ON DRAWING FORTH Options

[Alan]

ON DRAWING FORTH
(Education, properly a drawing forth, implies not so much the communication of knowledge as the discipline
of the intellect, the establishment of the principles, and the regulation of the heart : Webster Dictionary, 1913)

In olden days when Webster ruled,
the schoolhouse was where folk were schooled;
not squat, a modern concrete blot
quite oversized, on city plot
resembling "institute" with bars,
no way designed to reach the stars.

Back then, a school was human-size,
bright-painted sight for sour eyes,
while Miss was prim and quite correct -
who'd give, also demand, respect.
If youngster sinned, fair punishment,
that corner called, so there you went.

Then, parents, if they knew you'd sinned
would descend too, fast as the wind,
to bawl you out, a grounding too.
Thus, soon you would know what to do.
Now, if teacher says even "Boo",
parents still come, to blast the school !

Education, a "drawing out"
made the whole person, a good scout,
so you, your country too, of course,
became a power-house; a force
for good, though chaos all around,
keen to improve that which you found.

That old school-house was rocket-shaped.
I think that then, folk had it taped;
they knew that if you they'd inspire
to fix your sights above the mire,
that stuffing in was not so smart,
while "drawing forth" enhanced the heart.

Alan McAlpine Douglas

[Marc-Andre Germa...]

Alan,

I find this endearing. It is vivid, humourous, highly entertaining and a bit thought-provoking. Some lines have an archaic feel, but it works well here as a response to the 1913 Webster Dictionary. No nit, really, besides that I'd reduce the size of the title...If you rework this, a reference to change in taste or scent coud be interesting and take this piece to the next level.

Mark

[Alan]

Dear Mark,

Thank you so much, I'm glad you got out of it what I untended to be IN it !

As to the title size, done !

Love
Alan

[jgdittier]

Dear Alan,
My first response was to appreciate the steady beat and proper rhyme scheme.
Lines 17-18 might merit a review.
Line 20- is there a way to drop "person"?
Line 23- though for in?
The closing lines wrap it up nicely.
Since there's an ocean between us, may I ask how much poetic license you've used?
Were your schools then "brightly painted"? Ours are useally brick or concrete, at least here in New England and easily mistaken for installations of imprisonment.
I suspect I'm mis-interpreting "rocket-shaped". You must have a meaning that hasn't crossed the sea yet.
Yes, it's fashionable now for parents if summoned to the school and they come to defend the offender.
I was recently at Old Sturbridge Village, Massachusetts, which demonstrates life in the 1840's.
Often a teen-aged girl kept control in a one-room schoolhouse with up to 60 children aged
six to 18!
Cheers, ron jgdittier

[Alan]

Dear Ron,

Thank you. Not quite sure what to do about 17/18, is it the boo/school ryhme ? I've amended 20 & 23, one as you say, the other based on your comment, but taken further.

I wrote this to a pic of an old village schoolhouse with almost a steepled steeple (you know, going to a point) - for the bell ? - and the first thing I saw was this "rocket" shape Don't know if this :

http://thepeacefulpub.yuku.com/topic/22628...your-title.html

will get you to it ?

I've known for years that educate's root was to draw forth, rather than, as now, to stuff in, never mind if the result is a total inability to think and therefore draw consequences.

The back and forth comparison came from there.

Love
Alan

[Larry]

Hi Alan,

That takes me back to when respect was due the Teacher and not some dumb-*** smart aleck kid. Too bad things changed for the worse.

I have only one small nit. In S4L1, I kept hitting a bump on:

Education, a "drawing out"

Maybe [An education, "drawing out"] would help maintain the metrical beat. Donno! Anyway, thanks for the memories.

Larry

[Alan]

Dear Larry,

Thanks for the visit.

EDuCAtion a DRAWing OUT - is that how you see it, or is this one of those English'USish problem s?

