How Children Will Be Taught

Do you remember the skit on the Conan O'Brien Show about the year 2000? Well, this reminded me of that right away.

Gerald showed me an article titled "What May Happen in the Next Hundred Years" after seeing it on Digg.com. It's from the Ladies' Home Journal in 1900 and was written by John Elfreth Watkins Jr. There are lots of other interesting and humours subjects in it, but being a teacher, this one was my favorite.

"A university education will be free to every man and woman. Several great national universities will have been established. Children will study a simple English grammar adapted to simplified English and not copied after the Latin. Time will be saved by grouping like studies. Poor students will be given free board, free clothing and free books if ambitious and actually unable to meet their school and college expenses. Medical inspectors regularly visiting the public schools will furnish poor children free eyeglasses, fee dentistry and free medical attention of every kind. The very poor will, when necessary, get free rides to and from school and free lunches between sessions. In vacation time poor children will be taken on trips to various parts f the world. Etiquette and housekeeping will be important studies in the public schools."

Some of that is true to an extent, and some of it should be true. What do you think? Pondering minds want to know.