The Underground Grammarian: Go Sell The Spartans

SHARETEXT Volume Thirteen The Underground Grammarian
The Underground GRAMMARIAN

Volume Thirteen, Number One . . . . . February 19 9
Go Sell the Spartans
!OM"#$"R" among tho%e &li''ing% that (e

mu%t ha)e lo%t in the la%t month, there (a% a %tory about an edu&ationi%t in *ali+ornia (ho (a% re&iting the &urrently 'o'ular 'ledge o+ allegian&e to Value%. $e %aid, more or le%%, that he %a( nothing (rong (ith letting %tudent% ,no( about $oratio at the bridge, and that the 'oem (ould %ho( them a good e-am'le o+ %omeone (ho %a( ho( im'ortant it (a% to de+end demo&rati& )alue%. No(, to get $oratio mi-ed u' (ith $oratiu% i% no big deal. .ut to a%&ribe to $oratiu% a de)otion to demo&rati& )alue% i% a big mi%ta,e. $e him%el+, i+ (e remember &orre&tly, a%,ed, $o( &an man die better than +a&ing +ear+ul odd%, +or the a%he% o+ hi% +ather%, and the tem'le% o+ hi% god%/ #hile George .u%h, dit&hed in the &old 0a&i+i&, may in +a&t ha)e been re)ering the %e'aration o+ &hur&h and %tate, $oratiu% (a% %urely not ta,ing u' the de+en%e o+ an inde'endent 1udi&iary and a %y%tem o+ &he&,% and balan&e% (hen he a%,ed (ho (ould %tand at hi% right hand. In another time, %&hool&hildren beyond &ounting ,ne( about $oratiu%. They admired him. They (ere %tirred by hi% deed, in (hi&h they %a(, (hether they &ould name it or not, %omething both im'ortant and good. And they %a( the %ame in 2eonida%, and in Roland, and in 3a)y *ro&,ett too. #hat they %a(, and lo)ed, (a% not %ome 'oliti&al &on)i&tion, not 'arty member%hi', but &ourage4&ourage ,ee'ing the bridge (ith the &on%tant &om'anion% o+ &ourage, %trength and %el+5di%&i'line. They did not %ee 6)alue%,7 or the 6de+en%e o+ )alue%.7 They %a( )irtue. They ,ne( it (a% good. That *ali+ornian edu&ationi%t tell% u% all (e really need to ,no( about the +uture o+ all thi% )alue% bu%ine%% in the %&hool%. $e i% a+raid to %ay the name o+ )irtue. $e ha% to demote &ourage into 6the de+en%e o+ demo&rati& )alue%.7 It i% a% though
&ourage by it%el+ (ere not enough, and that it %tand% in need o+ o++i&ial &erti+i&ation. A+ter all, although (e may, grudgingly, ha)e to &on&ede that %ome .ad Guy% %eemed to %ho( &ourage in the de+en%e o+ )alue% other than demo&rati&, (e &an hardly &all them )irtuou%, or ta,e the &han&e that %&hool&hildren might admire them. A+ter mu&h ha%%ling about the +a,e 8ue%tion o+ 6(ho%e )alue% to tea&h,7 our edu&ationi%t% ha)e de&ided to 'lay it %a+e yet again and %ti&, to the *on%titution and the .ill o+ Right%, (hi&h neither 'rai%e the &ourageou% nor de%'i%e the &o(ardly. Tho%e do&ument% do not, a% they %hould not, addre%% them%el)e% to the )irtue o+ the indi)idual. They elaborate the limitation% o+ go)ernment, (hi&h ha% not (hat it ta,e% to be either &o(ardly or bra)e, and they lea)e the indi)idual +ree to be either. They %et +orth not the lineament% o+ )irtue and )i&e, o+ (hi&h only the (ill o+ a 'er%on i% &a'able, but o+ legitima&y and illegitima&y, the &loudy and e'hemeral analogue% o+ 6good7 and 6bad7 in 'oliti&%. It i% e-a&tly out o+ &o(ardi&e that the %&hool 'eo'le ha)e retreated into the %helter o+ thi% 'er+e&tly %'lendid but utterly ina''ro'riate body o+ lore. They are a+raid o+ religioni%t%. They are a+raid o+ immigrant%, (ho %eem, to them, to ha)e &ome to thi% land in order to 're%er)e the )ery &u%tom% and &on)ention% +rom (hi&h they barely e%&a'ed (ith their li)e%. They are a+raid o+ minoritie%, no( beyond &ounting, (hom they %eem to %u%'e&t o+ harboring (eird 6alternati)e )alue%,7 an admiration o+ %loth, 'erha'%, or a re)eren&e +or de&eit. !o they are 'laying it %a+e (ith the %turdy %hield o+ o++i&ial &erti+i&ation. The religioni%t%, any bra)e tea&her (ould di%regard utterly. #e are deluded, and ignorant o+ hi%tory, i+ (e a&&e't the 'ro'o%ition that religiou% belie+ i% the root o+ our %ear&h +or the moral li+e. And (e are )i&iou%ly deluded i+ (e thin, it, a% the religioni%t% (ould 're+er, the only root o+ the moral li+e, %o that (e &an then thro( hand grenade% into ea&h other9% baby &arriage% in good &on%&ien&e. And, in the %ear&h +or the moral li+e, there are no immigrant%. There are no minoritie%. They are all human 'eo'le. They ha)e )ariou% &u%tom% and &on)ention%, e)en a% e)ery +amily doe%, and they ha)e di++erent 6)alue%,7 no doubt, %ome thin,ing time or money better %'ent in thi% (ay or that, but they do not ha)e di++erent )irtue%. No &ulture
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in&ul&ate% the admiration o+ trea&hery, or &ontem't +or +idelity. #hite, bla&,, and bro(n &hildren, and all %hade% in bet(een, (ill re&ogni:e and admire )irtue (hen they %ee it, not only in member% o+ other &ulture%, but e)en in bunny rabbit% in %tory boo,%. In thi% regard, the only true minority i% the &om'any4i% it really gro(ing/4 o+ the de'ra)ed. To them there i% no %'ea,ing. Mo%t %&hool &hildren are 'robably not de'ra)ed. That ta,e% time. And they are not &o(ard%. They &an a&&e't the +a&t that $oratiu%9 &ourage i% a goodne%% in it%el+, and that it doe% not re8uire the li&en%e o+ o++i&ial ideology. They really de%er)e bra)e tea&her%, but the edu&ationi%t% are not in any 'o%ition to 'ro)ide them (ith bra)e tea&her%. ;60eo'le (ith &ourage and &hara&ter,7 %aid $e%%e, 6al(ay% %eem %ini%ter to the re%t.7< The edu&ationi%t% are not really de'ra)ed. Not yet. .ut they are in danger o+ de'ra)ity= they ha)e learned to reinter'ret their &o(ardi&e not merely a% an en+or&ed &on&e%%ion to their %tatu% a% 'ubli& %er)ant%, 'oliti&ally ho%tage to the multitude, but a% an ideologi&ally &orre&t 6+airne%%.7 They (ill %ay, +or in%tan&e, that they &annot 1u%t ignore the religioni%t%, or e)en let one o+ the tea&her% ignore the religioni%t%= they are, a+ter all, in the %er)i&e o+ the (hole 'ubli&, the nation. *om'romi%e. *on&iliation. And they are (hat they &all 6reali%ti&7 in the +a&e o+ +ear+ul odd%, and not about to +ight to hold %ome little bridge. They need the money. 6Tho%e in ba&, &ry, For(ard= and tho%e in +ront &ry, .a&,>7 Too bad. It i% a&tually 8uite ea%y to %ho( &hildren goodne%% and lead them into thin,ing about it. Mo)ie% do it all the time, +ar better than the %&hool%. It &an be done in any %ub1e&t matter, but it 'robably i% ea%ie%t in %u&h %tudie% a% literature and hi%tory. All it ta,e% i% a bra)e, and +ree, tea&her. #e imagine a hi%tory le%%on +or little &hildren? A bra)e tea&her (ould ha)e to %ay %omething li,e thi%? #ell, I (ould not li,e to li)e in a 'la&e li,e !'arta, and I thin, it% +orm o+ go)ernment not &ondu&i)e to the +ulle%t and be%t 'o%%ible de)elo'ment o+ e)ery &iti:en, but I &annot deny that 2eonida% %hine%, and all hi% men. There i% %ome my%tery here. For that %tern and +ero&iou% &ity, good and bra)e men &ho%e to die. !ee (hat i% (ritten on the %tone? Go, %tranger. Go tell the !'artan%, that here, obedient to her la(%, (e &ho%e to die. #hat a %trange thing )irtue i%, and (hat a
(ondrou% thing a 'er%on i%. And (hat a %trange thing (ar i%, too, mo%t hideou% o+ all human enter'ri%e%. A mad mon%ter, in (ho%e %er)i&e, ho(e)er, a man need not go mad. A &o(ardly tea&her (ill lie, and 'eddle %ome bull about the de+en%e o+ all our %(ell right% to %omething or other.
Crying for the Moon

6#e made a &ommitment to go to the moon. *an9t (e ma,e a &ommitment that no 'er%on (ill dro' out o+ %&hool and that all 'eo'le (ill be able to read/7
T$AT inanity &ome% +orth +rom the mouth, and

'robably, ala%, +rom the mind, o+ one 2auro *a)a:o%. *a)a:o% i% 1u%t no( the +ederal go)ernment9% tame edu&ationi%t, a re'la&ement 'art ne(ly %tu&, into the %o&,et le+t em'ty by the de'arture o+ #illiam .ennett, (ho (ill no( ta,e &are o+ the drug (ar. .ennett (a% not 'o'ular (ith the edu&ationi%t%. *a)a:o% i% 'o'ular (ith the edu&ationi%t%. Unli,e .ennett, *a)a:o% i% +ull o+ Right !entiment%. The %entiment 'ronoun&ed abo)e i% %o right that it (in% the +ollo(ing a''ro)al o+ Fred $e&hinger, (ho ,ee'% on e-'laining all about edu&ation +or the New York Times? 60erha'% the %hi+t +rom Mr. .ennett9% o+ten %hrill rhetori& to Mr. *a)a:o%9% &om'a%%ionate a''eal +or the 'oor i% the +ir%t %ign o+ a turn to the ,inder, gentler nation.7 Among edu&ationi%t%, 6%hrill rhetori&7 mean% anything that i% not mu%h +rom a (im'. And they lo)e e%'e&ially any mu%h that &an %omeho( or other be &on%trued a% a &om'a%%ionate a''eal +or the 'oor. A% +ar a% (e ,no(, they ha)e not yet been te%ted a% to (here they %tand on %ome imaginable a''eal to the 'oor, (hi&h might a&tually ha)e %ome e++e&t on %u&h %o&ial my%terie% a% (ide%'read illitera&y and e%&a'e +rom %&hool, but that day (ill ne)er &ome until edu&ationi%t% li,e *a)a:o% %tart to %ho( %ome %ign% o+ edu&ation, and thu% de)elo' the habit o+ li%tening to them%el)e% and trying to %'ea, %en%e in%tead o+ %entiment. #e ha)e not loo,ed it u', but (e are 'retty damned %ure that thi% *a)a:o% +ello( had no 'art (hat%oe)er in the &om'li&ated enter'ri%e o+ %ending %ome men to hit gol+ ball% around on the
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moon. Nor do (e belie)e that 2auro *a)a:o% e)er 'ut hi% hand on hi% heart or hi% .ible or (hate)er and 6made the &ommitment7 to go to the moon. And the %ame goe% +or hi% 'al%. !tudent% in %&hool ha)e a name +or that ,ind o+ tal,, but our %tyle%heet doe% not 'ermit u% to u%e it. #e are, ho(e)er, 'ermitted to 'oint out that it i% a% arrogant and 're%um'tuou% a% it i% +atuou%. #ho the hell i% he to %ay 6(e,7 (hen he, 1u%t li,e our a%%o&iate &ir&ulation manager, had no more 'art in 6going to the moon7 than he had in getting through the (inter at Valley Forge or &ro%%ing the Rubi&on/ #hat i% it (ith the%e ridi&ulou% edu&ation 'eo'le, that they &laim 'ro+e%%ional 'o(er% o+ dee' under%tanding o+ the .ig I%%ue%, to %ay nothing o+ &om'a%%ion, but they &an9t e)en ,ee' tra&, o+ the ante&edent% o+ their 'ronoun%/ They are al%o notoriou%ly bad (ith analogie%. 3oe% that *a)a:o% truly imagine that uni)er%al litera&y along (ith the uni)er%al 're)enti)e detention o+ &hildren are to be brought about in the %ame (ay that 'eo'le &an ma,e the ma&hinery +or a tri' to the moon/ That i% not a 6mi%ta,e.7 It i% a 'ro+ound mi%under%tanding. And it may (ell be the 'ro+ound mi%under%tanding (hi&h bring% all %entimental do5goodi%m ultimately to e-a&erbate the %u''o%ed 6'roblem%7 that it %ee,% to %ol)e. In +a&t, the tri' to the moon i% not a (onder or a mar)el. !in&e no la( o+ nature +orbade it, and in+ormation and te&hnology are &umulati)e, it (a% ine)itable. Ine%&a'able. It i% no greater an a&&om'li%hment +or 6u%7 than another %tunt (a% +or them (ho bridged the $elle%'ont. The truly (ondrou% a&hie)ement (ould be not the de)i%ing o+ %ome elaborate ma&hinery (ith (hi&h to do %omething ne)er done be+ore, but the de&i%ion not to u%e it. O+ thi%, %in&e thought+ulne%% and under%tanding are not &umulati)e, (e are in&a'able. O+ the %u''o%ed 6&ommitment7 o+ any indi)idual te&hni&ian (ho (or,ed on the moon bu%ine%%, no other o+ u% &an %'ea,, or %hould. It i%, in any &a%e, not rele)ant. It i% 'er+e&tly 'o%%ible, e)en li,ely, that %ome greedy and %el+5%er)ing ele&tri&al engineer, (ith no other moti)e than 'er%onal gain, did e-&ellent and e%%ential (or,. Nor did he, or any o+ hi% &olleague%, need to (in the a''ro)al and &on%ent o+ their material% or %y%tem%. Or o+ the moon. They needed only that %teel be %teel= gra)ity, gra)ity= and logi&, logi&.
*a)a:o%9 +ruit&a,e +anta%y in (hi&h 6no 'er%on (ill dro' out o+ %&hool7 i% about e-a&tly that4no 'er%on. .ut the (ill out o+ (hi&h to %tay in %&hool 4or to dro' out o+ it, +or that matter4i% to be +ound only in a 'er%on. 3oe% thi% *a)a:o% imagine that the (ill% o+ &ountle%% &hildren &an %omeho( be %ent to %ome moon be&au%e %teel i% %teel/ Or doe% he 'erha'% ,no( that the t(o enter'ri%e% are utterly unali,e, and imagine only that %ome Right !entiment in the edu&ationi%t% (ill magi&ally bring about an alteration o+ the (ill in &ountle%% &hildren/ No, to both, (e %u%'e&t. #hat he doe% ,no(, ho(e)er, i% that i+ he %ay% tho%e %illy (ord%, 'eo'le li,e Fred $e&hinger (ill 'ronoun&e him )irtuou%. *om'a%%ion i% a mar)elou%ly &om+ortable )irtue. @ou &an ha)e a% mu&h o+ it a% you li,e (ithout e)er being in&on)enien&ed 1u%t %o long a% you are &are+ul to ha)e &om'a%%ion +or %o many 'eo'le that you &an9t 'o%%ibly +ind the time to deal (ith any mere indi)idual among them. *om'a%%ion +or your neighbor (ho ha% lo%t hi% 1ob, and (ho%e &hildren and dog% 'lay (ith your &hildren and dog%, &an 'ut you in an a(,(ard %'ot +rom time to time. *om'a%%ion +or an elderly +ather (ho ha% gone dotty and &ran,y &an &o%t you hal+ your li+e. .ut the .ig *om'a%%ion, &om'a%%ion +or the )a%t multitude% o+ the 'oor, or the hungry (ho li)e in %ome di%tant land, (ill &o%t you nothing but an o&&a%ional +i)e5%'ot by mail to %ome &om'a%%ion 1obber, and (ill +urthermore 'ro)ide you (ith a bum'er %ti&,er that (ill identi+y you to the (orld a% )irtuou%. @our neighbor &annot a++ord to 'a%% out bum'er %ti&,er%, and your &om'a%%ion +or him might (ell be (a%ted. $e&hinger +ind% +urther 'roo+ o+ the *om'a%%ion o+ *a)a:o% in the +a&t that *a)a:o% ha% 'romi%ed to 6be &on%i%tent in %ee,ing +unding7 +or *ha'ter One, (hi&h %eem% to be %ome %ort o+ +ederal 'rogram. $o( %'lendidly di++erent thi% i%, %ay% $e&hinger, +rom 6the &on%er)ati)e in&antation that Ayou &an9t %ol)e 'roblem% by thro(ing money at them9.7 A''arently there i% %ome e8ui)alent liberal in&antation that you can %ol)e 'roblem% by thro(ing money at them. .ad &e%% to both tho%e 'a&,% o+ %u'er%titiou% in&anter%. In +a&t, you &an %ol)e any 'roblem. That9% (hat 6'roblem7 mean%. A 'roblem i% one
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end o+ a tangled %tring. The other end e-i%t%. @ou ha)e to +igure out ho( to 'ull. Going to the moon i% a 'roblem. It re8uire% logi&al analy%i% ba%ed on &ertain +a&t% and 'ermanent 'rin&i'le%, all o+ (hi&h &an be ,no(n, e)en i+ they aren9t (hen you begin. ")ery element o+ it i% 6de'endable,7 in the %en%e that arithmeti&al o'eration% are de'endable, %o that three +rom %e)en i% al(ay% +our. It &all% +or ordering and harmoni:ing, +or %&ru'ulou% attention to the tinie%t detail% o+ e)ery little thing, and +or a )i%ion o+ the (hole o+ (hi&h all the detail% are e%%ential 'art%. It i% a big 'roblem, but it i% 1u%t a 'roblem. It &an be %ol)ed. .ut the 6dro'out 'roblem7 i% not a 'roblem. It i% %omething el%e. There i% not one 'ie&e o+ %tring= there are million%. No generali:ation% &an be a%%umed= no de'endable o'eration% e-i%t. It ha% no a-iom%, no li%t o+ the attribute% and beha)ior% o+ material%. Not all the time and money in the (orld (ill 6%ol)e7 it, be&au%e solving i% not the a&tion rele)ant to it. There i% no other end o+ the %tring to rea&h. To 6belie)e7 in the other end i% 1u%t that, a belie+, a 'iou% dream. Religiou%ne%%. Right !entiment. .un,. On the other hand, to go out into the %treet% and +ind %ome ,id (ho (on9t go to %&hool and (ho i% royally %&re(ing u' hi% (hole li+e, and, in the 'la&e o+ hi% mi%erable 'arent% (ho ha)e already %&re(ed u' beyond remedy, to do %omething +or him, %o that he might be (illing to go through all o+ the %illy ritual% o+ %&hooling and %till &ome out better, and in %ome ho'e o+ ha''ine%%4that you &an do. *a)a:o% &an9t. $e9% too bu%y %ol)ing the dro'out 'roblem.
Shrill Rhetoric from the Wimp
#" had a letter +rom a good and +aith+ul reader.

It (a% both intere%ting and di%turbing. !he %aid that (hile %he en1oyed reading T$" UN3"RGROUN3 GRAMMARIAN, %he al%o ob%er)ed that it% e%%ay% (ere 6mo%tly negati)e in tone.7 In other (ord%, (e gue%%, intere%ting and di%turbing. .ut %he %aid more than that, and (e thin, %he de%er)e% %ome an%(er% to all o+ thi%? 6*ould you o++er %ome 'o%iti)e, &on&rete %ugge%tion% +or im'ro)ing our edu&ational %y%tem/ It i% )ery (ell to %it ba&, and %ay that (e
mu%t tea&h &hildren Athe &ulti)ation o+ %el+5 ,no(ledge and %el+ go)ernment,9 but ho(/ !urely they mu%t al%o learn reading, (riting and arithmeti&. In the day to day &la%%room, (ith all o+ it% di%tra&tion% and %ub)er%ion%, ho( doe% a tea&her im'art the &ulti)ation o+ %el+5 ,no(ledge/ ... $o( doe% %o&iety tea&h 'eo'le to be/7 $er letter9% e-&ellent 8ue%tion%, and her 'ro+ound under%tanding that edu&ation i% a matter not o+ (hat a 'er%on &an do, but o+ (hat a 'er%on &an be, ha)e %ome ironi& im'li&ation% +or u%. #e too are unea%y about that negati)e tone. !urely, (i%dom and &om'laint &annot d(ell together any more than (i%dom and &harity &an d(ell a'art. And (e are not &haritable. #e do the be%t (e &an to 'ro)e the &a%e (hen (e &all +ool% +ool%, but (e do &all them +ool%. In 'ubli&4 although to be %ure, in a )ery %mall 'ubli&. To our ,no(ledge, no edu&ationi%t ha% e)er lo%t a 1ob, or e)en %u++ered mild di%a''ro)al +rom hi% &olleague% or ma%ter%, +or ha)ing been ridi&uled in thi% %heet. #e (ill, ho(e)er, be +ir%t to %ay that that doe% not matter, that he (ho +ire% o++ the bullet (ill not e%&a'e guilt, ho(e)er he may e%&a'e the la(%, 1u%t be&au%e he ha''en% to mi%%. Nor &an (e deny that, e)en in the &ertainty that (e &an do them no harm, that it i% not +or the good o+ our )i&tim% that (e tal, about them. A% it ha''en%, ho(e)er, our a%%o&iate &ir&ulation manager did on&e (rite, on our behal+, a boo, that (a%, (ith only a +e( minor la'%e%, ,ind. O+ tho%e (ho had re)ie(ed %ome o+ hi% earlier boo,%, +e( (anted to tou&h thi% one. Tho%e +e(, almo%t (ithout e-&e'tion, %aid that they li,ed him mu&h better (hen he (a% %nar,y, and +unny. The boo, (a% &alled The Gift of Fire, and4ho( %trange4it trie% to 'ro)ide %ome an%(er% to e-a&tly the 8ue%tion% a%,ed by the reader 8uoted abo)e. And to many other, related 8ue%tion% and )e-ation%. It %aid, in brie+? 2oo,. There i% no 'oint in &ar'ing +ore)er about the %y%tem. 2et u% &on%ider (hat (e might u%e+ully and intelligently &hoo%e to mean by true edu&ation, and di%&o)er %ome (ay in (hi&h (e might bring %ome mea%ure o+ it about, in our%el)e%, and then, but only then, in other%. It i% not a boo, on the re+orm o+ the %&hool%, ho(e)er. It hold% edu&ation a 'urely in(ard &ondition that might or might not be engendered in %&hool%, or any(here el%e, and that might or
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might not be 're&luded by %&hool%, or by anything el%e. It did not, ho(e)er, ma,e any %ugge%tion% a% to ho( 6%o&iety7 might tea&h 'eo'le to be. It argued rather that our belie+ that 6%o&iety7 &an tea&h4or learn4(ill in%ure u% +ore)er again%t edu&ation. It 'ro)ided no %u''ort at all +or &on%er)ati)e idea% about edu&ation, or +or liberal idea% about edu&ation. #illiam .ennett and Albert !han,er, had they read it, (ould ha)e e8ually di%a''ro)ed it. To u%, o+ &our%e, that %eem% an old %tory. #e (ould rather li)e in a %hell5hole in no man9% land than enli%t in either o+ the ignorant armie%, but (e may be +ooling our%el)e%. !ome good 'eo'le that (e ,no( ha)e %aid, (ith %ur'ri%ing +re8uen&y, that they tried to read Gift of Fire, but that it ,e't them a(a,e at night, and that they had to gi)e it u'. Other ha)e %aid, @e%, ye%, that9% the truth, and then ne)er mentioned it again. !ome +e( ha)e been inordinate in their 'rai%e, but they &ould be &ran,%. And it may %im'ly be that the boo, i% 1u%t 'lain (rong, or %illy, or no good. #e really don9t ,no(, and it i% &ertainly not +or u% to 1udge. It i%, ho(e)er, e-a&tly (hat our &orre%'ondent i% a%,ing +or, and (e ha)e to urge that %he read it. !he may, o+ &our%e, di%a''ro)e (hat %he +ind%, but beyond the an%(ering (e &annot go. In any &a%e, %in&e %he i% one o+ u%, %he (ill under%tand that an an%(er, or any %ort o+ &on%ideration, that i% intended to (in %omebody9% a''ro)al, i% &learly +ar (or%e than no an%(er at all. #e do (hat (e &an. !he &an ha)e it. #e ha)e, ine)itably, been %li''ing idea% +rom Gift of Fire into the%e 'ie&e%. 0erha'% (e %hould do more o+ that. .ut !ha( on&e %aid, 6I+ you do not %ay a thing in an irritating (ay, you may 1u%t a% (ell not %ay it at all, be&au%e 'eo'le (ill not trouble them%el)e% about anything that doe% not trouble them.7 Nobody goe% loo,ing +or light until he noti&e% that it i% getting dar,. BBBBBBBBBBBB Reader% o+ten (rite to %ay that they ha)e tried to +ind a boo, o+ our A*M, but that it i% either out o+ 'rint or in a my%teriou% &ondition &alled 6una)ailable.7 #hat they ha)e i% a la:y boo,%eller. All o+ the A*M9% boo,% are in 'rint, either +rom 2ittle, .ro(n, or !imon and !&hu%ter. And they are all a)ailable, too, to any boo,%eller (ho (ill trouble him%el+ to order them.
!end o++ a note and ha)e your%el+ added to the mailing li%t o+ The Common Reader, a re&urrent &atalog 'ubli%hed by a good boo,%eller named Ale- Goulder, (ho &an be +ound at 1CD Tom',in% A)enue, 0lea%ant)ille, N@ 1EDCE. $e ha% good boo,%.
The Underground Grammarian 0o%t O++i&e .o- FEG Gla%%boro, Ne( Her%ey E EF R. Mit&hell, A%%o&. *ir&ulation Mgr. "ight i%%ue% a year. One year %ub%&ri'tion? 0er%on% in the U!A or *anada, I1DU!= 0er%on% el%e(here, IFE= non5'er%onal entitie% o+ any %ort, i.e., librarie%, IFD, or more.

