Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be … Saber-Tooth Curriculum 17 ODEN...

179
DOCUMENT RESUME ED 462 361 SO 033 624 AUTHOR Reynolds, Karen TITLE A School of Our Own: Where the Children Live. PUB DATE 1997-00-00 NOTE 353p.; Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Alberta. PUB TYPE Dissertations/Theses Doctoral Dissertations (041) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC15 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *Educational Philosophy; Educational Research; Educational Theories; Foreign Countries; Internet; *School Culture; *Schools IDENTIFIERS Canada; Conversation; Educational Criticism; *Narrative Inquiry; Personal Experiences; Sense of Place; Weaving ABSTRACT This dissertation is a story of schooling. It weaves a vision of schooling into several versions and at least three "places" where schooling can happen--up to 2020 A.D. and beyond. The stories are built on the weaving metaphor and a profound sense of place. This paper presents one individual's experiences that are weaved into and through a conversation with a granddaughter and a great-granddaughter, a Book of Schools, a historical journey through research, and a fictional journey through the Internet. In telling the story of these utopian schools, the paper puts forth a plan for the "ideal" school in the daily life of a community. Within this plan, children engage fully in the place where they "live." Parents, community members, and resources are integral to the daily happenings. Each child works at what interests him or her, yet the learning often revolves around a particular "place" created in the classroom or found in the community. As one student becomes interested in the Amazon jungle, for example, the other students are drawn in and the classroom itself becomes an imaginary jungle, where the children then live and learn. The paper researches schooling environments ranging from one-room schoolhouses and tutoring to private, public, boarding, non-coercive, home, charter, and virtual schools. Resources used in the research include: "The Once and Future King," "The Dead Poet's Society," and literary works by Steiner and Dewey. The paper demonstrates that throughout the research one overall theme evolved: each school is different and each school has an impact. Each story is intended to perturb the reader, to push boundaries, and expand comfort zones. It is an exploration that weaves in and out of the question of "what school can and should be." (Contains 167 references.) (BT) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document.

Transcript of Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be … Saber-Tooth Curriculum 17 ODEN...

  • DOCUMENT RESUME

    ED 462 361 SO 033 624

    AUTHOR Reynolds, KarenTITLE A School of Our Own: Where the Children Live.PUB DATE 1997-00-00NOTE 353p.; Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Alberta.PUB TYPE Dissertations/Theses Doctoral Dissertations (041)EDRS PRICE MF01/PC15 Plus Postage.DESCRIPTORS *Educational Philosophy; Educational Research; Educational

    Theories; Foreign Countries; Internet; *School Culture;*Schools

    IDENTIFIERS Canada; Conversation; Educational Criticism; *NarrativeInquiry; Personal Experiences; Sense of Place; Weaving

    ABSTRACTThis dissertation is a story of schooling. It weaves a

    vision of schooling into several versions and at least three "places" whereschooling can happen--up to 2020 A.D. and beyond. The stories are built onthe weaving metaphor and a profound sense of place. This paper presents oneindividual's experiences that are weaved into and through a conversation witha granddaughter and a great-granddaughter, a Book of Schools, a historicaljourney through research, and a fictional journey through the Internet. Intelling the story of these utopian schools, the paper puts forth a plan forthe "ideal" school in the daily life of a community. Within this plan,children engage fully in the place where they "live." Parents, communitymembers, and resources are integral to the daily happenings. Each child worksat what interests him or her, yet the learning often revolves around aparticular "place" created in the classroom or found in the community. As onestudent becomes interested in the Amazon jungle, for example, the otherstudents are drawn in and the classroom itself becomes an imaginary jungle,where the children then live and learn. The paper researches schoolingenvironments ranging from one-room schoolhouses and tutoring to private,public, boarding, non-coercive, home, charter, and virtual schools. Resourcesused in the research include: "The Once and Future King," "The Dead Poet'sSociety," and literary works by Steiner and Dewey. The paper demonstratesthat throughout the research one overall theme evolved: each school isdifferent and each school has an impact. Each story is intended to perturbthe reader, to push boundaries, and expand comfort zones. It is anexploration that weaves in and out of the question of "what school can andshould be." (Contains 167 references.) (BT)

    Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be madefrom the original document.

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    als

    145

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    97R

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    169

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    eren

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    191

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    eson

    101

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    gs &

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    ohm

    & P

    eat

    103

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    se10

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    uran

    a &

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    ela

    106

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    ra10

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    erry

    107

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    ak10

    9E

    nviro

    nmen

    tal R

    efle

    ctio

    n11

    0T

    he Id

    ea o

    f Pla

    ce11

    2C

    lass

    room

    as

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    ce11

    3C

    urric

    ulum

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    ces

    115

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    ldre

    n in

    Pla

    ce11

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    topi

    an P

    lace

    s11

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    eavi

    ng a

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    ce11

    9

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    OW

    N12

    0

    1213

  • intr

    oduc

    tion

    The

    re is

    a st

    ory

    to te

    ll, a

    sto

    ry o

    f sch

    ools

    and

    sch

    oolin

    g.It

    hasn

    't al

    l hap

    pene

    d ye

    t tho

    ugh

    muc

    h of

    it h

    as. T

    he s

    tory

    ing

    is a

    proc

    ess,

    ase

    arch

    ing

    for

    unde

    rsta

    ndin

    gth

    roug

    hw

    ritin

    g,re

    adin

    g, a

    nd e

    xper

    ienc

    ing

    the

    stor

    ies,

    a p

    roce

    ss ju

    st b

    egun

    ... a

    ndth

    at m

    ay c

    ontin

    ue a

    s lo

    ng a

    s th

    e st

    ory

    exis

    ts.

    It is

    an

    hist

    oric

    alte

    lling

    in th

    at it

    brin

    gs th

    e hi

    stor

    y of

    sch

    oolin

    g in

    to a

    nd th

    roug

    hth

    epr

    esen

    t but

    itis

    not a

    sim

    ple

    hist

    ory.

    Itis

    anau

    tobi

    ogra

    phic

    al te

    lling

    yet

    itis

    not

    a s

    impl

    e au

    tobi

    ogra

    phy.

    The

    re is

    with

    in it

    a d

    eep

    sens

    e of

    phe

    nom

    enol

    ogic

    al k

    now

    ing,

    ase

    nse

    of th

    e ex

    perie

    nce.

    It re

    ache

    s w

    ithin

    .Its

    sto

    ries

    can

    lead

    (or

    push

    , pul

    l and

    pro

    pel)

    us th

    roug

    h on

    e po

    ssib

    le s

    tory

    line,

    one

    onto

    logi

    cal v

    iew

    (or

    mor

    e) a

    nd, i

    t is

    hope

    d, th

    ey w

    ill b

    ring

    us b

    eyon

    d th

    em, b

    eyon

    d ou

    r "s

    elve

    s", i

    nto

    a vi

    ew, p

    erha

    ps n

    ew,

    of w

    hat s

    choo

    ling

    "can

    and

    sho

    uld

    be".

    We

    have

    had

    an

    opin

    ion;

    we

    seem

    ed to

    hav

    e kn

    own

    our

    own

    visi

    ons,

    but

    thro

    ugh

    thes

    est

    orie

    s an

    d th

    e jo

    urne

    y w

    e ta

    ke th

    roug

    h th

    em, w

    e m

    ay c

    ome

    toun

    ders

    tand

    a la

    rger

    who

    lene

    ss, p

    erha

    ps o

    ur o

    wn.

    We

    may

    disc

    over

    our

    selv

    es a

    s "e

    duca

    tors

    " an

    d w

    e m

    ay fi

    nd s

    ome

    path

    way

    s to

    whe

    re w

    e ne

    ed g

    o fr

    om h

    ere.

    Thi

    s di

    sser

    tatio

    n, th

    en, i

    s an

    exp

    lora

    tion

    light

    , but

    not

    to b

    eta

    ken

    light

    lya

    jour

    ney

    as in

    vita

    tion,

    a jo

    urne

    y th

    at m

    ay g

    ode

    eper

    than

    we

    may

    hav

    e ot

    herw

    ise

    gone

    .It

    is c

    hoic

    e fo

    rco

    ntem

    plat

    ion,

    not

    sim

    ply

    a te

    xt to

    be

    read

    and

    forg

    otte

    n.It

    isan

    invi

    tatio

    n to

    look

    ben

    eath

    our

    mos

    t tre

    asur

    ed o

    pini

    ons

    and

    take

    a d

    eepe

    r jo

    urne

    y th

    an w

    e m

    ay h

    ave

    othe

    rwis

    e ta

    ken.

