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

[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