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Opinion
Travel to classroom
Tuesday, February 20, 2018
It had been a good summer weekend. I purchased my ticket at the McCook Municipal Airport terminal and walked out to board the Frontier Airliner a wonderful old DC-3.
It was 1965 and I had traveled home for my 10-year high school class reunion. People dressed nicely to ride the airlines in those days as did I in an Air Force summer uniform.
The stewardess was friendly and soon the pilots cranked engines and off we went to Lincoln. In Omaha, I changed airplanes into a Super Connie operated by TWA. Luxury, a nice lunch was served with white napkins on a silver tray —meat, vegetable and fruit for dessert. Real TWA- imprinted silverware and coffee in a ceramic cup.
Oh, how things have changed! Our last flight, just before Christmas, had Grannie Annie and I showing up to check in more than two hours early. A bit of a normal hassle as we cleared TSA security and then a long wait at the gate before departing.
Tight seating. Many passengers wearing unkempt grubby clothing. Coffee in a plastic throwaway cup. One small package of fancy crackers. The flight attendants were friendly but hurried, no visiting, to attend to all on board.
What changed? Well, we all know the story. Government subsidies to encourage air travel disappeared so the airlines have to crowd everyone possible in to make even a little profit.
The traveling public seems to have lost their personal pride in dressing nicely to make a good appearance. Then, over the years, evil people hijacked airliners diverting them to unhandy destinations like Communist Cuba and other unsavory destinations. Then, too, others planted bombs to kill all on board.
The airlines were no longer able to handle security. Our government stepped in and created TSA and their necessary hassle to check baggage, metal scanners to make sure weapons are not carried on board and give the appearance and confidence that it is safe to travel by air.
And it is working even though the ambience of 50 years ago is gone and being a passenger is somewhat akin to what cattle must feel when being run through a chute.
It looks as if our public schools will have to go the same route as what was foisted on the traveling public. Controlled entry for all who enter school buildings, and I think the McCook schools do that now. I hear hints of metal scanners in the future and armed security guards patrolling the premises. Probably necessary, but it is a sad comment on what our lives have become.
In my day, students dressed as well as the family’s finances allowed. No holey jeans, no facial hair for the boys or weird hair dyes for the girls. No tattoos.
Teachers dressed well with coat and tie for the men and nice conservative dresses for the ladies.
Wow, that has all changed, for now, sloppiness and scuzzy seems to be the new normal. Is it rebellion or just don’t care that is the new in thing? And, yes, I know that most of our local teachers take pride in their appearance and most parents send their children off well-dressed but the unkempt ones drag the overall appearance down. Still, this old guy thinks that it a sad comment on what we have become.
One of the current laments, generated by the latest school shooting, of what our problem with the schools is that parents are not taking responsibility for their own unruly students in the schools. It could be and we recently witnessed an example of what teachers are expected to deal with today.
Grannie Annie and I took a mid-morning break and stopped by the local Golden Arches for a cup of “old guy” (senior discount) coffee.
Few customers at the time in the clean well-kept large dining emporium. We were unexpectedly joined by a good friend to chat a bit.
In short order, young brothers were running unrestrained climbing over seat backs and under tables. The noise level went up from screaming yelling children’s voices. Soon a harried young mother, her hearing-impaired husband (?) and four or five young children crowded into a booth across the way. Our pleasant time together ceased and I commented on the lack of discipline and how I could cure it. Our companion observed that “The parents haven’t lost control; it is the kids who are in charge!” Then their food arrived and all became relatively quiet again until a drink was spilled on the floor while the children greedily attacked their food.
How in the world is a teacher going to teach discipline in their classroom when parents so obviously have failed. Like Pogo observed, “We have met the enemy and he is us!”
That is the way I saw it.