Volume Thirteen, Number T(o . . . . . Mar&h 19 9
The Great Divide

A %ub&ommittee o+ the National *ommi%%ion on "du&ation brie+ly &on%idered thi% %ub1e&t o+ moral edu&ation. The member% mu%ed about the 'o%%ibility o+ em'loying the Tao o+ *. !. 2e(i% ;in The Abolition of an< a% a %tarting 'oint +or thi% di%&u%%ion. The Tao i% a li%t o+ &on)i&tion% held by all o+ the ma1or religion% and religiou% 'hilo%o'hie%. It in&lude% re%'e&t +or an&e%tor% or elder%, hone%ty in one9% dealing% (ith other%, 'rin&i'le% o+ mer&y and 1u%ti&e, and other great ethi&al in%ight%. The &ommittee did not &ontinue to meet be&au%e o+ the 're%% o+ time and 'reo&&u'ation (ith a&ademi& a%'e&t% o+ %&hooling.
T$O!" are the (ord% o+ Annette Jir,, (hi&h

(e +ound in The University !ookman, Volume F , Number K. ;A good %heet, by the (ay.< Jir, (a% one o+ the member% o+ the National *ommi%%ion on "-&ellen&e in "du&ation. It (a% that &ommi%%ion that %ent out the +amou% 6Nation at
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Ri%,7 re'ort, (hi&h held that no imaginable enemy o+ the nation &ould ha)e done u% more damage than (hat had been done to u% by our o(n %&hool%. #e (ere not a%toni%hed. #e had already been %aying that +or year%, and (ithout &harging the ta-'ayer% a &ent. #e (ere al%o not a%toni%hed, but only a little bit %addened, that there (a% no rioting in the %treet%, and that not one dean o+ tea&her5 training (a% burned in e++igy. A+ter all, it ma,e% 1u%t a% mu&h %en%e to ride the &urri&ulum &oordinator% out o+ to(n on a rail a% to tra%h a 3at%un in 3etroit, or to dum' tea into the harbor, +or that matter, but %ome thing% &ount more than other%. !in&e 6Nation at Ri%,,7 o+ &our%e, e)erything ha% gone do(nhill. And the mo%t re&ent di%&o)ery o+ damage done by the enemy (ithin i% (hat Jir, ha% in mind in her a+ter5the5+a&t re+le&tion% on the *ommi%%ion9% (or,. !he i%, in e++e&t, an%(ering a &urrently 'o'ular 8ue%tion? #ell, ho( &ome you e-&ellen&e 'eo'le didn9t do %omething about all thi% moral rot and de&ay, and %ee to it that the %&hool% tea&h %ome neat )alue%, +or a &hange/ And Jir,9% an%(er i%, not unrea%onably, 2oo,, (e &ouldn9t do everything, and (e did ha)e to deal (ith the a&ademi& %tu++. Although the a&ademi& %tu++ turn% out not to ha)e been dealt (ith any better than the )alue% %tu++, (e &an hardly blame Jir,, or the *ommi%%ion, +or that. .ut, &on%idering the intere%ting &lue they +ound ;but ignored< in that bu%ine%% o+ the Tao, (e are in&lined to blame them +or ha)ing mi%%ed 'erha'% the only +ederally %'on%ored o''ortunity o+ thi% age to &ontem'late the a%%um'tion im'li&it in Jir,9% e-&ul'ation4 the a%%um'tion that the intelle&tual li+e i% one thing, and the moral li+e another. Mo%t 'eo'le do believe that= but they don9t know that. Nobody ,no(% that. It i% 'ro+e%%able and 'ro+e%%ed, o+ &our%e, notably by the 6'ro+e%%ional%7 o+ mind and the 6'ro+e%%ional%7 o+ %oul, +or the t(o tribe% long ago made a mutual %e&urity 'a&t, ea&h agreeing to lea)e the other +ree to re&ruit (hate)er belie)er% it &ould. There ha)e been tru&e )iolation%, to be %ure, but only o)er the 8ue%tion o+ (ho i% ruling in (hat 'ro)in&e. Ne)er doe% one tribe a%%ert it% right to do the (or, o+ the other. Only in )ery %ele&t &om'any (ill one tribe debun, the (or, o+ the other. And the re%t o+ u% are le+t to belie)e that i+ (e (ant ,no(ledge,
there i% only one tribe to &on%ult, and, i+ goodne%%, only the other. It i% a handy arrangement. In thi% &onte-t, *. !. 2e(i%, on (ho%e boo, the member% mu%ed, i% an intere%ting &a%e. #hile he %'ea,% al(ay% out o+ %ome do&trinal orthodo-y, he argue% al(ay% out o+ rea%on, (here there i% no %u&h thing a% orthodo-y. $e %eem% to +ollo( A8uina% in holding that rea%on i% %u++i&ient +or the under%tanding o+ e)erything, and that re)elation i% 'ro)ided only be&au%e no one li)e% long enough ;or rea%onably enough< to get that 1ob done on hi% o(n. In The Abolition of an he ta&,le% a 'ertinent dilemma, (hi&h, li,e all o+ the na%tie%t dilemma%, %eem% utterly to ha)e e%&a'ed the noti&e o+ tho%e (ho mo%t need to (re%tle (ith it. #hen (e e%tabli%h a Ne( Order and bring in a Ne( #ay, (e intend to ma,e %omething that i% better. .ut %hould (e ha)e to gi)e an a&&ount o+ that betterne%%, and not merely a%%ert it, but show it, (e al(ay% end u' 1u%ti+ying the Ne( #ay by di%&o)ering it% li&en%e o+ legitima&y in the Old #ay. #e may, +or in%tan&e, de&ide that the &hildren %hould be +or&ed to 'er+orm &haritable a&t% in order to earn &redit to(ard +inan&ial aid in &ollege, and thu% e%tabli%h a Ne( Morality in (hi&h the (orth o+ the deed i% unrelated to the (ill o+ the doer, but (e (ill 1u%ti+y it (ith the %trength o+ the Old Morality, out o+ (hi&h (e ,no( (hat (e mean by a &haritable a&t, and ,no(, al%o, that it i% good, and that it% goodne%%, unli,e the goodne%% o+ the +or&ed &haritable a&t, %tand% in no need o+ 1u%ti+i&ation beyond it%el+. And that i% (hat 2e(i% mean% by the Tao, and not, a% Jir, %ay%, a 6li%t o+ religiou% &on)i&tion%.7 #hen (e go to gi)e an a&&ount o+ the goodne%% o+ thi% or that a&t, or 'lan, or %entiment, or anything o+ (hi&h a human i% &a'able, (e al(ay% end u' in the %ame 'la&e, in %ome not )ery large body o+ lore, (hi&h %eem%, +urthermore, +rom the e)iden&e o+ +ol,lore% and mythologie%, to ha)e been ,no(n to all 'eo'le at all time%. Religion% need the Tao, o+ &our%e. #ithout it they (ould ha)e nothing but their +anta%ie%. The Tao need% no religion%. It i% not out o+ religiou% belie+, or out o+ 6re%'e&t +or the la(7 either, that you ,no( (hat 1udgment to ma,e o+ a 1udge (ho%e )erdi&t i% bought, or, +or that matter, buyable. In +a&t, religiou% belie+ i% (hat it i%, and the la( i% (hat it i%, out o+ re%'e&t +or the Tao. And thi% i% 1u%t a% &lear to %&hool&hildren a% to 1uri%t%. .ut (hy/ Hu%t how do
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(e ,no( that/ 3oe% our 6,no(ledge7 it%el+ %tand in need o+ an a&&ounting/ #here, behind that ,no(ledge, a% it (ere, &ould (e go to 1u%ti+y it, a% (e &an go behind the Ne( #ay and 1u%ti+y it by the Old/ Or, %hould (e (ant to debun, it, and bring in a ne( order in (hi&h no one %ee% anything (rong (ith a bought )erdi&t, (here (ill (e +ind the root o+ that old ,no(ledge, that (e may &ut it o++, and &ure the 'eo'le o+ their delu%ion% about bought )erdi&t%/ The a''arent im'o%%ibility o+ an%(ering %u&h 8ue%tion% i% (hat bring% 2e(i% to %ay o+ the Tao that it i% be&au%e it i%, and that there i% no 'la&e beyond it to go to. And it i% an a%%erted an%(er to %u&h 8ue%tion% that gi)e% religion% (hat 'o(er they ha)e. The %&hool 'eo'le are, and (ho &an blame them, a+raid o+ the religion%, %in&e an a%%ertion, (here no e)iden&e &an be %ho(n, ha% no an%(er but a &ontrary a%%ertion. .ut they are so a+raid o+ the religion% that they grant them more &reden&e than they de%er)e. #hen the religioni%t% &laim to be 'ro'rietor% o+ the Tao, the %&hool 'eo'le bo( do(n. They %ay, Oh, (ell, in that &a%e (e (ill &ome u' (ith another #ay, our o(n rele)ant 'rodu&t. And (e %ee (hat that ha% brought u%. And then they %ay, li,e the member% o+ the "-&ellen&e *ommi%%ion, Oh, (ell, (e (ere really %u''o%ed to %ti&, to the a&ademi& %tu++ any(ay. No( (hat, (e (onder, are tho%e remar,able 6a&ademi&%7 that they ha)e nothing to do (ith the Tao/ I% there %ome 6%ub1e&t7 that (e &an %tudy and +ind in it no im'li&ation% about rightne%% and (rongne%%, about e8uality and ine8uality, about harmony, balan&e, or &on%e8uen&e/ I% there %ome %&holarly enter'ri%e utterly di)or&ed +rom indu%triou%ne%%, di%&i'line, and hone%ty/ 3o none o+ tho%e a&ademi&% tell %torie% o+ 'eo'le, and ho( they do/ #ell, that may be the &a%e. Maybe the %&hooler% ha)e +inally 'er+e&ted the ab%olutely rele)ant &urri&ulum, the one that (ould al%o be the only 'o%%ible ab%olutely meaningle%% &urri&ulum.
The Other Bird

There are two birds in the tree of life" #ne eats" The other watches"
$O# mu&h %tudy doe% it ta,e to bring u% into

(i%dom/ $o( many boo,% do (e ha)e to read,
and (hi&h one%/ Are %ome &our%e% o+ %tudy e%%ential/ !ome degree%/ I% there %omething, %ome thought, %ome ma%ter'ie&e, %ome one &riti&al +a&t, (ithout (hi&h no one &an under%tand (hat e)eryone %hould under%tand/ Are there4 horror%>4many %u&h/ *on%ider 'oor 3o,tor Fau%t. $e had %tudied4 and ma%tered4Mu%i& and Art, the !&ien&e%, natural and other(i%e, Medi&ine, 0hilo%o'hy, $i%tory, 0hilology, ye%, and e)en ;ugh>< Theology. ;The 6ugh7 i% hi%, not our%.< $e had read all the boo,%, 'a%%ed all the &our%e%, earned all the di'loma%. And, through hi% great labor% he had &ome to reali:e that he ,ne( nothing, nothing at all. $e (a% neither 1o,ing nor 'o%ing, and he &ertainly (a%n9t being humble. $e meant it, and, (e thin,, he (a% right. .eing in+ormed i% ob)iou%ly not the %ame a% ,no(ing, and it i% only through a loo%ene%% o+ language that (e 6,no(7 the &a'ital o+ Ari:ona or the number o+ +eet to the yard. I+ (e are %tri&t about our (ord%, (e %oon &ome to %ee that only thing% (e %eem %e&ure in 6,no(ing7 are %trangely remote and &old, li,e undeniable 'ro'o%ition% about the e8ual and o''o%ite angle% &reated by inter%e&ting line%. They9re right, o+ &our%e, but neither &on%oling no edi+ying. They do not %ati%+y our natural de%ire to ,no(. And that9% (hy (e torment our%el)e% (ith (ondering ho( many boo,% it (ill ta,e, and (hi&h one%. !to' (orrying about it. #e (ill tell you, here and no(, ho( to attain all the ,no(ledge, and (i%dom, that i% 'o%%ible to ordinary mortal%. $ere it i%? Ta,e one boo,. Read in it e)ery day o+ your li+e. #hen you are not reading it, &on%ider it. 0rai%e it. 3amn it. 3i%'ute it. 3amn your 'rai%e, and 'rai%e your damning. 3i%'ute your di%'utation%. #eigh the &on%e8uen&e% o+ belie)ing (hat your boo, belie)e%. *on%ider the &on%e8uen&e% o+ not belie)ing (hat your boo, belie)e%. In the light o+ (hat your boo, %ay%, loo, at your li+e and your deed%. In the light o+ your li+e and deed%, loo, at (hat your boo, %ay%. Meditate in the %till (at&he% o+ the night... #ait> No. 3on9t do that. In%tead, ta,e one 'aragra'h, and do all tho%e thing% e)ery day o+ your li+e. Meditate on it in the... No. #ait> That9% too mu&h, too. It9% more than a mortal &an bear. Ta,e a line, a %ingle line. It9ll do.
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And i+ you &an9t &ome u' (ith the right line o+ the right 'aragra'h o+ the right boo, 1u%t no(, u%e the one (e9)e gi)en you abo)e? 6There are t(o bird% in the tree o+ li+e. One eat%. The other (at&he%.7 It i% a line +rom an old boo,, a )ery old boo,. Older than the .ible, older than $omer. In tho%e day%, there (a% no one (ho 6,ne(7 the &a'ital% o+ the %tate% or the 'la&e o+ %ul+ur in the 'eriodi& table, no one (ho had heard .a&h or read Milton. The in+ormation they la&,ed (a% immea%urable. .ut %o, too, i% our%, and in that (e are no better than they. And, in +a&t, i+ (e ha)e ne)er thought about tho%e t(o bird%, (e are +ar (or%e o++ than they. #ith that one bit o+ 6,no(ledge,7 they &ould ea%ily ha)e been ha''ier, and ,inder, and in e)ery (ay better, than (e. And that i% al%o to %ay, more 6edu&ated,7 %et +ree, than (e, (ho ha)e generally lo%t %ight o+ that other bird, and (ho %'end our li)e% in the %&ramble o+ eating, o+ +eeding our +a&e% and our +ear% and our 'a%%ion% and our ego%, o+ hu%tling to %ell to ea&h other (hat no one need% and be%to(ing all too gratis on ea&h other (hat no one (ant%, and ha%tening home at the end o+ the day to hear (ord o+ the late%t +ire o+ %u%'i&iou% origin in an abandoned (arehou%e, and e)ery +a%&inating and ab%olutely e%%ential detail o+ the ta(dry mi%beha)ior o+ the %'ort% %tar%, and ditto o+ the tediou% amour% o+ 'oliti&ian% and other entertainer%, %o that (e may %lee' in+ormed, to ri%e another day and hand out more o+ (hat nobody (ant%. And to all o+ that, (e add the grinding +ear that %ome greedy, materiali%ti&, and %el+5%er)ing indu%triali%t (ill gi)e u% &an&er (ith hi% no-iou% (a%te %o that (e (on9t li)e a% long a% (e (ant to, en1oying the ri&h +ruit% o+ thi% li+e. I, too, thought you had in mind Re)olution, a 'urging o+ the 0ubli& !&hool% o+ tho%e %eemingly better +itted to %ell u%ed &ar%, and a 'utting in their %tead real 'edant%, &la%%i&i%t% and He%uit 'rie%t%. I, too, thought o+ you a% a modern Tom 0aine, trying to (hi' u% reader% o++ our &ou&he%. .ut I reali:e no( that your (ord% are %'o,en, li,e tho%e o+ !o&rate%, +or no one but me, your 'u'il. I don9t ,no( ho( many &o'ie% o+ the UG you mail, but the only one that matter% i% the one I re&ei)e. I ha)e no idea ho( many &o'ie% o+ The $oyage #ut
are in e-i%ten&e, or ho( many ha)e %een the Gho%t !onata, or ha)e heard Ali&ia de2arro&ha 'lay. #hat matter% i% not the &om'any I ,ee', or ho( %e&ure I +elt being 'art o+ a grou'. #hat matter% i% ho( my 6intera&tion7 (ith all o+ the abo)e creates me. A% you ha)e %aid time and time again, edu&ation i% (hat ha''en% %ilently, and o+ten undete&tably, in the 'ri)a&y o+ one9% %oul (hen one &ome% in &onta&t (ith an edu&ated 'er%on. I am le+t (ith the de%ire to emulate the 'er%on I admire. .ut to do that I mu%t tune my o(n engine. No one &an do it +or me be&au%e the engine i% in)i%ible to all eye% by my in(ard one. .ut my 're%ent intention i% not to tell you (hat you9)e told me, or, +or that matter, to 'at you &onde%&endingly on the ba&, +or holding the 'a%%4(hile the multitude% mill around (ondering i+ all the e)iden&e i% in4 but to 'redi&t that i+ you do ta,e o++ on the road to re+orm, I (ill not +ollo(. @ou ha)e taught me (ell. The eating bird doe% one thing. All the time. It %to'% only on&e. !till, (e li,e it better than the (at&hing bird. The (at&hing bird doe% nothing at all. That9% un5Ameri&an. #e hate it. Our %&hool% hate it, and de)ote them%el)e% e-&lu%i)ely to +eeding the eating bird% in their &hildren, and en&ouraging them to get all they &an. 0i&, u' %ome %,ill%. Get 1ob%. Ma,e money. Get u' and get going, &ommute, and &om'ete. 0ut on %ome &ulture, %o that you &an hold your o(n in di%&u%%ion% (hi&h a%%ume the ,no(ledge o+ the &a'ital% o+ the %tate% and the (inner% o+ A&ademy A(ard%. 2earn to &om'ute, and to &ommuni&ate. @e%, abo)e all, &ommuni&ate> It ,ee'% your mind out there4a(ay +rom your%el+= it ,ee'% you relating to other%. It 'rote&t% you +rom the dread danger o+ +inding your%el+, %ome day, alone, all alone, (ith nothing but your o(n re%our&e%. Jee' the &hannel% o'en. 2oo, ahead. 2oo, out. .e &i)i&. Thin, o+ the +uture. Thin, about (hat i% +ar a(ay and yet to &ome4the tribulation% o+ .anglade%h, the end o+ the o:one layer, and the threat o+ +oreign &om'etition. Thin, o+ Outer !'a&e, but ne)er, ne)er, o+ Inner !'a&e. There may be %trange &reature% there. The eating bird i% the a&ti)i%t in u% all. $e i% )ery intere%ted in &urrent e)ent%, and the (eather
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re'ort. $e %u''o%e% that %omething im'ortant (ill ha''en, or +ail to ha''en, i+ he doe%n9t ha''en to ,no( (hat ha% ha''ened. $e doe%n9t e)en ,no( that the (at&hing bird i% (at&hing. An entire edu&ation, and 'erha'% e)en a (hole &urri&ulum, &ould be de%igned (ith the intent o+ bringing 'eo'le into that &ondition in (hi&h they &ome to noti&e the (at&hing bird, and learn to (at&h (ith it. And that i% (hy (e ha)e 'rinted the unu%ual letter that you might ha)e read on the 're)iou% 'age. I+ not, 'lea%e read it no(. It i%, o+ &our%e, a letter +rom one o+ your &olleague%, a reader. It grati+ied u%, to be %ure, but it in%tru&ted and ama:ed u% a% (ell. It told u% %omething that (e didn9t ,no(. A% it ha''en%, (e are a&8uainted (ith the )ery 'er%on (hom our reader &all% hi% tea&her. A% a real 'er%on (ho (al,% about and doe% thing% in the (orld, he i% no +it tea&her at all. $e i% 8uerulou% and di%orderly. $e doe% o+ten (hat no tea&her %hould do e)er? he di%a''ro)e%. $e &ontend%, and &om'lain%. And, (or%t o+ all, he 1udge%. !o&rate% did none o+ tho%e thing%, and he (ould ha)e ad)i%ed, li,e other% o+ the (i%e, to lea)e 1udgment to tho%e (ho know, among (hom he did not &ount him%el+. No, our reader9% tea&her i% a +raud, and not !o&rate%. No one i% !o&rate%. !o&rate% (a%n9t !o&rate%. !ometime% (e (i%h that the re&ord had not been %o (ell ,e't, or that all tra&e% o+ !o&rate% out%ide o+ 0lato had di%a''eared +ore)er in the de%tru&tion o+ the library in Ale-andria. Thu% (e might be able to thin, o+ !o&rate% a% (hat the !o&rate% (e ,no( a&tually i%? an emblem, a &on%tru&tion o+ the imagination, a 6hero7 in the true%t %en%e o+ that (ord, a 'rin&i'le made )i%ible in the +orm o+ a 'arti&ular. No li)ing, a&ting human being &ould ha)e been the !o&rate% (e %ee in 0lato, in (hom, +or all that ban8ueting, there i% no eating bird. In the !o&rate% (ho (al,ed the %treet% o+ Athen%, there (a% indeed an eating bird, an a&ti)i%t. No one &an li)e other(i%e. It i% intere%ting to noti&e that our reader doe% thin, about li)ing other(i%e, that he rea&he% a &ondition that mu%t be &alled, in our %&hool%, in our bu%ine%%e%, in the hall% o+ go)ernment, and in our &hur&he% a% (ell, (here Martha ha% dri)en out Mary, anti5%o&ial and %el+i%h. $e (ill 'ay %ome 'ri&e +or that, but there i% nothing to be done about it. The eating bird% %ee% only the other eating bird%, and al(ay% %u''o%e% that there mu%t
be %omething 6(rong7 about tho%e in (hom the (at&hing bird i% a(a,e. #hat %'ea,%, and al(ay% %'ea,%, in the !o&rate% o+ the 3ialogue%, i% the (at&hing bird. And (hat %'ea,% in the letter +rom our reader i% the (at&hing bird. #e are not hi% !o&rate%= he i% hi% !o&rate%. $e i% not our 'u'il= he i% hi% 'u'il. That 6edu&ated 'er%on7 (ho a++e&t% him i% no one but him%el+. All o+ (hi&h i% to %ay, all di%&on&ertingly, that (hile no one i% !o&rate%, e)eryone i% !o&rate%. There mu%t, o+ &our%e, be %ome o+ u% (ho are %im'ly unable to (at&h. In+ant%, 'robably, but only +or a (hile4and the mad, 'erha'% +or al(ay%. .ut the &om'lete la&, o+ the ability to (at&h %im'ly mu%t be a&&ounted an a&8uired de+i&it, not a trait o+ &hara&ter or a geneti& inheritan&e, but an in1ury, a lo%% o+ %omething that ought to ha)e been there in the territory (e &all 6human.7 That %u&h a lo%% i% 'o%%ible at all i% +rightening enough= mu&h more +rightening i% the 'o%%ibility that it may be brought about in tho%e (ho are neither in+ant% nor lunati&%. *an the (at&hing bird die, (hile the eating bird goe% on eating/ #hat (ould ,ill it/ I% it born %lee'ing, and (aiting to be a(a,ened/ #hat (ill a(a,en it/ #hat 'rin&e mu%t ,i%% that %lee'ing beauty/ I% he lollygagging in %ome ta)ern/ "ating/ #hat i+ he9% 1u%t not u' to the 1ob/ $mm. No( that (e ha)e &ome u' (ith tho%e 8ue%tion%, (e9)e de&ided to +ight +or Re+orm a+ter all. And 1u%t (ho i% that &ha' +ollo(ing u%, (e (onder.
And furthermore
OUT in 0ullman, #a%hington, they ha)e a, (ell,

a %ort o+ a %&hool, a''arently, (here they...tea&h %tu++. It9% &alled #a%hington !tate Uni)er%ity, and it %ound% li,e a real neat 'la&e. They ha)e %omething they &all the $otel and Re%taurant Management 0rogram. And (hy not/ #e &ertainly (ouldn9t (ant the hotel% and re%taurant% le+t unmanaged, (hi&h they %urely (ould be i+ the edu&ationi%t% o+ #a%hington hadn9t 'er%uaded the legi%lator% o+ #a%hington to e-tra&t %ome money +rom the ta-'ayer% o+ #a%hington to 'ro)ide +or the need% o+ the hotel and re%taurant o(ner% o+ #a%hington, (ho &an hardly be e-'e&ted, all by them%el)e% and at their o(n e-'en%e, to train the 'eo'le (ho are going to
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manage their hotel% and re%taurant%, no( &an they/ No(, 'erha'% troubled in hi% &on%&ien&e +or ha)ing 'ro+ited by all that en+or&ed large%%e o+ the ta-'ayer%, a &ertain Ta&o .ell ha% 'ut u' one 8uarter o+ a million bu&,% %o the $otel and Re%taurant 0rogram 'eo'le &an go out and hire %omeone +or it% brand ne( 3i%tingui%hed 0ro+e%%or%hi' o+ Fa%t Food !er)i&e. It9% not going to be ea%y. All the di%tingui%hed %&holar% o+ +a%t +ood, tho%e (ho ma,e the original and %igni+i&ant &ontribution% to ,no(ledge in that %ub1e&t, are %urely (ell5%ituated, and (ill hardly be tem'ted a(ay by the intere%t on a mea%ly 8uarter o+ a million. ")en at eight 'er&ent, that &ome% to about +orty thou%and bu&,% a year, and any di%tingui%hed +a%t +ood %&holar &ould do a lot better than that 1u%t by o'ening a +ran&hi%e. Nil, ho(e)er, des%erandum. To get Mr. .ell9% money, the legi%lator% o+ #a%hington generou%ly 'ut u' another 8uarter o+ a million o+ the ta-'ayer%9 money a% a mat&hing grant. No( that9% a little more li,e it. Our a%%o&iate &ir&ulation manager %ometime% a&tually ma,e%, and eat%, hi% o(n lun&h. Today, he %et a timer. The (hole o'eration, the ma,ing, the eating, and the %imultaneou% reading o+ the editorial 'age o+ the !unday 'a'er, too, three minute% and ele)en %e&ond%. $e9% going to (rite it u' and %end in hi% )ita. @e%, thi% i%%ue i% late. And that9% not all. The ne-t t(o i%%ue%, A'ril and May, (ill be &orre%'ondingly late. .ut (e thin, (e &an +i- all that. !u''o%e (e %to' u%ing the name% o+ the month%, and %ti&, to number%/ #e9d be intere%ted to hear (hat you thin,4 unle%% you ha''en to be a librarian.
Neither can his mind be thought to be in tune, whose words do jarre; nor his reason in frame, whose sentence is preposterous.
Page 17!

Volume Thirteen, Number Three . . . . . . A'ril 19 9
The !i"eyed !ipers
$"R"9! an entertaining 'ro%'e&t? Thin, o+ all

