THE DAY AFTER

NEAR TURN OF 17TH CENTURY, GEORGE HERBERT SAID, "ONE FATHER IS MORE THAN A HUNDRED SCHOOL-MASTERS." THE DAY AFTER FATHER'S DAY I ASK WHERE, AT THE TURN OF THE 21ST, HAVE THE FATHERS GONE? PUBLIC SCHOOLS ATTEMPT, ACTUALLY ARE COMPELLED BY THE STATE OF MODERN PARENTAL AFFAIRS, TO TRY TO TEACH CHILDREN WHAT THEY ARE NOT LEARNING AT HOME. TEST SCORES TELL A SAD TALE OF ACADEMIC FAILURE. EVEN WHEN PUBLIC EDUCATION ADDS TWO YEARS TO THE FRONT SIDE OF FORMAL SCHOOLING - IN THE FORM OF HEADSTART AND PRE-K PROGRAMS - CHILDREN BEHAVE POORLY AND ARE EMOTIONALLY AND INTELLECTUALLY UNPREPARED TO LEARN.

CHILDREN IN TIMES PAST, WERE TAUGHT AT HOME A FEW BASIC THINGS: HOW TO SIT STILL, LISTEN, OBEY INSTRUCTIONS, WAIT A TURN, SHARE, BE RESPECTFUL, COURTEOUS, CONSIDERATE AND PATIENT, WHEN TO KEEP A VOICE DOWN OR A MOUTH SHUT, TO BE RESPONSIBLE, KNOW HOW
TO PHYSICALLY WORK OR TO PUT STUFF AWAY? CHILD'S PLAY YOU SAY?
IT HAS TAKEN 400 YEARS (SINCE GEORGE HERBERT SPOKE) FOR AMERICANS TO LOSE AT THE PARENTAL GAME.

A LOOK AROUND THE EDUCATIONAL PLAYING FIELD SHOWS THAT PROPER PRIOR PARENTING HAS TAKEN A TIME OUT. ESPECIALLY FATHERS. STUDENTS IN CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WHERE A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS COME FROM TWO-PARENT HOMES, EXCEL ON STATE STANDARDIZED TESTS. VIRTUALLY 100% OF THEM PASS. ASKING FOR PERCENTAGES IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS SCAREY. IN ONE DIOCESE FAMILIAR TO ME, MOST SOPHOMORES PASSED ON THE FIRST TRY AND VIRTUALLY ALL OF THE SENIORS ACED THE 5 CATEGORIES ON THE TEST.

EXCUSES CANNOT RESCUE THE CHILDREN LEFT BEHIND, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE EFFECT CAN BE ADDRESSED - THE LACK OF FATHERS IN CHARGE. OVER TIME, EVEN GOOD FATHERS HAVE BEEN VILIFIED BY THEIR ENEMIES (FOR POLITICAL AND OTHER MEAN-SPRIITED REASONS). FOR EXAMPLE, ABRAHAM LINCOLN WAS CALLED A "CROSS BETWEEN A SANDHILL CRANE AND AN ANDALUSIAN ASS." NO MATTER, AS A MAN AND FATHER HE EXEMPLIFIED AND TAUGHT TO HIS CHILDREN THE FEW, IMPORTANT, BASIC THINGS ABOUT SELF-EDUCATION. LET'S IMITATE HIM.