OP-ED Pike Press
Wednesday, January 27, 2016, Pittsfield, Illinois
A5
The Coonridge Digest: Freida Marie Crump
Who will take Freida’s dare? Greetings from the Ridge Sorry if I don’t know your name, but I’ll simply address this message to, “Dear Any Young American under the age of thirty.” If you other folks would like to eavesdrop, that’s fine. Dear youngster … sorry, but from my altitude of age that’s what you are … so dear youngster, don’t you dare give up. You’ve spent your formative years surrounded by every manner of political obscenity … lawmakers who have gerrymandered their districts to keep themselves unbeatable, congressmen and women who literally buy their way into office and are thus answerable only to the highest bidder, who extol the virtues of campaign finance reform then make sure that it never happens, and who may have long ago entered “public service” for good reasons and have now completely sold out. If you’ve come of age in the last decade or so it would be logical to think that the whole realm of governance is nothing but a rigged shell game, a modern equivalent of the carnival huckster. Dear young person: don’t you dare give up on this democracy. Don’t you dare. Our founding fathers and mothers had
their share of personal foibles and faults, but on the whole they came together to form a truly noble new idea … that people could indeed govern themselves without the influence of moneyed power and inherited status. Some of our noble ancestors held slaves, they acted a bit randy when the lights went out, and took to caning each other on the floor of Congress, but when it came to securing our liberty they knew how to compromise and make it work. If the only part of our history that you’ve lived has been the last 20 years you might think otherwise. Don’t you believe it. Don’t you dare. Yes, we’ve had the Washington’s, the Jefferson’s, the Lincoln’s, and the Roosevelt’s who get pictured most prominently in our history books as models of what a democracy can be, but largely unmentioned in our history of the scores of men and women who have quietly but nobly served their constituents. We still have a few, no doubt. They knew it was their job to serve for a short time, serve their God-given wisdom instead of their campaign chest, and then returned to live productive lives to make a democracy and not a name for themselves. If you watch the current campaigns you might be tempted to think that crooked is the new straight. Don’t you believe it.
D
espite what politics have done to our national mood, we badly want a leader of character. This could be you.
Don’t you dare. Youngster, change your focus. Stop watching CNN and start looking down your own street at the people you know, almost all of whom are simply good folks . . . folks who want to get by with the minimum of conflict, folks who want to live in peace, folks who want tomorrow to be better than today. Believe me, young person, we have the scallywags outnumbered, but we just don’t get the press. It would be reasonable and easy to assume that to get into public life takes one part shyster and three parts scoundrel. Don’t you believe it. Don’t you dare. Because here’s the hardline fact, my young friend: we need you. We don’t just want a generation of lawmakers who believe in liberty and justice for all, but government that knows this is a necessity. We simply can’t let the rats take over the pantry. This generation of legislators is largely drugged by the twin opiates of power and money, and even the very best of them can’t seem to make much of a difference. Let me tell you a secret: they’re going to either get
defeated or die some day and the world will be waiting for your generation to take the reins. Don’t shy away from the call of public service. Don’t you dare. Don’t you dare think things are about as good as they’re going to get. Don’t you dare swallow the lie that this has always been the way of the world. Don’t you dare duck the responsibilities of democracy now that we need you most desperately. By the time you get old enough to run for office the current crop of loonies will have done a great deal of damage. They will have caused fissures in our society with no regard to the harm they’ve done, but take heart, my young friend. This will work to your advantage. Despite what politics have done to our national mood, we badly want a leader of character. This could be you. This must be you. Don’t you dare let us down. You ever in Coonridge, stop by. We may not answer the door but you’ll enjoy the trip. ■ The imaginative commentary of Freida Marie Crump comes to us from Coonridge – a town that’s a lot like your own.