the little &hildren in %&hool. They are %itting around a table, or maybe bro,en u' into %mall grou'%4o+ten bro,en u', tho%e little &hildren4 &lut&hing in their little hand% %ome little ruler% and ta'e5mea%ure%. Their beaming tea&her 'a%%e% %(eetly among them, gi)ing, to thi% one, the lid o+ a mayonnai%e 1ar, to that one the mayonnai%e 1ar it%el+, to another the hula hoo' that ha% been (aiting all the%e year% in the $and%5on "du&ational !u''ly &lo%et, to another a 'a'er 'i&ni& 'late, and %o on to all. Round and round %he goe%, grandly be%to(ing &ir&ular ob1e&t% o+ e)ery %ort, till e)ery &hild ha%, in hi% )ery hand%, at la%t, a+ter all the%e age% o+ ignoran&e and un&ertainty, the golden ,ey to mathemati&al under%tanding, the great round len% o+ "u&lid, through (hi&h he loo,ed on beauty bare. Thi%, 'lea%e be a%%ured, i% not the Ne( Math. No, no. Thi% time4this time +or %ure4the edu&ationi%t% ,no( (hat to do. 0+ui on the Ne( Math= they (ere de&ei)ed in tho%e bad old day%. No( they ha)e di%&o)ered the New Ne( Math, and e)erything (ill be di++erent +rom no( on. Hu%t you (ait and %ee. 2earning by e-'erien&e. That9% the tri&, o+ it. Tho%e little ,iddie% (ill ta,e their ta'e% and their ruler% in hand, and they (ill mea%ure. #ith the tinie%t ti'% o+ their little tongue% 'rotruding, and their little eye% all %8uin&hed u', they (ill de&ide ho( +ar it i% +rom one edge o+ the hula hoo' to the other, and then, (ith e8ual meti&ulou%ne%%, ho( +ar a little lady5bug (ould ha)e to toddle to ma,e it all the (ay around. And then, oh (o(, they (ill di)ide> In the long run, a+ter oodle% o+ hand%5on mea%uring, and ream% o+ %&ribbled di)i%ion, +ollo(ed by )igorou% bout% o+ a)eraging, they (ill di%&o)er, %ay the 'rea&her% o+ the Ne( Ne( Math, and utterly by their o(n %o&iable enter'ri%e, that
'i i% %ome(here more or le%% in the a''ro-imate neighborhood o+ G.1K. No( (on9t that be (onder+ul, and +ar better than being told %ome )alue o+ 'i by %ome authority +igure/ #ell, %ure. And (ith all that hand%5on e-'erien&e behind them, (on9t tho%e &hildren be able to &ome u' (ith other mar)el%, the more or le%% a''ro-imate )alue o+ the %8uare root o+ t(o, +or in%tan&e/ And all by them%el)e%/ @ou better belie)e it. #e heard about the Ne( Ne( Math 1u%t a (ee, or %o a+ter (e (ere in)ited, along (ith e)erybody el%e on the +a&e o+ the earth, to e-'lore a di++erent %ort o+ mathemati&al &on%ideration by #illiam Ra%'berry, a &olumni%t (ho i% %ometime% ta,en in by the edu&ationi%t%, but not al(ay%. In thi% &a%e, he (a% &he(ing o)er a %'e&ial &a%e o+ the general 'ro'o%ition o+ edu&ationi%m, (hi&h hold% that (hate)er it i% that the %&hool% ob)iou%ly don9t ,no( ho( to do %hould 'robably not be done in any &a%e. The %'e&ial &a%e (a% thi%? 2oo,, ho( mu&h math doe% the ordinary 'er%on do/ A little adding and %ubtra&ting, maybe, and e)en a %'ot o+ multi'li&ation no( and then. I+ you ha)e to tile the +loor, the %ale%man (ill hel' you= he9ll li,ely ha)e a &hart. .ut, be hone%t, ho( long ha% it been %in&e you9)e +ound a %8uare root, or %ol)ed an e8uation (ith more than one un,no(n/ !o, &ome on. 2et9% not bother the ,id% (ith anything more than the little %mattering o+ math (ith (hi&h all the re%t o+ u% are getting by )ery (ell indeed. #e9d %a)e lot% o+ time and money, and (e &ould %till o++er more ad)an&ed math +or tho%e +e( ,id% (ho, +or %ome rea%on or other, %eem to li,e it. Ra%'berry (a% 'u::led. $e &learly did not li,e that 'ro'o%ition, but neither &ould he %ee any (ay to re1e&t it. It %eem% to ma,e %en%e4&ommon %en%e4(hi&h i% the +a&ulty by (hi&h (e &an all ,no( that the earth i% +lat. !o he le+t him%el+ in 'u::lement, and able only to (onder i+ %omeone there might be (ho (ould ta,e u' one &udgel or the other. It (a% a de&ent re8ue%t, nothing le%%, (e ho'e, than, *ome, let u% rea%on together. !o (e (ill not be di%'lea%ed %hould thi% 'ie&e +all into the hand% o+ #illiam Ra%'berry, but (e (ill not 'ut it there. And here9% (hy? Any human 'er%on &an +igure it out alone, 'ro)ided, o+ &our%e, that he ha% %tudied enough math, and language, out o+ (hi&h &ombined %tudie% (e mo%t ea%ily ta,e the
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'ro'en%ity4and the %,ill4+or a &ertain (ay o+ thought. I+ (e %tudy mathemati&% %o that (e may do mathemati&%, the 'ro'o%ition i% e-&ellent. #e %hould re1e&t it only i+ (e &an +ind %ome other 'ur'o%e +or that %tudy, (hi&h may 'ro)ide not (hat only a +e( may need, but (hi&h many mu%t need. And, i+ Ra%'berry, li,e u%, i% in the habit o+ reading the &omi&% %e&tion o+ the New York Times, he may by no( ha)e +ound out (hat that might be. It (a% in that 'a'er, o+ &our%e, that (e heard all about the &hildren (ho are going to +ind the )alue o+ 'i. That, too, (a% 'u::ling. To u%, a% to almo%t e)ery other li)ing 'er%on, the )alue o+ 'i i%4(ell, not )ery intere%ting. #e &ertainly don9t u%e it, and anyone (ho doe% &an ea%ily loo, it u', or, to be more a&&urate, &an loo, u' today9% )alue o+ 'i. They ,ee' adding more de&imal 'la&e%= it9% %ort o+ li,e the %to&, mar,et, u' a bit, do(n a bit. #ho ,no(% (here it (ill all end/ And i+ mathemati&% i% %omething that &hildren %tudy %o that they may ,no( the )alue o+ 'i, then it &ertainly ought to be %tam'ed out %traighta(ay. .ut the Ne( Ne( Math %eem% to be %omething e)en (or%e, %omething that &hildren %tudy not in order to ,no( the )alue o+ 'i, but in order to estimate it, and badly, at that, (ith the &rude%t o+ tool% and the gro%%e%t o+ mea%urement%. And (hate)er +or/ Ala%, (e thin, (e ,no( (hat +or. It i% %o that the &hildren (ill &ome to imagine a )ain thing, and to belie)e (hat the edu&ationi%t% already belie)e, to (it, that they &an learn +rom e-'erien&e. No one learn% +rom e-'erien&e. "-'erien&e doe% not tea&h= it train% and &ondition%. I+ e-'erien&e (ere truly a tea&her, then all (ho li)e (ould be (i%e, +or there i% no de+i&it o+ e-'erien&e in any li+e. #hat tea&he% i% re+le&tion, the mind9% 'oetry, e-'erien&e re&olle&ted in tran8uillity. A man (ho ha% had nothing but the e-'erien&e o+ %itting on a hot +rying 'an (ill not %it ba&, do(n on that hot +rying 'an again, 1u%t no(, but he (ill %ee no rea%on not to %it on it tomorro(, or on a hot (a++le iron, +or that matter, unle%% he ha% done %omething in hi% mind. Although Fran,lin really &alled e-'erien&e not the be%t tea&her, but the hard %&hool and la%t re%ort o+ +ool%, our edu&ationi%t%, (ho imagine that training and &onditioning are edu&ation, are
unable to %ee the di++eren&e bet(een 6learning7 ho( to build a table, (here training and &onditioning are u%e+ul, and learning mathemati&%, (here they are the bare%t beginning%. Mea%uring hoo'% and 1ar lid% i% %urely an e-'erien&e. !o (hat do the Ne( Ne( Mather% imagine that &hildren (ill 6learn7 +rom it/ #hat &an 'o%%ibly be learned +rom it/ Not e)en an edu&ationi%t &an %u''o%e that there i% %ome 6real7 )alue o+ 'i, 1u%t (aiting to be di%&o)ered (ith a &ra&,ed (ooden ruler and a grubby 'ie&e o+ %tring, and that %ome lu&,y &hild (ill &ome u' (ith it, thu% 'ro)ing that (e can &om'ete (ith the Ha'ane%e, (ho are %till +loundering around in the um'ty5um'th de&imal. I% there %ome &o)ert 6demo&rati&7 goal in thi% (eird e-er&i%e, %ome %ugge%tion that %u&h thing% a% the )alue o+ 'i ought to be e%tabli%hed by &on%en%u% and &om'romi%e/ And i+, by %ome )ery %mall but ha''y &han&e, %ome &hild %hould ha''en to reflect on the e-'erien&e o+ mea%uring hoo'% and lid%, (ould he not &on&lude that hi% %&hooling had 'ro)ided him (ith )ain and em'ty bu%y(or, (ho%e 'rodu&t, (hile ea%ily to be had (ithout any mea%uring, (a% o+ no &on&ei)able u%e to him/ #ill the Ne( Ne( Math not +louri%h all the better in the ab%en&e o+ re+le&tion, (here it (a% ob)iou%ly &on&ei)ed/ There i%, o+ &our%e, a good rea%on +or re)ealing the my%tery o+ 'i to &hildren, and an e)en better rea%on +or letting the &hildren di%&o)er that my%tery +or them%el)e%. #hen they ha)e made a hundred4or a million4mea%urement%, and +ound them all di++erent, they (ill be %tanding at a +or, in the 'ath. In the Ne( Ne( Math, a''arently, they (ill be told that they ha)e 6di%&o)ered7 that 'i i% 6about G.1K,7 and 'rai%ed, no doubt, +or ha)ing 6learned7 %omething all by them%el)e%. And %omething (ill ha)e been %ettled. In %ome other (ay o+ %tudying math, they (ould be led to noti&e, not only that they %till do not know the )alue o+ 'i, but that it may be un,no(able, and that one (ho ,no(% that there i% %omething that &annot be ,no(n, &an ne)erthele%% ,no( %omething el%e o+ great )alue. It i% %im'ly thi%? that the mind alone &an ma,e ,no(ledge that no amount o+ e-'erien&e (ill e)er bring. The%e %&hool 'eo'le ,ee' ma,ing u% thin, o+ that %trange notion o+ Ari%totle, that a %tudent o+ a%tronomy %hould be &are+ul not to loo, at the %tar%. It i% not all that ab%urd. The &hildren (ould
Page 1!0
do better to 'ut a(ay their little tool% and not e)en to loo, at &ir&le%, but %im'ly to thin,. For it i% by thin,ing, and only by thin,ing, that (e &an ,no( that a &ir&le and it% diameter are (hat the geometer% &all in&ommen%urate line %egment%. That mean% that there i% no unit o+ mea%urement, ho(e)er %mall, (ith (hi&h both line% &an be numbered. That i% (hy 'i i% &alled an irrational number= it &an not be e-'re%%ed in any +ra&tion, or a% a ratio o+ one (hole number o)er another, ho(e)er large tho%e number% might be. Thi% i% %trange ,no(ledge. ;@ou &an 'ro)e it +or your%el+, by the (ay, e)en i+ you ha)e +orgotten all your geometry, or ne)er e)en %tudied it. It9% only in&identally math= e%%entially, it9% 1u%t mind (or,. I+ you need %ome hint%, read the eno, in (hi&h !o&rate% lead% a little boy into the my%tery o+ another 'air o+ in&ommen%urable line %egment%, the %ide and the diagonal o+ the %8uare.< That ,no(ledge, that the mind &an ,no( (hat e-'erien&e &an ne)er %ho(, i% 'robably the mo%t im'ortant e)ent in the hi%tory o+ a mind. It bring% &ountle%% bene+it%. It 'ro)ide% a ni&e di%tin&tion bet(een in+ormation and ,no(ledge, +or %u&h thing% a% the &a'ital o+ Te-a% and the betting a)erage o+ 0ete Ro%e, o+ (hi&h the (i%e%t mind in Gree&e &ould ha)e 6,no(n7 nothing, are no( re)ealed a% %omething not e-a&tly the %ame a% ,no(ledge, but de'endent entirely u'on e-'erien&e, and ne)er to be di%&o)ered by the mind alone. Not the greate%t o+ mind%, by ta,ing thought, &an (or, out the name% o+ the A&ademy A(ard (inner% o+ 19K9, although any &lod &an loo, it u'. .ut anyone at all, e)en the greate%t &lod, i+ 'ro'erly led, &an learn to %'ot a non se&uitur. .et(een tho%e thing% that (e &an learn in our%el)e% (ith our mind%, and tho%e thing% that (e &an learn only out o+ the e-'erien&e% o+ our bodie%, be&au%e (e ha)e eye% and ear%, there are intere%ting di++eren&e% both o+ 8uality and 8uantity. The latter are &ountle%% and &hea', li,e the )ain, innumerable number% that the &hildren (ill deri)e. The +ormer, (hile +e(, &o%t more= +ar too mu&h to be handed out in the %&hool%. Neither can his mind be thought to be in tune, whose words do jarre; nor his reason in frame, whose sentence is preposterous.
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The Slough of Disparity

The +ollo(ing +i)e area% o+ di%'arity in edu&ation (ill be e-amined? 1. In%tru&tional &onta&t ba%ed on %tudent re%'on%e o''ortunitie% and tea&her a&,no(ledgement. F. Grou'ing organi:ation ba%ed on (ait time and 'hy%i&al &lo%ene%%. G. *la%%room &ontrolLdi%&i'line ba%ed on 'hy%i&al tou&hing and re'roo+ o+ %tudent%. K. "nhan&ing %el+5e%teem ba%ed on 'robing %tudent% and li%tening. D. ")aluation and %tudent 'er+orman&e ba%ed on higher le)el 8ue%tioning and analyti&al +eedba&,.
#"22, honi %oit and all that, but (e %till +ind

that %tu++ a little bit %mutty. !o (hat &ould all that mean47ba%ed on 'hy%i&al tou&hing,7 and, e)en (or%e, 6ba%ed on 'robing %tudent%7/ *ome to thin, o+ it, (e &an9t e)en +igure out (hat 6ba%ed on7 &ould 'o%%ibly mean in that 'a%%age. Try it +or your%el+. And that9% not all. 2ater on in the %ame do&ument (e hear that tea&her% (ill ob%er)e one another and 6&ode area% o+ %tudent5tea&her intera&tion.7 !o ho( (ould you li,e it i+ (e &oded %ome o+ your area% o+ intera&tion, ba%ed on a little 'robing, eh/ And then there9% a bit about %ome 6more %ati%+ying relation%hi'% (ith %tudent%.7 $mm. .ut no, (ait. Thi% i% not 'art o+ the e)iden&e +rom one o+ tho%e grou' &hild mole%tation &a%e% out in *ali+ornia. It9% %tri&tly on the u' and u', and ab%olutely legit. A+ter all, it &ome% +rom nothing le%% re%'e&table than the 3ougla% "du&ation !er)i&e 3i%tri&t, out in Ro%eburg, Or., (here they9d ne)er 'ut u' (ith (hat u%ed to be &alled, deli&ately but 8uite di%tin&ti)ely, inter+ering (ith &hildren. In +a&t, i+ you (ill &on%ider on&e more (hat i% 'ro'o%ed abo)e, you (ill %ee that no one intend% to inter+ere (ith any &hildren, only (ith tea&her%. @ou 'robably don9t ,no( (hat an "du&ation !er)i&e 3i%tri&t i%. $ere9% ho( it goe%. "du&ation %tart%, and end%, (ith t(o 'eo'le. One o+ them generate% %ome %ort o+ &urrent in the other, or maybe not. I+ not, that9% the end o+ the (hole
bu%ine%%. #ait till later. Or 1u%t +orget it. .ut %&hool i% di++erent. It %till %tart%, and end%, (ith t(o 'eo'le, but other% get into the a&t. .e&au%e there i% a tea&her in a &la%%room, there ha% to be a &re( o+ 'eo'le (ho don9t tea&h but (ho %u'er)i%e and &oordinate and +a&ilitate one (ho doe%. And the member% o+ that &re( %tand in need o+ the %ame %er)i&e%. Thu% it i% that, in e)ery %tate, you &an +ind building% +ull o+ really %u'er edu&ator% (ho ha)e ne)er a&tually %een one o+ tho%e &hildren (hom they edu&ate. An "du&ation !er)i&e 3i%tri&t i% (hat they &all %u&h a building in Oregon. The 3ougla% "du&ation !er)i&e 3i%tri&t i% one o+ t(enty5nine %u&h in the %tate. They are %e'arate +rom the herd% o+ edu&ator% (ho hang out in the !u'erintendent o+ !&hool% .uilding= in +a&t, they edu&ate tho%e 'eo'le a% (ell a% the &hildren. The 3ougla% 3i%tri&t ha% about 1GE 'o%ition holder%, almo%t all o+ them 'eo'le (ho (ere trained a% (hat (e no( &all, (ith a deli&a&y no le%% elegant than that out o+ (hi&h our elder% named inter+eren&e (ith &hildren, %'e&ial edu&ation tea&her%. One hundred and thirty time% t(enty5nine i% three thou%and, %e)en hundred and %e)enty. That i% a big bun&h o+ edu&ator%. And are they e)er bu%y. *on%ider the 'ro1e&t de%&ribed in the do&ument (e ha)e 8uoted abo)e. It i% nothing le%% than a +ull5blo(n !ta++ 3e)elo'ment 0rogram %'on%ored by the *urri&ulum and *areerLVo&ational "du&ation 3e'artment%. @e%, both. And it i% &alled by an a''ro'riately e)o&ati)e name? "-&ellen&e through "8uity, (hi&h mu%t begin, o+ &our%e, (ith an e-amination o+ area%4area% o+ di%'arity. Ah, the edu&ator% o+ edu&ator%. Noti&e that the numbered area% are +ir%t &alled 6+i)e area%,7 to guard again%t the not in&on%iderable &han&e, the%e day%, o+ innumera&y in %&hooltea&her%. And then the area% are named, 'erha'% %o that (e &an &ode them. In%tru&tional &onta&t i% an area. Grou'ing organi:ation, another. The &la%%room &ontrolLdi%&i'line area and the enhan&ing %el+5 e%teem area do not e-a&tly %hare a boundary, but they9re both +ine area%, and (orthy o+ e-amination ba%ed on %omething. 2a%t, (hether lea%t or not, there i% the &urrently 'o'ular e)aluation and %tudent 'er+orman&e area, (hi&h, a +e( year% ago, (a% being &alled the a&&ountability area. .ut +or one rea%on or another, the name ne)er too,.
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Maybe it (a% be&au%e an a&&ountability area &an9t 'o%%ibly be ba%ed on %u&h neat %tu++ a% that higher le)el 8ue%tioning and analyti&al +eedba&,. No(, (e ha)e told you that all thi% non%en%e i% named "-&ellen&e through "8uity, and %o it i%. That i% the name that a''ear% at the to' o+ the 'age. Farther do(n the 'age, ho(e)er, (e +ind the dotted line along (hi&h a %&hool tea&her eager to e-amine area% &an tear, %o a% to %end in a little %&ra' o+ 'a'er that (ill ta,e the 'la&e o+ a note a%,ing +or +urther detail%. In that 'la&e, (e &an read the 'utati)e (ord% o+ the a''li&ant, (ho i% +or&ed by the te-t to e-'re%% intere%t not in "-&ellen&e through "8uity, but in "8uity through "-&ellen&e. It i% not %ur'ri%ing, o+ &our%e, that %u&h a mi%ta,e %hould %li' through in a do&ument that &ome% +rom !ydney 0oole, (ho i%, a+ter all, a *ommunity Mentor% 0artner%hi' *oordinator= only a reader (ould ha)e noti&ed it. In all the%e year% o+ %tudying the edu&ation bu%ine%%, (e ha)e yet to en&ounter e)en one *ommunity Mentor% 0artner%hi' *oordinator (ho &an a&tually read (hat he him%el+ ha% (ritten. That ta,e% a bit more re+le&tion than a bu%y edu&ator ha% time +or. And (e do %u%'e&t that, e)en i+ he had noti&ed that %trange in)er%ion, he (ould 'robably ha)e %aid, !o, big deal= they9ll ,no( (hat I mean. And that9% the (eirde%t 'art o+ thi% (eird bu%ine%%. $e9d be right. 6They7 (ould ,no( (hat he 6mean%,7 (hi&h i%, o+ &our%e, nothing in 'arti&ular, (hi&h doe%n9t bother 6them7 at all. Tho%e are 1u%t %ome (ord%, trendy and attra&ti)e. Try +or your%el+ to atta&h a &lear, &on&rete meaning to either )er%ion o+ the title. 2et9% %ee. "8uity through "-&ellen&e/ I+ (e ma,e e)erybody e-&ellent they9ll be e8ual/ Or, maybe they9ll all be e8uitable/ Hu%t (hat %ort o+ e-&ellen&e &ould &au%e that/ "-&ellen&e in grade%/ In %el+5e%teem/ $o( (ould (e ,no(/ Or (hat about "-&ellen&e through "8uity/ 3oe% that mean that e)erything (ill be hun,y5dory (hen e)erybody i% e8ual, or e8uitable, or both, or (hat/ Or doe% it mean4(hi&h %ound% li,e %omething an edu&ationi%t might belie)e4that i+ e)erybody treat% e)erybody e8uitably, e)erybody (ill be e-&ellent/ 3oe% either one mean all o+ tho%e thing%, or none o+ tho%e thing%, or anything at all/ .ut (ith %u&h )e-ing %'e&ulation (e (ill be led a%tray. It i% not to the 'oint. The 'hra%e i%n9t really intended to ta,e it% 'o(er or (orth +rom it% meaning. #hat &ount% i% ho( it %ound%, and ho(
it (ill loo, on the &erti+i&ate that (ill be a(arded, along (ith t(o graduate &redit%, to any %&hool tea&her (ho (ill &ome to %i- monthly (or,%ho'%. #hen the 6graduate%7 a''ly +or ne( 1ob% or 'romotion%, the non5tea&hing edu&ationi%t% (ho do all the really im'ortant %tu++ in %&hool% (ill not be di%tra&ted by re+le&tion. They do not read= they 1u%t loo,. They (ill loo, at "-&ellen&e through "8uity and %ay, Oh, good. Or i+ it &ome% to that, they (ill loo, at "8uity through "-&ellen&e and %ay, Oh, good. In any &a%e, nothing i% (ritten in thi% do&ument about either e8uity or e-&ellen&e, or 1u%t how the one might 'rodu&e the other, or the other, the one. The %tated goal%, in +a&t, 6&ollegiality7 and 6relation%hi'%7 and %u&h, all %ugge%t that %&hool tea&her% &an 'ut o++ (orrying about e8uity and e-&ellen&e +or 8uite a (hile, and %ign them%el)e% u' +or a %hort &our%e in &hara&ter building. Our %&hool tea&her% mu%t all be %i&,, or de'ra)ed, and mu&h in need o+ thera'y. They are al(ay% going to remedial (or,%ho'%, re+re%her%, 'e' rallie%, and '%y&h %e%%ion%. 0hy%i&i%t% and %urgeon% do go to natter (ith other 'hy%i&i%t% and %urgeon% about their (or,, but (hen tea&her% gather to &on%ider their (or,, they do not go to li%ten to other tea&her%. They go to +a&ilitator% and &hange agent%, to +un&tionarie% (ho ha)e ne)er been tea&her%, or (ho %to''ed being tea&her% a% 8ui&,ly a% 'o%%ible. And al(ay% they go not (ith their mind% in mind, but (ith their %entiment%, to get in tou&h (ith +eeling%, to get the +eel o+ tou&hing%. And to learn, o+ all thing%, ho( to be de&ent and ,ind, and to 'ay a little re%'e&t+ul attention to other 'eo'le, +or that, a+ter all, i% (hat all tho%e 6area% o+ di%'arity7 im'ly. It i% a% though they be&ame tea&her% only be&au%e they (ere all un&on%&ionable, in&on%iderate egoti%t% and boor%, rai%ed in an uninhabited area o+ di%'arity by animal%, and no( mu%t be taught, by their better%, the %im'le%t and mo%t ob)iou% le%%on% o+ &i)il human inter&our%e. I+ that9% true, (e %hould gi)e than,% to the +un&tionarie%. I+ not, the tea&her% ought to gi)e them %omething el%e. A Word from The Associate Circulation Manager The )ote% are in. #e didn9t &ount them. #e lo%t. #e %im'ly a(arded the )i&tory to the reader
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(ho (rote? 6$o( lo)elier i% A'ril than K.7 !o (hat (ould you ha)e done/ A&&ordingly, (e (ill &ontinue to 'rint the name% o+ the month%, and not number%, on ea&h i%%ue, no matter ho( late it i%.
Brief #otes
FOR %ome rea%on or other, not entirely &lear, (e

do not ,ee' tra&, o+ the great )i&torie% that (e ha)e (on o)er the +or&e% o+ %&hooling. In +a&t, (e ha)en9t +elt, until 1u%t re&ently, any need e)en to ,ee' tra&, o+ the 'oint%. .ut (e may ha)e (on one, or at lea%t the hint o+ a +aint %hado( o+ a 'oint, %ort o+. .a&, in 19 D, (e did a little 'ie&e about a &ertain 2arry Men,e, at that time the %u'erintendent o+ %&hool% in Tul%a. $e had run o++ at the mouth 8uoting %ome +uturi%t he had heard about, and telling the +ol, o+ Tul%a that the hour (ould &ome, and 'erha'% no( (a%, (hen Ameri&an% (ould all be illiterate but %till the mo%t ,no(ledgeable 'eo'le in the (orld. $e e-'lained, more or le%%, that de)i&e% o+ %ome %ort (ould tell the 'eo'le 6(hat they needed to ,no(.7 2oud%'ea,er%, (e 're%umed. Men,e re&ently 'ulled out o+ Tul%a and be&ame %u'erintendent o+ %&hool% in Ha&,%on)ille, Florida. There, %ome remar,ably enter'ri%ing re'orter dug u' our 'ie&e, (hi&h %ome o+ you may remember. It (a% &alled 6No- 8uondam, no- +utura,7 and it (a% not ,ind. The re'orter (a)ed it at Men,e. $ey, (hat about thi%/ Men,e, although he (a% one o+ )ery +e( )i&tim% (ho regi%tered a &om'laint, (a% unable to remember any %u&h bu%ine%%. Then, he did remember. .e+ore it (a% all o)er, (e had to %end a )ery 1unior member o+ our %ta++ to do a %atellite hoo,5u' bet(een a 0hiladel'hia TV %tation and one in Ha&,%on)ille. !u&h e-&itement. Nothing &ame o+ it. .ut (ho ,no(%. I% it not 'o%%ible that e)en a %&hool %u'erintendent may %ome day %ay in hi% heart, in the %till (at&he% o+ the night, #ell, dammit, I (a% a bit o+ a +ool/ #ell, maybe that9% (hy (e %houldn9t (orry about ,ee'ing tra&, o+ our great )i&torie%. I+ (e e)er ha)e any, they (ill be, a% they %hould be, in)i%ible.
the editor o+ The University !ookman. O+ her (or,4and hi%, +or both are thought+ul (riter% intere%ted in di%tingui%hing edu&ation +rom it% &ounter+eit%4(e intend to %ay more in another i%%ue. The University !ookman i% a %mall 8uarterly 1ournal that (e +ir%t %a( a +e( year% ago (hen a reader (ho had a 'oem 'ubli%hed in it %ent u% a &o'y. #e ,no( nothing o+ it% guiding %'irit, i+ any, or o+ it% ideologi&al bia%, i+ any. #e do ,no( that (e +ind %omething (orth thin,ing about in e)ery i%%ue, and (e &ommend it to you. It9% a %teal 4a mere ID a year. It i% 'ubli%hed by "du&ational Re)ie(er, In&, and to be +ound at 0o%t O++i&e .oGECE, Grand *entral !tation, Ne( @or, N@, 1EE1C. Hu%t tell them (e %ent you.

Volume Thirteen, Number Four . . . . . . . . May 19 9
Clouds on the $ori%on
2ITT2" *2OU3!, to be %ure. Not larger than an

edu&ationi%t9% hand. Airy, +lu++y nothing%, and yet...and yet... It i% o+ 1u%t %u&h %tu++ that the dream% o+ edu&ationi%t% are made, and al%o the +uture o+ edu&ationi%m9% *loud *u&,oo 2and in Ameri&a, (hi&h i% al%o the +uture o+ %oul% beyond &ounting. BBBBBBBBBBB The Torren&e Uni+ied !&hool 3i%tri&t o+ 2o% Angele% re8uire%, a% the %tate o+ *A re8uire%, that it% %tudent% (rite e%%ay% e)ery %'ring %o that
#" ha)e heard +rom Annette Jir,, +rom (hom

