By registering with our site you will have full instant access to:
268,000 posts on every subject imaginable contributed by 1000's of members worldwide.
25000 photos and videos mainly relating to the British Merchant Navy.
Members experienced in research to help you find out about friends and relatives who served.
The camaraderie of 1000's of ex Merchant Seamen who use the site for recreation & nostalgia.
Here we are all equal whether ex Deck Boy or Commodore of the Fleet.
A wealth of experience and expertise from all departments spanning 70+ years.
It is simple to register and membership is absolutely free.
N.B. If you are going to be requesting help from one of the forums with finding historical details of a relative
please include as much information as possible to help members assist you. We certainly need full names,
date and place of birth / death where possible plus any other details you have such as discharge book numbers etc.
Please post all questions onto the appropriate forum
-
3rd March 2021, 11:14 AM
#1
Education
When I was at school I never realised the importance of education. The schools I attended from ages 5 to 15 had one major priority, the teaching of religion. I and all the other children were educated to a basic level to provide the next generation of labourers.
In our UK education system there are two very distinct and different types of education, the private fee paying schools and the state schools, the gulf between them is enormous. It cannot be a coincidence that all those who rise to the top of the tree have been educated in the private system. For some children their life is mapped out by their parents from birth, private tuition followed by Eton, Cambridge or Oxford. It is not only the finest education they receive but also the contacts they make at college and university which ensures the continuity of the old school tie and old boys club.
When politicians talk of levelling up education must be top of the list to close the attainment gap. It will be far harder for children today than for us. A new industrial revolution with computer skills, robotics and artificial intelligence is their future.
A whole new world.
-
Post Thanks / Like
-
3rd March 2021, 11:30 AM
#2
Re: Education
Louis, in Scotland the schools I attend from primary to secondary, started with a brief ceremony, then education *3 r's.
Secondary education, included if my memory is correct two formal periods of 40 minutes each per week on religion. The rest of the time maths, History, music, and technical education.
School is the foundation block as no matter where you go or what you do there are always opportunities to learn.
Vic
-
Post Thanks / Like
N/A thanked for this post
-
3rd March 2021, 11:40 AM
#3
Re: Education
Originally Posted by
Louis the fly
(1) When I was at school I never realised the importance of education. The schools I attended from ages 5 to 15 had one major priority, the teaching of religion.
(2) It will be far harder for children today than for us. A new industrial revolution with computer skills, robotics and artificial intelligence is their future.
A whole new world.
#1 So Right Louis, we were always taught we had a friend in Jesus, but my other friends never beat me with a round black ebony ruler.
#2 Don't think it's any harder for them Louis, different maybe, we had the Luftwaffe, they have the pandemic, we had he times table, they have a calculator. We had to deal with £ s d/yards, feet and inches they have something divisible by 10, but still need a calculator.
-
Post Thanks / Like
-
3rd March 2021, 11:55 AM
#4
Re: Education
When I was 11 years old I could hardly read or write. During the war a lot of schools were closed, including mine, A lot of schools were bombed and Pupils and Staff killed.
Sometimes we were half timers, school in the mornings one week and school in the afternoons next. more than 60 kids to a class.
We had no writing books , just a slate and a piece of chalk., to save paper, as we used to collect paper for war effort. Teachers were old retired teachers called back into work, with no interest in the job. as most of our teachers were conscripted into the Services.
Many times I didnt know which school to go to, so we would play hooky, no one missed us, no one cared,
We never had an 11PLUS EXAM. when I went to a secondary school at 11, I aske d the teacher could I have some Homework, He said NO, I am not wasting my time marking home work when you leave school you will all go into the cotton mills, so you do not need to read or write stood by a machine,
So I left school as thick as the day I started, So I went to sea and
educated myself. Our generation were penalised in later years because of our lack of education,, but those ignorant people had never experienced a War, In an air raid shelter, cold and damp being bombed night after night.and no school to go to.
So even with a lousy start in school life due to WW2 I didnt do too bad.
Last edited by Captain Kong; 3rd March 2021 at 12:09 PM.
-
Post Thanks / Like
Bill Cameron,
j.sabourn,
Tony Taylor,
Ivan Cloherty,
Dennis McGuckin,
Denis O'Shea,
Duke Drennan,
N/A,
happy daze john in oz,
John F Collier,
Bill Morrison liked this post
-
3rd March 2021, 12:22 PM
#5
Re: Education
I don’t consider myself badly educated I could read and write when I left school , and that is where the real learning starts. From then on in it is up to yourself .everyone today cries out about freedom of choice , it Is there for everyone, and if you don’t use it you only have yourself to blame. It is not someone else’s responsibility to nurture you through your life cycle as some believe today If you want to drop out then accept the responsibility’s of your own actions , and don’t cry about it like a big whoose. What I have seen the result of what some so called educated people of today , they are miles astern of those who have accepted life for what it is. JS.
Last edited by j.sabourn; 3rd March 2021 at 12:25 PM.
R575129
-
Post Thanks / Like
Tony Taylor,
Ivan Cloherty,
Captain Kong,
vic mcclymont,
John Gill,
Keith Tindell,
Dennis McGuckin,
Denis O'Shea,
happy daze john in oz,
N/A,
John F Collier,
Bill Morrison,
Des Taff Jenkins liked this post
-
3rd March 2021, 12:27 PM
#6
Re: Education
I blame my lack of education on the fact that in the year prior to my sitting O levels we moved to a new purpose built school that amalgamated three schools, my boys only grammar, a girls only grammar and a mixed grammar, so all of a sudden we were surrounded by mini skirted school girls flashing their knickers, having to have swimming lessons with nubile school girls in swimsuits, bleddy distracting trying to study for maths, English, history, geography etc.
Rgds
J.A.
-
Post Thanks / Like
-
3rd March 2021, 12:49 PM
#7
Re: Education
Originally Posted by
John Arton
, bleddy distracting trying to study for maths, English, history, geography etc.
Rgds
J.A.
Not totally wasted John, especially geography, you learnt where the lee of Bum Island was! always useful when navigating in the dark.
-
Post Thanks / Like
-
3rd March 2021, 04:13 PM
#8
Re: Education
Not conversant in either stellar or solar navigation and have visited a few islands in my travels, never encountered the one in question. There must be a navigator or two aboard here who might enlighten me. Sounds an interesting place.
R635733
-
Post Thanks / Like
-
3rd March 2021, 04:23 PM
#9
Re: Education
Think you must have been very close to it John, many times, kt
R689823
-
Post Thanks / Like
-
3rd March 2021, 05:22 PM
#10
-
Post Thanks / Like
Tags for this Thread
Posting Permissions
- You may not post new threads
- You may not post replies
- You may not post attachments
- You may not edit your posts
-
Forum Rules