School on a budget Guest Column: Alan Shusterman
Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan recently vowed to invest nearly all of their fortune -- a staggering $45 billion -- in philanthropic causes over the rest of their lifetimes. They highlighted education -- personalized learning in particular -- as a key area of focus. That’s great news. Their money, however, isn’t even necessary to provide the changes desperately needed in K-12 education in this country. The United States has plenty to spend on education -- roughly $950 billion this year alone. Instead of throwing good money after bad, it’s time for us to turn our ample resources toward capitalizing on the power of technology and evidence-based methods to customize learning for every student. American children are underperforming. In a recent international assessment, the United States ranked 27th out of 64 nations in science and 35th in math. One in five children who enter our K-12 system fails to graduate. That failure is thanks largely to a top-
down learning structure that forces every student into the same rigid curriculum. But research has shown time and again that students can and should learn at their own pace, in their own way. A recent study from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation tracked almost 5,000 students from more than 20 different schools with personalized-learning approaches. Some featured tailor-made lesson plans. Others determined student progress according to how much knowledge they gained, not how much time they spent in class. Others had flexible classroom environments where students could choose how they learned. These methods drove students’ math and reading scores up significantly. In fact, their impact was larger than those found in 95% of other educational intervention studies. Technology can facilitate personalized learning more than ever. Consider the case of a school district in Huntsville, Ala., which recently began an ambitious digital-learning initiative that provides each
student with a laptop to use in school and at home. Two years after implementation, math scores improved 27%, reading scores grew 18%, and the overall graduation rate jumped 14%. Some critics, particularly teachers, have been slow to embrace personalized learning. The head of Connecticut’s largest teacher’s union recently cautioned that the strategy learning “is not the transformational silver bullet public schools require.” But teachers’ fears about effectiveness -- and, implicitly, about job security -- are unwarranted. Personalized learning works. And in classrooms that implement it, teachers still play an incredibly valuable role. That role is just different than the one they play now. Teachers in personalized classrooms spend minimal time lecturing and micromanaging and instead focus on facilitating students learning on their own, from each other and with each other. Customizing education, and the up-front costs of technology and teacher retraining,
might appear cost-prohibitive. But the immediate and long-term benefits these reforms deliver are worth the investment. Customized approaches directly target struggling students and reduce the chances they’ll be held back. In total, repeated grades cost America more than $12 billion annually, according to the Brookings Institution. Improving student engagement and performance could also increase graduation rates. And that would boost kids’ likelihood of succeeding in college and the workforce. High school dropouts are 72% more likely to end up unemployed and significantly more likely to end up in jail. Our current educational system is failing. It’s time we stop fanning the flames. Customized learning offers an exciting, and economically smart place to start.
■ Shusterman is the founder and head of School for Tomorrow (SFT), a Silver Spring, Maryland nonprofit, independent school for grades four through 12.
PICKINGS FROM PIKE’S PAST
25 Years ago: Delbert Scranton Named Unit 10 Superintendent 125 Years Ago Jan. 22 1891 It has been very pleasant winter weather in Perry, so pleasant, in fact, that we can scarcely realize that there has been any winter, yet our ice men are putting up ice eight to nine inches thick from the creek a short distance east of Perry. We have had lovely weather in Hulls, honey bees flying about and birds singing, all indicate the appearance of spring. The spelling bee at the Crump school Jan. 2 was a benefit to several teachers. Ask them how to spell buncombe, hen-hawk and pidgeon. A number of the boys from Maysville and New Salem tried fox hunting this week. They report a good time and one fox. The boys in Chambersburg should keep awake and not snore so loudly in church. We are going to have an undertaker’s shop in Chambersburg. Something long needed. The editor of the Democrat went to Springfield Monday evening, and hopes to see John M. Palmer made U.S. Senator before returning. 100 Years Ago Jan. 26, 1916 The zero weather we had been having moderated last Wednesday and rain set in, and by Friday the heavy coating of ice that covered the earth had disappeared. The weather since has remained mild and for a few days the sun shone. The frost is about out of the ground and the roads are almost impassable. These be troublesome days for the rural mail carriers—what with sleet, snow, rain, ice gorges and other things too numerous to mention. Plate glass seems to be in bad with the elements this winter, as at the present, there are six or eight large ones about the square broken or badly cracked. Capt. and Mrs. M. D. Massie of New Canton passed their golden wedding day Jan. 21. According to County Clerk Binns, only 153 marriage licenses
