Jim, you said a mouthful when you asked,
"
Gee -- I learned XYZ coordinates in high school in West Virginia 55
years ago. Is our educational system so bad that it's lo longer being
taught?
"
Immersed in our somewhat technical hobby we may be considerably insulated
from the rank and file effluent of todays school system and its lack of
emphasis on math and technical topics.
Unfortunately that is the case in many instances. There is in general a
shortage of schools and students interested in math beyond simple arithmetic
(if that) which is one of the reasons such a high percentage of scientists,
doctors, and other highly technical career professionals working in the USA
and currently being recruited don't have English as their first language. It
is pathetic but it is true in many instances. Other cultures value
education, especially technical education much higher that in general the
majority of the USA does.
I was in high school algebra class when Sputnik went up and I can guarantee
you the school shifted into high gear as if the proverbial gauntlet was
thrown at our feet. Unfortunately the fire has nearly gone out. Self esteem
and political correctness are much more important now than reading, writing,
and arithmetic much less physics or chemistry. High school diplomas now are
mostly attendance certificates and do not attest to any particular academic
achievement.
The attitude of students today is more like that of the little boy
accompanying his mother to the grocery store when the grocer gives the
little boy a banana. His mom says what do you say to the nice grocery man?
The kid hands the banana back and says, PEEL IT!
As a youngster I used to ask my father a lot of technical questions. he
bought a set of encyclopedias and insisted I ask all the questions I wanted,
after I exhausted the information on that topic in the encyclopedias.
Patrick AF5CK
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