(e 8uoted la%t month. !he i%, (e %u''o%e, the (i+e o+ Ru%%ell Jir,, (ho i% among other thing%,
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%omeone or other may %&rutini:e their %,ill%. Thi% year, %omeone or other ha% de&ided to %&rutini:e a little more than their %,ill% in "ngli%h. The e%%ay% (ere bundled u' and handed o)er to %ome 'eo'le (ho are identi+ied a% 6'%y&hologi%t%.7 The %aid '%y&hologi%t% ha)e e-amined the e%%ay% +or %ign% o+ anti5%o&ial tenden&ie% and tra&e% o+ a more5 than5normal ,no(ledge about drug%. *ute. Very &ute. Fir%t you tell them all about &lean needle% and +reeba%ing, and then you nail the little %u&,er% be&au%e they ,no( 1u%t a little too mu&h about &lean needle% and +reeba%ing. And, a% al(ay% in the %&hool%, one 'alm grea%e% another= lot% o+ ,id% +ound them%el)e% %ent o++ +or little &hat% (ith their lo&al guidan&e &oun%elor%, (ho are al(ay% in need o+ 'rete-t% +or their e-i%ten&e. .ut the 6anti5%o&ial tenden&ie%7 bu%ine%% i% e)en more intere%ting. Tho%e %&hool 'eo'le %urely ha)e a li%t o+ %ame tu&,ed a(ay in %ome +ile &abinet. I% it, (e (onder, a% long a% their li%t o+ 6learning di%abilitie%,7 (hi&h, the la%t (e heard, (a% u' abo)e three hundred/ !in&e %ome o+ our reader% are (or,ing under&o)er a% mole% in the %&hool%, (e may yet be able to tell you about the *ali+ornia !&hool 0%y&hologi%t%9 Great 2i%t o+ Anti5%o&ial Tenden&ie% in *ali+ornia, but in the meantime (e &an ma,e a +e( gue%%e%, and %o &an you? Reading a boo, (hile your &la%%mate% are %ol)ing the 'roblem o+ abortion +or the gay and le%bian homele%%. !aying 6@e%7 (hen the )i%iting 'oli&eman 'retending to be a drug dealer 'retend% to o++er you a +ree %am'le o+ (hat you are %u''o%ed to 'retend to be &ra&,. A%,ing your "ngli%h tea&her ho( &ome the e%%ay that you (ere a%,ed to (rite a% a te%t o+ your %,ill in &om'o%ition ended u' in the hand% o+ the attitude 'oli&e/ OJ. @ou &an ta,e it +rom there. ;@ou might al%o, 1u%t +or +un, ma,e a little li%t o+ 'ro5%o&ial tenden&ie%, li,e un&ea%ing )igilan&e, +or in%tan&e, in the %ni++ing out o+ anti5%o&ial tenden&ie%.< BBBBBBBBBBB For thi% one, (e need a little e'igra'h. #e9re %orry about the ty'ogra'hy, but, a% you (ill %ee, %o it mu%t be? FINI!$"3 FI2"! AR" T$" R"!U2T OF @"AR! OF !*I"NTIFI* !TU3@ *OM.IN"3 #IT$ T$" "N0"RI"N*" OF MAN@ @"AR!.
Ready +or a te%t/ A% 8ui&,ly a% you &an, &ount the number o+ F9% in that %enten&e. Jee' your an%(er to your%el+. It i% o+ no &on%e8uen&e to anybody but Mi&hael Grady, a 'or%e++or o+ e&udation at !t. 2oui% Uni)er%ity, (ho le&tured to %ome +orty5+i)e 'eo'le at the Uni)er%ity o+ Montana4'robably other% o+ hi% il,4on 6.rain Re%ear&h and it% Im'li&ation% +or "du&ation.7 I+ you &ounted %i- F9%, that9% be&au%e there are %i- F9%. .ut it i% al%o be&au%e you are not the %ort to attend %ome edu&ationi%t9% le&ture on brain re%ear&h. O+ the 'eo'le (ho did that, mo%t ended u' &ounting three F9%. 60eo'le,7 Grady e-'lained, 6are not u%ed to %eeing %enten&e% (ritten entirely (ith u''er&a%e letter% and it &an tri&, 'eo'le9% mind%.7 And, +urthermore, 6mo%t 'eo'le don9t &ount the F9% that o&&ur in the (ord Ao+.97 That in it%el+ i% (eird enough, but, +rom that %u''o%ed +a&t, Grady thin,% to ha)e demon%trated 6ho( logi&al thin,ing &an lead to (rong an%(er%.7 OJ. 2et9% try to get thi% %traight. Three F9% i% the (rong an%(er. Mo%t 'eo'le get the (rong an%(er be&au%e they o)erloo, 6o+7 (hen 'rinted 6OF.7 That demon%trate% that logi&al thin,ing &an lead to (rong an%(er%, and there+ore it i% merely logi&al to o)erloo, 6o+7 (hen 'rinted 6OF.7 @eah. .ut (ait. No( that (e ha)e that all +igured out, Grady dra(%, +rom the %ame (i+ty e-er&i%e, the trium'hant &on&lu%ion that 6the brain doe%n9t al(ay% (or, in a logi&al (ay. !ometime% it (or,% in a )ery illogi&al (ay.7 Oh. !o, i+ the brain (or,% in a )ery illogi&al (ay (hen &on+ronted by u''er&a%e letter%, then the (rong an%(er, three F9%, demon%trate% that illogi&al thin,ing &an lead to (rong an%(er%. #o(. It9% a (onder (e e)er get anything right. All o+ thi%, naturally, &on)in&e% Grady that (e are 1u%t being too logi&al in the %&hool%. 6A tea&her e-'laining the &au%e% o+ the *i)il #ar,7 %ay% Grady, 6(ould mo%t li,ely gi)e the &au%e% in %ome %ort o+ order, %u&h a% No. 1, No. F, and No. G. In reality thing% don9t ha''en in ni&e and neat order.7 !ome %tudent%, he add%, (ould 6under%tand the &au%e% better i+ they are 're%ented in a more Aimaginati)e9 (ay.7 There9% a lo)ely, long e%%ay 'lanted in tho%e %illy remar,%, but you9ll ha)e to (rite it your%el+. Hu%t +ollo( the%e %im'le in%tru&tion%? *on%ider (hy Grady %li'% +rom e'%laining the &au%e% into giving the &au%e%, a% though they (ere the %ame
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thing, and then ba&, into understanding the &au%e%, a% though that &ould re%ult either +rom the gi)ing or the e-'laining. *ome u' (ith three (ay% in (hi&h %ome one might gi)e4or e-'lain 4%ome &au%e% in anything other than 6%ome %ort o+ order.7 A%, your%el+ (hat a man mu%t mean by imagination (hen he thin,% it not imaginati)e to 'ut into %ome %ort o+ order in the mind the thing% that don9t ha''en in ni&e and neat order in the (orld. And end u' by (ondering ho( all thi% &an be %een a% a (ay o+ %ugge%ting that doing and being are 8uite enough, than, you, and that re+le&tion i% im'ra&ti&al and eliti%t. And +or e-tra &redit, &on%ider? *an it be that it need% no 2enin to engender the 6u%e+ul idiot,7 but that all &au%e% &all him +orth 8uite naturally, a% (eather &all% +orth the bug% +rom the %(am'/ ;.ut (e may ha)e thi% all (rong. #e +ound it on a torn out hal+ %heet +rom a little ne(%'a'er in Montana. On the other %ide o+ the 'age there (a% a 'ie&e about a '%y&hi& healer (ho tune% in to the negati)e energy in damaged body 'art%. 6I ha)e thi% la%er 'ro1e&tion o++ my +inger,7 %he %ay%. Maybe (e (ere meant to (rite about her. #ell, no matter. It &ome% to 'retty mu&h the %ame thing.< BBBBBBBBBBB 2a%t, and %urely lea%t, (e bring you ne(% o+ Madeline $unter, (hom (e (ould lo)e to mi(ith Mi&hael Grady. .oth edu&ationi%t%, both laboring in the %ame )ineyard. And to both a 'enny, o+ &our%e, but not +or their thought%. Madeline $unter goe%, a''arently, here and there holding %eminar% and (or,%ho'% on ho( to u%e a bla&,board, (hi&h %he &all% a &hal,board. The +a&t that %he i% 'aid +or thi% (or,, although only by in%titution% that ha)e money to %'end that they didn9t ha)e to earn, i% in it%el+ intriguing. $ere are bun&he% o+ %&hooltea&her%, and &ollege 'ro+e%%or%, (ho go, %ometime% by admini%trati)e mandate, to be told ho( to (rite %tu++ on the bla&,board. #ith &hal,. Madeline4+or %ome %trange rea%on (e &an9t bring our%el)e% to &all her by her %urname4 Madeline i% o+ the old %&hool o+ edu&ationi%m. !he %'e&iali:e% in the +irm gra%' on the ob)iou% and the tea&hing o+ (hat any but the dulle%t hal+5 (it (ill learn +or him%el+ in hi% +ir%t day on any 1ob.
;Thi% 'ra&ti&e i% deathle%%. It i% %till a large 'art o+ all &our%e (or, in tea&her training a&ademie%.< To 're%umed gro(n5u'% (ho are 're%umably tea&hing in a 're%umed %&hool, %he 'a%%e% out %heet% o+ 'a'er on (hi&h +our or +i)e line% o+ GO 'oint ty'e 'ro&laim %u&h thing% a%? !ay it4then (rite it. "ra%e be+ore introdu&ing ne( &on&e't. 0o%ition P Relation%hi'. Aha> 2et9% hear +rom Grady on that> Madeline 'ut% it thu%, +or the bene+it o+ the mentally im'aired (ho attend her thing%? I+ you ha)e *at% %ome(here on the board, then you had better 'ut 0er%ian and !iame%e %ome(here nearby. Thi% i% our only ho'e? that the Grady% and Madeline% (ill meet and mate, and le&ture hen&e+orth only to ea&h other in in%titution% (here there are no inno&ent third 'artie%. Unli,e go)ernment %&hooling, that (ould be (orth it% &o%t.
Merely Decent in the Cold

#ne must think like a hero to behave like a merely decent human being"
T$" e'igra'h abo)e i% al%o an e'igra'h to Hohn

le *arrQ9% late%t boo,, The Russia (ouse. They are the (ord% o+ May .arton, about (hom, %urely to our harm, (e ,no( nothing. !he i% 'robably %omeone (e %hould read. #e do read e)erything that le *arrQ (rite%. $ad (e any in+luen&e, (e (ould u%e it on the Nobel 0ri:e 'eo'le. $i% boo,% are al(ay% about the theme that lie% beneath all o+ our thin,ing, the 'rin&i'le that in+orm% the %orry 'arti&ular% o+ the li+e o+ the mind o+ (hi&h (e %o o+ten (rite, to (it, the de%'erate lot o+ the indi)idual %hi)ering in the &old mi%t o+ +oggy ab%tra&tion%4the 0arty, the *hur&h, the !&hool, the !tate, and, +oggie%t and &olde%t o+ all, the mon%ter &alled !o&iety a% a #hole. In general, re)ie(er% ha)e not been delighted (ith The Russia (ouse. For one thing, George !miley i% gone, and thu%, o+ &our%e, Ale& Guinne%% i% gone. And Jarla i% gone, re%ting &om+ortably, no doubt, under the name o+ !aunder% out in the &ountry. The Ameri&an%, (ith t(o %mall e-&e'tion%, loo, )ery bad indeed, (hi&h, to %ome re)ie(er%, bring% +orth the dubiou% but &om+orting o'inion that le *arrQ 1u%t &an9t get Ameri&an% right. To u%, they loo,ed 1u%t
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right. Furthermore, there i% indeed )ery little o+ (hat i% &alled 6a&tion7 o+ the %ort e-'e&ted in (hat i% &alled 6the %'y thriller.7 No %udden death. No dagger. Mo%t o+ (hat ha''en%, ha''en% in the inner li+e, in the mind% o+ 'er%on%. And it i% e-a&tly that4the inner li+e4that (e ha)e been taught to deem 1u%t about a% intere%ting to (at&h a% gro(ing gra%% or drying 'aint. To the ordinary trainee 'rodu&ed by our in+orming in%titution%, anything at all, +ootball, lotterie%, Vanna #hite, &lean needle%, tri&,y &ongre%%men, &hole%terol, o:one, 3onald Trum', (hoo'ing &rane%, +ire% o+ %u%'i&iou% origin in de%erted building%, 8uintu'let% in Omaha, ra'e and robbery, or battle, murder, and %udden death4anything i% +ound (orthier to be &on%idered than (hat i% going on in hi% mind. And that i% (hy (e mu%t read more o+ May .arton. !he ,no(% the %e&ret. !he ,no(% that (hat goodne%% (e &an ho'e to do mu%t &ome not out o+ training, not out o+ di%'o%ition, not out o+ the +ear o+ la( or &en%ure, not out o+ re%'e&t +or authority or &reed%, not out o+ &ultural heritage or %o&ial member%hi', but out o+ our thin,ing. !he might al%o ha)e %aid mu&h the %ame thing the other (ay about? that a merely de&ent human being loo,% to the re%t o+ the (orld li,e %ome %ort o+ a hero. #hat (ould (e %ay, a+ter all, (ere %ome &ongre%%man to be e-'o%ed a% nothing more than an hone%t man, li)ing by 'rin&i'le and &hoo%ing hi% deed% not a&&ording to (hat %ome guideline% (ill 'ermit but by thin,ing about (orth/ In him, (ould (e not +ind a hero, ho(e)er mu&h hi% &olleague% might +ind him a %a'/ Thin, (hat 'er+e&tly legal o''ortunitie% +or %el+5 in+lation and enri&hment he (ould ha)e denied him%el+, to %ay nothing o+ all the re5ele&tion in%uran&e he &ould %o ea%ily and %o 6ethi&ally7 ha)e ta,en out. Thin,, too, ho( 'oorly he mu%t li)e, out in the &old, on nothing but hi% %alary. .ut thin, e)en more about thi%? $o( &ould he ha)e &ome to %u&h a &ondition in the +ir%t 'la&e/ The narrati)e )oi&e o+ The Russia (ouse i% (ell named $oratio .. de0al+rey. $e dra(% hi% breath in %adne%% to tell thi% tale, and ab%ent% him +rom +eli&ity +or a long (hile indeed. $e i% a man (ho ,no(% about goodne%%, and (ho re&ogni:e% it (hen he %ee% it. .ut he i% a 6de)oted7 man, a man (ho ha% gi)en him%el+ and hi% +reedom a(ay to an ab%tra&tion. A +a%&inating &ondition. $e i% at on&e trea&herou% and loyal, a loyal %er)ant o+ the
%tate, and a betrayer o+ the de&ent 'er%on that he ,no(% ho( to be. That i% the &ondition al%o, o+ &our%e, o+ George !miley, and it i% one o+ Hohn le *arrQ9% be%t )irtue% that he %ho(% u% the hidden dar,ne%% in the hy'noti& &reed% and &au%e% to (hi&h (e gi)e our%el)e%, and by )irtue o+ (hi&h (e di%&o)er the e-8ui%ite 'lea%ure o+ deeming our%el)e% %el+le%% %er)ant% o+ a #orthy *au%e. .ut the beam in de0al+rey9% eye doe% not a++e&t hi% %eeing. O+ one o+ hi% &olleague%, he a%,% him%el+? 6#hat had *li)e %tudied,...i+ he e)er had/ #here/ #ho bore him/ !ired him/ #here did the !er)i&e +ind the%e dead %uburban %oul% (ith all their )alue%, or la&, o+ them, 'er+e&tly in 'la&e/7 The 8ue%tion% are +amiliar. .ut they are, 'erha'%, a bit too "ngli%h in their +ran,ne%%. #hether out o+ 'olitene%% or &o(ardi&e, ea%ily &on+u%ed, (e (ill not a%, o+ a 'ra&ti&ed and &om'etent o''ortuni%t, (ho bore him/ (ho %ired him/ It i% a (ell ;and (i%ely< ,e't %e&ret among e)en our %&hooltea&her%, that +or many o+ their %tudent% there i% no ho'e +or a de&ent and thought+ul li+e %im'ly be&au%e their 'arent% ha)e ne)er %ho(n them any %u&h thing, and ha)e indeed %ho(n them, and ha)e, i+ only in %ymbol, &ommended to them, li)e% o'erated entirely by the energie% o+ a''etite and untended by re+le&tion. And the +ir%t o+ tho%e 8ue%tion% i% %o "ngli%h that it% meaning might ea%ily e%&a'e the ordinary Ameri&an reader. #hat had he %tudied/ It i% not e-a&tly (hat (e (ould a%,. #e are intere%ted, mo%tly +or rea%on% that (e &all 'ra&ti&al, to ,no( (hat %omeone ha% learned. And (ith that in mind, (e (ill al%o a%,, in (hat did he ma1or/ Tho%e 8ue%tion% %uddenly %eem 'ointle%% (hen (e are (ondering (hy %omeone li)e% in a &ertain (ay, and doe% not %eem &a'able o+ li)ing other(i%e. #hat (e truly do need to ,no( (here (e dete&t the un'rin&i'led and une-amined li+e i% 1u%t (hat de0al+rey a%,%. #hat did he %tudy, (hi&h i% al%o to a%,, (here did he get hi% 'ra&ti&e in e-amination and re+le&tion, and +urni%h hi% a&8uaintan&e (ith the &ountle%% 'arti&ular% o+ human e-'erien&e and the remar,ably +e( 'rin&i'le% that in+orm them/ 2ater on, and thin,ing yet again o+ 'oor *li)e, de0al+rey mu%e% thu%? 6*li)e a++e&ted to &on%ider thi% on it% merit%. .ut I ,ne(...that *li)e &on%idered nothing on it% merit%. $e &on%idered (ho (a% in +a)our o+ %omething and (ho (a%
Page 1!7
again%t it. Then he &on%idered (ho (a% the better ally.7 Thi% i% not an un&ommon (ay o+ beha)ing. Indeed, it i% +re8uently among tho%e %,ill% both taught and learned in our %&hool%. Under )ariou% name%, you &an e)en ma1or in it. For the little &hildren, it i% &alled relating (ell to %el+ and other%, +or the bigger &hildren, management. For the bigge%t &hildren, 'oliti&%. #hat i% re8uired in one (ho (ould &on%ider %omething on it% merit%, a%,ing only i+ it i% better or (or%e, (ithout regard to &on%e8uen&e%/ T(o thing% at lea%t4the thought+ulne%% out o+ (hi&h to deri)e and &on%ider %ome 'rin&i'led under%tanding o+ better and (or%e, and the heroi%m out o+ (hi&h to &hoo%e in the light o+ 'rin&i'le (ithout regard +or the &on%e8uen&e%. It i% not ea%y. #ho doe% it too o+ten (ill %urely +ind him%el+ out in the &old %ome day, &om'anied only, and only 'erha'%, by one ob%&ure and im'o)eri%hed &ongre%%man. And (hat it ta,e% i% %tudy, not the a&8ui%ition o+ te&hni8ue% and in+ormation, but %tudy4re+le&tion, integration, &om'ari%on, thin,ing and rethin,ing, te%ting, &riti&i:ing, doubting, (ondering, and many hour% o+ brooding in the %till (at&he% o+ the night. No( it i% 'er+e&tly 'o%%ible, in +a&t it i% almo%t ine)itable, to do (ell in our %&hool% and be&ome em'loyable (ithout out e)er ha)ing %'ent one moment in %tudy. Mo%t o+ the &our%e% (e o++er are not %uitable +or %tudy. No one need% to %tudy %u&h 6%ub1e&t%7 a% &om'uter %&ien&e or a&&ounting= it i% enough to learn them. And e)en %u&h thing% a% hi%tory or mathemati&%, (hi&h are %uitable +or %tudy, are rarely taught a% though they (ere= they &an ea%ily be redu&ed to em'ty e-er&i%e% in the a&&umulation o+ %,ill% and in+ormation, (hi&h ha% al%o the )irtue o+ ma,ing them all the ea%ier to 6ma%ter74(hi&h i% to %ay, 6'a%%.7 And all o+ %&hooling, +urthermore, i% 1u%ti+ied a% the 'ath to national 'rodu&ti)ity through the ha''y agen&y o+ 'er%onal 'ro+it. In %u&h a &onte-t, the idea o+ ma,ing 1udgment (ithout regard +or &on%e8uen&e% i% ab%urd= the 6reali%ti&7 1udgment mu%t be made out o+ nothing but regard +or &on%e8uen&e%. And no( (e &an an%(er de0al+rey9% la%t 8ue%tion? (here doe% the !er)i&e +ind the%e dead %oul%/ The !er)i&e 'rodu&e% them. I+ the thought+ul hero i% rare, it i% be&au%e the entire
%y%tem that (e &all 6edu&ation7 i% de%igned to 'rodu&e e-a&tly (hat (e ha)e, a nation o+ un'rin&i'led &o(ard%. It (or,%. No matter (hat the 'a'er% %ay, there i% no *ri%i% o+ "thi&% u'on u%. It i% 1u%t 2i+e a% U%ual, and one o+ it% ma1or %ubdi)i%ion%, 0oliti&% a% U%ual. !ometime% (e hear about it= %ometime% (e don9t. I+ our 'oliti&ian% (ant a li%t o+ (hat i% ethi&al and (hat i% not, it i% be&au%e they %ee, not goodne%%, but %a+ety. I+ they (ere thought+ul and bra)e, they (ould need no %u&h li%t. And no( our %&hool% (ill tea&h ethi&%. It9% all the rage. They (ill 'ro)ide the ethi&% li%t% to little ,id%, le%t anyone ha)e to thin, about anything. That i% to %ay, the !er)i&e (ill rai%e u' unto it%el+ the dead %oul% that be%t %er)e the !er)i&e.
An A&olus for the Mindmen
@OU
(ill +ind, in the bo- belo(, %ome entertaining e-am'le%. There are %ome %enten&e% that are u%ed +or di&tation in a te%t gi)en to a''li&ant% +or %e&retarial 1ob%. Hu%t belo( them, you (ill +ind the re%ult% a% tran%&ribed by a young lady a''lying +or %u&h a 1ob. $er mi%ta,e% are entertaining, no doubt, but le%% entertaining to her than to u%. To be e++e&ti)e, %e&retarie% mu%t 'o%%e%% an e++i&ient mind and a &ongenial 'er%onality. "rror% and omi%%ion mu%t be ,e't to a minimum.
To be a affective secretaries must an effective mind and a genie and a persoanity. Errors and ommission must be kept to a mindmen.
The ambulan&e arri)ed and brought the !mith%9 dog to the &anine ho%'ital.
The abolus, arrived and brought the Smiths dog to the cannie hospital.
On #edne%day, February FG, the library (ill 'robably ha)e it% lea%e &an&elled.
One Wednesday, ebruary !" the libiary #ill probily can its lease cancel.
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#e read about thi% young lady in one o+ Mi,e Roy,o9% &olumn%. Although he &ertainly doe%n9t thin, o+ him%el+ a% %u&h, and although he only rarely deal% (ith the to'i&, Roy,o i% one o+ our able%t &ommentator% on %o5&alled edu&ation in Ameri&a. Read him i+ you &an. The young lady did not get the 1ob. It i% no big deal. 2ot% o+ 'eo'le don9t get the 1ob% they (ant. It i% only the 'ur%uit o+ ha''ine%% that (e are 'romi%ed. .ut it i% too bad, be&au%e %he ha''en% to be in ho&, to the +ed% +or about IDDEE. That (a% ho( mu&h o+ our money they loaned her %o that %he might go to %&hool and learn ho( to be a %e&retary (ith a genie and a 'er%oanity, but ended u', ala%, &arried o++ in an abolu%. #ell, to be more 're&i%e, the +ed% did not a&tually loan her the money. They handed it o)er to the guy% (ho run the %&hool, one o+ tho%e 'ro'rietary training %&hool%. O+ the 're%ident and the dean (e ,no( nothing. 3ino and *hee&h, 'erha'%. They too, the money and %'ent it on %omething, and on %omething el%e they didn9t %'end it. It9% +or the la&, o+ that %omething el%e that thi% girl i% in hot (ater, but 3ino and *hee&h are OJ. Indeed, thi% may not be %o great a mi%+ortune a% it %eem%. Thi% one girl i% in a %'ot o+ trouble, to be %ure, but there are %urely %&ore%, maybe e)en hundred% o+ 'eo'le in)ol)ed in one (ay or another in thi% me%% (ho are ab%olutely OJ. The greate%t good +or the greate%t number, no/ The good old Ameri&an (ay. Hu%t thin, o+ all tho%e tea&her% all the (ay ba&, to ,indergarten, e%'e&ially the one% (ho (ere +ar more de)oted to ad1u%ting the ,iddie% to the real (orld than to ma,ing them read irrele)ant boo,% (here they might be led into %el+5di%e%teem by hard, eliti%t (ord% li,e ambulan&e and &anine. Thin, o+ all tho%e ad)i%or% and guidan&e &oun%ellor% and 'e'5tal,er% and drug5'oli&e and bold inno)ati)e thru%ter%. And the 'rin&i'al% and the %u'erintendent% and all their &ler,% and tho%e neat 'ro+e%%ional &on%ultant% (ho &ame around to tea&h the tea&her% ho( to u%e the bla&,board%. 3ino and *hee&h 'layed their 'art, o+ &our%e, but to bring a girl to that e-treme &ondition re8uire% lot% and lot% o+ (or,ing together a% a team. And don9t +orget tho%e +ed%. Try ne)er to +orget tho%e +ed%. There are (hole %(arm% o+ them (ho ma,e li)ing% by doing thing% that no one 'er%on (ould e)er 'ay another 'er%on to do. 2i,e ta,ing
a (ad o+ our money and handing it o)er to 3ino and *hee&h and &harging it to the li+etime a&&ount o+ a girl (ho may be able to get 'art5time (or, in a +a%t+ood 1oint one day and 'ay it o++ on the ne)er5ne)er (ith her Ma%ter&ard. .ut the +ed% are 8uite OJ. 0robily no one &an their lea%e &an&el. And then, too, it i% only meet and right that one 'er%on %hould %u++er +or the 'eo'le. ) unam* %luribus, maybe/ !o there mu%t be %omething (rong (ith our rea%oning, that it lead% u% to imagine %ome in1u%ti&e in thi% matter. I+ you &an %et u% %traight, (e (ill gladly be in%tru&ted. .ut i+ not, do you thin, thi% might be time to buy %ome hor%e(hi'%/ Summer #otes from Central Control
*entral *ontrol ha% a ne( 'u''y o+ an e%'e&ially

ob%tre'erou% breed and (ill be )ery bu%y all !ummer long. .y u%, %he %end% (ord, ho(e)er, a% +ollo(%? !ome o+ you are %till mo)ing about and +orgetting to tell her about it. !to' it. !he ha% been no more %u&&e%%+ul than the many o+ you (ho (rote in an attem't to di%&o)er the (hereabout% o+ George !teele, 'ubli%her o+ the +ndividualist Newsletter that (e &ommended to you. George !teele turn% out to be e)en more o+ an indi)iduali%t than (e had imagined. !he ,ee'% hearing +rom 'eo'le (ho +eel guilty +or reading &o'ie%, and &o'ie% o+ &o'ie%, %ometime% +or year%, and (ho (ant to %ub%&ribe. That9% good, but (e do en&ourage &o'ie%, and &o'ie% o+ &o'ie%, and al(ay% gi)e, at no &harge, 'ermi%%ion to re'rint. !he &ommend%, to tho%e o+ you (ho are (illing to ta,e another ri%,, Cabbages and ,ings, a &hatty 'er%onal 1ournal, to be +ound at 9G 0lymouth Road, Ne(ton $ighland%, MA EF1O1. The 'ubli%her i% a mini%ter, but (e +ind him %mart and thought+ul any(ay. $e i% li,ely to %tay (here (e %ay that he i%.
Page 1!9

