On Sat, 01 Apr 2006 03:03:47 +1100, Bob Parker
wrote:

Pretty scary in a way. These days it seems that almost no-one can
spell properly and they're dependent on calculators for the simplest
arithmetic, and slackness is creeping in everywhere. Sorta makes you
wonder how it'll be in another 30 years or so.

Being an uncontrollable optimist I see this a bit differently. Yes,
many, maybe even a majority of young people slide by not learning very
much, just what they have to do to graduate from high school.

That presents a golden opportunity for those who chose the harder
path. I do some work with young people in several high schools. The
honors programs in all of them are jammed with students, eager to
learn.

When I was in high school, back in the dark ages BD (that's Before
Digital), a sophomore in the "college prep" track took Algebra for
half the year and triginometry for the other half.

In a local high school, the sophomore honors track has a full year of
Algebra and a half year of trig. Options include the second year of
engineering prep for those so inclined. A bit tougher than my time I
would say.

So today's kids who are the go getters will stand head and shoulders
over the others, be the leaders of their generation and will do well.
The others will grumble about how society never gave them a chance and
the "college kids" get all the breaks. Some things never change.

JMHO

John