    It ha

    sw

    ithin

    ita

    poss

    ibili

    ty fo

    r di

    scov

    ery,

    of d

    eepe

    r so

    cial

    and

    pers

    onal

    mea

    ning

    .It

    may

    per

    turb

    our

    "ta

    ken-

    for-

    gran

    teds

    " bu

    tm

    ost o

    f all,

    it is

    an

    invi

    tatio

    n to

    look

    bey

    ond

    wha

    t we

    thou

    ght w

    e"a

    lway

    s kn

    ew"

    and

    to s

    ee "

    hope

    " fo

    r ed

    ucat

    ion'

    s (a

    nd o

    ur o

    wn)

    futu

    res.

    Unt

    il no

    w, w

    e ha

    ve b

    uilt

    our

    stor

    y of

    sch

    oolin

    g on

    wha

    t we

    lear

    ned

    and

    expe

    rienc

    ed in

    the

    past

    , but

    we

    are

    read

    y to

    mov

    ein

    to a

    futu

    re s

    o un

    like

    the

    past

    it is

    unr

    ecog

    niza

    ble

    from

    our

    pres

    ent;

    it is

    a ti

    me

    of c

    hang

    e, a

    "m

    egap

    arad

    igm

    " sh

    ift (

    Dol

    l,19

    93)

    that

    is h

    appe

    ning

    .A

    ll ar

    ound

    us,

    cha

    nge

    is h

    appe

    ning

    just

    look

    and

    you

    will

    see

    .T

    he o

    nly

    cert

    aint

    y is

    cha

    nge,

    the

    futu

    rists

    tell

    us.

    Rea

    lity

    isn'

    t wha

    t it u

    sed

    to b

    e (A

    nder

    son,

    1990

    ). W

    e ca

    n se

    e th

    at a

    pos

    t-in

    dust

    rial,

    info

    rmat

    ion-

    lade

    n,

    14

    glob

    al c

    omm

    unity

    , thi

    s m

    ost p

    ostm

    oder

    n of

    wor

    lds

    cann

    ot b

    e lik

    eth

    e w

    orld

    we

    once

    kne

    w a

    nd b

    elie

    ved

    in.

    We

    can

    no lo

    nger

    pret

    end

    that

    it is

    .S

    o, w

    e m

    ust c

    hang

    e...

    or a

    llow

    cha

    nge.

    .. bu

    tho

    w?

    Whe

    re d

    o w

    e go

    from

    her

    e?

    It is

    tim

    e to

    join

    in th

    e st

    ory.

    ...

    conv

    ersa

    tion

    By

    now

    , the

    yea

    r is

    202

    0 (A

    .D.)

    and

    I am

    "ol

    d en

    ough

    " to

    writ

    em

    y ow

    n m

    emoi

    rs.

    I lik

    ely

    wou

    ldn'

    t bot

    her

    exce

    pt th

    at I

    see

    my

    grea

    t-gr

    andc

    hild

    ren

    have

    no

    idea

    wha

    t "sc

    hool

    " w

    as a

    ctua

    llylik

    e. T

    hey

    are

    so fr

    ee in

    thei

    r le

    arni

    ng th

    at "

    scho

    ol"

    as I

    knew

    itis

    def

    inite

    ly a

    rcha

    ic, a

    n id

    ea s

    o fo

    reig

    n th

    at to

    them

    it is

    "ou

    t of

    the

    dark

    age

    s". I

    n so

    man

    y w

    ays,

    I am

    gla

    d sc

    hool

    s w

    ent t

    he w

    ayof

    the

    dino

    saur

    s,th

    e do

    dobi

    rds,

    and

    mic

    row

    ave

    oven

    s.C

    erta

    inly

    , the

    y ou

    tlive

    d th

    eir

    usef

    ulne

    ss.

    In m

    any

    way

    s, s

    choo

    ls a

    s I k

    new

    them

    wer

    e pr

    oduc

    ts o

    f a d

    ark

    age.

    It w

    as a

    dar

    k an

    d sc

    ary

    time

    som

    etim

    es, e

    spec

    ially

    the

    times

    of t

    rans

    ition

    (th

    e '9

    0s a

    nd '0

    0s).

    I thi

    nk th

    e or

    igin

    alsc

    hool

    s(p

    ublic

    scho

    ols,

    that

    is)

    mus

    t hav

    e be

    en g

    reat

    adve

    ntur

    es a

    t the

    ir be

    ginn

    ings

    .C

    erta

    inly

    , the

    y w

    ere

    crea

    ted

    tofil

    l vis

    ions

    .It

    is v

    isio

    ns s

    uch

    as th

    ose

    that

    will

    gui

    de th

    is s

    tory

    ;it

    is v

    isio

    n th

    at c

    an g

    uide

    our

    "go

    od"

    lives

    in s

    o m

    any

    way

    s. T

    his

    seem

    s so

    app

    ropr

    iate

    bec

    ause

    it w

    as th

    e vi

    sion

    s of

    "w

    hat

    scho

    olin

    g ca

    n an

    d sh

    ould

    be"

    that

    led

    to th

    e de

    mis

    e of

    sch

    ools

    as

    we

    knew

    them

    . My

    own

    visi

    ons

    wer

    e pa

    rt o

    f tha

    t mov

    emen

    tas

    wer

    e th

    e ch

    angi

    ng ti

    mes

    !

    Som

    eone

    sai

    d, "

    In 1

    989,

    the

    wor

    ld c

    hang

    ed."

    It di

    d, b

    ut w

    ew

    eren

    't aw

    are

    of h

    ow d

    rast

    ic th

    at c

    hang

    e w

    as u

    ntil

    muc

    h la

    ter.

    We

    knew

    abo

    ut "

    rece

    ssio

    ns"

    and

    "har

    d ec

    onom

    ic ti

    mes

    ".W

    ekn

    ew th

    at th

    e co

    ld w

    ar w

    as o

    ver,

    the

    Ber

    lin W

    all a

    nd th

    e U

    nion

    of S

    ovie

    t Soc

    ialis

    t Rep

    ublic

    s w

    ere

    no m

    ore,

    that

    a m

    ajor

    pow

    erw

    on a

    war

    at t

    echn

    olog

    ical

    -dis

    tanc

    e an

    d so

    lost

    wor

    ld r

    espe

    ct(t

    houg

    h th

    ey m

    ay n

    ot h

    ave

    know

    n it

    at th

    e tim

    e). W

    e kn

    ew th

    atth

    e B

    ritis

    h m

    onar

    chy

    was

    in s

    cand

    alou

    s tr

    oubl

    e, th

    at h

    osta

    ge-

    taki

    ng w

    as a

    pop

    ular

    way

    to m

    ake

    a po

    litic

    al s

    tate

    men

    t, an

    dhe

    alth

    car

    e an

    d ed

    ucat

    ion

    fell

    prof

    anel

    y to

    the

    axes

    of b

    udge

    t-ba

    lanc

    ing,

    gov

    ernm

    ent c

    utba

    cks

    and

    priv

    atiz

    atio

    n. W

    e w

    atch

    ed

    151

  • as a

    borig

    inal

    peo

    ples

    hel

    d th

    eir

    com

    mun

    ities

    hos

    tage

    som

    etim

    esan

    d de

    man

    ded

    gam

    blin

    g,se

    lf-go

    vern

    men

    t and

    man

    y ot

    her

    "rig

    hts"

    , as

    an e

    stee

    med

    bod

    y of

    sen

    ator

    s al

    low

    ed c

    haos

    full

    reig

    n in

    thei

    r ch

    ambe

    rs fo

    r a

    whi

    le, a

    s on

    e pr

    ovin

    ce s

    plit

    itsel

    fw

    hile

    spl

    ittin

    g fr

    om th

    e co

    untr

    y...

    and

    so o

    n.W

    e kn

    ew "

    the

    times

    wer

    e a-

    chan

    ging

    " bu

    t we

    coul

    d no

    t com

    preh

    end

    how

    dras

    tical

    ly. N

    or h

    ow q

    uick

    ly.

    Ith

    ink

    we

    thou

    ght t

    hese

    trou

    bled

    tim

    es w

    ould

    pas

    s, th

    atso

    meh

    ow a

    ll w

    ould

    set

    tle d

    own

    and

    be a

    s it

    was

    in th

    e "p

    ast"

    .It

    did

    not.

    It co

    uld

    not G

    loba

    l com

    mun

    icat

    ions

    had

    bro

    ught

    us

    to a

    leve

    l of a

    war

    enes

    s th

    at c

    ould

    not

    then

    be

    shut

    dow

    n; w

    e kn

    ew to

    om

    uch

    and

    yet w

    e kn

    ew s

    o lit

    tle.

