Calvin Coolidge became the 30th president of the United States in 1923, after the death of President Harding. Prior to being the vice president under President Harding, Coolidge had also served as governor of Massachusetts as well as in a variety of other government positions. Interestingly, despite earning the nickname of “Silent Cal” for his lack
READ MOREThe Twin Cities, like many areas around the country, has been the host to horrifyingly high levels of sex trafficking. Most recently, thirteen men were involved in several sex traffic stings in which they were charged with “hiring or engaging in prostitution of a minor.” According to the Pioneer Press, “Two of the men were
READ MOREWhile paging through an 1894 Minnesota high school manual, I came across the recommendations for literature classes. Although it appears that students were expected to read many books on their own (and then present them to the class in twenty minute talks), the following list offers some suggestions for classroom readings: As I looked through
READ MOREIt’s taken as a given that the Western world today is a more “secular society.” But though the term “secular” is frequently thrown around, not many people have a clear idea of what it means. That’s because it’s used in different ways. Probably the most common meaning associated with “secular” is “non-religious,” i.e., those who
READ MOREThe AP reported back in January that piano sales in the U.S. have dramatically declined. According to the story, in 1909, more than 364,500 new pianos were sold in the U.S. Now, only between 30,000 and 40,000 are sold annually. What are the reasons behind the decline? In part, it’s because modern piano restoration is
READ MOREIn 1892, George Hardy, the principal of a New York Grammar school said, “Worthless literature is the curse of the child’s intellect and the bane of the child’s morals, yet it has the market; and its widespread distribution and rapid sale are striking testimony alike to the deterioration of the popular taste and to our
READ MOREIt was recently implied by Breitbart that actress Marion Cotillard made several un-PC statements about feminism. Judging by her original statement in Porter magazine, Breitbart’s assessment wasn’t all that far off: “‘For me it doesn’t create equality, it creates separation. I mean I don’t qualify myself as a feminist.’ ‘We need to fight for women’s
READ MOREIn the name of science and the advancement of the human race, many prominent individuals sincerely called for government eugenics programs in the early 20th century. It was only after the horrors of the Holocaust were revealed to the world that talk of eugenics quickly subsided. These quotes serve as a strong reminder of the
READ MOREThere was only one poem I was required to memorize in all my years of schooling – Robert Frost’s Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening. Like most students today, I had an education in which memorization was not emphasized. My understanding is that it is even worse now. Today, the word “memorization” is
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