The education received by the characters in the Little House on the Prairie books has long amazed readers. How in the world did the Ingalls girls manage to get such a stellar education in the midst of primitive surroundings and a transitory lifestyle in the 19th century? In honor of Laura’s birthday on February 7th, here are
READ MOREIf you’ve been following education news lately, you’ve likely heard about the complaints against Success Academy Charter Schools in New York. The complaints come from parents of children with disabilities whose poor behavior eventually caused them to be removed from the school: “Consistent with SACS’ [Success Academy Charter Schools] philosophy, Success FG [a specific Success
READ MORE(Image: Jack Kerouac’s copy of Dostoevsky’s An Unpleasant Predicament) I truly appreciate the existence of libraries, which provide many people access to books that their budgets would not allow them to purchase. But the thing is, I rarely check out books from them. The reason why? I love to mark up books. Since high school—thanks to
READ MOREThe anguish caused by gun violence in America and the frustrations of the debate about it are enough to make a president weep. Between a passionately defended “right to bear arms” and the demand for “gun control” there seems to be no accommodation. Yet perhaps there is. Following President Obama’s tearful New Year resolution to
READ MOREI picked up Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park for the first time last month, and since finishing it, I’ve had a nagging thought at the back of my mind concerning male-female relationships. But a little background before I mention that nagging thought. For those unfamiliar with Mansfield Park, one of the main plot threads finds Henry
READ MOREOn Tuesday, the CDC released a controversial statement on women and alcohol. In it, they recommended that all women who are sexually active, fertile, and don’t use birth control should stop drinking… RIGHT. NOW. Why? Because of the risk that these bibulous women might give potentially unplanned children fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), apparently now known
READ MOREIn this day and age, to be a middle class citizen in the U.S. is about as American as one can get. Such a classification usually means one has a decent job, a moderate house, and a nice family, among other things. But according to a recent Pew Research report, Americans are beginning to think
READ MOREHave you ever wanted to try homeschooling your child, but felt your family didn’t fit into the homeschool stereotype of one parent at home teaching and the other parent out doing the breadwinning? Apparently other parents have felt the same way. But instead of throwing up their hands and resigning their children to a less
READ MORE1) “The only thing that we know is that we know nothing — and that is the highest flight of human wisdom.” 2) “Seize the moments of happiness, love and be loved! That is the only reality in the world, all else is folly. It is the one thing we are interested in here.” 3) “You will die — and it will
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