were issued in Pike county in 1915. Supervisor of High Schools, John Calvin Hanna, has recognized Pike county with five regular four year high schools: Barry, Griggsville, Hull, Pittsfield and Pleasant Hill; three probationary four year high schools: Perry, Milton and Nebo; two probationary three-year high schools: Kinderhook and New Salem: and New Canton, Pearl and Summer Hill as two year high schools. George Halpin has returned from a several days’ visit with his sister, Mrs. O. C. Henry, who has been seriously ill at her home in East St. Louis. E. D. Glandon of Pittsfield was elected president of the Independent Telephone companies’ association at the meeting held in Springfield last week. He is owner of the Pittsfield city exchange and is a large stockholder in the Pike County Telephone Company, which operates throughout the county. The Griggsville basket ball team went down to defeat at Springfield Friday night at the hands of the Springfield high school team, the score standing 27 to 14 when the final whistle sounded. The game is said to have been one of the fastest ever played there. 75 Years Ago Jan. 22, 1941 A public meeting to elect eight members of the Illini Community Hospital board will be held at 7:30 next Tuesday, Jan. 28, in the circuit court room. Terms of the 24 directors on the board are staggered, so that eight are to be elected each year. Miss Anna Mae Dunham, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Andy Dunham, of Winchester, and Norman Dean were married Tuesday in Bowling Green, Mo. They were supper guests of Mrs. Rachel Dunham. Mr. and Mrs. Dean Dunham also spent the evening with them. The newlyweds will live in Denver. In anticipation of the removal of the only remaining mail and passenger trains on the local division of the Wabash, the Pittsfield post
office has received the schedule for a new mail star route from Jacksonville to Hannibal and return. The district basketball tournament will be held in the new Nebo gymnasium. The teams assigned to the tournament are Baylis, Hull, Milton, Nebo, New Canton, New Salem, Pearl and Rockport. The regional tournament will be held the following week in Pittsfield. Representative Roy Donohoo of Pearl has purchased the lot on South Madison Street which lies between the Dilts and Logan homes, and plans to build a home there in the very near future. The house is to be brick veneer we are reliably informed. The three rural routes out of Nebo consolidated Thursday, January 16, and will operate as two routes with Claud Stark and Marvin Harpole acting as carriers. Cecil Applegate has been working as carrier the past year on route 3 since the original carrier, J. D. Jackson, retired. 50 Years Ago Jan. 26, 1966 A decision to make application for a Head Start program for preschool underprivileged children of Pike county was made last week at a meeting in the Pittsfield city hall of the 36-54 Economic Opportunities Corporation. Melinda Capps, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gary Capps of Pleasant Hill, celebrated her first birthday on Jan. 5th. Her grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Capps and Mr. and Mrs. Burdette Guthrie, all of Pleasant Hill. Pike County hog men, including Carroll Borrowman, Bud Peck, Jim Smith, Vernon Borrowman and Dallas Barton, all chose Wayne Feeds. Griggsville took third in the Winchester Tournament Friday night by defeating the host school, Winchester, 82-78. Griggsville players were Phil Hannant, Stinebaker, Ator, Burlend, Six, Brawdy, and Butler. The Pleasant Hill Wolves earned their 12th win of the season with a double-overtime win over Clopton.
Larry Mooney was the Wolves hero as he hit twice on long jump shots, once in the first overtime to tie the score and with 5 seconds left in the second overtime to secure the win for Pleasant Hill. Elmer Bradbury, chairman of Pike County Resource Area Development, will represent that group at a hearing Jan. 27 on the proposed route of the Central Illinois Expressway. He will be accompanied by Lloyd Dolbeare of El Dara and Farm Adviser Harry Wright, also active in RAD. Farmers State Bank of Pittsfield will officially open its new drivein banking service Friday a 9 a.m. The drive-in window is located near the northwest corner of the square. Customers will enter by North Madison St. across from the Zoe Theatre and leave by East Adams Street. Robin Capps has a birthday party last Wednesday, Jan. 19, celebrating her sixth birthday with the girls from her kindergarten class. The girls enjoyed a Barbie fashion show, with each modeling. 25 Years Ago Jan. 23, 1991 Delbert Scranton of Pittsfield is the newly-named superintendent of the Pikeland Unit 10 school district, selected by unanimous vote of the board, Jan. 16. A native of Nebo, Scranton graduated from Pittsfield High School and has worked in the Pikeland system since 1969, living in Nebo until last year. Don and Margaret Hanback of Pittsfield have announced plans to reopen the Cardinal Inn Restaurant “as soon as possible.” The Hanbacks have a long association with the Cardinal Inn, which closed at end of December. Mrs. Hanback said she worked there to finance her way through college and that her son worked there as a high school student. Barry High School seniors Tracey Cooley and Ruby Hoover were crowned king and queen of Barry Homecoming following the basketball game Thursday, Jan. 3. Tracey is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth
Cooley and Ruby is the daughter of Mrs. Ruby Yaste and the late Charles Hoover. Officials at the Two Rivers Marina and Dale Black Construction believe the restaurant, currently under construction, will open in April as planned. At the State County Fair Queen contest in Springfield both Miss Western Illinois Fair Becky Whitmore of Perry and Miss Pike County Fair Kim Borrowman of Pleasant Hill placed in the top ten finalists. Aaron Hubbard of Barry High School and Angela Curry of Griggsville High School both broke the 1,000 point mark in games last week. Mary Jane Johnson of Pleasant Hill High School has flown past the 1000 point mark a few games ago.
10 Years Ago Jan. 25, 2006 More than 40 former and present wrestlers were on hand for the 25th anniversary celebration of the Saukee wrestling program. Curt Simonson was the coach of the first Saukee wrestling team and his teams earned 124 dual meet wins in his 13 seasons. Former coach Jon Frieden also spoke to the crowd. He coached for 6 seasons and compiled a 95-36 record. Current coach Pat Stendback delivered statistics about the Saukee record, including 37 state qualifiers, such as Jason White and John Wise, who both qualified for state three times, as Wise won back-to back state championships. The Barry-West Pike Heat suffered their first defeat of the season at the hands of the Calhoun Warriors in Hardin by a score of 74-62. Their record now stands at 19-1. Kendall Stinebaker, son of Keenan and Valerie Stinebaker of Perry, and Kayla Lipcamon, daughter of Bret and Sarah Lipcamon of Baylis, were crowned 2006 Griggsville-Perry homecoming king and queen following the boys’ basketball game against Liberty. ■ Pickings from Pike’s Past is compiled by Michael Boren.