Volume Thirteen, Number Fi)e . . . . !e'tember 19 9
The Curriculum from $ell

-For we have reached the %lace of which + s%oke* where you will see the miserable %eo%le* those who have lost the good of intellect". (ere sighs and lamentations and loud cries were echoing across the starless air* so that* as soon as + set out* + we%t" /trange utterances* horrible %ronouncements* accents of anger* words of suffering* and voices shrill and faint* and beating hands* all went to make a tumult that will whirl forever through that turbid* timeless air* like sand that eddies when a whirlwind swirls"
"3#AR3
T. $O22AN3"R i% &alled the *han&ellor o+ $igher "du&ation in Ne( Her%ey. It i% hi% 1ob to %ee to it that the %tate mental in%titution% be&ome, and remain, 'oliti&ally and ideologi&ally &orre&t. It9% not ea%y, but he9% amiable, he ha% the )o&abulary do(n 'at, and the time% are on hi% %ide. $e no( 'ro'o%e% the 6a++irmati)e a&tion &urri&ulum,7 again%t (hi&h, (ho &an be/ #hat el%e i% there, a+ter all, but the negati)e a&tion &urri&ulum/ It9% the %ame %ort o+ elementary mind tri&, by (hi&h all ideologue% %nea, u' to the high ground, +a)oring the really good %tu++4li+e, maybe, or 'ea&e, or e)en more 'u::ling im'onderable%, li,e +itne%%. !o $ollander, in thi% high &au%e, (ant% the )ariou% trainer% and ,ee'er% in the %tate mental in%titution% to 6rethin, (hat they tea&h, and ... %ee, (ay% o+ bridging the ga' bet(een their area% o+ e-'erti%e and the di)er%e %tudent 'o'ulation% in Ne( Her%ey &ollege% and uni)er%itie%.7 Although (e ta,e no &lear idea at all +rom the meta'hor o+ a bridge o)er a ga' bet(een an area and a 'o'ulation, (e are not una&&u%tomed to thi% %tyle o+ di%&our%e, and (e thin, (e ,no( (hat he
mean%4not, to be %ure, be&au%e (e &an de&i'her hi% meta'hor, but be&au%e (e ha)e heard it all a million time%. And %o ha)e you. It9% the %ame old 6rele)an&e7 %tu++, (hi&h ha% no( be&ome the 6ra&e, &la%%, and gender7 %tu++. .y no(, (e all ,no( the argument. !urely you &an9t %u''o%e, &an you, that a girl +rom the barrio &an ta,e any 'ro+it +rom %tudying the thought o+ a man +rom a )illa, (ho ha''en% al%o to be rotten in the earth +or +i)e hundred year%/ And %o +orth, mutatis mutandis. !in&e 'rin&i'le% are +e(, and 'arti&ular% beyond &ounting, %u&h &a%e% &an be made (ithout end, and the 6argument,7 by +or&e o+ number%, ea%ily 'er%uade% the %hallo( mind. Furthermore, in the%e day%, e)erybody li,e% to +eel li,e a )i&tim, and by )irtue o+ )i&timhood to &laim not only the %ym'athy but %ome 'ortion o+ the +ortune o+ e)erybody el%e. @ou (ill ha)e little trouble &on)in&ing the girl +rom the barrio that the man +rom the )illa ha% done her %ome damage and in1u%ti&e, and that he &ould not 'o%%ibly ,no( anything about her e-'erien&e, and that he (a% a member o+ an o''re%%i)e and eliti%t &li8ue o+ (hi&h (e ha)e already had 8uite enough, than, you. Then you &an re8uire her to %tudy in%tead that e-&iting ne( 6area o+ e-'erti%e,7 2iterature a% Re)enge4the lyri&% o+ 'o' %inger%, the %ullen remon%tration% o+ other )i&tim%, and the 2oo, $o( 3ee'ly I Feel And $a)e !u++ered +ree )er%e o+ the (andering, 'oetry reading min%trel% o+ the (ret&hed o+ the earth, to all o+ (hi&h %he &an relate. !he (ill li,e you, and that (ill be ni&e. And you, at lea%t, i+ not your entire in%titution, (ill be 'oliti&ally &orre&t. #ell, (hy not/ It i%, a+ter all, the real and not unrea%onable intent o+ the %tate mental in%titution% to bring their (ard% into (hat &an in +a&t be &alled a )er%ion o+ mental health, and, e)en (ithout irony, right thin,ing and ad1u%tment, into harmony (ith the (orld a% it i%, and e)en (ith the (orld a% it i% 1u%t no(, +or it i% 1u%t no(, and only 1u%t no(, that they &an li)e. And (ith that in mind, (e (ould li,e to ta,e the good 'art o+ $ollander9% ad)i&e, the 'art (here he %ay% that tea&her% %hould rethin, (hat they tea&h. !o they %hould. And more im'ortant, not only (hat they tea&h, (hi&h may +ind %ome 1u%ti+i&ation in %ub%tan&e, but (hat they 'rea&h, (hi&h %eldom (ill. And that goe% +or $ollander too. .ut he i% a bu%y man. !o (e rethin,. The e'igra'h abo)e i% +rom $ell, the +ir%t boo, o+ 3ante9% long and elaborate 'oem,
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The 3i)ine *omedy, in the old %en%e o+ 6&omedy.7 I+ it i% read any(here, it i% 'robably in a %&hool. It i% neither ea%y nor 'o'ular, and it% u%e+ulne%% in %u&h matter% a% the 'light o+ the homele%% and &om'eting (ith the Ha'ane%e i% hard to %ee. ;Unli,e u%, all 3ante ,ne( o+ homele%%ne%% (a% a term o+ e-ile= he +ound 6eating another9% bread7 a 6%orro(.7< No(, +or the 'ur'o%e% o+ e-&luding him +rom an a++irmati)e a&tion &urri&ulum, (e &an %ay many thing% about 3ante. $e (a% a Roman *atholi&, and a %eriou% one. Not e)en the Roman *atholi&% are Roman *atholi& any more. $e li)ed in an age that (a% not only 're5%&ienti+i&, but 're5 %o&iologi&al a% (ell. $e thought the e-i%ten&e o+ %o&ial &la%%e% a good thing. $e (a% a monar&hi%t. $e belie)ed that there &ould be %u&h a thing a% a (i%e and )irtuou% ruler, (ho ought there+ore to be a&&orded 'er+e&t and &om'lete obedien&e, although he &ould &learly %ee that %u&h (ere thin on the ground. $e belie)ed in noble%, that i%, he belie)ed that %ome 'eo'le, by birth, (ere at lea%t ca%able o+ being better and (orthier 'eo'le than other%. $e (a% not at all demo&rati&. $e (a% not a (oman, but a man, and he thought to %ee in .eatri&e not a good mind and the 'otential +or e++e&ti)e a&hie)ement, but only the good, the true, and the beauti+ul. Only the light. $i% boo,, al%o, i% hard to &ommend to the a++irmati)e a&tion &urri&ulum. It i% long, not in (ord &ount, o+ &our%e, but %urely in reading time. ")en the mo%t modern tran%lation% re8uire more )o&abulary than our %&hool% 'ro)ide. $i% 'oem i% den%e= it ne)er )am'% or &oa%t%. $i% image% and meta'hor% %eem o+ten ob%&ure, and %ometime%, im'enetrable. And hi% allu%ion% are mo%tly, to %ay the lea%t, 'ro)in&ial, %o that, among them, hi% re+eren&e% to the Guel+% and the Ghibelline% are li,ely to be the least ar&ane, %in&e tho%e +ol, do o&&a%ionally &ro' u' in hi%tory boo,%. In general, he re+er% to &ountle%% 'eo'le and e)ent% o+ (hi&h no %tudent ha% e)er heard, either in the barrio or in .e)erly $ill%. And all tho%e 'eo'le are dead and gone, and all tho%e i%%ue% o+ no moment at all. To read e)en $ell, (hi&h i% the ea%ie%t o+ the boo,%, re8uire% a% many +ootnote% a% %ome imaginable de+initi)e edition o+ the &om'lete &omedie% o+ Ari%to'hane%. #hat 'ur'o%e &ould there be in the %tudy o+ $ell/ I+ it i% intended a% a %o&ial adornment or a
re+re%her +or the 8ui::e% o+ the &ultural litera&y ma)en%, then it %hould be e-'elled not only +rom the a++irmati)e a&tion &urri&ulum but +rom all other% a% (ell. And %o too, i+ it i% to be read a% an illu%trated guide to the dogma o+ the Roman *atholi& *hur&h, (hi&h, i+ it %till e-i%t%, &an be le+t to u%e it a% it (ill. A% an ad1un&t to the %tudy o+ the hi%tory o+ the Renai%%an&e ;(hi&h i% it%el+ a 'oor &andidate +or the AA*,< it i% o+ little u%e. It i%n9t e)en )ery u%e+ul +or the %tudent o+ Italian ;another &our%e o+ %tudy that lie% ill in the AA*<= it% Italian i% anti8uated and, e%'e&ially +or the %tudent in %&hool, inordinately di++i&ult. Although it ha% it% %hare o+ na%tine%% and )iolen&e and e)en ob%&enity, )ery +e( reader% (ill +ind it entertaining. Nor do many +ind it heart5(arming or &ondu&i)e to %el+5e%teem. It% only &ommendation i%, in the%e time%, a &ondemnation? it i% in&luded in the &anon o+ &la%%i&% a% de)i%ed by the on&e dominant &la%% o+ (hite, u''er &la%% men. That alone i% enough to 'ro)e it irrele)ant to the li+e o+ the girl +rom the barrio and thou%and% and thou%and% o+ other%. In %hort, a% a &andidate +or e-&lu%ion +rom the li%t o+ %o&ially de%irable and (ith5it reading%, it9% a %ure (inner, and (ill 'robably %oon be gone +rom %tate mental in%titution% in Ne( Her%ey. And it (ill, o+ &our%e, not tra)el alone, +or all o+ the %ame thing%, (ith &hange% only in detail, &ould be %aid o+ boo,% (ithout number +rom the +liad to oby 0ick and (ell beyond. Ne)erthele%%, tho%e (ho ha)e read $ell (ill %ee that in all o+ the%e ob1e&tion%4and they are not +a,ed4there i% an ama:ing ina''ro'riatene%%, and (ill be brought to (onder ho( anybody &ould 'o%%ibly imagine that %u&h &on%ideration% (ere, (ell, relevant to the boo,, e)en i+ true. And among tho%e that %tand ama:ed at %u&h irrele)an&e (ill be the girl +rom the barrio (ho ha% read $ell. It ne)er +ail%. And (ith her there (ill %tand athei%t% and %uburbanite% and )egetarian%, and e)en tho%e (ho thin, o+ them%el)e% a% Roman *atholi&%. $o( &an thi% be/ Go ba&, no( and read again the e'igra'h. *are+ully. Noti&e, +or in%tan&e, that (e are among tho%e (ho ha)e lo%t not intelle&t, (hi&h readily lend% it%el+ to anything (e (ant to do, but the good o+ intelle&t, (hi&h mu%t be %omething el%e. #onder (hat that %omething el%e might be. A%,? i% there %ome %'e&ial Roman *atholi& notion
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hidden here, %ome at lea%t religiou% notion, %ome notion that (ould be +oreign and abhorrent to the *hine%e 'erha'%, or the Martian%, or %ome notion %uitable to men only/ A%, your%el+ thi%? (here &ould you go, today, to +ind your%el+ %urrounded by %trange utteran&e%, horrible 'ronoun&ement%, and a&&ent% o+ anger, all ma,ing an endle%%, gritty tumult, li,e (hirling %and in the turbid air/ I+ you are at a lo%% to an%(er, (at&h the ne(% tonight. $erein lie% the 'o(er o+ 3ante9% $ell, (here al%o lie% the 'o(er o+ any number o+ (or,% again%t (hi&h &harge% o+ irrele)an&e are %o ea%ily brought. It 1u%t ha''en% to be true, and a&&urate a% (ell. .ut it% truth i% in 'rin&i'le, not in 'arti&ular%, (hi&h &hange %o uni)er%ally and ra'idly a% to %eem, in any %eriou% &on%ideration o+ the bu%ine%% o+ human li+e, the truly irrele)ant detail%. There i% a (onder+ul &lue to the reading o+ $ell in a little e%%ay by .orge%. It &an be +ound in /even Nights, a boo, that you %hould read. .orge% 8uote% +rom a %u''o%ed letter o+ 3ante9% %on, (ho i% e-'laining, in e++e&t, that hi% +ather (a% not, a% %ome %till imagine, a my%ti& or a religiou% nut. ;@e%, they had them then too.< $e did not 'retend to 'ortray the A+ter(orld, but rather to %ho( ho( (e do li)e here and no(. All o+ u%. $ell i% a 'i&ture o+ ho( the %in+ul li)e. 0urgatory and 0aradi%e %ho(, re%'e&ti)ely, ho( the re'entant and the %a)ed do li)e, here and no(. The &on&e't% may be +oreign to u%, but (e don9t need them. #e do not ha)e to thin, greed a %in in order to %ee a truth+ul 'i&ture o+ ho( greedy 'eo'le do in +a&t li)e. #e ,no( 'eo'le (ho%e li)e% are gi)en al(ay% to 'u%hing around and around a great %tone that they lo)e. #hen Thoreau %ho(% u% a %imilar truth in the +orm o+ a young man 'u%hing be+ore him, do(n the road o+ li+e, hou%e and barn and land and (i+e and &hild and bea%t%, (e (ould be +ool% to di%&ount (hat he %ay% be&au%e hardly anybody ha% a barn the%e day%. .ut (hen 3ante, in the 'a%%age abo)e, %ho(% u% the 'light o+ He(% and Arab%, 'ro5li+er% and 'ro5&hoi&er%, and indeed o+ all +a&tionali%t% o+ any 'er%ua%ion, (e (ould li,e to di%mi%% him be&au%e he i% male, and religiou%, and (hite, and dead. .ut tho%e (ho (ould di%mi%% him ha)e e)en more %eriou% de+i&it% than tho%e in mind. 3ante i% indeed a member o+ an elite &om'any, but it i% a &om'any neither u%e+ully nor %u++i&iently de+ined by the di%&riminatory e'ithet% no( ha''ily
ado'ted by the o''onent% o+ di%&rimination. It i% the &om'any o+ tho%e (riter% (ho%e (or, i% gi)en to the e-'loration o+ the inner li+e, rather than to the e-'o%ition o+ the outer li+e. Imagine %ome li%t o+ (or,% to be 'ri:ed in the a++irmati)e a&tion &urri&ulum, and, in another &olumn, (or,% li,e $ell, (hi&h are not 6&orre&t.7 In the &orre&t (or,% there i% an im'li&it me%%age? 2oo, a(ay> 2oo, at the (orld out there. A&&ount +or your%el+, i+ you mu%t, by all that i% not in you. For your mi%erie% and your mi%deed%, hold the (orld to blame. In the in&orre&t (or,%, the me%%age i% thi%? 2oo, (ithin. !ee (hat you are. And, in $ell %'e&i+i&ally but not uni8uely? !ee ho( your mi%erie% and your mi%deed% +ondle and ,i%% ea&h other. .e 'ra&ti&al. *on%ider (hat i% &alled 6%eedu&ation.7 It i%, li,e all the 'retend edu&ation%, mo)ed by the %'irit o+ &olumn A. It i% a ho( to do in the (orld (or,%ho'. No( &on%ider another %tudy, a thorough reading o+ the +i+th &anto o+ $ell, (here the (eightle%% lu%t+ul, in 'er'etual +ree +all, are blo(n about by helli%h (ind%. They ha)e no re%t= they go (here the (ind goe%. They remind u% that le)ity i% the lo%% o+ gra)ity. And the endle%% +light o+ the +lighty i% not %ome 'uni%hment )i%ited u'on them by dour and 'uritani&al authority= it i% (hat they &ho%e. No( they ha)e it. To %hare their +ate, you do not ha)e to be dead. And, e-&e'ting only the )ery young, there i% no li)ing human being (ho (ill not under%tand (hat 3ante i% tal,ing about, under%tand and nod. And %igh. The (ind i% li,e the rain= it blo(% on all ali,e. #hen it blo(%, (ho (ill %tand, and (ho (ill +ly a(ay/ #hat ma,e% the di++eren&e/ #here doe% the 'o(er to %tand &ome +rom= &an it be &ulti)ated/ !hould it be &ulti)ated/ Are there other (ind% that blo(/ #hi&h i% +reedom, the 'o(er to %tand, or the into-i&ation o+ +lying (ith the (ind/ The%e are intere%ting 8ue%tion%, and 'arent% not de'ra)ed or moroni& (ould, gi)en the &hoi&e, (ant their &hildren to &on%ider them rather than to li)e in ignoran&e o+ them. The li+elong &on%ideration o+ %u&h 8ue%tion% i% the %ub%tan&e o+ true edu&ation, a% o''o%ed to all the other %tu++. .ut the %o&iali:ing edu&ationi%t%, +or %ome %urely +a%&inating but un,no(n rea%on, hate %u&h 8ue%tion%, and (ould, (ithout reading the boo,, e-'el 3ante +rom the %e- edu&ation 'rogram not only +or all the rea%on% that (e ha)e already
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gi)en, but al%o be&au%e he i% ob)iou%ly ignorant o+ the moral re)olution, and ne)er e)en mention% the threat o+ AI3! and the im'ortan&e o+ &lean &ondom%. To that %ort o+ thing, (hi&h &an be %u++i&iently di%'o%ed o+ in ten minute% in a 'am'hlet, they (ill allot long and &o%tly %ea%on% o+ 6%tudy.7 To the other %tudy, (hi&h +o%ter% meditation rather than ra''ing, and &on%ulting (ith the %el+ rather than (ith a 'eer grou', they dare not gi)e ten minute%/ #hy/ $ollander, although he %urely didn9t mean to, 'ro)ide% an an%(er. 6#e mu%t do,7 he %ay%, 6(hat i% both morally right and edu&ationally %ound to en%ure that our %tudent% are intelle&tually and &ulturally e8ui''ed to +un&tion and li)e in a global and highly di)er%e %o&iety.7 3i)er%ity i% big the%e day%. There i% money to be made in it, grant% to be granted, 'rogram% to be +unded, +a&ilitator% to be hired. And there i% merit to be earned. The 'rai%e o+ di)er%ity bring% out the )ote= it 'ay% o++ a %u''o%ed debt to the di)er%e, (ho, it mu%t be 're%umed, ha)e al(ay% been %lighted and o++ended by the undi)er%e. And a $ollander, (ho i% de&idedly undi)er%e, &an ma,e big 'oint% by %'reading a table be+ore the di)er%e in the 're%en&e o+ their enemie%, and generou%ly bidding them, (ell, not e-a&tly to his ban8ueting table, but to their o(n barbe&ue, (here he (ill let them eat (hate)er they li,e. And i+ on that menu they %hould +ind, and (hy not, their 3ante, (ill he not, by the )ery 'o(er% that ma,e him their 3ante, (ill he not %uddenly &ome to be numbered among the undi)er%e, and %tri&,en +rom the menu/ For, by &lear and %im'le logi&, i+ there i% a 3ante, and there either i% or (ill be a 3ante, in the literature o+ the third (orld or among the (omen, that 3ante (ill 'ro)o,e %imilar 8ue%tion%, and rai%e, among the edu&ationi%t%, the %ame ob1e&tion%. !uddenly, the &olor or &ulture or gender o+ that 3ante (ill not be a ti&,et o+ admi%%ion to a ne( &anon, and that 3ante, too, (ill ha)e to go. The rea%on i% &lear. That 3ante (ill be that 3ante be&au%e, li,e thi% 3ante, he or %he (ill be no re%'e&ter o+ di)er%ity. The di)er%itie% among 'eo'le are, in +a&t, %u'er+i&ial and tri)ial. To imagine that they are im'ortant, and that they go to mold nature and &hara&ter, i% e-a&tly the root o+ the mental di%order% that (e &all the 5i%m%. To imagine, +or in%tan&e, that bla&, 'eo'le are %o &on%tituted that they are more ea%ily blo(n a(ay
than (hite 'eo'le, and that that9% OJ, and that the meaning o+ the !e&ond *ir&le ha% nothing to do (ith them, a 3ante (ill not allo(. #ill a $ollander/ For a 3ante, the %erson i% the )e%%el o+ meaning= it i% +or the ra&i%t that the bla&, 'er%on i% the )e%%el o+ meaning, or the (hite. It i% not to (hite 'eo'le, or to religiou% 'eo'le, or to Italian 'eo'le, or to le+t5handed 'eo'le, but to 'eo'le that 3ante &an re)eal the my%terie% o+ %el+5%ear&hing and %el+5,no(ing, (hi&h i% (hy a 3ante ha% little intere%t in di)er%ity. $i% intere%t i% rather in (hat, ho( %trange to noti&e, mu%t be the true o''o%ite o+ di)er%ity. Uni)er%ity. And that9% (hat a uni)er%ity i%, i+ it i% a uni)er%ity, and not a 1um'ed5u' trade %&hool, or a &onditioning %tation +or do&ile &iti:en%, or a 'ul'it o+ ideology. It i% a 'la&e de)oted to the %tudy and 're%er)ation and nurture o+ (hate)er human (i%dom &an be +ound that 'ertain% to e)erybody (ho li)e%, or ha% li)ed, or e)er (ill li)e, on "arth. And it i% a 'la&e +or the te%ting o+ (i%dom too. !&hool% %hould +ollo( the e-am'le o+ T$" UN3"RGROUN3 GRAMMARIAN and 're%ent their %tudent% (ith reading% that ma,e no u%e o+ the name% o+ the (riter%, a% (e do in our Great .oo,let%. #e do not (ant our reader% to %ay, Oh, thi% (a% (ritten by that He(, or by that &ommuni%t. #e (ant them to attend only to (hat i% %aid, and to (eigh that rather than %ome di)er%ity o+ the author. #e (onder (hat $ollander (ould %ay to thi%. 3oe% he (ant the %tudent% to read .ald(in or .eau)oir that they may (eigh and &on%ider (hat i% %aid, and 'erha'% e)en +ind +ault (ith it, or doe% he, li,e the man (ho i% (illing to be )irtuou% %o long a% he i% ,no(n to be )irtuou%, (ant the &urri&ulum to %ho( the name% o+ .ald(in and .eau)oir, %o that the di)er%e (ill be a''ea%ed/ I+ the +ormer, then let .eau)oir and .ald(in, (ho %hould be read in any &a%e, %tand anonymou%ly on the %ame &orner (ith !o'ho&le% and Tol%toi, &a%ting (hat light, and (inning (hat a''ro)al they &an. I+ the latter, (hi&h %eem% to be the &a%e, then !o'ho&le% and Tol%toi (ill ha)e to retire, and .eau)oir and .ald(in (ill ha)e to (ear their name &ard%. #hi&h (ill not 'lea%e them. .e o+ good &heer. The Uni)er%ity i% long, and the $ollander% are )ery %hort. There i% 8uite enough &ontention, and ambition, in the Uni)er%ity to 'ro)ide a te%ting and (eighing o+ them all. !ome (ill +lare +or a %'a&e and %'utter
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out, and %ome (ill get the ene* mene right a(ay. !ome (ill +all, only to ri%e again in another age. And %ome (ill mo)e at on&e, and ha)e already mo)ed, into that &anon, (hi&h really i% e-&lu%i)e, a% it %hould be, but (ho%e rule% are not (hat our $ollander% thin, them. And no( (e mu%t lea)e o++, to go ba&, and 'onder (hat 3ante might ha)e meant by the good o+ intelle&t. #e ha)e, at lea%t, a &lue. #e ,no( lot% o+ $ollander%, and they are not %hort o+ intelle&t. And right there (e mu%t begin.
The Articles of War
*ONGR"!! i% in a +la' o)er the +lag. #hile thi%

i% in it%el+ not an edi+ying %'e&ta&le, thought+ul +ol, may ne)erthele%% ta,e +rom it %omething o+ (orth. In thi% &a%e, (e ha)e at lea%t been gi)en a rare o''ortunity to ma,e a 'oint or t(o +or 0lato, (ho i% (ay behind 1u%t no(. Try thi%. Go out into the high(ay% and by(ay% and +ind %ome &iti:en (ith (hom you &an hold high &on)er%e +or a %'ell. Try to e-'lain to him ho( it (a% that one o+ hi% +ello( human being% &ould &ome to &on&lude that all o+ thi% hard and %olid %tu++ around u% i%, to 'ut it 'lainly, not real. Try to tell him that hi% +urniture i%n9t (hat he thin,% it i%, but only a %hado( o+ %ome 'ermanent but utterly ina&&e%%ible Idea, (hi&h e-i%ted be+ore there (a% any +urniture, and (ill %till be around (hen there i% no +urniture. !ee (hat ha''en%. !urely nothing %eem% more 're'o%terou% and &ontrary to &ommon %en%e, the +a&ulty that tell% u% that "arth i% +lat, than the 0latoni& idea o+ the Idea. And it (ould not be %ur'ri%ing %hould your auditor laugh you to %&orn +or %ugge%ting it. At the %ame time, ho(e)er, your auditor belie)e% it. Un%ha,ably. #e &an ,no( that by logi&. A+ter all, thi% i% a demo&ra&y, in (hi&h &ongre%% %tand% re're%entati)e o+ all the 'eo'le. *ongre%% belie)e% in the 0latoni& Idea. And ergo* ergo +rom that. *ongre%% i% (orrying about the +lag. It %eem% to ha)e &on&luded that all the thou%and% and thou%and% o+ Ameri&an% (ho ha)e yearned to burn the +lag ha)e no( been turned loo%e on a hel'le%% re'ubli& by %ome 1udge%. !o (hat to do/ !hould there be a ne( la(/ !hould there be a &on%titutional amendment/ $o( &an (e go on thi% (ay, ,no(ing that %ome %&ru++y &ree' ha% burned
the +lag and gotten a(ay (ith it/ #hat (ill the )oter% thin, i+ (e do nothing/ #ell, a &ongre%% in a 8uandary i% one o+ the 'rere8ui%ite% o+ a +ree %o&iety, %o (e (ouldn9t (ant to do anything to hel' tho%e 'atriot% out, but (e ha)e been told by the 'eo'le (ho &laim to ,no( %u&h thing% that the le)el o+ the (riting in thi% %heet i% 1u%t too high +or the Good o+ !o&iety a% a #hole, %o thi% i% not li,ely to +all into the (rong hand%. !o thin, about all o+ thi%. .ut ,ee' it to your%el+. I+ you truly (anted to burn the +lag, (here (ould you go to +ind it/ .e %lo( to an%(er. The hall &lo%et (ill not do. In the hall &lo%et you may (ell ha)e a +lag, a% (e do, in +a&t. Our% ha% a rattle%na,e on it, and (e %ho( it on all +e%ti)e day%, Ground $og 3ay in&luded. .ut it i% not the +lag= it i% a +lag. @our%, too, i% a +lag. @ou &an burn your +lag, and you are e)en %u''o%ed to, by the (ay, (hen it get% too tattered and dirty, but you &an9t burn the +lag. Although it i% not, li,e 0lato9%, a uni)er%al and 'ermanent idea, the +lag i% 1u%t that4an idea. A +lag i% u%ually a 'ie&e o+ &loth (ith %ha'e% and &olor% arranged u'on it. .ut it &an be other thing% a% (ell. On thi% 'age, there i% a +lag. $o( big a &rime do you +eel you (ould be &ommitting i+ you burned thi% 'age/ $o( angry (ould you be i+ %ome e-hibitioni%t %&u::bag (ere to burn thi% 'age be&au%e he noti&ed on it a +lag/ A tree i% %omething. Another tree i% al%o %omething, and a lot o+ tree% are a lot o+ tree%. .ut the +ore%t i% an idea. True, (e %ometime% &an not %ee the +ore%t +or the tree%, but it i% more o+ten the other (ay around, and all (e &an %ee i% the +ore%t. Thi% i% (hat ha% ha''ened (hen (e thin, that Italian%, by (hi&h (e mean the Italian%, are &riminal%, or (hen (e thin, that the bla&, 'eo'le are not a% de)oted to +amily li+e a% the (hite 'eo'le. Thi% i% the root o+ a 'arti&ularly dangerou% &on+u%ion. Un+ortunately, there i% great &on)enien&e o+ e-'re%%ion in the undi%&i'lined u%e o+ 6a7 and 6the.7 All o+ our reader% %hould be thin,ing, 1u%t no(, o+ the +a&t that thi% %heet o+ten re+er% to the edu&ationi%t%. #e are &ertainly thin,ing o+ it. And (e are (ondering (hat to do about it. That i%, at lea%t, the +ir%t %te' in the dire&tion o+ mental &larity. #e ho'e to ta,e another %te' or t(o. One thing (e already ,no( to do, and do (hene)er (e &an, i% to gi)e name%.
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Tho%e are tiny (ord%, the arti&le% 6a7 and 6the,7 and e-&eedingly &ommon. It i% not li,ely that their u%e &au%e% many 6mi%ta,e%7 o+ the %ort that &om'o%ition tea&her% ha)e to &orre&t. .ut &on%ider thi%? I+ you a%, a man to go +orth and die in de+en%e o+ a +lag, he either (ill, or mo%t &ertainly %hould, laugh in your +a&e. .ut i+ you a%, the %ame in de+en%e o+ the +lag, he (ill u%ually go. And therein lie% the (orth, to %omeone, o+ the belie+ that the +ore%t i% more 6real7 than the tree%.

Volume Thirteen, Number !i- . . . . O&tober 19 9
Dies 'rae in Academe
Brief #otes
IN the %&hool year that ha% 1u%t no( begun, thi%

nation (ill %'end more than three hundred and +i+ty billion dollar% on (hat it &all% 6edu&ation,7 by (hi&h it mean%, o+ &our%e, %&hooling. That &ome% to ID,FEE +or ea&h elementary %&hool 'u'il, and almo%t I1D,EEE +or ea&h high %&hool %tudent. 0er 'u'il, that i% +ar more than i% %'ent in any o+ the many nation% that do a mu&h better 1ob o+ %&hooling, that i%, training 'eo'le +or u%e+ul and relati)ely harmle%% li)e%. It i% al%o enough to build %e)en hundred %tealth bomber%. A% to the meaning o+ that +a&t, ho(e)er, (e are un&ertain. #e 1u%t don9t ,no( enough about the %tealth bomber. It, too, +or all (e ,no(, may be (or%e than u%ele%%. The%e thing% (e do ,no( about our %&hool%. I+ (e are mi%ta,en in any detail, (ho%oe)er &an, may trium'hantly rebu,e u% at the end o+ the %&hool year. .ut that (ill not ha''en. Thi% %&hool year (ill bring u% more illiterate% than la%t year. More dro'out% than la%t year. More unem'loyable% than la%t year. More drug u%er% than la%t year. More little girl% (ith babie% than la%t year. More little girl% (ith drug addi&tion% and babie% than la%t year. More indigent% than la%t year. More &yni&al o''ortuni%t%, &on)in&ed that the li+e o+ the intelle&t i% bun,. More deluded young athlete%, %,illed in nothing but their bodie%. More a''renti&e hoodlum% (ho &an %ee in order and di%&i'line nothing more than %la)ery. And all o+ that, o+ &our%e, (ill %er)e to 1u%ti+y more %trident demand% +or the e-'enditure o+ more money than la%t year in order to 'ro)ide e)en more o+ all the%e thing% ne-t year. A% to (hether %e)en hundred %tealth bomber% (ould do more or le%% harm than thi%, (e ha)e no (ay o+ ,no(ing or +inding out. To dream o+ the re+orm o+ %&hooling i% &hildi%h +olly. #e %tand no(, a% (e al(ay% %tand, at the highe%t 'oint, %o +ar, o+ a &ontinuou%ly gro(ing tra%h hea' o+ 6re+orm,7 no( more than %e)enty
#" ha)e had %e)eral great letter% about 'i. T(o

