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BY THE NUMBERS » SCHOOLS
1635 The year the first public school, Boston Latin School, opened in the U.S. The school is still open today. Early teaching at the school emphasized the humanities over math and science. Soon after, public schools began proliferating throughout the northern colonies. In the South, Thomas Jefferson tried to introduce free, public education believing it to be one of the hallmarks of democracy, but his proposed legislation never passed. Public schools didn’t become widespread in the South until the Reconstruction Era after the Civil War.
In early America, girls were not allowed in school and were often taught at home to read but not to write. If the family was wealthy, a governess would be hired and girls would also be educated in sewing, music and languages.
1749 The year Benjamin Franklin founded the Philadelphia Academy, which bucked the humanities trend of other schools and emphasized the sciences, math, agriculture and language. 31The number of states by 1900 that required school attendance for students aged 8–14. It would be another 18 years before all states required children to complete at least elementary school.
1954The year the Supreme Court ended segregated education with their decision in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka. The justices ruled unanimously that segregation in public schools was unconstitutional and the ruling became a cornerstone of the Civil Rights movement.
63KAverage salary of U.S. teachers in 2020. North Carolina ranked 30th with an average salary of $54,682. New York pays the highest at $87,543. The lowest, you ask? Mississippi, at $45,192.
137K Number of schools in the U.S., from elementary level to universities. The exact number is 137,432. There were more than 35.5 million students enrolled in elementary school in 2019.
LOOK, LISTEN & LEARN OUTER SANDBOX
Thinkrolls Play & Code STEM
This award-winning program is aimed at kids 3–8 and includes more than 1,000 games and activities. The app is 100 percent ad-free and will help your kiddos develop an understanding of coding. We wish this had been around when we were kids! Available on iPhone and iPad.
Vocabulary Builder by Magoosh
Is your child studying for the ACT or SAT? This app offers more than 1,000 vocabulary words picked by a GRE expert. Definitions and example sentences will help solidify words in your teen’s head and there are GRE, SAT and TOEFL quizzes to make sure they’re retaining what they’re studying. Ditch the paper flashcards and get this app instead. Available on iPhone and Android.
edX
Described as “the education movement for restless learners,” edX offers online courses from the best universities in the world, like Harvard and MIT, in the palm of your hand. Subjects include computer science, business and management, mathematics, science and engineering, and languages. Download courses to watch when it’s convenient to you and take quizzes to ensure you understood the material. The audit option is free while certificates and degrees are available for a fee. If you’re interested in changing careers, but don’t want to invest in going back to school, check out edX courses before you take the plunge!
ROAD TRIP!
Road trip! Beyond the boundaries of our little sandbox, there is much to see. Here are a few events worth checking out. For events with a more local flavor, check out moorechoices.net. And check with locales before heading out!
AUGUST 1–6 National Black Theatre Festival Winston-Salem | ncblackrep.org
Started in 1979, the North Carolina Black Repertory Company is the first professional Black theatre company in the state. From original productions and midnight poetry jams to seminars and African American heritage tours, celebrate a full week of Black theatre.
SEPTEMBER 2–5 North Carolina Apple Festival Hendersonville | ncapplefestival.org
Keep the doctor away for good, or at least the weekend. They say an apple a day, but don’t stop there when you can try varieties from 15 different local growers and see crafts and food from 90 other vendors. The NC Apple Festival over Labor Day weekend is sure to be fun, and a nice reward for all your hard work.
SEPTEMBER 9–10 Mountain Song Festival Brevard | mountainsongfestival.com
Created to bring the best acoustic music to the Blue Ridge Mountains, the festival is celebrating its 16th year and supports the Cindy Platt Boys and Girls Club of Transylvania County. Asheville-based Steep Canyon Rangers is the host band and will be joined by Gibson Brothers, Amythyst Kiah, Del McCoury Band and more.
QUOTES
“Whatever the present moment contains, accept it as if you had chosen it.”
– Eckhart Tolle
“The philosophy of the school room in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next.”
– Abraham Lincoln
Health Tips
Rethink Low Cal
Thinking about slashing your calorie intake? Think again. Dramatically reducing calories for the day, less than 1,200, can ignite weight loss, but it may also damage your heart. Limiting calories can deprive deprive the body of crucial vitamins and minerals like magnesium
and potassium, which are necessary to keep the heart pumping. Under-eating also impairs energy levels, can cause mental fog and can slow your metabolism, which is the exact opposite effect that you want. Focus instead on eating fresh, non-processed foods and drinking plenty of water.
Toss It, Toss it Real Good
Got a bottle of acetaminophen that expired in 2016 and you hesitate to throw it out? You may not have to waste them. Most over-the-counter drugs in tablet form are shelf-stable long after they expire. What’s definitely not shelf-stable? Any drugs in liquid form and any prescription medications, like antibiotics or insulin. Certain expired medications are at risk of bacterial growth and less-than-potent antibiotics can fail to treat infections, leading to more serious illnesses and even worse, antibiotic resistance. If you have any medications and you’re just not sure, check out drugs.com to check the safety of your expired meds.
Riders on the Storm
Peak hurricane season is upon us and while the Sandhills doesn’t get the brunt
of these major storms, we do get some of the effects, including rain, wind, thunder and lightning. The following tips may seem obvious, but with the recent lightning deaths in the media, we figured they bear repeating: • If you hear thunder, lightning is close enough to strike you. • If you’re in a car, roll your windows up. • Stay in safe shelter at least 30 minutes after you hear the last sound of thunder. • Avoid plumbing, including sinks, baths, showers and faucets. • Stay away from windows and doors, and stay off porches.
Live Lightly
Tips on living a more sustainable life
If you are planning some DIY projects around the house this year and are thinking about buying the equipment, consider another option, including borrowing from a friend or neighbor or renting from your local hardware store.
Every tool requires basic maintenance and a storage place, and if it’s not a tool you’ll use regularly, don’t create more work and clutter in your garage.
And if you have a lot of tools in your shed that don’t get a lot of use, let your friends and family know that you’re happy to share. Let’s bring back the sharing culture in our neighborhoods and communities.
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AUGUST 27 CARA's Run for Their Lives
Sanford 5K, 10K runfortheirlives5k10k.wordpress. com
SEPTEMBER 3 Weymouth Woods Trail Run
Southern Pines 25K, 50K runsignup.com
OCTOBER 1 Autumnfest 5K
Southern Pines 5K, 1M mooreart.org/autumnfest
