to be then, and to guess-to-mate and what it might be to us for us now in the next century. Some wanted to do a “plain” text version which would enable all know what the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation and other such documents said and how the Constitution's writers are supposed to have summed it all up. One of enduring qualities of our present system is that it cannot be pinned down absolutely and definitely to favor a specific concept without allowing for potential changes and modifications. Cataloging the nationals Constitution in such a way would have been a tragic thing , and it is entirely possible that it will all come up again that faction wish to do so. And, I am in favor of retaining the “Star-Spangled Banner” as our national anthem, too I may not sing it well; I may not play it properly to keep the high note within reasonable distance, but I have felt” what it can mean - on several occasions in my life time. A simple little tune invites parodies and demeans our being what we ought to be. A.L.M. May 25, 2005 [c442wds]
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
FIRST BOW While we were having our evening meal, we were entertained by an electrical storm trying to form itself off to the west. It was not a severe storm for the spring time of the year. It had started with the appearance of a long, gray, forbidding-looking gray cloud stretched out from what seemed to be the entire length of the Appalachian mountain range which formed a very real wall prevented the eastward passage of storms to the East. Since they were anticipated and expected to start, showers arrived in the Valley almost without being noticed. Sudden hurried winds, however, scudded quickly through and thereby called some attention to the actual arrival of the storm. Large raindrops fell, lightening flashed, stabbed and shattering strands of thunder rolled and rumbled over the Valley's undulations. The proclamation of it presence roared and rolled across the Valley from the northwest. The rain was not too heavy, but we could see the floods spattering on the boards of the deck just outside the great, glass window-door The storm had competition that particular night, because that was the evening champion trivia-quizzer Ken Jennings returned to “Jeopardy” in the first of a three-part, two million dollar run off. The storm just had to wait until we found out how Jennings fared in this long-awaited competition. We were pleased that he did well and he “will, be back tomorrow “ One of our four daughters, Babara, took one of her grandchildren who, then, is on of our great-grands – Dakota Fulk – to the front porch to see the rainbow. Little Dakota, barely learning to talk, had not the slightest idea, of what a rainbow might be... but off they went. The storm spent itself quickly. Bright stabs of sunlight came washing over the Valley from due west and a rainbow was a sure thing . I watched Ken Jennings finish up and, while standing near the door saw, to the south, a splendid rainbow. I issued a loud call and they came running. Do you remember your first rainbow? The little boy Dakota didn't know where to look for that sort of thing. He quickly scanned the lawn area, and when he looked up there could be no doubt but that he had discovered what a rainbow should be .. all the world's natural colors on display!. One of us oldsters – probably me and my big mouth - mentioned that the rainbow would go away... die... fade into nothingness. Dakota protested with “No!“ but , even rainbows, he agreed need rest and sleep. In the final moment he seriously bid the rainbow a “Goodnight” and a “Good-Bye”'. I wondered what the small boy was thinking. Do you remember how nice it was talking to your first rainbow? A.L.M. May 23, 2005 [c970wds]
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