    The

    re w

    as n

    o tu

    rnin

    g ba

    ck,

    thou

    gh m

    any

    trie

    d.T

    he "

    Inte

    rnet

    ", th

    at w

    orld

    -wid

    e w

    eb o

    f"u

    nder

    grou

    nd"

    com

    mun

    icat

    ions

    dev

    elop

    ed b

    y th

    e m

    ilita

    ry to

    be

    inde

    stru

    ctib

    le in

    tim

    es o

    f cris

    is b

    ecam

    e un

    stop

    pabl

    e in

    the

    hand

    s of

    "th

    e pu

    blic

    ".It

    (the

    pub

    lic)

    crea

    ted

    a ne

    twor

    k of

    com

    mun

    icat

    ion

    that

    was

    wor

    ld w

    ide,

    acce

    ssib

    le, a

    ndun

    -ce

    nsur

    able

    . Lite

    rally

    any

    thin

    g co

    uld

    be c

    omm

    unic

    ated

    to a

    nyon

    ean

    ywhe

    re in

    the

    wor

    ld -

    and

    it w

    as. S

    omet

    imes

    to o

    ur d

    ism

    ayas

    chi

    ldre

    n le

    arne

    d ho

    w to

    mak

    e bo

    mbs

    as

    wel

    l and

    as

    easi

    ly a

    sth

    ey le

    arne

    d to

    writ

    e le

    tters

    to n

    et-p

    als

    in o

    ther

    cou

    ntrie

    s.It

    trul

    y op

    ened

    the

    door

    s of

    the

    entir

    e w

    orld

    to e

    ach

    and

    ever

    ype

    rson

    who

    had

    acc

    ess

    to a

    com

    pute

    r -

    and

    incr

    easi

    ngly

    that

    was

    ever

    yone

    .A

    t the

    sam

    e tim

    e, s

    atel

    lite

    com

    mun

    icat

    ion

    was

    asto

    undi

    ng th

    e w

    orld

    and

    a m

    arria

    ge o

    f tec

    hnol

    ogie

    s (f

    ibre

    optic

    s, te

    leph

    one

    and

    cabl

    e, a

    nd s

    atel

    lite

    tech

    nolo

    gies

    ,fo

    rex

    ampl

    e) w

    as c

    reat

    ing

    ever

    mor

    e w

    ays

    to c

    arry

    info

    rmat

    ion

    toal

    l cor

    ners

    of o

    ur w

    orld

    s in

    ast

    onis

    hing

    way

    s.

    Eac

    hin

    nova

    tion,

    each

    dev

    elop

    men

    t, se

    emed

    an

    answ

    er to

    pray

    ers,

    som

    eone

    's p

    raye

    rs.

    Tel

    e-m

    arke

    ting

    allo

    wed

    qui

    ckha

    ssle

    -fre

    e sh

    oppi

    ng (

    thou

    gh n

    o gu

    aran

    tees

    ) an

    d te

    leph

    one

    tech

    nolo

    gy a

    llow

    ed u

    s to

    do

    our

    bank

    ing,

    pay

    our

    bill

    s, g

    athe

    rin

    form

    atio

    n, c

    ompa

    re p

    rices

    ,...

    .W

    e ne

    eded

    nev

    er le

    ave

    "hom

    e".

    The

    se w

    ere

    exci

    ting

    times

    but I

    am

    ahe

    ad o

    f my

    stor

    y....

    It is

    ver

    y in

    tere

    stin

    g ho

    w I

    got i

    nvol

    ved

    in "

    educ

    atio

    n" a

    nd th

    enin

    the

    battl

    e fo

    r a

    "bet

    ter

    way

    "by

    def

    ault!

    Whe

    n I l

    ook

    at it

    now

    it a

    ll lo

    oks

    sote

    rrib

    ly a

    rcha

    ic! W

    hen

    I was

    "in

    sch

    ool",

    16

    girls

    see

    med

    to h

    ave

    only

    a fe

    w c

    hoic

    es o

    f wha

    t the

    y w

    ould

    do

    "whe

    n th

    ey g

    rew

    up"

    that

    in it

    self,

    was

    arc

    haic

    !B

    ut, m

    ostly

    ,w

    e w

    ere

    limite

    d by

    our

    ow

    n lim

    ited

    visi

    on.

    I was

    sur

    e of

    wha

    t Idi

    dn't

    wan

    t;I t

    houg

    ht th

    at I

    shou

    ld b

    e a

    nurs

    e or

    a te

    ache

    rth

    ose

    seem

    ed to

    be

    my

    only

    cho

    ices

    . Tw

    o gi

    rlfrie

    nds

    and

    I wen

    tto

    the

    scho

    ol c

    ouns

    elor

    and

    ask

    ed h

    im w

    hat w

    e sh

    ould

    "be

    ". H

    elo

    oked

    at u

    s a

    few

    mom

    ents

    (ne

    ver

    open

    ed a

    file

    ) an

    d th

    en s

    aid,

    "you

    sho

    uld

    all b

    e te

    ache

    rs."

    And

    so

    we

    did.

    All

    thre

    e of

    us.

    Tha

    tis

    it!V

    iew

    ed fr

    om to

    day'

    s w

    orld

    of g

    loba

    lul

    tra-

    com

    mun

    icat

    ion,

    it w

    as n

    ot o

    nly

    arch

    aic;

    it w

    as s

    tone

    -age

    ! Mor

    edr

    amat

    ical

    ly:

    we

    didn

    't qu

    estio

    n hi

    m!

    We

    sim

    ply

    did

    as w

    ew

    ere

    told

    .I c

    anno

    t im

    agin

    e th

    e ch

    ildre

    n of

    toda

    y do

    ing

    that

    .T

    hey

    know

    so

    muc

    h m

    ore

    abou

    t the

    mse

    lves

    and

    abo

    ut th

    eir

    choi

    ces;

    they

    are

    mor

    e ed

    ucat

    ed!

    The

    chi

    ldre

    n of

    toda

    y (A

    .D. 2

    020)

    edu

    cate

    them

    selv

    esan

    dth

    ey d

    o it

    in th

    e pr

    oces

    s of

    thei

    r liv

    ing.

    I lea

    rn s

    o m

    uch

    just

    from

    list

    enin

    g to

    them

    .I

    part

    icul

    arly

    trea

    sure

    the

    mom

    ents

    whe

    n th

    ey a

    llow

    me

    into

    thei

    r th

    ough

    t-w

    orld

    s by

    letti

    ng m

    e re

    adth

    eir

    writ

    ten

    wor

    ks.

    Her

    eis

    a sa

    mpl

    e fr

    om m

    y gr

    eat-

    gran

    ddau

    ghte

    r's le

    tter

    to a

    frie

    nd th

    at ta

    lks

    abou

    t her

    exc

    item

    ent

    in g

    oing

    to th

    e "S

    choo

    ls M

    useu

    m".

    It se

    ems

    the

    "chi

    ldre

    n of

    toda

    y" a

    re s

    till "

    child

    ren"

    in th

    e se

    nse

    of th

    eir

    lear

    ning

    no

    mat

    ter

    thei

    r ch

    rono

    logi

    cal a

    ge.

    But

    then

    , now

    , we

    all a

    re. M

    ygr

    and-

    daug

    hter

    , her

    mot

    her,

    is g

    row

    n no

    w a

    nd is

    stil

    l exp

    lorin

    gw

    ith h

    er c

    hild

    ren

    and

    by h

    erse

    lf! A

    ge, i

    t see

    ms,

    is b

    ut a

    sta

    te o

    fm

    ind.

    It se

    ems

    we

    are

    all t

    he s

    ame

    age,

    all

    lear

    ning

    ... 1

    4, 3

    4,54

    or

    74! T

    hat i

    s ou

    r w

    ay n

    ow.

    Gre

    at-G

    rand

    daug

    hter

    SA

    : Yes

    !F

    inal

    ly,

    I am

    goi

    ng to

    get

    ther

    e.R

    eadi

    ng G

    reat

    -gr

    andm

    othe

    r's jo

    urna

    ls a

    nd w

    atch

    ing

    the

    old

    mov

    ies

    is c

    ool,

    but v

    isiti

    ng th

    at M

    useu

    m o

    f Sch

    ools

    will

    be

    An

    Exp

    erie

    nce,

    Ith

    ink.

