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Blog Entry 32 of 40 Mesquite Country

Texas humor and attitude with a few high horses broken to ride.

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Snake Oil and Other Investments

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Contributed by: Nancy Dickerson on 12/20/2008

While it is true that what one believes quite often affects the efficacy of a so-called cure, somehow the brains God gave a goose should help in discerning 'helpful' from 'harmful.'

(If the reader suspects that this particular diatribe concerns cancer 'cures' and chemotherapy, stop reading now because it does NOT.)

Growing up in a small town or in a farming community, the only investment most parents can make in their children's future is to be sure that they have an education. Teachers, nurses, pharmacists, and machinists--and yes, farmers and ranchers--come from some of the best of the small towns. But quite often the best some young people can do is to join a branch of the armed forces in order to obtain a better education and perhaps a life skill or trade. The same is actually true for young people in larger cities but with a major difference. In many of the larger cities, jobs in the detail shops of car dealerships or the nearest burger shop will allow a young man to decide that he wants more for his efforts than what manual labor can offer. He might also learn a trade as an apprentice or 'helper' to anyone from the local welder to the backhoe service. The young women probably will not take on the outdoor jobs but will serve as receptionists, secretaries, or sales people.

Whatever employment opportunities are available in either the small community or the larger city, one thing is almost certain: Employment is not a result of the efforts of the school system. For employment to be a result of the educational system, the classes must be geared toward teaching both the hard and the 'soft' skills necessary in the workplace. Then there must actually BE a workplace. This means that school boards must be aware of the needs of their students and communities and attempt to make their funds pay for the necessities.

School boards have the opportunity to look closely at what really matters to the future of students. Would a strong chemistry program or foreign language program be more useful to students in any given community? Would certified nurse's aide training or EMT training be beneficial to the students of a community? Would a computer and electronics course help the students to work toward A+ certification in computers?

Any of the programs mentioned would cost extra beyond the basic math and science courses. And some of the star athletes might miss a chance to become the Michael Jordan's of OshGosh County if money is spent for science and technical courses instead of for a coach who doesn't really teach history. School boards might do well to invest in science and math because companies like Caterpillar will choose to put their factories in communities with an educated workforce available to them. From Paducah to Montague or from Megargel to Podunk, sports programs may produce good spirits and good sportsmanship, but like snake oil, basketball games won't cure what ails the economy.

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Submitted By: Beverly McClure

posted on 12/21/2008 @ 7:41:08 PM

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Booster Clubs could have fund raisers and businesses could sponser teams, with their names on jerseys or shorts for advertisement. We used to do that in Little League.

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Submitted By: Gene Griffin

posted on 12/21/2008 @ 10:09:18 AM

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Right. I have no problem with the Petrolia Pay to Play Plan.

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Submitted By: Jim Miller

posted on 12/21/2008 @ 8:30:26 AM

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You tread dangerous turf here, Nancy, but then, the truth often does. I suspect very few of today's high school athletes learned their basic skills in public schools. The way is prepared by YMCA, Boys & Girls Clubs, etc. Let private funding of athletics continue through high school with the schools' alumni associations--those folks who will cry "foul!" loudest when public funding is cut--signing the checks. Yes, even for the coaching staffs' salaries.

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Nancy Dickerson

Wichita Falls , TX

Nancy Dickerson has posted 40 blog entries and 23 comments since joining on 10/16/2008. Nancy Dickerson 's average blog rating is 5.

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