o+ them 'ointed out that (e (ere %urely (rong in %ugge%ting that you &ould 'ro)e +or your%el+ that the diameter and the &ir&um+eren&e (ere in&ommen%urable. $o( right they (ere. It ha%, o+ &our%e, been 'ro)en, but the ta%, too, &enturie% and great mind%. Our o(n 6'roo+74(e really thought (e had done it, (e ree-amined. That in it%el+ (a% one hell o+ a 1ob. It turned out to be bogu%, %in&e it de'ended on yet another in&ommen%urable (hi&h (e had un,no(ingly a%%umed4the diagonal o+ a %8uare that might be dra(n u'on a bi%e&tion o+ the radiu%
One
reader ha% %ugge%ted that (e di%'lay in e)ery i%%ue our motto, the (ord% o+ .en Hon%on 'rinted belo(. $e %ay% thi% 'artly be&au%e he ,ee'% +orgetting it, and 're+er% not to, but al%o be&au%e it %eem% to e-'re%% the theme o+ thi% 1ournal. #ell, maybe it doe%. It &ertainly &ome% &lo%er than anything (e &an &ome u' (ith. #e9ll do it, %tarting right no(.
T$" UN3"RGROUN3 GRAMMARIAN 0o%t O++i&e .o- FEG Gla%%boro, Ne( Her%ey E EF R. Mit&hell, A%%o&. *ir&. Mgr. "ight i%%ue% a @ear. One year %ub%&ri'tion? 0er%on% in the U!A or *anada, I1DU!= 0er5 %on% el%e(here, IFE= all non5'er%onal enti5 tie% o+ any %ort, i.e., librarie%, IFE4or more.
Neither can his mind be thought to be in tune whose words do jarre; nor his reason in frame whose sentence is preposterous.
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year% high. In e)ery one o+ tho%e year%, the edu&ationi%t% o+ Ameri&a ha)e %aid, 6#ell, %ure, there ha)e been %ome mi%ta,e%, but no(, ah no(, (e really ,no( (hat to do.7 ;The%e 'eo'le ne)er %ay that %omeone ha% committed mi%ta,e%, but only that there may ha)e been %ome.< In the &oming year (e (ill hear the %ame. O+ten. It i% not 1u%t a mi%ta,e= it i% madne%%. It i% a% though a man in (ho%e brain a malignant tumor (ere gro(ing %hould %ee, out e)ery 'o%%ible (ay in (hi&h it might %omeho( be &on)erted into a better tumor, a more e++i&ient tumor, a tumor o+ (hi&h to be 'roud. Ameri&an %&hooling i% not %i&,= it i% healthy. It (a-e% +atter and %tronger e)ery year. It gobble% more e)ery year, and gro(% 'rodigiou%ly. Million% and million% o+ 'eo'le4indeed, all o+ the 'eo'le a%%o&iated (ith it, (ith the e-&e'tion only o+ tho%e (ho are +or&ed into it by la(4ta,e enormou% 'ro+it and &om+ort +rom it. It (ill, o+ &our%e, 'eri%h, but only a+ter long %ea%on% o+ (rithing and t(it&hing, and by then it may (ell ha)e ,illed it% ho%t. Re+orm% in %&hooling are al(ay% re%'on%e% to 'arti&ular%, and, therea+ter, re%'on%e% to tho%e re%'on%e%, and %o on +ore)er. In the thirteen year% that (e ha)e %'ent in (at&hing, there ha% not been one &hange in 'rin&i'le, not one glimmer o+ ho'e that %omeone in that tangled me%% might &ome to re&on%ider the idea% that ma,e it (hat it i%. #ith the be%t o+ intention%, (hi&h they may e)en ha)e, the re+ormer% o+ %&hooling (ill %tumble +ore)er +rom detail% to detail%4into the o'en &la%%room and out o+ it, +rom board &ontrol to management &ontrol to 'arent &ontrol to tea&her &ontrol, +rom %tudent5&entered edu&ation to out&ome%5ba%ed edu&ation, +rom thi% %et o+ ba%al reader% to that, through all the re)i%ion% o+ the re)i%ion% o+ the %tandardi:ed te%t%, and do(n that endle%% &orridor o+ all tho%e ne(er and ne(er math%. It i% a helli%h 'ro%'e&t +or all but tho%e (ho ma,e their li)ing% by it, and (ho (ould be 'ut out o+ (or, %hould they e)er %u&&eed. That +a&t alone i% enough to %ugge%t the (orthle%%ne%% o+ re+orm. Any ma&hine, Thoreau noted, ha% it% +ri&tion, and might run better (ith a little oil, but (hen +ri&tion &ome% to ha)e it% o(n ma&hine, (e %hould %ma%h the thing. Although there are million% o+ little rea%on% +or the di%a%ter o+ Ameri&an go)ernment %&hooling, there i% only one .ig Rea%on. !&hool i% a
go)ernment agen&y (ith a 'oliti&al and ideologi&al agenda. All that it doe% i% meant to ha)e it% e++e&t in (hat tho%e edu&ationi%t% &all the A++e&ti)e 3omain, (hi&h i% to %ay, in the belly, in the gut o+ %entiment, +eeling, and belie+. ")en (hen they do ha''en to tea&h a little arithmeti&, they &an thin, o+ no better rea%on +or doing that than &om'eting (ith the Ha'ane%e4in (hi&h they %ho( that they &an9t4or enhan&ing a little %el+5 e%teem here and there. They 're+er 6tea&hing7 thing% li,e %e- edu&ation or drug edu&ation, interminable 'rogram% o+ 'er%ua%ion, &a1olery, and 2et9% 0retend role 'laying, in (hi&h t(el)e long year% o+ re'etiti)e 'rea&hment &an be dra(n out o+ a body o+ ,no(able +a&t that might e)en +ill an eight5'age 'am'hlet i+ there (ere a +e( 'i&ture%. To tell (hat i% ,no(n i% not enough= they are attitude 'oli&e, they are the !unday5%&hool tea&her% o+ the &i)i& &hur&h. .ut they +ail. *hildren &an %ee that they are re&iting %ome 'arty line, and they gro( &yni&al, &on&luding at la%t that i+ mu&h o+ (hat the tea&her% 'rea&h i% &ant, then maybe it9% all &ant. That i% (hy %&hool in Ameri&a ha% no %'irit, no energy. !&hool i% not at the &enter o+ anything= to all other in%titution% it i% 'eri'heral, an ad1un&t, a (ay %tation, a tool. It hum% (ith no dynamo o+ it% o(n, but rattle% li,e a 1ury5rigged a''urtenan&e. It i% the home and d(elling 'la&e o+ nothing in 'arti&ular, but an utterly un%ele&ti)e &ra%h5'ad +or )agrant notion%. It %hine% (ith no light o+ it% o(n, da::le% (ith no glory, a%tound% (ith no (onder, %ur'ri%e% (ith no 1oy, %ober% (ith no re)eren&e, a(e% (ith no %olemnity. It doe% not 'ri:e the intelle&t. It ha% no heart, no theme, no greatne%%. $o( long mu%t thi% go on/ $o( many time% mu%t (e a%,, #hat &an (e do about the %&hool%/ 2et u% rather a%,, I% there %ome (ay in (hi&h (e &ould do (ithout the%e %&hool%/ A+ter all, i+ (e (ere to &lo%e the (hole o'eration do(n today, (e (ould ha)e more than three hundred and +i+ty billion dollar% to 'lay (ith. Not bad +or %eed money. Hu%t no( there i% noi%e in the 're%% about the +a&t that Ameri&an bu%ine%%e% &an not +ind enough young 'eo'le (ho are able to do any u%e+ul (or,. They &an not e)en +ind enough young 'eo'le (ho are at lea%t %u++i&iently %,illed in the mo%t elementary 'o(er% o+ mind %o that they might be (orth training +or %ome u%e+ul (or,. Thou%and% o+ 1ob% are un+illed. *or'oration% +ind %ometime%
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that one in %e)en a''li&ant%, and %ometime% only one in ten, &an be e-'e&ted to do the relati)ely routine and undemanding (or, that underlie% all &or'orate and indu%trial enter'ri%e, the daily round o+ &ler,ing and re&ording and &ounting. They &an hardly +ind 'eo'le (ho &an (rite a little note or e)en tal, intelligibly on the tele'hone. The %hortage i% %o great, e%'e&ially in tho%e 1ob% that %eem more and more to be ta,en by young member% o+ )ariou% minoritie%, that one .rad M. .utler, a retired &hairman o+ Hohn%on R Hohn%on, +ore%ee% 6the gro(th o+ a third (orld (ithin our o(n &ountry.7 $e +ear%, not unrea%onably, that 6%ome time in the t(enty5+ir%t &entury thi% nation (ill &ea%e to be a 'ea&e+ul, 'ro%'erou% demo&ra&y.7 3a)id Jearn%, &hairman o+ the Nero- *or'oration, %ee% 6the ma,ing% o+ a national di%a%ter,7 and other &or'orate &hie+tain% o+ all %ort% agree. Mo%t o+ them, o+ &our%e, 'robably %ee nothing mu&h more than &or'orate in&on)enien&e, and the e)er5're%ent 'roblem o+ &om'eting (ith tho%e 'e%,y Ha'ane%e. .ut %ome o+ them, li,e .utler and Jearn%, do %eem to ha)e higher, dar,er, )i%ion%. It i% a% though they %ee, and (e thin, they do, that (or,ing +or a li)ing ha% a meaning abo)e and beyond it% 'ra&ti&al &on%e8uen&e%. It i% a #ay, a (ay o+ li)ing, and it i% good in it%el+. !hould (e go on rai%ing u' unto our%el)e% (hole generation% o+ 'eo'le (ho &an not li)e in that (ay, then (e (ill not only de%troy thi% land, but it (ill de%er)e de%tru&tion. !u&h a land (ould be a torment to it%el+ and a deadly 'eril to all it% neighbor%. And a %trange ne( thought ha% been %ugge%ted to u%. #e don9t e-a&tly li,e it, but it 're%%e% u%. A&ademe i% rubble no(, and no %'irit li)e% in it= *hur&h ha% be&ome a motley &olle&tion o+ (i+ty intere%t grou'%= the one Jing i% bro,en into bureau&rati& bit%= Art (him'er% +or +unding= and the !oldier %it% at de%,% and 'u%he% button%. #hat humming dynamo (ould Adam% hear in the %habby e-'o%ition hall o+ all our in%titution%/ *an it be that )ery thing that (e intelle&tual% are %o 'roud to de%'i%e, the &ra%% and tra%hy (orld o+ bu%ine%%/ !o (e ha)e %ome ad)i&e +or 'eo'le li,e .utler and Jearn%, (ho may (ell be more numerou% in that (orld than (e ha)e %u''o%ed. $ere it i%? !to' (ading near the %hore holding on to a 'lan,= 1um' into the dee'. 3on9t imagine that you &an 6hel'7 the %&hool 'eo'le to gi)e you (hat you need. #ho
%u'% (ith the de)il mu%t bring a long %'oon, and your% i%n9t long enough. 3o it all your%el+. @ou ha)e the dough, and, it begin% to a''ear, the %'irit. @ou, Jearn%, begin. .utler i% retired. !'ea, thu% to e)erybody at Nero-? !tarting in !e'tember o+ 199E, the Nero- *or'oration (ill 'ro)ide all o+ it% em'loyee% (ith a ne( +ringe bene+it4+ree %&hooling +rom grade% 1 to 1F +or all o+ the &hildren o+ it% em'loyee%, and day &are and ,indergarten too. Nero- %&hool% (ill hire, and 'ay hand%omely, the be%t damn tea&her% there are, and +ire them, too, i+ they turn out not to be. They (ill, +ir%t and +oremo%t, tea&h the &hildren, all the &hildren, to read and to (rite and to &i'her. There i% no my%tery a% to ho( to do that, but it (ill re8uire both tea&her% and &hildren to (or, hard, 1u%t a% you do in your (or, at Nero-. The %&hool% (ill tea&h language% and %&ien&e% and all %ort% o+ te&hni&al %,ill%. The &hildren (ill %tudy hi%tory by reading hi%torian%, and literature by reading good boo,%. #e (ill 'rea&h them no 'a' about )alue%, but let them rather behold the (hole range o+ (hat their +ello( human being% ha)e +ound )aluable, and hel' them to &on%ider (hy. The board% o+ Nero- %&hool% (ill be made u' o+ Nero- 'eo'le, and they (ill ha)e the management o+ the %&hool%. A% to &urri&ulum, ho(e)er, they (ill, at mo%t, ad)i%e and re8ue%t. I+ the tea&her% &an not de&ide (hat i% (orthy to be taught, and ho(, (e (ill +ind better. #e (ill, in any &a%e, be o++ering them %o mu&h money that (e (ill ha)e hundred% o+ &hoi&e% +or e)ery 'o%ition. ")ery %tudent (ho &om'lete% the &our%e o+ %tudy (ill ha)e a 1ob at Nero- along (ith the di'loma. In return +or that guarantee, e)ery 'arent mu%t 'arti&i'ate +ully and a&ti)ely in the bu%ine%% o+ %&hooling, and %hare, a% 'arent% %hould, the re%'on%ibility +or the edu&ation o+ their &hildren. 3ro'out% (ill be 'ermanent. 3e&ent and &i)ili:ed beha)ior (ill be ta,en +or granted. $ome(or, (ill be done. The library (ill be 8uiet, and the bathroom% (ill be &lean. No one (ill u%e drug%. !in&e (e are dedu&ting nothing +rom your %alary to %u''ort the %&hool, (e (ill not be de'ri)ing you o+ anything that i% rightly your% %hould your &hild be e-'elled. The%e %&hool% (ill be good. They (ill 're'are our 'eo'le +or de&ent, thought+ul li)e% and 'rodu&ti)e (or,. Many detail% %till remain to be (or,ed out, but nothing in thi% i% beyond the 'o(er o+ the human mind. !tay tuned.
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One %u&h %&hool (ould %tart a re)olution, (ee'ing and (ailing and gna%hing o+ teeth. Only a $ero (ould dare it. !o no( (e (ill %ee i+ (e mu%t a&&e't the (orld o+ bu%ine%% a% the re'o%itory o+ )ital energy and &ourage in a dar, age.
#othing More To Say

Fathering i% al%o one o+ the thing% I do (ithout %eeming to a&&om'li%h anything. My daughter4%he9% only 1F to my OG, %o that might e-'lain a +e( thing%4i% not turning out at all a% I had ho'ed. I li%ten to &la%%i&al mu%i&, %he li%ten% to noi%e= I read, %he doe%n9t. In the li)ing room are %hel)e% o+ boo,%, but not on&e ha% %he, out o+ %im'le &urio%ity, ta,en one do(n and +li''ed through it, mu&h le%% 'eru%ed it. I belie)e in the mind, %he belie)e% in ma,eu' and hair %'ray. And let me %ugge%t that there might be an alternati)e (ay to 'a%% the time o+ day, and %he loo,% at me (ith that mi-ture o+ %ur'ri%e and %urline%% that might ha)e in)ented the +ir%t 'hilo%o'her. A&&om'li%h anything/ I %eem 'o(erle%% to a&&om'li%h anything. #hy i% thi% (hen I %eem &a'able o+ rea%oning/ #hy i% thi%, (hen I try to ,ee' my mind in tune/
#" +ind our%el)e% in $ell again, %ent thi% time

by a reader9% letter, %ome 'art o+ (hi&h i% 8uoted abo)e. #e are in 2imbo, (hi&h i%, no matter (hat they %ay, %till $ell. $ere are the )irtuou% 'agan%, tho%e (ho did the be%t they &ould by minding the 2a( a% %ho(n in Nature. They ha)e no 'ain, but neither ha)e they any ho'e o+ more than 'ainle%%ne%%. They neither %u++er nor re1oi&e. !o&rate% i% there, o+ &our%e, along (ith 0lato and Ari%totle, and numerou% other an&ient luminarie% o+ %&ien&e and 'hilo%o'hy, but 3ante, naturally, 'ut% the 'oet% +ir%t. $e and Virgil are greeted by $omer, $ora&e, O)id, and 2u&an. #e are told that the +i)e great 'oet% &hat a bit, but, e-&e't +or hearing that they ha)e in)ited 3ante to 1oin their &om'any, (e are not told (hat they %ay. At lea%t, though, they %'ea,. .ut the 'hilo%o'her% do not. !o&rate% loo,ed +or(ard to hi% death, %u''o%ing that, %hould there be more li+e a+ter all, he (ould at la%t be +reed o+ the delu%ion% &au%ed by the body and (ould be
able to hold high &on)er%e (ith other %oul% li,e(i%e +ree o+ the +le%h, and al%o +ar more (i%e than he. There, he ho'ed, he (ould be able to +ind out the truth hidden behind the (orld o+ matter. 3ante ha% it other(i%e. $ere, the great mind% are %ilent. No one %'ea,%. ")en !o&rate% ha% nothing more to %ay. #e behold them +or a moment, a% in a tableau vivant, and tra)el on. Hu%t do(n the road (e &ome to the 6'la&e (here nothing %hine% at all.7 #e &ommend, and try to 'ra&ti&e in the%e 'age%, the thought+ul li+e. And (e 6belie)e7 in it, but (e do ha)e to %ay that (ith 8uotation mar,%. #hat (e ha)e in mind i% not the belie)ing that &ome% o+ gue%%ing or ho'ing, but the belie)ing that 0lato %'o,e o+ (hen he 'ut the %&ienti%t% among the belie)er% rather than among the ,no(er%. It (a%, (e belie)e ;thi% time in the %en%e o+ gue%%ing<, $obbe% (ho 'ointed out that our 6belie+7 in tomorro(9% %unri%e i% 1u%t that, a belie+, an in+eren&e about non5e-i%tent 'henomena dra(n +rom our e-'erien&e o+ other 'henomena. A% belie+% go, it9% good enough to bet on, but %till a belie+. And our belie+ a% to the goodne%% o+ the thought+ul li+e i% no better, and no (or%e, than our belie+ in tomorro(9% %unri%e. #e ha)e the e)iden&e o+ e-'erien&e. #ho (ill ta,e thought, a% rea%onably and a% &learly a% 'o%%ible, a% to the meaning o+ deed%, (ill be ha''ier and better +or it. It i% thought+ulne%% that 'romote% the &ulti)ation o+ the Gree, ideal4moderation in all thing%. It i% out o+ thought+ulne%%, and not out o+ %entiment, +or in%tan&e, that (e &an di%&o)er and 're+er &ourage not a% an endo(ment or 1u%t another laudable %entiment, but a% the rea%onable middle ground bet(een &o(ardi&e and re&,le%%ne%%. It i% by ta,ing thought that (e &an be &on%i%tently generou%, that i%, neither 'ro+ligate nor niggardly. And it i% (hen (e under%tand that ,indne%% lie% not at one end o+ a line (ho%e other end i% &ruelty, but 1u%t mid(ay bet(een &ruelty and indulgen&e, that (e &an be ,ind by rea%on rather than by emotion. That i% (hy the 'ra&ti&e o+ thought+ulne%% mu%t be al(ay% at the heart o+ anything that &all% it%el+ 6edu&ation.7 It i%, o+ &our%e, 'o%%ible to be bra)e, and generou%, and ,ind out o+ %ome 6good +eeling7 or other, but +eeling i% a (ea, and unde'endable &om'anion. All it ta,e% to %&are o++ one +eeling i% the arri)al o+ another. Feeling% are numberle%%, and, unli,e thought+ul 1udgment%,
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they &an gi)e no rea%onable a&&ount o+ them%el)e%, nor do they &are to. They are the unbidden gue%t% at the table, the ra&&oon% in the garbage &an, and the ri%ing (ater in the &ellar. And that i% (hy %u&h e-er&i%e% a% the 'rogram% o+ attitude ad1u%tment no( +a%hionable in our %&hool% mu%t +ail. I+ (e e-hort the &hildren to +eel bad about drug%, and to +eel good about 'eo'le o+ other ra&e%, (e may in&ul&ate tho%e +eeling%. Today. At the %ame time, ho(e)er, (e (ill demon%trate our belie+ in both the malleability and the 'rima&y o+ +eeling%. Another day, another +eeling. A li+e go)erned by thought+ulne%%4or, to be truth+ul, a li+e that ha% it% brie+ %ea%on% go)erned by thought+ulne%%4i% not (ithout e-&itement. It bring%, on&e in a (hile, re+re%hing (onder%, and, more than on&e in a (hile, &almne%%. It i% an an%(er to the 'ro)erbial 'rayer, (hi&h a%,% +or the 'o(er to ,no( the di++eren&e bet(een the thing% that are in our 'o(er to &hange and tho%e that are not. And that in it%el+ i% one o+ it% (onder%= it o+ten lead% u% to di%&o)er that (e &an an%(er %ome o+ our 'rayer% +or our%el)e%, and e)en that %ome other o+ our 'rayer% might better be le+t, not only unan%(ered, but e)en un'rayed. .ut it i% a li+e not only moderate, but middling. I+ it i% not the &ra&,ling o+ thorn%, it i% al%o not the heat o+ the %un. And %o it i% that the 'hilo%o'her% &an neither %u++er nor re1oi&e. Maybe &hildren &an %ee that. The 'hilo%o'her%, a% in%tru&ted both by !o&rate% and by their o(n deliberation%, (ill o'en the gate%, and go out to greet the 'oet%. They (ill (ine them and dine them, and de&, their bro(% (ith laurel, and then, &ourteou%ly, bid them +are(ell, and go home, &are+ully &lo%ing the gate% behind them. .ut the &hildren (ould li,e to dan&e and %ing (ith the 'oet%, and 'erha'% e)en to run o++ in that immoderate &om'any, o)er the hill% and +ar a(ay, lea)ing the gate% to %(ing (ith the (ind behind them. The &hildren don9t e)en &are i+ the 'oet% aren9t really )ery good 'oet%. They &are only that there be 'oetry, and that there be %inging and dan&ing. And they ta,e no thought +or the morro(, (hat they %hall eat and drin,, and (hat they %hall 'ut on, the %illie%. And (hat are (e to do/ Mu%t (e al(ay% lo%e, and lo%e %o big4%i-ty5 three to t(el)e/ It may be %o. ")en 0lato %eemed to %u%'e&t, in old age, and !o&rate% &learly hint%, early on in
The Re%ublic, that the good li+e &all% +or dan&ing and %inging and 'rai%ing that one that he al(ay% &alled 6the god.7 Nor did either o+ tho%e (orthie%, no( +allen %ilent, deny that the 'oet%, and all the arti%t%, had been )i%ited, maybe e)en )i&timi:ed in a (ay, by the light, by the %un, the real %un. The 'oet% in 2imbo %'ea,, and %'ea, o+ e-&ellent thing%. A man (ho had been %tudying 'hilo%o'hy (ith "'i&tetu% &ame to the ma%ter one day (ith a gloomy +a&e. 62i%ten, "'i&tetu%,7 he %aid, 6I ha)e to tell you that thi% 'hilo%o'hy %tu++ %ound% )ery good (hen (e tal, about it, but, (hen the &hi'% are do(n there on the bottom line, it doe%n9t (or,.7 6Goodne%% gra&iou%,7 %aid "'i&tetu%, 6that i% )ery bad ne(% indeed. #hat ha% brought you to %ay that/7 6#ell, it9% li,e thi%. I ha)e to 'ut u' (ith thi% brother5in5la(. $e i% an obno-iou% and arrogant +ello( (ho al(ay% thin,% that he ,no(% better, no matter (hat you tell him. $e &an9t %ee any rea%on (hy he %houldn9t ha)e (hate)er he (ant%, (hi&h i% e-a%'erating enough in it%el+, but, e)en (or%e, he &all% me a +ool +or %ugge%ting that he ought to &on%ider (hether he should (ant (hat he (ant%. $e ha% the tri&, o+ &le)erne%%, (hi&h 'ro)ide% him (ith a %har' and ready %mart5ale& an%(er to e)erything that I tell him, and (hen I e-'lain to him the +ruit% o+ our di%&u%%ion% here, he laugh% and tell% me to gro( u' and +a&e +a&t% and gi)e %ome thought to buttering bread. I9)e tried e)erything that you ha)e taught me, but he 1u%t (on9t im'ro)e. I+ 'hilo%o'hy &an neither ma,e 'eo'le better than they are, nor butter bread, then the (hole bu%ine%% i% a (a%te o+ time. I9m 8uitting.7 6#e9ll mi%% you,7 %aid "'i&tetu%, 6but, be+ore you go, (ill hel' me to under%tand/ @our brother5 in5la( ha% ob)iou%ly not been made better by your urging u'on him the deliberation% that (e &all 'hilo%o'hy, but ha% he been made (or%e, do you thin,/7 6#or%e/ $im/ .elie)e me, there9% no (ay he &ould get (or%e>7 6#ell, you mu%t at lea%t be grate+ul that you ha)en9t done any harm in your +ailure to do good, but tell me, ho( about you/ $a)e you been made better by all thi% ha%%ling (ith him/7 6$o( &ould I be/ A+ter all, you &an %ee +or your%el+ that I9m mad a% hell, and di%a''ointed
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too. I really had %ome ho'e +or that 'hilo%o'hy %tu++. I+ anything, thi% me%% ha% made me (or%e.7 6Very intere%ting,7 %aid "'i&tetu%. 6The mind that (a% in you (a% able to do no good +or your unha''y brother5in5la(, but the mind that (a% in him ea%ily made you unha''y, and (or%e. Maybe 'hilo%o'hy %to'% at the %,in. #ithin that boundary, a% you your%el+ &an te%ti+y, it &an engender mar)elou% &hange% +or the good. .ut, ob)iou%ly, there i% %ome dangerou%, other 'o(er that goe% right through the %,in o+ him (ho ha% it and ea%ily doe% it% harm+ul (or, in other%. I do (onder (hat it i%.7
Brief #otes
$"R" i% a 'aragra'h +rom 6"ngli%h A% !he9%