    Tra

    nspo

    rtat

    ion

    (tra

    vel)

    is s

    uch

    a pr

    oble

    m th

    ese

    days

    ...an

    d el

    ectr

    icity

    is s

    o sc

    arce

    , it '

    s be

    en h

    ard

    for

    me

    to p

    utto

    geth

    er a

    pic

    ture

    of w

    hat i

    t rea

    lly w

    as li

    ke to

    hav

    e to

    go

    tosc

    hool

    eve

    ry d

    ay. E

    very

    day

    . Im

    agin

    e! G

    rand

    mot

    her

    (I c

    all

    her

    that

    ) ha

    s of

    ten

    moa

    ned

    on a

    nd o

    n ab

    out t

    he "

    dem

    ise

    ofsc

    hool

    s" a

    nd a

    t the

    sam

    e tim

    e sh

    e ta

    lks

    on a

    bout

    all

    the

    sad

    17

  • expe

    rienc

    es s

    he h

    ad th

    ere.

    Esp

    ecia

    lly th

    e "a

    cade

    mic

    " on

    es(w

    hat a

    wor

    d!).

    The

    y se

    emed

    to b

    e su

    ch a

    was

    te o

    f tim

    e!

    She

    talk

    ed o

    f goi

    ng to

    the

    com

    mun

    ity h

    all.

    We

    still

    go

    to th

    eco

    mm

    unity

    hal

    lso

    wha

    t is

    the

    diffe

    renc

    e.I

    am c

    urio

    usab

    out w

    hat i

    s di

    ffere

    nt in

    toda

    y's

    wor

    ld.

    Yes

    , I r

    ealiz

    e it

    istw

    enty

    yea

    rs a

    fter

    the

    begi

    nnin

    g of

    the

    twen

    ty-f

    irst c

    entu

    ryan

    d a

    lot h

    as h

    appe

    ned

    sinc

    e 19

    95 w

    hen

    Gra

    ndm

    othe

    r st

    arte

    dhe

    r ut

    opia

    n sc

    hool

    , but

    it is

    trul

    y ha

    rd to

    imag

    ine

    havi

    ng a

    llth

    e ki

    ds g

    o to

    sch

    ool l

    ike

    goin

    g to

    a ja

    il ev

    ery

    day

    just

    for

    the

    conv

    enie

    nce

    of it

    .W

    hose

    con

    veni

    ence

    ?! W

    hy w

    ould

    they

    do

    it? T

    oday

    we

    mig

    ht e

    ven

    find

    that

    a d

    istr

    actio

    n, fu

    n ev

    en...

    for

    a w

    hile

    . But

    we

    just

    don

    't ha

    ve th

    e tim

    e or

    see

    the

    need

    for

    that

    but i

    tis

    inte

    rest

    ing

    to th

    ink

    of w

    hat c

    hang

    esth

    ose

    tota

    lly p

    rimiti

    ve P

    Cs

    (per

    sona

    l com

    pute

    rs)

    mus

    t hav

    em

    ade

    in th

    e liv

    es o

    f tho

    se p

    oor

    '90s

    kid

    s. E

    spec

    ially

    at f

    irst,

    whe

    n th

    ey a

    ctua

    lly r

    ealiz

    ed th

    ey d

    idn'

    t hav

    e to

    truc

    k of

    f to

    scho

    ol e

    very

    day

    just

    to le

    arn

    stuf

    f lik

    e in

    form

    atio

    n or

    toco

    mm

    unic

    ate

    with

    oth

    er p

    eopl

    e.

    It m

    ust h

    ave

    been

    the

    sam

    e w

    hen

    air

    and

    high

    way

    trav

    el g

    otto

    o ex

    pens

    ive,

    whe

    n pe

    ople

    rea

    lized

    they

    did

    n't w

    ant t

    o go

    dow

    n th

    at h

    ighw

    ay to

    wor

    k an

    d sc

    hool

    eve

    ry d

    ay, t

    hat t

    here

    was

    eno

    ugh

    for

    them

    to d

    o in

    thei

    r ho

    me

    com

    mun

    ity, i

    n th

    eir

    hom

    e ev

    en.

    And

    whe

    n el

    ectr

    icity

    got

    sho

    rt, i

    t mus

    t hav

    ecr

    eate

    d m

    ore

    havo

    c, m

    ore

    adju

    stin

    gth

    ose

    habi

    ts a

    ndpa

    ttern

    s.It

    mus

    t hav

    e be

    en d

    ram

    atic

    to th

    ink

    of s

    harin

    gre

    sour

    ces

    in a

    hug

    e ol

    d ga

    rgan

    tuan

    way

    . Sha

    ring.

    We

    take

    itso

    muc

    h fo

    r gr

    ante

    d to

    day.

    I can

    not i

    mag

    ine

    havi

    ng to

    do

    all

    of e

    very

    thin

    g m

    ysel

    f, lik

    e G

    rand

    mot

    her

    desc

    ribes

    .

    Ica

    nnot

    imag

    ine

    even

    wan

    ting

    to le

    ave

    my

    hom

    e an

    dco

    mm

    unity

    eve

    ry d

    ay ju

    st to

    go

    "out

    in th

    e w

    orld

    ".I a

    mqu

    ite c

    onte

    nt m

    ost d

    ays

    to w

    ork

    quie

    tly w

    ith m

    y fr

    iend

    s an

    dfa

    mily

    and

    sha

    re in

    all

    the

    activ

    ities

    of t

    his

    plac

    ew

    ell,

    som

    etim

    es w

    e ar

    e no

    t so

    quie

    t as

    all t

    hat!

    I enj

    oy th

    e ea

    sy-

    goin

    g pa

    ce o

    f my

    days

    ; I c

    hose

    to li

    ve h

    ere!

    I lik

    e ha

    ving

    the

    choi

    ce.

    I lik

    e ha

    ving

    acc

    ess

    to a

    ll th

    e re

    sour

    ces

    I lik

    e an

    d I

    like

    the

    easy

    com

    pani

    onsh

    ip o

    f my

    frie

    nds

    who

    sha

    re m

    yid

    eas

    mos

    tly!

    18

    I cho

    se to

    live

    in th

    is c

    omm

    unity

    bec

    ause

    I ca

    n do

    wea

    ving

    ,an

    d ar

    t her

    e.T

    here

    are

    pla

    ces

    whe

    re I

    can

    be a

    lone

    , and

    ther

    e ar

    e pe

    ople

    who

    like

    dee

    p di

    scus

    sion

    sof

    suc

    h th

    ings

    as

    "Wha

    t is

    Life

    ", "

    Wha

    t is

    Edu

    catio

    n" a

    nd "

    Why

    are

    we

    Her

    e"lik

    e I d

    o. It

    is e

    asy

    thes

    e da

    ys to

    trav

    el th

    e gl

    obe

    and

    even

    the

    gala

    xy o

    n el

    ectr

    onic

    and

    ele

    ctric

    med

    ia...

    it is

    eas

    y to

    find

    frie

    nds

    to "

    talk

    " to

    ele

    ctro

    nica

    lly..,

    fax

    and

    mod

    em a

    nd e

    -m

    ail a

    nd in

    tern

    et c

    onne

    ctio

    ns a

    re in

    eve

    ry c

    omm

    unity

    cen

    tre

    and

    in m

    any

    hom

    es -

    and

    ther

    e ar

    e so

    man

    y ki

    nds

    of c

    entr

    esan

    d co

    mm

    uniti

    es!

    It is

    eas

    y to

    cal

    l up

    visu

    al im

    ages

    of t

    hepe

    ople

    we

    conn

    ect w

    ith a

    nd it

    is e

    asy

    to fi

    nd li

    sts

    and

    lists

    of

    data

    abo

    ut a

    ny to

    pic

    imag

    inab

    le.

    It is

    eas

    y to

    exp

    erie

    nce

    thin

    gsV

    icar

    ious

    ly;

    (Gra

    nd-m

    othe

    rlik

    esth

    atw

    ord!

    ).V

    irtua

    l rea

    lity

    is e

    asy

    and

    so c

    omm

    on w

    e ju

    st ta

    ke it

    for

    gran

    ted

    that

    we

    can

    do a

    nyth

    ing

    we

    wan

    t to

    do. W

    e dr

    ive

    airp

    lane

    s an

    d do

    ope

    n he

    art s

    urge

    ry, w

    hate

    ver

    we

    choo

    se to

    lear

    n to

    do,

    by

    the

    sim

    ple

    flick

    of t

    he C

    D c

    ases

    . Wha

    t is

    rare

    and

    Aw

    esom

    e is

    to fi

    nd th

    e bo

    oks

    still

    inta

    ct.

