Virginia Woolf, in "To the Lighthouse," wrote that "Children never forget."
Last year Willie, Julie and I went to interview the oldest man in my hometown of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin - Langdon Divers, age 102.
When Langdon was a senior in high school, in 1920, he was the ONLY student to pass physics class. Every other student failed. But because he did not return his workbook, the teacher flunked Langdon and passed everyone else.
As he was a senior, that meant Langdon had to repeat his entire senior year in high school.
((The lesson here, because most folks still don't get it - - is that behavior does not matter. It is knowledge that matters.))
Some 85 years later, there was still hurt in his voice when he told us.
((The lesson here, because most folks still don't get it - - is that the boys will still hurt emotionally for their lives because of what schools are doing to them now))
I would have to ask, why didn't he turn in his workbook? While it is tragic that he had to repeat the 12th grade behavior does generate consequences. If you know that the speed limit is 55mph on a certain stretch of road, but choose to drive at 70 mph will the patrolman be sympathetic? Should he be?
If you hire a CPA who is very knowledgeable in tax laws to complete your income taxes, but he doesn't meet the tax filing deadline-would you go back to him? Do you get it?
Posted by: Richard Mandau | May 17, 2005 at 01:30 PM