Time to get back to the basics of the past

Dear Editor:

Recently, I was delighted to view a final exam that was administered to eighth graders at a school in Salina, Kan., in 1895. This exam would stump even the most learned college graduate in the U.S. today.

Most of us are aware that a bare minimum amount of money was invested into education back in the late 1800s and early 1900s. It was the norm to have a one-room schoolhouse where the children used "McGuffy Eclectic Readers," the Bible, and perhaps chalk boards as their sole learning tools, yet many a genius emerged from such circumstances, even at the eighth grade level.

My question is, in light of the above facts, why is the tax-paying citizen today continually burdened with a never-ending barrage of pleas for more money to support the educational system, while the children resulting from it are far less learned than their earlier counterparts?

Is it really "money" we need? Or, could it be we need to get back to basics and follow the example of our forefathers. We need the Bible and prayer back in the classroom. We need less extra-curricular studies.

Examples would be sex ed, drug awareness, etc. These serve no good purpose and in fact, have encouraged the opposite of the intended result. The number of young girls becoming pregnant out of wedlock is at an alarmingly high rate. Sexually transmitted diseases are at an all-time high, and our children are becoming involved in drug use more than ever.

In my humble opinion, it isn't huge, expensive buildings and better high tech equipment our children need. It's more discipline, prayer, and less distraction from unnecessary "studies."

Obviously, a certain amount of money is needed for upkeep, heating, cooling, etc. But, we need to concentrate more on honing in on those things that would really make a difference in perpetuating and graduating intelligent, well-mannered, successful individuals, and this can be accomplished with a minimum amount of money.

Our forefathers have proven that fact. I believe it is time we direct our priorities back to the basics of learning and see if we can accomplish a double blessing of a more highly educated student while saving ourselves a bundle of money in the process.

Laurel A. Vance

Nevada