    It's

    not o

    ften

    and

    so it

    is a

    che

    rishe

    d tr

    eat t

    o ha

    ve th

    e ch

    ance

    to c

    uddl

    e up

    toa

    prin

    t-m

    ediu

    mfo

    ra

    tact

    ileth

    ree-

    dim

    ensi

    onal

    expe

    rienc

    e an

    d it

    is e

    ven

    rare

    r an

    d m

    ore

    prec

    ious

    to b

    e ab

    leto

    acc

    ess

    the

    old

    pers

    onal

    jour

    nals

    suc

    h as

    the

    ones

    of m

    ygr

    andm

    othe

    r's I

    have

    so

    luck

    ily fo

    und.

    Mos

    tly n

    o on

    e re

    ally

    care

    sor

    at l

    east

    , the

    y th

    ink

    they

    don

    't un

    til th

    ey g

    etin

    volv

    ed in

    doi

    ng it

    like

    I ha

    ve. T

    here

    is lo

    ts o

    f opp

    ortu

    nity

    for

    inte

    rper

    sona

    lin

    tera

    ctio

    ns;

    ther

    ear

    elo

    tsof

    conv

    ersa

    tions

    , and

    han

    ds-o

    n ex

    perie

    nces

    in o

    ur o

    wn

    loca

    lco

    mm

    unity

    .In

    my

    case

    the

    wea

    vers

    and

    the

    loom

    s st

    and

    ther

    ere

    ady

    and

    ever

    yni

    ght

    Ica

    n jo

    ina

    stud

    y or

    conv

    ersa

    tion

    arou

    nd th

    e fir

    epla

    ce in

    the

    com

    mun

    ity c

    entr

    eif

    I wan

    t to.

    I can

    sha

    re m

    y th

    ough

    ts o

    n to

    pics

    that

    inte

    rest

    me

    any

    time

    I wan

    t to.

    In fa

    ct, i

    f I d

    on't

    both

    er to

    sho

    w u

    p to

    talk

    for

    a da

    y or

    so

    som

    eone

    com

    es lo

    okin

    g fo

    r m

    e to

    see

    ifan

    ythi

    ng is

    wro

    ng.

    Inst

    ead

    of c

    ompu

    ter

    gam

    es a

    nd o

    ld m

    ovie

    s w

    e us

    ually

    cho

    ose

    to li

    sten

    to m

    usic

    bei

    ng p

    laye

    d on

    3D

    inst

    rum

    ents

    , to

    wan

    der

    into

    the

    kitc

    hen

    and

    mak

    e th

    e po

    pcor

    n ou

    rsel

    ves,

    and

    som

    etim

    es e

    ven

    to s

    crib

    ble

    in o

    ur o

    wn

    tech

    no-jo

    urna

    ls in

    aco

    rner

    of t

    he r

    oom

    whi

    le a

    ll th

    e co

    nver

    satio

    ns a

    re h

    appe

    ning

    arou

    nd u

    s.

    3

    19

  • Iun

    ders

    tand

    it m

    ust h

    ave

    been

    a g

    reat

    rev

    olut

    ion

    whe

    nho

    mes

    choo

    ling

    mul

    tiplie

    d an

    d w

    hen

    the

    char

    ter

    scho

    ol r

    ules

    gave

    per

    mis

    sion

    to h

    ome

    com

    mun

    ities

    to e

    duca

    te th

    eir

    own

    child

    ren.

    It m

    ust h

    ave

    been

    exc

    iting

    to w

    atch

    virt

    ual s

    choo

    lsta

    ke o

    ver

    the

    way

    sch

    ool w

    as h

    andl

    ed a

    nd c

    hang

    e th

    e w

    ayte

    ache

    rs a

    nd s

    tude

    nts

    lived

    in th

    eir

    daily

    "sc

    hool

    ing"

    .It

    mus

    t hav

    e be

    en e

    xciti

    ng ju

    st to

    hav

    e be

    en th

    ere

    or e

    lse

    Gra

    ndm

    othe

    r is

    just

    a r

    eally

    goo

    d st

    ory

    telle

    r!T

    he "

    soci

    alre

    orga

    niza

    tion"

    that

    she

    talk

    s ab

    out m

    ust h

    ave

    been

    trau

    mat

    ic to

    thos

    e w

    ho s

    till w

    ante

    d to

    kee

    p th

    e ol

    d w

    ays

    but

    to th

    ose

    who

    wan

    ted

    it, it

    mus

    t hav

    e be

    en v

    ery

    exci

    ting.

    Yes

    ,I c

    an s

    ee th

    at th

    ose

    youn

    g pe

    ople

    who

    like

    d to

    go

    to s

    choo

    lev

    ery

    day

    mus

    t hav

    e be

    en s

    tres

    sed

    and

    won

    derin

    g, a

    t lea

    st a

    tfir

    st, h

    ow th

    ey c

    ould

    find

    a c

    hanc

    e to

    mee

    t with

    thei

    r fr

    iend

    san

    d w

    hat t

    hey

    wou

    ld d

    o to

    fill

    up th

    eir

    time.

    We

    still

    som

    etim

    es w

    onde

    r ho

    w w

    e fil

    l up

    our

    time!

    The

    y m

    ight

    hav

    e w

    orrie

    d th

    ey w

    ould

    mis

    s ou

    t on

    the

    spor

    tsev

    ents

    or

    just

    "ha

    ngin

    g ou

    t".

    I can

    just

    imag

    ine

    the

    turm

    oil

    som

    e ki

    ds w

    ould

    hav

    e ha

    d, w

    hen

    they

    foun

    d ou

    t the

    y w

    ould

    n't

    have

    any

    one

    to b

    ully

    and

    talk

    into

    follo

    win

    g th

    eir

    way

    syo

    u kn

    ow, t

    he w

    ays

    of c

    igar

    ette

    s, d

    rugs

    , and

    alc

    ohol

    and

    such

    . The

    re a

    re s

    till s

    ome

    kids

    aro

    und

    like

    that

    toda

    y, th

    atlik

    e to

    bul

    ly a

    nd fo

    rce

    thei

    r w

    ays

    on th

    e re

    st o

    f us.

    But

    , you

    know

    , we

    don'

    t rea

    lly b

    othe

    r w

    ith th

    em -

    and

    they

    don

    'tco

    me

    into

    our

    com

    mun

    ities

    muc

    h.It

    mus

    t hav

    e be

    en s

    ofr

    eein

    gI

    feel

    so

    free

    eve

    n no

    w to

    thin

    k ab

    out i

    tfo

    rth

    ose

    who

    cou

    ld s

    ee th

    at th

    ere

    wer

    e m

    ore

    lovi

    ng w

    ays

    toin

    habi

    t the

    pla

    net t

    han

    wha

    t the

    y w

    ere

    doin

    g th

    en.

    Eve

    n so

    , it m

    ust h

    ave

    been

    a lo

    ng h

    ard

    jour

    ney

    from

    that

    tota

    lly s

    epar

    ated

    and

    seg

    rega

    ted

    wor

    ld to

    the

    bunc

    h of

    com

    mun

    ities

    we

    live

    in s

    o pe

    acef

    ully

    toda

    y.M

    any

    thin

    gsm

    ust h

    ave

    happ

    ened

    , all

    thos

    e po

    litic

    al a

    nd s

    ocia

    l thi

    ngs

    but

    mos

    tly p

    eopl

    e pr

    obab

    ly g

    ot ti

    red

    of h

    urry

    ing,

    rac

    ing

    out f

    orso

    met

    hing

    they

    cou

    ldn'

    t get

    , rus

    hing

    off

    to w

    ork,

    rus

    hing

    off

    to s

    choo

    l, ru

    shin

    g...

    all t

    he ti

    me.

    Brin

    ging

    info

    rmat

    ion

    hom

    eon

    the

    com

    pute

    r m

    odem

    s an

    d C

    D-R

    OM

    s m

    ust h

    ave

    been

    am

    onum

    enta

    lly fr

    eein

    g m

    ovem

    ent.

    As

    the

    [pre

    scrib

    ed]

    curr

    icul

    um d

    isap

    pear

    ed fr

    om la

    ck o

    f use

    , it m

    ust h

    ave

    been

    quite

    a fr

    eedo

    m to

    kno

    w th

    at y

    ou c

    ould

    lear

    n w

    hate

    ver

    [con

    tent

    and

    ski

    lls] y

    ou th

    ough

    t app

    ropr

    iate

    or

    fun!

