Feeding Mind, Pursuing Truth
Blog 3 Columns
- Home
- Blog 3 Columns
Have You Seen the “Bone Church”?0
- October 1, 2015
When I arrived in Rome for my study abroad program in 2000, one of my first visits was to the famous “Bone Church.” Marquis de Sade said of it, “I have never seen anything more striking.” Mark Twain called it “a spectacle for sensitive nerves.” The “Bone Church” is actually the crypt of the church
READ MORE
Aaaand Another Study Says Preschool Hurts, Not Helps0
- October 1, 2015
All of the good arguments for Pre-K education seem to be dropping like flies. One of principal arguments of Pre-K advocates is that it will ensure future academic success for students. But a recent study from the Peabody Research Institute at Vanderbilt University shows that any benefits of Pre-K soon disappear. Peabody studied Tennessee’s state-funded
READ MORE
5 Cool Coolidge Quotes0
- October 1, 2015
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 MORE
Sex trafficking and family breakdown, is there a link?0
- September 30, 2015
The 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 MORE
Poetry: Teaching to Think0
- September 30, 2015
While 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 MORE
Philosopher: Why a ‘Secular Society’ is Doomed0
- September 30, 2015
It’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 MORE
Fewer Children Today are Playing the Piano0
- September 30, 2015
The 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 MORE
Are Today’s Schools Giving Children “Worthless Literature” to Read?0
- September 30, 2015
In 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 MORE
Actress: “Feminism doesn’t create equality, it creates separation.”0
- September 30, 2015
It 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 MORE