Longs for days of yore

I am responding to the Paul Greenberg column titled “What’s an education for?” Mr. Greenberg utilizes disdain, hyperbole, cynicism, and much too many words before finally getting to his point, which is something along the line that he disapproves of what is being taught at North Little Rock High School.

I think Mr. Greenberg longs for the days of yore when high school students received a liberal arts education and were offered culture while in their teen years. Maybe this happened with the elites of the 1800s, with private tutors available to the rich. However, as recently as 1953-1954, only 60 percent of students graduated from high school. Maybe all that perfection they learned from the massive amounts of culture being taught persuaded them that completion of high school was not necessary.

Does Mr. Greenberg advocate that science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) be eliminated from the curriculum? Will a greater appreciation for Shakespeare and Chaucer enable high achievement for our students in this century? As with all things, a balance is needed, but to dismiss out of hand the efforts of this or any other school to deal with the reality of economics and life after high school is unwarranted.

Please excuse me if Mr. Greenberg meant to say something else in his column. I found his narrative convoluted and difficult to follow, but the above expresses my perception of what he had to say.

ROBERT LAIRD

Magnolia