    The

    n in

    20

    late

    r ye

    ars

    peop

    le m

    ust h

    ave

    actu

    ally

    rea

    lized

    that

    not

    onl

    yw

    as "

    cont

    ent a

    nd s

    kills

    "op

    tiona

    l so

    was

    trav

    ellin

    g th

    ehi

    ghw

    ay to

    "w

    ork

    and

    wor

    ry"

    or s

    o G

    rand

    mot

    her

    says

    !

    Ica

    n ac

    tual

    ly p

    ictu

    re h

    ow fa

    mily

    bus

    ines

    ses

    mus

    t hav

    esp

    rung

    up

    my

    dad

    talk

    s ab

    out h

    is g

    ettin

    g st

    arte

    dan

    dho

    w it

    was

    an

    insi

    de-o

    ut r

    einv

    entio

    n of

    the

    "old

    " ex

    tend

    edfa

    mily

    that

    bec

    ame

    cent

    ered

    on

    inte

    rest

    and

    "w

    ork"

    rat

    her

    than

    on

    "blo

    od".

    Tod

    ay w

    e ha

    ve s

    o m

    any

    inte

    rest

    ing

    busi

    ness

    es r

    ight

    her

    e in

    our

    com

    mun

    ity, i

    t is

    fun

    to ju

    st g

    ovi

    sitin

    gfr

    iend

    s.T

    hey

    have

    so

    man

    y cr

    eativ

    eth

    ings

    happ

    enin

    g rig

    ht in

    thei

    r ho

    mes

    .... T

    he c

    ompu

    ters

    are

    alw

    ays

    on!

    Gra

    ndm

    othe

    r te

    lls o

    f the

    tim

    e w

    hen

    kids

    had

    onl

    y on

    e se

    t of

    pare

    nts

    - th

    ey c

    alle

    d th

    em th

    eir

    "fam

    ily",

    but

    mor

    e of

    ten

    than

    not

    it w

    as o

    nly

    one

    pare

    nt a

    nd th

    e br

    othe

    rs a

    nd s

    iste

    rsbo

    rn in

    to th

    at fa

    mily

    ;it

    was

    som

    etim

    es v

    ery

    smal

    l, as

    fam

    ilies

    go.

    Tod

    ay w

    e ha

    ve s

    o m

    any

    peop

    le w

    e ca

    ll fa

    mily

    itis

    har

    d to

    imag

    ine

    bein

    g so

    lim

    ited.

    I can

    not i

    mag

    ine

    havi

    ngon

    ly o

    ne p

    aren

    t or

    one

    set o

    f par

    ents

    to r

    aise

    the

    child

    ren.

    Itm

    ust h

    ave

    been

    a lo

    nely

    exi

    sten

    ce. S

    omet

    imes

    I sp

    end

    mor

    etim

    e w

    ith m

    y au

    nt th

    an I

    do w

    ith m

    y m

    othe

    r es

    peci

    ally

    whe

    nw

    e ar

    e ta

    lkin

    g w

    eavi

    ng a

    nd s

    pinn

    ing

    and

    dyei

    ng to

    geth

    erI

    love

    the

    who

    le w

    eavi

    ng p

    roce

    ss!

    Mom

    talk

    s to

    me

    abou

    tm

    any

    thin

    gs a

    nd w

    e do

    a lo

    t tog

    ethe

    r bu

    t she

    is n

    ot in

    tere

    sted

    in w

    eavi

    ng li

    keI a

    mhe

    r lo

    ve is

    for

    lang

    uage

    s!I l

    ove

    her

    dear

    ly a

    nd I

    know

    she

    is a

    lway

    s lo

    okin

    g ou

    t for

    me,

    but

    I ca

    nse

    e th

    at s

    he h

    as o

    ther

    inte

    rest

    s be

    side

    s ho

    verin

    g ov

    er m

    e an

    dI a

    m g

    lad

    of th

    at. W

    hat i

    f I h

    ad o

    nly

    one

    pare

    nt to

    dep

    end

    on!

    Tha

    t mus

    t hav

    e be

    en te

    rrib

    le a

    nd te

    rrify

    ing;

    kid

    s m

    ust h

    ave

    felt

    so a

    lone

    som

    etim

    es, s

    o vu

    lner

    able

    .In

    this

    com

    mun

    ity,

    ever

    yone

    is fa

    mily

    !

    I hav

    e ev

    en h

    eard

    that

    if y

    ou w

    eren

    't of

    a c

    erta

    in c

    olor

    or

    relig

    ion

    or s

    uch

    you

    did

    not f

    it in

    , and

    ofte

    n w

    ere

    not a

    llow

    edin

    to th

    e pr

    ogra

    ms

    and

    soci

    al e

    vent

    s.B

    y to

    day'

    s st

    anda

    rds

    this

    see

    ms

    awfu

    lly p

    rimiti

    ve!

    Imag

    ine.

    Eve

    ryon

    e w

    asac

    tual

    ly e

    xpec

    ted

    to le

    arn

    the

    sam

    e da

    ta a

    s ev

    eryo

    ne e

    lse,

    usua

    lly b

    y ro

    te m

    emor

    izat

    ion

    like

    thei

    r gr

    andp

    aren

    ts d

    id.

    Rec

    iting

    poe

    try

    isfu

    n an

    d re

    mem

    berin

    g th

    ings

    isfu

    nso

    met

    imes

    , but

    why

    wou

    ld th

    ey h

    ave

    wan

    ted

    to r

    emem

    ber

    21

  • ever

    ythi

    ng!

    I rem

    embe

    r th

    e fu

    n th

    ings

    , and

    the

    thin

    gs I

    need

    for

    wha

    t I a

    m w

    orki

    ng o

    n, a

    nd I

    know

    som

    e pe

    ople

    who

    like

    topl

    ay "

    Triv

    ial P

    ursu

    it" a

    nd o

    ther

    mem

    ory

    gam

    es b

    ut I

    cann

    otim

    agin

    e w

    antin

    g to

    rem

    embe

    r th

    ings

    just

    to b

    e ab

    le to

    rec

    iteth

    em b

    ack

    on a

    "te

    st"

    (wha

    teve

    r th

    at is

    !).

    It se

    ems,

    thou

    gh,

    that

    kids

    then

    wer

    eex

    pect

    edto

    "kno

    w"

    (tra

    nsla

    te,

    rem

    embe

    r) m

    ore

    info

    rmat

    ion

    earli

    er in

    thei

    r sc

    hool

    ing

    than

    thei

    r gr

    andp

    aren

    ts.

    I can

    not i

    mag

    ine

    why

    bec

    ause

    that

    was

    the

    time

    whe

    n co

    mpu

    ters

    wer

    e be

    com

    ing

    so m

    uch

    bette

    r at

    rem

    embe

    ring.

    Why

    wou

    ld c

    hild

    ren

    be e

    xpec

    ted

    to a

    ct li

    keco

    mpu

    ters

    ?!W

    hen

    Ilo

    ok a

    t it f

    rom

    her

    e,I c

    an s

    ee th

    atsc

    hool

    ing

    mus

    t hav

    e be

    com

    e a

    care

    er in

    a w

    ay, w

    hat w

    ithev

    eryo

    ne b

    eing

    exp

    ecte

    d to

    go

    to s

    choo

    l for

    twel

    ve y

    ears

    and

    then

    to r

    etur

    n to

    wha

    t was

    cal

    led

    upgr

    adin

    g in

    thei

    r la

    ter

    year

    s.I g

    uess

    they

    had

    to th

    ink

    of s

    omet

    hing

    for

    them

    to d

    oin

    thos

    e "s

    choo

    ls"!

    Thi

    s w

    as a

    t the

    sam

    e tim

    e as

    the

    scho

    olin

    g ha

    d be

    com

    e pa

    rtic

    ular

    ly m

    eani

    ngle

    ss in

    itse

    lf! N

    ow

    onde

    r.It

    was

    the

    purs

    uit o

    f pap

    ers

    (cre

    dent

    ials

    ) th

    at k

    ept

    the

    syst

    em g

    rindi

    ng o

    n (I

    am

    told

    ), th

    at k

    ept s

    choo

    ling

    in th

    eda

    rk a

    ges

    for

    so lo

    ng.

    I am

    incr

    edib

    ly th

    ankf

    ul th

    at w

    e ha

    vedi

    scov

    ered

    the

    joy

    and

    plea

    sure

    of l

    earn

    ing

    thro

    ugh

    the

    free

    dom

    to le

    arn

    whe

    n an

    d w

    hat w

    e w

    ant.