Not Taught,7 a 'ie&e by Ha&8ue% .ar:un, +ir%t 'ubli%hed in The Atlantic in 3e&ember o+ 19DG. 0ortentou%/ 6#riting i% at the )ery lea%t a ,na&,, li,e dra(ing or being +a&ile on the 'iano. .e&au%e e)erybody &an %'ea, and +orm letter%, (e mi%ta,enly %u''o%e that good, 'lain, %im'le (riting i% (ithin e)erybody9% 'o(er. #ould (e %ay thi% o+ good, %traight+or(ard, a&&urate dra(ing/ #ould (e %ay it o+ melodi& %en%e and &orre&t, +luent harmoni:ing at the ,eyboard/ !urely not. #e %ay the%e are Agi+t%.9 #ell, %o i% (riting, e)en the (riting o+ a bread5and5 butter note or a %im'le 'ubli& noti&e= and thi% la%t %ugge%t% that %omething ha% ha''ened (ithin the la%t hundred year% to &hange the relation o+ the (ritten (ord to daily li+e.7 From there he goe% on to &on%ider (hat might be done in our time, (hen more and more o+ e)en the mo%t routine bu%ine%% o+ li+e i% done through 'a%%age% o+ (riting. To u%, ho(e)er, it %eem% that mu&h o+ the re%t o+ the 'ie&e might ha)e been (ritten by a man (ho hadn9t read that 'aragra'h. Too &heer+ul. $ere at T$" UN3"RGROUN3 GRAMMARIAN (e a&tually ha)e an "ngli%h tea&her %er)ing in a humble &a'a&ity on our %ta++. $e &an (rite 'retty (ell (hen he i% being 'aid to do it. $o( (ell he &an (rite (hen he i%n9t being 'aid, (e don9t ,no(, be&au%e he ne)er (rite% anything (hen he
i%n9t being 'aid. *ra%% &ha', but he 8uote% 3r. Hohn%on in hi% de+en%e, (ho 'ointed out that only a blo&,head (ould (rite (ithout 'ay. On&e in a (hile he a&tually tea&he% (riting, +or 'ay, but he readily admit% that he ha% ne)er taught anybody anything. ;The %tudent% mu%t be either blo&,head%, or, %in&e they are (riting under dure%%, %la)e%<. Tho%e (ho are good at the %tart o+ the &our%e, are, at lea%t, not (or%e at the end, but tho%e (ho %tart out no damn good are ditto (hen the &our%e i% o)er. .ut the 'ay i% not all that bad. $ere i% a 'ie&e o+ (riting that .ar:un &ite% in hi% 'ie&e? 6The (indo( ha)e been &leaned #ed. 1F?GE 0. M. @our maid (a% their to )ery+ey the %tatement.7 .ar:un deem% it 6'er+e&tly &lear and a&&urate.7 !o do (e. The (indo( &leaner neither ha% nor need% the gi+t o+ (riting, real (riting. The %ame i% true, (e9re 'retty %ure, +or the a&&ountant, the &hemi%t, the 'ilot, the %eller o+ &o%meti&%, and 'erha'% e)en the tea&her. The &alling% in (hi&h it i% needed are )ery +e(, and +e(, a% (ell, are their 'ra&titioner%. !o, naturally, (e ha)e thou%and% o+ 'eo'le tea&hing greater thou%and% o+ 'eo'le, and by dure%%, ho( to do (hat they &an not learn and (hat they (ill not need. !illy, maybe, but the 'ay i% good.
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Volume Thirteen, Number !e)en . . . No)ember 19 9
Come( )et *s !rey+
#$"R"
T$" *AR*A!! lie%, there the )ulture% (ill gather. The hyena% too, and the 1a&,al%. It9% ea%y 'i&,ing%, e-&e't +or the o&&a%ional %8uabble% among the %&a)enger%. .ut %&a)enger% aren9t really +ighter%, and no one get% hurt. All in all, it9% not a bad li+e +or the )ulture% and the hyena% and the 1a&,al%, (ho ha)e e)en earned them%el)e%, i+ not +riend%hi', at lea%t our than,% and admiration +or the (or, they do4the remo)al o+ the 'utrid. It9% a na%ty 1ob, but %omebody ha% to do it. .etter them than u%, no/ And %o, (e do not ,no( e-a&tly (hat 1udgment to ma,e o+ Ri&hard 2i',o(it: and !al)atore !ta::one, or o+ their (hi%tle5blo(ing (ired5+or5 %ound 'al *olman Genn. They are %urely hard at (or,, and (e ha)e no doubt that they9re great bun&h o+ guy%, but %hall (e than, and admire them +or gna(ing on the ran&id remain% o+ !&hool 3i%tri&t T(enty5%e)en, or i% there another 1udgment that (e ought to &on%ider/ *olman Genn i% the %u'erintendent o+ that di%tri&t. $e mu%t ha)e +ound He%u%, or %omething. $e %tarted (earing a ta'e re&order in %ome in&on%'i&uou% 'la&e %o that he might 'a%% on %ome deliberation% o+ the board, and other bit% and 'ie&e% o+ 1ui&y %tu++ +rom )ariou% related meeting% and 'hone &on)er%ation%, to the Gill *ommi%%ion, (ho%e o++i&ial title i% the Hoint *ommi%%ion on Integrity in the 0ubli& !&hool%. ;A &lear &a%e o+ i%sos custodes, (e %u%'e&t, but that i% a %tory (e 'robably (on9t be able to tell +or a (hile.< The *ommi%%ion +ound it%el+ intere%ted in the mighty &au%e o+ Value% Tea&hing in the !&hool% (hen an audit turned u' the +a&t that 3i%tri&t T(enty5%e)en had %'ent, in 1u%t eight month%, I11,EFD in (hat ha)e been named, 'erha'% by a )alue% tea&her in the 'hone &om'any, 6%'e&ialty &all%.7 ;!'e&ialty &all% 'ronoun&ed, (e (ould gue%%, %'e5%hee5al5i5ty, are the &all% that get you %ome dynamite &hi&,% (ho (ill either breathe
hea)ily or li%ten to you breathing hea)ily, or %ome other %u&h relating to %el+ andLor other%. It9%, (ell, it9% li,e a %o&iali:ation or %el+5e%teem enhan&ing hand%5on e-er&i%e. !ome o+ them, 'robably the be%t one%, &o%t thirty5+i)e bu&,% +or the +ir%t minute.< There (ere other &harge%, too, in that 'eriod4 IFE, E dollar% +or dire&tory a%%i%tan&e, 'o%%ibly +or board member% and a''arat&hi,% (ho are not all that +amiliar (ith al'habeti&al order, and another I1 ,G O in late &harge%. Suality edu&ation doe% not &ome &hea'. #hether a+ter %ome di%&u%%ion o+ the%e matter%, or +or %ome other rea%on, !u'erintendent Genn agreed to go +orth +rom the *ommi%%ion hearing room (ired +or %ound. Neat, eh/ !ort o+ li,e Miami Vi&e, but better. *lo%er to home. ")erybody, a+ter all, &an +ind a %&hool board right here in to(n. And maybe e)erybody %hould, &ome the thin, o+ it. 2i',o(it: and !ta::one (ere t(o o+ the "du&ator% o+ Sueen% ta'ed by Genn. !ta::one i% a member o+ the board, and !ta::one i% a gym tea&her. #hen !ta::one de&ided to 'ut a%ide hi% o(n %el+i%h &on&ern% and (or, +or the &ommon good by %er)ing the 'ubli& and the &hildren o+ Sueen% a% a humble member o+ the %&hool board, it (a% Gym Tea&her 2i',o(it: (ho %'rang to the +ore and ga)e un%tintingly o+ hi% time and talent to organi:e !ta::one9% &am'aign. #ell, gym tea&her% 'robably do ha)e a little time on their hand%, but %till, %u&h 'ubli& %er)i&e doe% ma,e you 'roud to be an Ameri&an. And it (a% 2i',o(it: the Moderate and Genteel (ho %aid on the tele'hone to *olman Genn, 62et9% ta,e the (hole %tore +or year%. .ut let9% do it %lo(ly, li,e gentlemen, and 8uietly.7 It9% good to ,no( that there are %till %ome gentlemen le+t. In another tele'hone &on)er%ation, thi% one (ith !ta::one, it (a% 2i',o(it: the Ruminati)e and Theoreti&al (ho %aid, 6I9)e ne)er heard the (ord A&hildren9 or Aedu&ation9 enter into our di%&u%%ion in the la%t +e( year%.7 6#ith anybody,7 !ta::one added, (ith a little laugh. And then there9% Hame% *. !ulli)an, another board member4the trea%urer o+ %ame, in +a&t. Genn got him 'ointing out the he (a% 6a 'oliti&al leader,7 (ho%e 1ob it (a% to ma,e %ure that hi% 'eo'le got 1ob%. $e trotted out hi% li%t, +urther &ommending hi% &andidate% o)er other% by
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'ointing out that the di%tri&t (a% hiring too many bla&,% and He(%. !ta::one R *o., o+ &our%e, ha)e been at on&e 'aying o++ and e%tabli%hing little 'oliti&al debt% by hiring the right 'eo'le to +ill the numerou%, ho,ed5u' 1ob% that &an ea%ily be +ound4and, i+ ab%ent, 1u%t a% ea%ily &reated4in any %&hool di%tri&t in the land. At one 'oint in the ta'e%, !ta::one &om'lain% to Genn that hi% re&ommendation% +or 'ara'ro+e%%ional% and tea&hing aid% are being ignored by one Ho%e'hine !&h(indt, 3i%tri&t FC9% de'uty %u'erintendent. 2i',o(it: then %ugge%t% the he, 2i',o(it:, and !ta::one &ome u' (ith a ne( de'uty %u'erintendent and gi)e !&h(indt a little %ho)e 6%ide(ay% (ith dignity.7 No( i+ you belie)e that there i% one go)ernment agen&y in all o+ Ameri&a in (hi&h %u&h little deal% are not &ut e)ery day, 'lea%e %end one hundred dollar% +or our li%t o+ hitherto unre)ealed %aying% o+ No%tradamu% and baldne%% &ure%. #e really ha)e made the ma&hine that Thoreau thought he had dreamed o+ only in meta'hor4not the ma&hine that mu%t 'ut u' (ith it% +ri&tion, but the ma&hine (ho%e )ery 'rodu&t i% +ri&tion. It i% 1u%t not the &a%e that !ta::one R *o. are e-'loiter% and %'oiler%. "du&ation i% a 'ri)ate and in(ard &ondition= %&hool% run by go)ernment% are 'oliti&al &ontri)an&e%. "du&ation &an be no more e%tabli%hed by la( than lo)e or bra)ery, (hi&h may ari%e (ith or (ithout the la(, or e)en again%t it. .ut &om'ul%ory attendan&e and 'er'etual ta-ation &an be en+or&ed only by la(, and la( &ome% +rom 'oliti&ian%, and 'oliti&ian% got to be (here they are by ,no(ing ho( to ta,e the (hole %tore li,e gentlemen, and 8uietly. !ide(ay%, (ith dignity. At thi% (riting, all board member% in 3i%tri&t FC ha)e been %u%'ended. Gym tea&her 2i',o(it: i% not an%(ering hi% tele'hone, and !ta::one ha% an unli%ted number. !ulli)an %ay%, 6I ha)e al(ay% a&ted in the be%t intere%t o+ &hildren and 'arent%. I9m &on+ident I (ill be e-onerated.7 .ernard Me&,lo(it:, (ho i% the *han&ellor o+ all thi% %tu++ in Ne( @or,, ha% a''ointed three o+ hi% 'al% to ta,e o)er the bu%ine%% o+ 3i%tri&t FC, (hi&h ha%, a+ter all, and annual budget o+ about ninety5%imillion dollar%. The di%tri&t attorney and the United !tate% attorney ha)e both ta,en an intere%t in the &a%e.
It may be that !ta::one R *o. are in a little %'ot o+ trouble, ha)ing +inally &ommitted the one %in that 'oliti&ian% &an9t o)erloo,4letting do(n the %ide. .ut %till, (e &an9t hel' %ort o+ li,ing tho%e guy%. They 'layed the &ard% they had. #e dealt them the &ard%. Hu%t li,e the re%t o+ u%, they too, &are o+ their +riend%. One 2i',o(it: i% (orth a hundred re+ormer% any day. Hu%t ,no(ing about him (ill bring anyone to more thin,ing about the (hole %y%tem, and the ine)itability o+ 'oliti&% in a 'oliti&al e%tabli%hment. And, unli,e many o+ the other% (ho ma,e their li)ing% +rom the daily in&ar&eration o+ million% o+ &hildren, the%e men do not lie to them%el)e% about (hat9% going on. 6#e got a dirty di%tri&t here,7 %ay% !ta::one. $e and hi% 'al%, and their &ounter'art% e)ery(here, (ill 'erha'% not do, but %urely bring about, more good than a (hole &on)ention o+ &urri&ulum &oordinator% or a thou%and "du&ation !ummit%. !o (e ha)e de&ided (hat 1udgment to ma,e o+ thi% great bun&h o+ guy%. They are OJ. May their tribe in&rea%e. And you, 1u%t ,ee' (at&hing them all.
The ,ust Counselor

In a go)ernment high %&hool in Ne( @or,, a %tudent +ound a 'ur%e that held about a thou%and dollar% in &a%h. !he turned it in to the lo%t and +ound. That, +ran,ly, doe% not %ur'ri%e u%. It i% a deed that i% 'ro'erly, and )ery in%tru&ti)ely, to be &alled 6natural.7 $ad %he ,e't both her &oun%el and the money, that, o+ &our%e, (ould be &alled 6only natural.7 The di%tin&tion a''arently intended by that term i% intriguing. !omebody4(ho and (hy (e do not ,no(4(ent around a%,ing a %trange 8ue%tion, and +ound not one adult in the (hole %&hool (ho (a% (illing to go out on a limb and %ay that %u&h a deed ought to be &alled 6)irtuou%.7 And one o+ the %tudent9% tea&her% %aid, 6I+ I &ome +rom a 'o%ition o+ (hat i% right and (rong, then I am not their &oun%elor.7
T$" lady 8uoted abo)e made her a''earan&e in

thi% %heet %ome(here ba&, in 19 C, in a 'ie&e &alled 60ilgrim% 0rogre%%i)e.7 !he &ame to mind
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re&ently (hen (e read a 'ie&e in the New York Times about .ill .ennett, (ho ha% mo)ed +rom "du&ation to drug%, (hi&h i% not e)en on another +loor but only 1u%t do(n the hall. #here on&e, %in&e 'arent% mu%t ha)e been in&a'able o+ doing it, the %&hool 'eo'le had to tea&h &hildren to blo( their no%e% and tie their %hoe%, the %&hool 'eo'le no(, ob)iou%ly +or the %ame rea%on, ha)e to 'lant in the mind% o+ the &hildren the %u%'i&ion that drug% are not good +or them. A&&ordingly, .ennett i% 1u%t a% intere%ted in %&hool% a% he e)er (a%, and al(ay% loo,ing +or (ay% in (hi&h the %&hool% might %tri,e a blo( or t(o +or 3rug+ree Ameri&a. In +a&t, (ho &an thin, it a bad idea/ !o (e (ould li,e to %ee %ome tal, %ho( ho%t gi)e an hour or t(o to a long heart5to5heart bet(een .ennett and the lady %&hooltea&her 8uoted abo)e. It goe% %omething li,e thi%? .ennett tell% her all about the drug me%%, (hi&h i% indeed a% deadly and dangerou% a% it &an be, and a%,% the lady to hel' by trying to &on)in&e her %tudent% not to do drug%. The lady re'lie%, in 'er+e&t a&&ordan&e o+ the great 'rin&i'le% o+ modern edu&ationi%m, and %&ru'ulou%ly a)oiding any 'o%%ible derogation o+ di)er%ity, 6I+ I &ome +rom a 'o%ition o+ (hat i% right and (rong, then I am not their &oun%elor.7 .ennett, o+ &our%e, and he i% a big, %trong man, might throttle her on the %'ot, +or (hi&h no 1ury (ould &on)i&t, but he al%o might thin, o+ %omething to %ay to her. That9% (hat (e9d li,e to hear. In +a&t, (e9d li,e to hear .ennett, or anyone el%e, +or that matter, %ay it aloud +or all to hear. $ere9% (hat .ennett did %ay re&ently to a !enate &ommittee. 6All (e a%, o+ $olly(ood4and it9% the %ame thing (e a%, o+ all the media4i% tell the truth, tell the truth. 3on9t lie, don9t o)er%tate the damage, or the 'roblem, or the ri%,.7 $e then (ent out to $olly(ood and %aid the %ame. !ound% li,e good ad)i&e. No( $olly(ood, o+ &our%e, i% a +ar %aner, %tabler, and one might %ay, e)en a +ar de&enter 'la&e than the (orld o+ edu&ationi%m, but e)en there .ennett ran into an intere%ting +rom o+ re%i%tan&e. $olly(ood li,e% &elebritie% 1u%t a% mu&h a% the %&hool 'eo'le do. An all5'ro lineba&,er on the %&reen &heer% the heart o+ the 'rodu&er 1u%t a% a 'o%ter 'i&ture o+ Mi&hael Ha&,%on &heer% the heart o+ the mu%i& tea&her. !o, (hile $olly(ood i%
ha''y to +ight in the Great #ar on 3rug%, it (ant% to +ight a% %ho(bi: +ight%, (ith the big name% and the +amiliar +a&e%, %tar% o+ entertainment (ho used to u%e drug%, but (ho ha)e, through bra)e determination again%t all odd%, %ort o+ li,e Hohn #ayne, +ought o++ the demon &o,e and returned to normal 'rodu&ti)e li+e either on the +ield or the %ound %tage. .ennett %u%'e&t%, and he i% right, that %u&h di%'lay% are 'erha'% not the &leare%t and mo%t u%e+ul %tatement% 'o%%ible about the li+e o+ the druggie. $e (ould rather %ee a little more o+ (hat $olly(ood hate% a% mu&h a% the %&hooler% hate, the dar, %ide, the tra%h and the (re&,age. ;$e may al%o, o+ &our%e, be thin,ing o+ the +a&t that %ome o+ tho%e redeemed &elebritie% %eem to +ind 'ubli& &on+e%%ion %o e-&iting that they manage to go through the (hole &y&le again. Or he may be, (ith u%, (ondering (hy it i% that the drug treatment 'rogram +unding enthu%ia%t% ne)er get around to mentioning the rate% o+ &ure a&hie)ed by drug treatment 'rogram%.< .ennett9% un'lea%ant %ugge%tion i% here an%(ered by one 2arry !te(art, o+ the "ntertainment Indu%trie% *oun&il, (ho %tart% right out by &la(ing hi% (ay u' to the high ground. 6#e are not mu&h +or negati)e rein+or&ement4 (e are +or 'o%iti)e rein+or&ement. I+ .ennett (ould li,e to go +rom u%ing %ome %tar to %omeone lying &omato%e +rom an O. 3., (e thin, that )itiate% the +ir%t me%%age.7 In $olly(ood, 6)itiate7 i% a 'retty hea)y (ord, (hi&h might be%t be le+t lying right (here it i% e-&e't by tho%e (ho ,no( ho( to 'i&, it u'. !te(art ha% 'ulled a groin mu%&le here by gi)ing u% the indu&ement to (onder e-a&tly ho( that 6+ir%t me%%age7 might in +a&t be )itiated by the not at all unreali%ti& 'ortrayal o+ the &omato%e addi&t. And (hen (e do that (e &an &ome to %ee (hat the +ir%t me%%age really %ay%. @eah, drug% are 'retty bad all right, but hey, loo, at me. I did it all, and here I am, ba&, again, li)e and in 'er%on, in li)ing &olor, right in your li)ing room. #ell, that9% (hy they &all it Tin%el To(n. .ennett 'robably ,ne( that he9d +ind little hel' out there, but (e &an hardly blame him +or trying. .ut that doe% mean that %ooner or later he (ill ha)e to go ba&, to hi% old 1ob, e)en (ithout 'ort+olio. 2et9% +a&e it4and (e hate thi% thought a% mu&h a% you do4in the drug me%% the %&hool% are 1u%t (hat *hur&hill &alled demo&ra&y, the (or%t 'o%%ible %y%tem e-&e't +or all the other%.
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There are more &hildren held &a'ti)e there than in any other 'la&e. And (hen .ennett get% ba&, to the %&hool%, there he (ill +ind the lady (ho (on9t &ome +rom a 'o%ition o+ (hat i% right and (rong be&au%e that (ould be to )itiate her role a% a &oun%elor, and might al%o get her into trouble (ith the enthu%ia%t% o+ alternati)e li+e %tyle%, one o+ (hi&h, o+ &our%e, i% hanging out in the 'ar, and %hooting u', and brie+ but regular )a&ation% (ith the ea%y mar,% running the treatment &enter%. !o (ho i% to %ay (hat9% right and (hat9% (rong/ #ill there be %ear&hing o+ %oul in the latitudinal lady and all o+ her li,e no( that the %&hool% ha)e de&ided that, (ell, maybe at lea%t in thi% one little matter o+ drug%, 1u%t maybe, that there i% %u&h a thing a% goodne%%, and a% badne%% a% (ell/ And (ill %he no( go +orth among her %tudent%, e-'laining to them that %he hate% to &ome +rom a 'o%ition o+ right and (rong, but (e do ha)e to be reali%ti&, and that %he ha% no( decided to &ome +rom a 'o%ition o+ right and (rong, at lea%t a% +ar a% &ra&, i% &on&erned/ And (ill her %tudent% blithely and gladly 'ut the moral %omnambuli%m o+ her 'a%t 8uite out o+ their mind%, and heed no( her %tirring &all to the good and e-amined li+e/ The be%t 'o%%ible out&ome o+ %u&h a timely, &on)enient &on)er%ion (ould be the a(a,ening o+ a 8ue%tion in the mind% o+ the %tudent%? #a% %he being a hy'o&rite in her 're)iou% 'er+orman&e, (hen %he %o lo+tily taught u% that right and (rong are )ariable and relati)e &ontri)an&e% o+ the indi)idual, or i% %he being a hy'o&rite no(, (hen %he (ant% u% to belie)e the o''o%ite %o a% to ma,e li+e oh %o mu&h more 'lea%ant and ine-'en%i)e +or !o&iety a% a #hole/ $y'o&ri%y i% the mo%t tran%'arent o+ )i&e%, and e)en little &hildren dete&t it. $er %tudent% (ill not tru%t that &oun%elor o+ no )alue% (hen %he %uddenly 'ut% on )alue%. They (ill (onder 1u%t (hat it i% about a li+e (ith drug% that thi% 'liable trimmer ha% de&ided no( to &ome +rom a 'o%ition o+ (rong. I+ the%e bland and neutral gro(n5u'% are no( trying to tal, the young out o+ drug%, &ould it be that here, a% in %o many other &a%e%, %e- and boo:e, +or in%tan&e, the tri&,y tea&her% are %im'ly trying to 'rote&t a gro(n5u' mono'oly/ Fortunately, ho(e)er, and thi% may be our only ho'e, the &hildren didn9t tru%t her in the 'a%t either. .ut the ho'e i% %lim= they ha)e done their real (or, +ar better than they ha)e taught any o+ their %ub1e&t%. .y no(, %he and her tribe ha)e
managed to 'ro)ide u% (ith million% o+ &hildren (ho 'a%%ed +rom &redulou%ne%% not, a% (ould be be%t, into the %,e'ti&i%m that 'ro)o,e% in8uiry, but into the &yni&i%m that bring% on nihili%m. The young (ill gi)e heed to no5thing, nothing that %u&h &oun%elor% (ill tell them. That i% e-a&tly ho( (e &ame to be (here (e are. 2oo, around. A tea&her (ho doe% not &are to di%tingui%h bet(een the better and the (or%e, bet(een the (orthy and the un(orthy, bet(een the beauti+ul and the ugly, bet(een the 1u%t and the un1u%t, i% the %ame thing to the body 'oliti& a% the &o' on the ta,e or the 1udge (ho%e )erdi&t% are +or %ale. The t(i%ted &o'% and 1udge%, ho(e)er, mu%t at lea%t be a little a%hamed, +or they try to ,ee' hidden. T(i%ted tea&her% are 'roud= they boa%t.
Grammaticaller Than Thou

On&e they are +ully a''rai%ed o+ the %ituation... ...they don9t ha)e to go to tim bu&, t(o to %ee %omething %'e&ta&ular... ...you9)e 'ea,ed my &urio%ity... ...ta,e% 'a%%enger% on a K5mile 1ourney +rom the *ri''le *ree, Mu%eum through the +ir%t t(o (ee,% o+ O&tober. I li,e he and hi% (i+e. ...made you and I a 'romi%e. The mo%t im'ortant 'art o+ your %e-uality i% that you and your hu%band di%&u%% any &on&ern% about %e-ual relation% (ith your do&tor. No tran%a&tion% are &an&elled do to non5 u%age o+ $ome .an,ing. ...le%% &alorie% U%e li%&en%ed &ontra&tor% +or (or,. I9m glad it9% her and not me that i% e-'e&ting.
!OM" OF you ha)e been &olle&ting bit% and

'ie&e% li,e tho%e %ho(n abo)e and ma,ing +un o+ them. !ome o+ you ha)e e)en de&ided to ma,e +un o+ the (ay other 'eo'le 'ronoun&e (ord%. #e &an not under%tand (hy you (ould do %u&h thing%, and (e (i%h that you (hat rethin, the meaning o+ (hat you do. #e (rote, year% ago, about %ome boy (ho %aid 6I aint %een no dog.7 O+ him, (e %aid little then, but (ill %ay more no(. #e %ay that, a% +ar a% (e &an tell +rom (hat he %ay%, he i% not a liar, not a
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%edu&er, not a (heedler, not an e)ader, not a &harlatan 'retending to under%tanding that he doe% not ha)e, and, to be &om'lete, that he ha% gi)en u% no e)iden&e (hat%oe)er o+ badne%%. $e i% 1u%t a little boy (ho tal,% that (ay. And, +urthermore, he tal,% (ell. @e%, well. $e %ay% e-a&tly (hat he mean% to %ay, no more and no le%%. In hi% (ord%, there i% neither Vi&e nor Folly. The &harlatan% and the liar%, and all o+ their il,, %'ea, better than that boy, in the mo%t tri)ial %en%e, but +ar, +ar (or%e in the only %en%e that matter%. A%, your%el+ Jant9% 8ue%tion. #hat (ould our (orld be li,e i+ e)eryone did a% that little boy did/ #hat (ould your li+e be li,e i+ 'oliti&ian% and la(yer% and bureau&rat% and %o&ial &hange agent% and &olumni%t% and lobbyi%t% and all the re%t o+ u% al(ay% %aid right out, a% be%t (e &ould, e-a&tly (hat (e meant, no more and no le%%/ And i+ (e had %u&h a (orld, ho( im'ortant (ould it be i+ your &ongre%%man9% letter %ay% 6your7 (hen it %hould %ay 6you9re,7 or i+ the gro&ery %tore ad)erti%e% Tur,ey9%, or i+ the man (ho announ&e% the (eather on tele)i%ion %ay% 6bet(een you and I7/ I+ %u&h thing% truly 'ain you, you ha)e remedy? don9t read, don9t buy, don9t (at&h. !ome o+ the error% &ited abo)e are %o tri)ial that they &an only (ith 'a%%ionate attenti)ene%% be %ighted at all. Are they (orth %u&h labor/ O+ %u&h labor, (hat +ruit &an there be e-&e't the %ati%+a&tion o+ %ome dee' need to be better than %omeone el%e, and not better in any im'ortant %en%e, but only better in the ob%er)ation o+ &on)ention. That9% ni&e, but it i% only a %o&ial gra&e= it i% not a )irtue. I+ (e delight in it, let u% not +orget that %o do the liar% and &harlatan%.
MO!T 'eo'le are a little 'u::led and di%mayed

(hen they di%&o)er that 0lato deemed %&ien&e not a (ay o+ ,no(ing, but a (ay o+ belie)ing. $e thought it not unli,e +aith, the %ub%tan&e o+ thing% ho'ed +or, and not unli,e augury, the dream o+ under%tanding the 'ermanent through %&rutiny o+ the e'hemeral. For u%, o+ &our%e, it i% the an%(er o+ an%(er%, and the only ho'e (e ha)e o+ +inding yet another moon o+ 0luto, ending (orld hunger, gro(ing hair on the bald, im'ro)ing tele)i%ion re&e'tion in outlying 'ro)in&e%, di%&o)ering e-a&tly ho( many %ub5atomi& 'arti&le% there really are, and redu&ing &hole%terol, i+, o+ &our%e, (e really should redu&e &hole%terol, (hi&h (e al%o ho'e to di%&o)er. #ell, (ho are (e to %ay/ Maybe %&ien&e i% ,no(ing, maybe it9% belie)ing. No big deal. The im'ortant thing to remember i% that it9% really +un. 2oo, around at your +riend%. #at&h them gu::ling their de&a++einated &o++ee to le%%en their &han&e% o+ heart di%ea%e +rom %ome ' do(n to %ome y. Tell them the late%t +inding% o+ %&ien&e, and (at&h them (riggle. #at&h them gagging do(n a''le%, ri%,ing the dreaded alar, to bring do(n the &hole%terol that they ha)e inad)ertently rai%ed by drin,ing de&a++einated &o++ee, and %'rin,ling %alt the (hile on their bran, mind+ul o+ thi% (ee,9% +inding o+ %&ien&e that the blood 're%%ure o+ tho%e (ho &ut do(n on %alt may a&tually go u', not do(n. And (at&h, too, +or the remar,ably +re8uent a''earan&e o+ the (ord 6may7 in the +inding% o+ %&ien&e. Intere%ting. In thi% matter, (e &an do no better than to 8uote the rea%%uring (ord% o+ "ileen Jugler, (ho %'ea,% +or the 0ubli& Voi&e +or Food and $ealth 0oli&y, an out+it o+ %ome %ort in #a%hington. AThat9% the (ay %&ien&e i%. 0eo'le (ill ha)e to be (illing to be +le-ible and reali:e the re%ear&h &hange%, and %ome %tudie% are better than other%.9 Aha. There it i%. #e mu%t learn to be +le-ible, a% +le-ible a% the +inding% o+ %&ien&e. Ah and ala%, li+e i% %hort, art long, de&i%ion di++i&ult, e-'eriment 'erilou%. Neither can his mind be thought to be in tune, whose words do jarre; nor his frame, whose sentence is preposterous.
The -indings of Science
6"gad,7
e-&laimed #at%on, in di%may and &on%ternation. 6Not the Filthy (eed again> !urely, $olme%, a man o+ your intelligen&e ought to ,no( enough to a&&e't the +inding% o+ %&ien&e>7 63o &alm your%el+, my dear +ello(,7 $olme% re'lied mildly, %etting a mat&h to hi% +re%hly +illed 'i'e. 6I (ill mo%t &ertainly a&&e't the +inding% o+ %&ien&e, and (ith ala&rity, too, on that )ery day in (hi&h they are &om'leted. In the meantime, I (ill 1u%t ha)e to ta,e my &han&e% li,e e)eryone el%e.7
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Volume Thirteen, Number "ight . . . 3e&ember 19 9
Wholisticismisticness
#" $"AR about the%e ,oo,% all the time. They