Love
Alan

[Sekhmet]

Good morning Alan –' Drawing out' - what a wonderful way of describing the best form of education. My suburban elementary school , in early 1940's England was staffed by the elderly; ( mostly because the young and fit were away , fighting World War Two.) These elderly teachers must have been schooled under the system mentioned in your opening note – and were experts at 'Drawing Out'

Although my school was a small, suburban building, we were exposed, on a daily basis, to first class poetry, classical music, and the best writing. Originality in ones writing was accepted, and even encouraged; and this, at a time when dull, utility conformity was the norm.

I, too, found the image of a 'rocket-shaped 'school house a little confusing. I grasped the concept that those, ' Drawing Out' school houses generated thoughts and ideas which had the surging power of a rocket to propel its young people on to higher things.

I wonder if you could tinker with this line to clarify our mental image.


Leo

[Alan]

Dear Sekhmet,

Thank you for your wonderful reply. The poem was actually written to a pic of a little old village schoolhouse, with a bell tower, and the first thing that struck me was the rocket-shape ! Hence the muse kicking in the way it did.

I simply do not know how to install the pic on this board. No one ever "drew forth" my computing skills !

Love
Alan

[Guest_ohsteve_*]

Alan, I click on your reference and got the picture no problem, I haven't seen a school house like that except for 'Little house on the Prairie' My elementary school was a wood frame structure but had no steeple. I think the 'rocket shaped' could be taken both ways as the shape of the steeple and the way Leo mentioned. As for the message, I can say I think we were taught to be very respectful to the teachers, almost scared sometimes, which can be a disadvantage. I think todays children don't get enough discipline but I don't think that berating or corporal punishment serve either. I always felt like they were trying to stuff things in my head, mostly by rote learning, which I don't think teaches you how to think nor draws you out. I think my daughters had some of the best teachers I have ever met, and I know darned well my daughters had respect...lol. I saw a woman in the grocery store with her six year old child who had just taken something off the shelf (whether to look at or what I don't know) but she started berating the child in a very loud voice, and I thought why didn't you just smck his hand, so no don't do that and carry on. I think her verbalizing was more abusive than just a small slap would have been. I used to geet switched by my grandfather for being caught doing something wrong, made me be very careful not to get caught... but nowadays if you look at a child crosseyed you can be taken to jail for child abuse and children learn very quickly to dial 911 (or in UK 999), I told my kids to give me the phone and I would call the abuse hot line for them...lol. Never stopped me from disciplining them with a sharp word or a swat on the backsides. They seem to grow up fairly normal...ah well. great poem Alan.
Steve

[jgdittier]

Dear Alan,
I now understand the "rocket" reference and am humbled.
As to American education, My deceased wife taught in a community college and shared many rational thoughts with me. I'll not argue that the pupil reaching public school is the equivalent of a hundred years ago. Our current culture expounds selfishness just as the unionized teachers do. Between irresponsible parents and teacher union Leaders, we're losing the justifications to be world leaders. How can it be that honor roll students can't write a proper sentence? Like GM, we've become fat and lazy and our reps/CEOs have driven us to having to cut back. While GM shrinks, Uncle sam expands and adds to its obesity.
Cheers, ron jgdittier

[jgdittier]

Dear Alan,
I do hope that England lags behind this American suicide.
If anything i've learned in my 76 years, it'd that the path to hell is led by good intentions.
Cheers to you, alan! jgdittier

[Alan]

Dear Steve,

My goodness, so pleased that I caused you to dive into all those memories !

Too much discipline and too little are equally bad. A child will push and push, because it WANTS to know where the boundaries are, once you blow up, if you have been to lax, suddenly the child is happy. Not cuz you blew up, but because he has some parameters.

And thank you for your kind final remark.

Love
Alan

[Alan]

Dear Ron,

How can it be ? Cuz the teaching is "stuffing in" rather than drawing forth. Most children WANT to learn, and the stuffinf so to speak knocks the stuffing out of them !

If you think you have governmental problems, we have a P M who says the Allies landed at Obama Beach in Normandy !

Love
Alan