    I am

    so

    than

    kful

    !I c

    anno

    t im

    agin

    e le

    arni

    ng m

    uch

    if I w

    as to

    ld I

    had

    to le

    arn

    it,an

    d I c

    anno

    t im

    agin

    e no

    t lea

    rnin

    g. T

    hat i

    s w

    hat l

    ife is

    abo

    ut,

    cert

    ainl

    y m

    y lif

    e an

    d th

    at o

    f the

    peo

    ple

    arou

    nd m

    e.P

    eopl

    ear

    e na

    tura

    lly c

    urio

    us. W

    e ha

    ve fu

    n le

    arni

    ng.

    Tha

    t is

    our

    I ife

    !

    In th

    e ol

    den

    days

    , Gra

    ndm

    othe

    r sa

    ys, t

    he u

    sual

    gat

    herin

    gpl

    ace

    was

    a s

    omet

    imes

    cro

    wde

    d sm

    oke-

    fille

    d ro

    om w

    here

    drin

    king

    alc

    ohol

    and

    "pa

    rtyi

    ng"

    wer

    e th

    e ex

    pect

    ed a

    ctiv

    ities

    .S

    he ta

    lks

    of p

    ubs

    and

    bars

    , or

    bing

    o ha

    lls a

    nd g

    ambl

    ing

    plac

    es w

    here

    col

    lect

    ing

    piec

    es o

    f met

    al a

    nd p

    aper

    wer

    e th

    eth

    rill o

    f the

    day

    .I c

    an s

    ee th

    at o

    ne w

    ould

    wan

    t to

    go w

    here

    othe

    r pe

    ople

    gat

    here

    d bu

    t I c

    anno

    t see

    why

    they

    did

    n't g

    athe

    rin

    com

    mun

    ity p

    lace

    s w

    here

    kid

    s co

    uld

    gath

    er to

    o.W

    hy, I

    won

    der,

    wer

    e th

    e ki

    ds le

    ft ou

    t? T

    hey

    mus

    t hav

    e be

    en le

    ft ou

    ta

    lot.

    Gra

    ndm

    othe

    r sa

    ys th

    at s

    omet

    imes

    the

    child

    ren

    gath

    ered

    toge

    ther

    , tha

    t sam

    e-ag

    e gr

    oups

    wer

    e m

    ore

    the

    norm

    than

    mix

    ed-a

    ge g

    roup

    ings

    . Tha

    t see

    ms

    limiti

    ng in

    sco

    pe a

    ndin

    tere

    st b

    ut I

    can

    see

    that

    with

    the

    big

    scho

    ols

    and

    ever

    ybod

    ybe

    ing

    divi

    ded

    by a

    ge, i

    t wou

    ld h

    ave

    been

    a n

    atur

    al h

    appe

    ning

    .

    24)

    I won

    der

    how

    kid

    s le

    arne

    d to

    get

    alo

    ng w

    ith o

    ther

    age

    s th

    anth

    emse

    lves

    . The

    y m

    ust h

    ave

    mis

    sed

    out o

    n a

    lot o

    f lea

    rnin

    gfr

    om a

    nd a

    bout

    oth

    er p

    eopl

    e. T

    oday

    we

    don'

    t ofte

    n re

    mem

    ber

    how

    old

    we

    are,

    for

    it do

    esn'

    t mat

    ter

    we

    rare

    ly c

    ount

    "yea

    rs";

    we

    coun

    t "su

    cces

    ses"

    ,"a

    ccom

    plis

    hmen

    ts",

    and

    "cha

    nges

    ". E

    very

    one

    is w

    elco

    me

    ever

    ywhe

    re. W

    e ch

    ange

    our

    nam

    es a

    nd o

    ur p

    lace

    s, o

    ur a

    ctiv

    ities

    and

    our

    inte

    rest

    s at

    will

    .It

    is g

    reat

    .

    I can

    not i

    mag

    ine

    leav

    ing

    here

    , mov

    ing

    out o

    f thi

    s co

    mm

    unity

    exce

    pt to

    mov

    e in

    to a

    noth

    er c

    omm

    unity

    that

    has

    peo

    ple

    and

    activ

    ities

    that

    inte

    rest

    me

    mor

    e th

    an w

    hat t

    he fo

    cus

    is h

    ere.

    Gra

    ndm

    othe

    r sa

    ys th

    at in

    199

    5 th

    e bi

    gges

    t thi

    ng k

    ids

    wan

    ted

    to d

    o w

    as to

    get

    out

    (of

    hom

    e) a

    nd g

    et th

    eir

    own

    plac

    eor

    ,sh

    e sa

    id, t

    o ge

    t out

    of s

    choo

    l! T

    o "g

    et a

    job"

    ! Eac

    h bo

    y an

    dgi

    rl fe

    lt a

    stro

    ng n

    eed

    to s

    et u

    p a

    sepa

    rate

    hou

    seho

    ld a

    nd d

    oal

    l the

    wor

    k th

    emse

    lves

    or

    with

    just

    one

    frie

    nd, a

    ppar

    ently

    .W

    hat a

    dra

    g! W

    hen

    the

    fam

    ily u

    nits

    beg

    an to

    fall

    apar

    t, sh

    esa

    ys, t

    he b

    igge

    st th

    ing

    was

    to fi

    gure

    out

    how

    to g

    et a

    rid

    e to

    scho

    ol, s

    o th

    ere

    was

    a w

    ay to

    gat

    her

    with

    you

    r fr

    iend

    sbu

    t Ilik

    e ou

    r w

    ay b

    ette

    r.D

    on't

    go to

    sch

    ool.

    We

    have

    sch

    ool i

    nou

    r ow

    n ho

    me,

    in o

    ur o

    wn

    com

    mun

    ity, r

    ight

    her

    e w

    here

    we

    live.

    I can

    not i

    mag

    ine

    it be

    ing

    fun

    any

    othe

    r w

    ay.

    I can

    not i

    mag

    ine

    havi

    ng to

    driv

    e te

    n m

    iles

    into

    tow

    n fo

    r a

    litre

    of m

    ilk o

    r ev

    en h

    avin

    g to

    go

    and

    get i

    t mys

    elf

    even

    ifth

    e st

    ore

    was

    just

    dow

    n th

    e st

    reet

    .G

    rand

    mot

    her

    says

    they

    had

    to d

    o th

    at! T

    oday

    it is

    del

    iver

    ed to

    the

    kitc

    hen

    cent

    ers.

    Why

    wou

    ld a

    nyon

    e be

    so

    inte

    rest

    ed in

    buy

    ing

    milk

    to fe

    elth

    ey h

    ad (

    or w

    ante

    d) to

    do

    it th

    emse

    lves

    . The

    re a

    re p

    eopl

    ew

    ho li

    keto

    del

    iver

    milk

    !T

    hey

    enjo

    y th

    etr

    avel

    ling

    expe

    rienc

    e an

    d th

    at th

    ey a

    re d

    oing

    som

    ethi

    ng w

    orth

    whi

    le a

    ndso

    feel

    them

    selv

    es fr

    ee in

    doi

    ng th

    eir

    kind

    of w

    ork.

    I thi

    nkth

    ey li

    ke to

    vis

    it al

    l the

    com

    mun

    ities

    too,

    and

    gos

    sip

    with

    all

    the

    peop

    le th

    ere.

    Tho

    ugh

    it do

    es n

    ot in

    tere

    st m

    e rig

    ht n

    ow, I

    can

    see

    mys

    elf t

    akin

    g a

    turn

    at i

    t som

    etim

    e. T

    he tr

    avel

    ling

    wou

    ld b

    e a

    diffe

    rent

    exp

    erie

    nce,

    and

    Im

    ight

    like

    it.C

    erta

    inly

    , I a

    m w

    illin

    g to

    lear

    n w

    hat i

    t is

    like.

    Tha

    t is

    how

    we

    live

    here

    . We

    chan

    ge "

    jobs

    " of

    ten

    and

    just

    do

    wha

    t nee

    ds to

    be

    done

    .S

    omet

    imes

    the

    jobs

    are

    n't s

    oin

    tere

    stin

    g bu

    t we

    do th

    em if

    they

    nee

    d do

    ne, b

    ecau

    se th

    en w

    e

    235

  • are

    free

    to "

    follo

    w o

    ur b

    liss"

    som

    ewhe

    re e

    lse

    if w

    e w

    ant t

    o.W

    e tr

    y to

    enj

    oy e

    ach

    part

    of e

    ach

    job

    that

    we

    do; w

    e ta

    kepr

    ide

    in d

    oing

    a jo

    b w

    ell a

    nd s

    eein

    g th

    at it

    is a

    ccom

    plis

    hed.