(ere %inging the %ame little 1ingle (hen (e %tarted thi% enter'ri%e, thirteen long year% ago, they are %inging it no( in the Great Age o+ Re+orm, and they (ill be %inging it %o long a% a %y%tem o+ go)ernment %&hool% %hall la%t. The lyri&% ne)er &hange. Too mu&h mind %tu++> Too mu&h intelle&t. Too little +eeling. Too little tou&hing. Nothing in %&hool +or the &ute little right hemi%'here. Too mu&h rote learning, and too little relating. Too little &reati)ity, and... #ell, you9)e heard it all. For a (hile, the%e 'rea&her% &alled them%el)e% 6holi%ti&.7 Then one o+ them mi%%'elled the (ord, but the re%t o+ them %ort o+ li,ed it that (ay. !o no( they ha)e be&ome 6(holi%ti&.7 The (holi%ti&i%t o+ (hom (e ha)e the mo%t re&ent ne(% i% a &ertain Ha&, *an+ield, (ho i% the dire&tor o+ a den o+ (holi%ti&i%t% in Ma%%a&hu%ett%. $e (ent to tal, at an e-&e'tional &hildren &on+eren&e. ;Tho%e 'eo'le 1u%t lo)e to hear +rom %u&h a% (holi%ti&i%t%.< $e %aid, 6#e %omeho( blind our%el)e% to the mo%t im'ortant 'art o+ edu&ation,7 (hi&h ha% to do (ith lo)e and a&&e'tan&e 6o+ the 'art o+ you that o)ereat%, and doe%n9t get out o+ bed (hen the alarm goe% o++,7 and (hi&h (ill bring you 6to a&&e't the 'art% o+ other 'eo'le (ho do the%e thing%.7 A% to (hether he o)ereat% and %lee'% through the alarm, *an+ield %ay% nothing, %o (e don9t ,no( (hether he i% 'leading +or %ome %'e&ial &on%ideration or 1u%t %ho(ing (hat a great and tolerant guy he i%. All (e &an do i% ho'e that %omebody brea,% into hi% &ar and %teal% all hi% Tiny Tim ta'e% and hi% autogra'hed eight by ten 'hoto o+ 2eo .u%&aglia. #here i% all that &rime in the %treet% (hen (e need it/ #ell, a% old a% it may be, it9% an intere%ting &om'laint4the %&hool% are doing too mu&h +or
the intelle&t and not nearly enough +or the gut. !o our (orld mu%t be +ull o+ intelle&tual%, un+eeling, &old and inhuman, rigorou%ly rational, and, o+ &our%e, %u'erbly (ell in+ormed, able not only to name that o&ean o)er there, but e)en to di%tingui%h $oratiu% +rom $oratio and ne)er to re+er %lightingly to the hoi 'olloi, but al(ay% &are+ul to re+er %lightingly to hoi %olloi, (ho mu%t, &ome to thin, o+ it, and gi)en all o+ that inordinate attention to the intelle&t, be un&ommonly thin on the ground. #ell, maybe, but 1u%t the other day a member o+ our ad1un&t %ta++ (a% &hatting (ith a %e&retary at a nearby %tate mental in%titution. $e noti&ed a ty'e(ritten li%t 'inned to the bulletin board nearby. It (a% a 0er%onal .ill o+ Right%. #ho &ould re%i%t reading %u&h a thing/ A+ter all, (e li)e in a time (hen more and more right% are being di%&o)ered and e-'ounded e)ery day, and, 'erha'%, 1u%t a% the Founder% intended. !urely the unnamed right% re+erred to in the !i-th Amendment are numberle%%, and it i% 'robably mu&h to our &redit that our% i% the +ir%t age o+ the Re'ubli& in (hi&h &iti:en% ha)e learned not only to Ta,e the Fi+th but al%o to Ta,e the !i-th. No( our &ha' i%, li,e any good &iti:en, 'a%%ionately intere%ted in ,no(ing hi% right%. $e already ,no(% hi% Right%, hi% *i)il Right%, hi% $uman Right%, and e)en three or +our o+ hi% 2egal Right%, but he had ne)er e)en heard o+ hi% 0er%onal Right%. !o you &an imagine ho( eagerly he 'ut hi% no%e to the bulletin board. And there he read4(ell, not all ten4but only the +ir%t t(o o+ hi% 0er%onal Right%. The +ir%t (a% the right to hold and e-'re%% hi% o(n o'inion%. #o(. That9% %ome great right. It may e)en be t(o right%, one to hold, and another to e-'re%%. .ut he (ondered4'erha'% he9% been (or,ing +or u% too long4e-a&tly (hat (ould it mean to %ay that a 'er%on ha% the right to hold an o'inion/ I+ that9% (hat 6right7 mean%, then (e might al%o %ay that a 'er%on ha% the right to +orget hi% o(n 'hone number or to 're+er &old &ereal% to hot. That9% the %ort o+ 'ro'o%ition that i% neither true nor +al%e, but 1u%t meaningle%%. No go)ernment, no tyrant, not e)en the IR!, &an +orbid the +orgetting o+ 'hone number% or &ommand the 're+eren&e +or hot &ereal. 3itto +or the holding o+ o'inion%. The idea o+ a right ha% nothing to do (ith %u&h thing%. #hy you ob%tinately 'er%i%t in 're+erring the (rong ,ind o+
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&ereal (e ha)e no idea, %o (e al%o ha)e no idea a% to ho( to 'ut you right. .ut (e do ,no( that the only thing that &an 're)ent you +rom holding a non%en%i&al o'inion i% the intelle&tual 'o(er to di%&o)er that your o'inion i% non%en%e. No( here ari%e% a ni+ty 8ue%tion +or the%e time%? I+ (e (ere to tea&h &hildren ho( to di%&o)er (hether their o'inion% made %en%e, (ould (e be a&&u%ed o+ de'ri)ing them o+ their 0er%onal Right to hold any o'inion (hat%oe)er, ho(e)er %tu'id it might be/ ;#e ha)e no an%(er, but (e (ill let you brood on the%e (ord% +rom #holi%ti&i%t *an+ield? 6There i%n9t a right or a (rong (ay to be in thi% (orld.7 No, (e don9t ,no( e-a&tly (hat he mean% either, but (e %mell %omething.< Mulling all that o)er, the 'oor &ha' &ame to the !e&ond 0er%onal Right? the right to ha)e your%el+, and your o'inion%, al(ay% treated (ith re%'e&t. #e on&e had a 're%ident (ho made it big by %aying thing% li,e that, telling u% that he (anted an Ameri&a in (hi&h e)eryone (ould be treated e-a&tly a% he (anted to be treated. The 'ubli& a''lauded4and )oted, too, (hi&h &ome% to the %ame thing4and, Men&,en being dead, there (a% no one le+t to %ay out loud that %ome o+ our mo%t &elebrated 're%ident% (ere ri&h in all tho%e 8ualitie% that the moron% (ill mo%t admire. It9% lu&,y +or the $igh Hu%ti&e% that the 0er%onal .ill o+ Right% remain%, %o +ar, no more than 'er%onal. #e &an ea%ily imagine that &a%e in (hi&h A, a% 'ermitted by the Fir%t Right, tell% . e-a&tly (hat he thin,% o+ .9% (or, habit%, or hi% hair&ut, or hi% treatment o+ hi% &hildren, thu% )iolating and outraging .9% right to be treated (ith re%'e&t, that i%, 1u%t a% . wants to be treated. !ome ha%%le. #e (ould dearly lo)e to (at&h %u&h a &a%e un+olding, but (e (ould bitterly hate to li)e in a land (here it &ould. Our 'oor &ha' ga)e it u' at that, and (al,ed a(ay not e)en &uriou% about hi% eight other 0er%onal Right%. $e (a% a+raid, (e %u%'e&t, that he might be o++ered the right to &ontrol hi% o(n body, (hi&h he ha% already brought into mo%t lamentable &ondition 're&i%ely be&au%e o+ hi% +ailure to &ontrol it in the 'a%t. $e didn9t (ant to mull that o)er. Indeed, tho%e 0er%onal Right% mu%t %ound %o +amiliar to you that you &ould 'robably &ome u' (ith eight more o+ the %ame 8uality +or your%el)e%. $ere i% one thing (e &ould %ay o+ all
%u&h entrie%? Gee, that9% ni&e. And %(eet, and %o, uh, %o tolerant. And, uh, %o, aha, @e%> %o de&ent and humane. And here i% another thing (e &ould %ay o+ them? Only a boob &ould a&&e't thi% and let it 'a%% (ithout 8ue%tioning. And yet one more thing? I+ a %&hool de)ote% any o+ it% time to *an+ield9% 'rogram o+ 6dra(ing out the e%%ential %el+7 and diddling (ith 6intuition, emotion% and body,7 that time (ill be %tolen +rom the de)elo'ment o+ re+le&tion and under%tanding through language, and that %&hool (ill be in the bu%ine%% o+ ma,ing boob%. .ut that, o+ &our%e, i% the )ery bu%ine%% o+ a go)ernment %&hool4the 'er'etual 'ro)i%ion to the %tate o+ a generou% %u''ly o+ u%e+ul idiot% (ho 1u%t don9t noti&e non%en%e, and (ho do imagine that they %hould be treated e-a&tly a% they (ant to be treated, and (ho &an (al, about all o+ their li)e% untroubled by the utterly &ontradi&tory notion% by (hi&h they li)e. !u&h +ol, ma,e e-a&tly the )oter% that 'oliti&ian% (ant, e-a&tly the 'igeon% that tele)i%ion e)angeli%t% (ant, and e-a&tly the &iti:en% that any go)ernment on the +a&e o+ the earth (ant%. And they are te%timony not to a +ailure o+ the %&hool%, but to their %u&&e%%. #e are not yet ready to hold that the dete&tion o+ non%en%e i% the one and only (hole and (hole%ome heart o+ true edu&ation, but (e &an %urely %ay that there i% %omething not only +ooli%h but e)en )i&iou% in one (ho (ould %ay that there &an be edu&ation without that 'o(er. And (hen (e hear herd% o+ edu&ationi%t% mooing out their +ear% that the %&hool% (ill %omeho( hurt &hildren by 'aying too mu&h attention to the intelle&t, the only de'endable dete&tor o+ non%en%e, )i&iou% %eem% %o (ea, and (rong. The ne-t time (e loo, at them, (e9re going to try 6e)il.7 !ti&, around.
A&sent .oices
Matthe( 2e%,o i% the author o+ numerou% boo,% on ho( to u%e go)ernment in+ormation +or 'ro+it, and %omething o+ a 'ro+e%%ional de+ender o+ bureau&ra&y. $e thought he had a %ure+ire (inner la%t %ummer (hen he o++ered ID,EEE +or the be%t 6)eri+iable %tory about ho( a go)ernment bureau&rat hel'ed you.7 A+ter all, he %ay%, (e9)e got 1D million bureau&rat%. $e 'lugged the &onte%t on 0at !a1a,9% TV %ho(,
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2arry Jing9% radio %ho(, *5!'an, and numerou% lo&al tal, %ho(%. $e ha% %o +ar re&ei)ed one entry? A (oman in the Ne( @or, !tate 3e'artment o+ Ta-ation and Finan&e nominated her bo%%. 2e%,o 1u%t &an9t under%tand it. *harle% Oli)er, Reason, February, 199E The go)ernment I li)e under ha% been my enemy all o+ my a&ti)e li+e. #hen it ha% not been engaged in %ilen&ing me, it ha% been engaged in robbing me. !o +ar a% I &an re&all I ha)e ne)er had any &onta&t (ith it that (a% not an outrage on my dignity and an atta&, on my %e&urity. Men&,en
!0"AJING o+ Men&,en, hardly anyone %'ea,%

o+ Men&,en. $e ha% been +orgotten, but he ha%n9t been gone. No( there i% a ne( boo, about Men&,en that may bring him ba&, to (here he %hould be4in the heart% and mind% o+ all o+ u%. The boo,, (e are told, (ill try to tame the hairy bea%t a bit by %ugge%ting that Men&,en, li,e lot% o+ other %&oundrel% (ho (ere di%gra&e+ully la&,ing in 're&ogniti)e 'o(er%, (a% 1u%t a tad too a''re&iati)e o+ the doing% o+ $itler. !ome there (ill be, o+ &our%e, (ho (ill be grate+ul +or that, %o that they &an %im'ly di%&ount Men&,en and, (ith moral +er)or on the high ground, urge the %ame u'on other%, but many there (ill be (ho (ill read %ome Men&,en +or the +ir%t time. O+ tho%e, %ome (ill a&tually (eigh and &on%ider hi% (ord%, and the Re'ubli&, +or a (hile, (ill %tand %tronger. .ut there i% one great bran&h o+ the Re'ubli& in (hi&h Men&,en (ill ne)er be read and &on%idered, and that i%, o+ &our%e, in that 'la&e (here go)ernment ha% &harged it%el+ (ith the high and noble &alling o+ ad1u%ting the &on%ent o+ the go)erned be+ore they &an de)elo' tho%e 'o(er% by (hi&h they might do that +or them%el)e%. Imagine thi%? @ou are an eighth grade %&hooltea&her. @ou 6tea&h7 %o&ial gra&e% and &i)ility, under (hate)er name i% in +a%hion. It u%ed to be &all *i)i&%, or !o&ial !tudie%, or e)en Guidan&e. !ometime% e)en *urrent ")ent% (a% u%ed to name %u&h a 'ro&e%%, +or nothing i% too %illy +or the %&hool%. #ell, (hate)er. There you are, tea&hing it. There i% in your &la%% one o+ tho%e bane% o+ the tea&her9% li+e, an intelligent %marta%%. $e doe%n9t di%li,e you= in +a&t he +eel% a little bit %orry +or
you. .ut that doe%n9t di%%uade him +rom the o&&a%ional &hallenge. $e &ome% to &la%% today (ith %&ra'% o+ 'a'er, gi)en to him, doubtle%%, by an enemy o+ the 'eo'le. And in that (onder+ul +ree(heeling o'en round table o+ ra''ing and relating that your &la%% ha% be&ome, he 're%ent% to you and all the e'igra'h% abo)e, a%,ing, #ell, tea&h, (hat are (e to ma,e o+ %u&h a% thi%/ No( i+ you are in +a&t a tea&her, a% (ell a% a 'o%ition5holder in a go)ernment 1ob, you (ill ;%e&retly, o+ &our%e, but re)erently< %end u' a 'rayer o+ than,%. !ome angel o+ light, 'erha'%, or maybe the godde%% Athene her%el+, ha% loo,ed u'on you and your% in lo)e and mer&y today. I+ you are the u%ual ha&,, you &an re&ite a +e( %logan% about the greate%t good +or the greate%t number and the nattering nabob% o+ negati)i%m and e)erybody9% right4go)ernment 1ob5holder% not e-&luded4to be treated a% he (ant% to be treated. .ut let u% be ,ind and a%%ume that you are a tea&her and not an edu&ationi%t. Thin, thu%. ")erything the%e &hildren ha)e e)er heard or (ill hear in %&hool about (hat go)ernment i% +or and ho( it (or,% ha% been &on&o&ted in &ommittee through &om'romi%e and &on&iliation. They ha)e ne)er heard, and (ill 'robably ne)er hear, One Voi&e, the )oi&e o+ One Mind thin,ing. They hear only the real .ig .rother o+ our time, the bland and gutle%% un'er%on o+ !o&iety a% a #hole. And they ,no( that. Ne)er +orget that they ,no( that, and ne)er e-'e&t them to (ant to hear (hat you ha)e to %ay, +or they ha)e already in&luded you among the gutle%% (ho (ill al(ay% %ay (hat i% e-'e&ted. That i% (hy they are %o hy'noti:ed by the &ra:y and e-tra)agant. Their ugly mu%i&, (hi&h i%n9t really %ho&,ing but only tormented and grote%8ue, ha% at lea%t the 'romi%e o+ 'ro)iding (hat i% la&,ing in almo%t e)ery 'art o+ their li)e%4the note(orthy une-'e&ted. In %&hool, e)erything i% 1u%t (hat they e-'e&t, and (orth no noti&e. The longing +or the une-'e&ted i% only in %mall 'art a +ri)olou% thir%t +or no)elty. It &ome% +rom that dream, (hi&h by nature they dream, that %ome(here in the great, gray e-'an%e o+ the (all along (hi&h they (ander, (ith all the re%t o+ u% e)ery day, %ome(here there may be one little &ra&,. @ou, the tea&her, you ,no( that there are lot% o+ &ra&,% in the (all, and e)en %ome hole% 1u%t big enough to &limb through into a better
Page 20!
land. And a Men&,en, any Men&,en at all, i% a gate, a (ide o'en gate. .ut don9t %ay that. Until they &an +ind that out +or them%el)e%, no e-hortation (ill a)ail. And don9t argue Men&,en9% &a%e +or him. That9% not your 1ob. *on%ider the 'o'ular 'arty5line &om'laint? The &hildren are not u' on i%%ue% and &urrent e)ent%. They don9t 'ay enough attention to Tom .ro,a(, and they are unin+ormed a% to the +ate o+ *eau%e%&u and the +ailure o+ %an&tion% in !outh A+ri&a. They do not gi)e the tinie%t damn about the de+i&it. I+ you (ill remember (hy thi% i% %o, you (ill gi)e %ome thought to 1oining them. The e-'ert% and &ommentator% (ho tell u% ho( to under%tand all %u&h thing% are ab%olutely 'redi&table. They (ill ha)e either a +irm gra%' on the ob)iou% or a %logan5%ong to %ing. O+ten, the t(o are the %ame. #hy (ould anyone in hi% right mind (ant to (at&h the tele)i%ed in5de'th di%&u%%ion o+ the &ri%i% in 2atin Ameri&a, or anything el%e, in (hi&h the %tandard5i%%ue liberal and the %tandard5i%%ue &on%er)ati)e get 'aid +or (a%ting thirty minute% o+ our li)e% by interru'ting ea&h other (ith %tandard5i%%ue a%%ertion%/ I+ the &hildren 're+er gha%tly )ideo% and 'ur'le hair to yet another tal,5%ho( gathering o+ militant le%bian nun% or another lament about the o:one layer, &an that really be be&au%e they +ail to under%tand %omething that (e do under%tand, or +or %ome other rea%on/ !o admit it. @ou already ,no( (hat the militant le%bian nun% and the o:one e-'ert% (ill %ay, 1u%t a% &learly a% you already ,no( (hat $enry Ji%%inger and He%%e Ha&,%on (ill %ay. About anything. I+ you %till thin, it your &i)i& duty to 6,ee' in+ormed7 a% to the notion% o+ all %u&h +ol,, that9% your 'roblem. 3on9t )i%it it on your %tudent%. .ring them to &on%ider not (hat Men&,en %ay%, but the +a&t that he %ay% it, and that there doe%n9t %eem to be anyone el%e around (ho (ill %ay thing% li,e that. I+ they (ould li,e to &on%ider and te%t (hat he %ay%, and out o+ more e)iden&e than (hat i% gi)en on the +ir%t %&ra' o+ 'a'er, that9% good, but they (ill ha)e to go out into the (orld and loo, around +or that e)iden&e. #ith that, you &an hel' them. They (ill not ha)e to go )ery +ar out into the (orld, ho(e)er. They %it right no( in the 're&in&t% o+ the large%t o+ all the go)ernment bureau&ra&ie%. Ne)er +orget that, +rom their 'oint o+ )ie(, you are 1u%t another bureau&rat, and %ome
o+ them may (ell gro( u' not only to agree (ith Men&,en on the %ilen&ing and the robbing, but to add al%o the more %eriou% &harge o+ %tulti+ying. I+ you are not one o+ tho%e bureau&rat%, i+ you are, li,e mo%t o+ the be%t tea&her%, a true %ub)er%i)e %ur)i)ing only be&au%e o+ the .y:antine di%order o+ the %y%tem, you (ill ha)e to 'ro)e that to your %tudent%. They (on9t ta,e your (ord +or it= you (ill ha)e to %ho( them. @ou don9t ha)e to argue Men&,en9% &a%e either (ay, but i+ you di%mi%% him a% a %el+5indulgent and anti5%o&ial grou&h, (ho ne)er did relate (ell to other%, you (ill %ho( them one thing= i+ you ta,e hi% (ord% a% a troubling 'ro)o&ation to thought+ulne%%, %ome o+ the %tudent% (ill begin to %u%'e&t that maybe you are not really one o+ 6them7 a+ter all. .e %ure o+ thi%. ")en the (or%t reader in your &la%% &an 6read7 the di++eren&e bet(een Men&,en and the ema%&ulated t(er' (ho %'ea,% +rom the 'age% o+ the go)ernment5i%%ue te-t boo, out o+ (hi&h you are %u''o%ed to tea&h them. O+ tho%e t(o 6author%,7 one i% a &ra&, in the (all, the other i% the (all. That, any %tudent &an 6read.7 One o+ them i% bo(ing lo( to a ma%ter, the other i% %tanding u'. *an you 'o%%ibly ha)e a %tudent (ho &an9t tell (hi&h i% (hi&h/ No (ay. There i% an e)en more im'ortant di++eren&e. One o+ them i% e)ery(here in the li)e% o+ your %tudent%. $i% (ord% are in all the boo,%, in all the bulletin% and memo%, e)en on the billboard% and the 'ubli& 6%er)i&e7 'lug% on tele)i%ion. $i% monotonou% )oi&e oo:e% +rom all the 'rin&i'al% and guidan&e &oun%elor% and &urri&ulum &oordinator%, +rom the loud%'ea,er% on the (all, +rom 'arent%, 'rea&her%, 'oliti&ian%, and 'undit%, and, ye%, dammit, e)en +rom you. #e all do it. It9% the ea%y (ay. .ut Men&,en9% )oi&e i% mi%%ing. I+ it %hould brea, +orth in your &la%%room today, it (ill be by a&&ident, an une-'e&ted and une-'e&table blo( o+ +ortune, +or good or ill. That +a&t alone 're%ent% the 'o%%ibility that thi% Men&,en, o+ (hom your %tudent% ha)e ne)er heard, might be %im'ly right in (hat he %ay%, and that hi% go)ernment, (hi&h doe% o(n and o'erate your %&hool, ha% indeed %ilen&ed him. I+ that i% %o, then hi% &harge o+ robbery might be intere%ting to &on%ider. .ut let the %tudent% +igure that out +or them%el)e%. Men&,en i% not %(eet. $e i% rude. $e i% intolerant. $e &all% +ool%, +ool%, and ,na)e%, ,na)e%. And (or%e. $e &all% the greedy, greedy,
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and the %hi+tle%%, %hi+tle%%. $e &are% not a damn +or the 'lea% o+ tho%e (ho (ould e-&u%e them%el)e% a% )i&tim% o+ !o&iety a% a #hole, (hether 'oor or ri&h, (ea, or 'o(er+ul. $e re%'e&t% no o++i&e, no dogma, no re'utation. #e ha)e only a +e( li,e him, but all o+ their )oi&e% are ab%ent +rom your 6%o&ial %tudie%.7 There a&tually are %u&h thing% a% legitimate %o&ial %tudie%. They addre%% %u&h 8ue%tion% a% the%e? $o( do (e li)e together/ $o( should (e li)e together/ I% it 'o%%ible at all that (e might li)e together in de&en&y and 1u%ti&e/ !o (hen your %tudent% %tudy the%e %o&ial %tudie%, (here i% Voltaire/ I% he to be le+t to the Fren&h de'artment and re%tri&ted to the t(o or three %tudent% in +ourth5year Fren&h (ho &an ma,e out a little o+ (hat he %ay%/ #here i% !o'ho&le%, (ho (ill ne)er %ho( u' in any o+ your de'artment%, unle%% %ome trendy re)i%ioni%t de&ide% that one o+ hi% 'lay%, at lea%t, (a% really about the liberation o+ (omen/ #here are Mill and Mar-/ #here, +or that matter, are Milton and Madi%on/ #here i%.../ #here i%.../ The li%t i% )ery long. They are all the 'ro'het% (ho li)e alone in the hill% that %urround u%, o+ (hom (e %ay (e are 'roud, but to (hom (e do not li%ten. The 8ue%tion be+ore you and your %tudent% i% a )ery old one indeed? $o(, then, %hall (e li)e/ Great mind% beyond &ounting ha)e 'ondered it. No great mind, in +a&t, ha% ignored it. It i% not 1u%t a 8ue%tion= it i% The Sue%tion. "du&ation i% an a%%ault. It i% a +ier&e bea%t bro,en into the +old. All the other %tu++, the %tu++ they dream o+ doing in the %&hool%, i% really a dome%ti&ation, a taming, a hou%ebrea,ing. "du&ation i% a brea,er o+ +orm% and habit%. It i% the )ery o''o%ite o+ (hat %&hool% intend and re8uire the %tudent% to e-'e&t, nothing more than a &on+irmation, a &on%olidation o+ (hat he i% already, but more %o, and more %e&urely %o, a li+e (ith all hi% notion%, attribute%, and de%ire% inta&t, and more money. ")erything rein+or&ed, and nothing o)erturned or de%troyed. #e %'ea, mu&h o+ gro(th and de)elo'ment, but ne)er a (ord o+ rene(al. !ome %till %'ea, o+ 6building &hara&ter,7 but ne)er o+ &learing the land +or the building. And a Men&,en in %&hool i% a +ire in the rubbi%h hea'. !o are they all, all the mi%%ing )oi&e%. In&endiarie%. 0yromania&%. They lo)e the +lame, and the roaring &ra%h o+ rotten timber%. And they (ould (at&h %miling the going u' in %mo,e o+ 'et
notion% and belie+%, and the %hri)eling into a%h o+ that long and remar,ably &on)enient li%t o+ 'oliti&ally %an&tioned attitude% and a(arene%%e% 'lanted in your %tudent% +rom in+an&y by a mindle%% but e++e&ti)e league o+ la:y 'arent%, thoughtle%% tea&her%, 'oliti&al hu%tler%, and +i+teen million bu%tling bureau&rat%.
Brief #otes
!OON,
)ery %oon no(, *entral *ontrol (ill mount an e-'edition into the ba%ement. There, or, more a&&urately, here and there, %he (ill 'a( through many old and unlabeled &ardboard &arton% in %ear&h o+ ba&, i%%ue%. I+ %he +ind% tho%e number% that ha)e been re8ue%ted by reader%, %he9ll %end them= i+ %he doe%n9t, %he9ll try again a little later. It9% our +orm o+ lottery. .e ho'e+ul.
T$I! i%%ue bring% to and end our thirteenth year

o+ 'ubli&ation. #e (ould li,e to &ount u' our a&hie)ement%, but all (e &an 'oint to (ithout +ear o+ &ontradi&tion i% a big me%% o+ bo-e%. Nil, ne)erthele%%, des%erandum. #e go on.
ON 'age K, you (ill ha)e noti&ed an e'igra'h

+rom Reason" Reason i% a maga:ine 'ubli%hed by the Rea%on Foundation in !anta Moni&a, *A. It% editor (a%, +or a long time, Robert 0oole, (ho i% al%o one o+ it% +ounder%. $e i% ,no(n to u% a% a +ine and thought+ul gent. $e ha% no( be&ome the 'ubli%her, and ha% 'a%%ed on the editor9% 1ob to Virginia 0o%trel. I+ there (ere a %on in thi% +amily, (e (ould li,e him to marry Virginia 0o%trel, but there i%n9t, and %he i% 'robably married any(ay. !o mu&h +or that. .ut (e &an %till read her. Reason &all% it%el+ a libertarian 1ournal. #e don9t ,no( e-a&tly (hat that mean%, and (e do ha)e %ome mi%gi)ing% about libertariani%m, the +ir%t o+ (hi&h i% our relu&tan&e to a''ro)e anything that end% in 5i%m. Furthermore, (hile the editorial 'oli&y o+ Reason i% one thing, it% ad% are another. More than enough o+ them gi)e the im're%%ion that libertarian% are inordinately intere%ted in their liberty to %8uirrel a(ay 're&iou% metal% and dete&t radar. Ne)erthele%%, (e do li,e the %heet. It i% in +a&t about liberty, (hi&h i%, in our (ay o+ thin,ing, the +ruit o+ edu&ation. And (e are no( 'arti&ularly delighted by the thin,ing o+ Virginia 0o%trel.
Page 210
!he (rite% in e)ery i%%ue on, (ell, on &i)ility. !he &omment% on ho( (e li)e, and (hat it %eem% to mean. $er mind i% in tune, and her rea%on i% in +rame. !he (rite% in the i%%ue no( be+ore u% ;Feb, 199E< on the meaning o+ de&aden&e in an age 6(hen the la( determine% )i&e and )irtue, TandU (hen e)erybody &om'ete% to determine the la(.7 !he ma,e% %en%e and 'ro)o,e% re+le&tion. There are, o+ &our%e, many other good thing% in Rea%on. One o+ them i% a regular +eature 'age &alled 6.ri&,bat%.7 The e'igra'h on 'age K i% one o+ thi% month9% bri&,bat%, and ty'i&al. They are to laugh, o+ &our%e, but al%o to &ry, and &ur%e, and %ometime% de%'air. !in&e Reason on&e in a (hile re'rint% a 'ie&e +rom thi% %heet4one more +a&t in it% +a)or4(e are +reeloader%, but the regular %ub%&riber% 'ay t(enty5+our dollar% a year. The addre%% +or %ub%&ri'tion% i% .o- GCKF, "%&ondido, *A 9FEFD. !ome o+ you might li,e it. And many o+ you (ill 'robably di%&o)er that it &an hel' you to %8uirrel a(ay %omething more 're&iou% than metal, and to dete&t %omething more dangerou% than radar.
Page 211
This is a
S$AR/T/0T1
Than2s for do3nloading this S$AR/T/0T4 .O)*M/ T$'RT//#4 THE UNDERGR UND GR!""!R#!N. !lease note the follo3ing4
Thi% te-t i% a)ailable FR"" a% html on the (eb. !hareTe-t +ee% are only de%igned to &o)er +ormatting and #eb maintenan&e. All te-t i% 'ubli& domain, and you ha)e the o'tion o+ &o'ying the html te-t and +ormatting your o(n do&ument%. .y do(nloading and ,ee'ing thi% 03F do&ument, you agree to %end the nominal !hareTe-t +ee o+ IG.EE to? !OUR*"T"NT.*OM 0. O. .o- OFEEE #ood%ide, *A 9KEOF5EEE
#hen you 'ay the !hareTe-t +ee, you &an ma,e hard5 &o'ie% o+ thi% 03F do&ument, and di%tribute them +reely. I+ you &hoo%e to %end the ele&troni& 03F +ile o+ thi% do&ument to other%, or ma,e it a)ailable on another #eb %ite, 'lea%e ,ee' thi% 'age (ith the do&ument and en&ourage other% to 'ay the !hareTe-t +ee. All +und% hel' to maintain all !OUR*"T"NT.*OM #eb %ite%.
Than, you +or your %u''ort o+ The Underground Grammarian.

*o'yright V FEEE by Mar, Ale-ander. All Right% Re%er)ed. !OUR*"T"NT, !OUR*"T"NT.*OM, !$AR"T"NT, T$" !$AJ"!0"AR" AUT$OR!$I0 !OUR*".OOJ, T$" !$AJ"!0"AR" 2A# 2I.RAR@, T$" $U 0AG", T$" !*$OO2 OF 0@T$AGORA! and other% are trademar,ed 199C, 199 , 1999, and FEEE by Mar, Ale-ander, 0. O. .o- OFEEE , #ood%ide, *A 9KEOF5EEE .
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