    Usu

    ally

    ther

    e ar

    e en

    ough

    peo

    ple

    to d

    o al

    l the

    jobs

    .S

    ome

    peop

    le li

    ke a

    tidy

    kitc

    hen,

    som

    e pe

    ople

    like

    to c

    ook,

    and

    we

    all l

    ike

    to tr

    y it

    out s

    omet

    imes

    so

    we

    all g

    et to

    eat

    and

    all

    the

    othe

    r jo

    bs w

    ork

    that

    way

    .H

    ere,

    any

    one

    who

    isin

    tere

    sted

    wor

    ks in

    the

    gard

    en; e

    very

    one

    does

    thei

    r pa

    rtbe

    caus

    e w

    e al

    l wan

    t to

    part

    icip

    ate

    in th

    e pl

    ace

    whe

    re w

    eliv

    e; it

    is p

    art o

    f who

    we

    are,

    par

    t of w

    hat w

    e do

    ... a

    nd w

    eha

    ve p

    lent

    y of

    tim

    e, fo

    r al

    l the

    wor

    k is

    sha

    red

    - ev

    en th

    ough

    som

    etim

    es w

    e w

    ork

    "rea

    lly h

    ard"

    , we

    feel

    goo

    d w

    hen

    we

    doit,

    to h

    ave

    acco

    mpl

    ishe

    d it,

    to s

    ee th

    at it

    is d

    one

    (and

    wel

    l).W

    e al

    l hav

    e so

    me

    kind

    of e

    colo

    gica

    l com

    mun

    ity, f

    or th

    at is

    the

    only

    sus

    tain

    able

    kin

    d -

    and

    we

    sure

    ly a

    ll w

    ant t

    o su

    stai

    n!

    Yes

    , the

    re a

    re s

    ome

    of u

    s be

    tter

    at g

    arde

    ning

    and

    so

    take

    mor

    e ch

    arge

    of g

    ettin

    g it

    done

    and

    ofte

    n th

    e ch

    ildre

    n (la

    rge

    and

    smal

    l) ra

    id th

    e pe

    a pa

    tch

    but e

    ssen

    tially

    eve

    ryon

    e he

    lps

    with

    eve

    ryth

    ing

    even

    tual

    ly. W

    e al

    l tak

    e a

    turn

    , and

    the

    wor

    kal

    way

    s ge

    ts d

    one.

    If it

    does

    n't I

    gue

    ss it

    is b

    ecau

    se n

    o on

    eth

    inks

    it n

    eeds

    doi

    ng, a

    nd s

    o it

    is le

    ft. W

    e ar

    e qu

    ite c

    onte

    ntto

    do

    it th

    is w

    ay.

    If so

    meo

    ne is

    bot

    here

    d by

    som

    ethi

    ngun

    done

    , the

    y fin

    d a

    way

    to g

    et it

    don

    e, u

    sual

    ly b

    y do

    ing

    itth

    emse

    lves

    .If

    som

    eone

    is b

    usy

    doin

    g so

    met

    hing

    , tho

    ugh,

    othe

    rs o

    ften

    deci

    de to

    join

    inth

    e in

    tere

    st o

    f one

    per

    son

    ofte

    n be

    com

    es th

    e in

    tere

    st o

    f sev

    eral

    .., a

    nd th

    e ci

    rcle

    stu

    rn...

    . Bes

    ides

    , it

    is g

    reat

    fun

    to d

    o th

    ings

    toge

    ther

    , no

    mat

    ter

    how

    mun

    dane

    !

    At o

    ne ti

    me,

    ver

    y lo

    ng a

    go, G

    rand

    mot

    her

    says

    , the

    gen

    ders

    wer

    e se

    para

    ted

    in w

    hat t

    hey

    coul

    d an

    d co

    uld

    not d

    o. A

    t one

    time

    only

    men

    cou

    ld g

    o in

    to c

    erta

    in p

    lace

    sth

    e "b

    ars"

    ,"c

    lubs

    " an

    d "p

    ool h

    alls

    " an

    d do

    cer

    tain

    kin

    ds o

    f wor

    k. T

    he o

    ldpe

    ople

    wer

    e sh

    uffle

    d of

    f to

    "nur

    sing

    " ho

    mes

    whe

    n th

    eyco

    uldn

    't lo

    ok a

    fter

    thei

    r ow

    n ne

    eds

    and

    wom

    en e

    vent

    ually

    gain

    ed th

    e "r

    ight

    " to

    go

    "out

    to w

    ork"

    ... ta

    da,

    they

    say

    .I

    won

    der

    why

    ! Now

    all

    of w

    hat w

    e ne

    ed is

    take

    n ca

    re o

    f in

    the

    hom

    e co

    mm

    unity

    , eve

    n th

    ose

    of th

    e ol

    d an

    d di

    sabl

    ed, f

    or th

    eyco

    ntrib

    ute

    as th

    ey c

    an a

    nd o

    ften

    carr

    y a

    larg

    e pa

    rt o

    fed

    ucat

    ion

    and

    supp

    ort a

    nd tr

    aini

    ng.

    The

    ir w

    isdo

    m is

    val

    ued

    and

    invi

    ted,

    we

    enjo

    y th

    eir

    stor

    ies

    - as

    we

    enjo

    y th

    e w

    isdo

    m

    24

    of e

    very

    one.

    The

    com

    mun

    ity is

    larg

    e en

    ough

    to p

    rovi

    deen

    ough

    list

    ener

    s fo

    r th

    ose

    who

    like

    to s

    hare

    thei

    r st

    orie

    san

    d th

    ere

    are

    alw

    ays

    thos

    e w

    ho li

    ke to

    tell

    a st

    ory.

    ...

    And

    this

    is h

    ow I

    cam

    e to

    find

    the

    man

    uscr

    ipt.

    Thr

    ough

    ast

    ory,

    my

    mot

    her's

    sto

    ry.

    I was

    sea

    rchi

    ng th

    e el

    ectr

    onic

    arc

    hive

    s fo

    r no

    tes

    abou

    t my

    mot

    her's

    chi

    ldho

    od, f

    or w

    e ar

    e w

    ritin

    g a

    book

    toge

    ther

    of h

    erlif

    e.I f

    ound

    ref

    eren

    ce to

    a u

    topi

    an s

    choo

    l, ca

    lled

    A S

    choo

    l of

    Our

    Ow

    n, th

    at s

    eem

    s to

    hav

    e be

    en o

    ne o

    f the

    beg

    inni

    ngs

    ofth

    is li

    fest

    yle

    I so

    enjo

    y.M

    y gr

    andm

    othe

    r w

    as a

    ppar

    ently

    one

    of th

    e fo

    unde

    rs o

    f tha

    t illu

    strio

    us s

    choo

    l.

    As

    I sea

    rche

    d I b

    ecam

    e m

    ore

    inte

    rest

    ed a

    nd c

    urio

    us y

    et I

    coul

    d no

    t fin

    d an

    y pa

    per

    copy

    or

    desc

    riptio

    n of

    wha

    t had

    happ

    ened

    am

    ongs

    t Gra

    ndm

    othe

    r'sth

    ings

    .S

    he s

    eem

    edre

    luct

    ant t

    o ta

    lk a

    bout

    it; t

    here

    mig

    ht h

    ave

    been

    a lo

    t of p

    ain

    in it

    som

    ewhe

    re, f

    or h

    er.

    I exp

    ect,

    thou

    gh, t

    here

    was

    als

    ojo

    y an

    d ex

    cite

    men

    t.Y

    es, s

    he to

    ld m

    e ab

    out t

    he p

    hysi

    cal

    mak

    ing

    of it

    , how

    the

    com

    mitt

    ees

    got t

    oget

    her

    so o

    ften

    and

    set

    it al

    l up

    and

    how

    the

    gove

    rnm

    ents

    of 1

    995

    had

    supp

    orte

    d th

    eid

    ea s

    impl

    y be

    caus

    e it

    was

    inno

    vativ

    e.It

    was

    an

    idea

    that

    intr

    igue

    d m

    e, a

    nd b

    ecau

    se m

    y gr

    eat-

    gran

    dmot

    her

    was

    par

    t of

    it,I w

    ante

    d to

    kno

    w m

    ore.

    I fou

    nd a

    larg

    e bo

    x of

    clip

    ped

    mag

    azin

    e ar

    ticle

    s an

    d a

    few

    rem

    nant

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    om a

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    sona

    l log

    - a

    ndI

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    e so

    me

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    over

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    Gra

    ndm

    othe

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    erin

    tere

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    The

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    ave

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    turb