FarmI wrote:
"Doug Freyburger" wrote in message
...
FarmI wrote:

LOL. As a result of wandering round the Net, I've become convinced
that Geography is either ineffectively taught, or not taught at all
in USian schools.

I vote for taught but completely forgotten after the test by the
majority of students. Consider the TV show "Are you smarter than a
fifth grader?" to see how much most forget.

How much school stuff should be retained? Vastly more than is by
most. How much effort should be spent at imporoving the median
retention? I have no idea. I remember enough of the material that
I am amazed at what folks don't know.

:-)) I'm amazed too - and especially that so much of the compulsory
subject matter didn't seem to penetrate some skulls.

I was listening to a radio quizz the other night and the question
asked was: What was the relationship between Ophelia and Laertes and
give the name of the Shakespearian play in which they appeared?

The answers astounded me. In the end the compere had to give so many
hints about the realtionship that he effectivley gave the person the
answer, but then she couldn't manage to produce the name of the play.
She said Grapes of Wrath. Another guess was something just as equally
impossible and by an another American author although that guess was
actually a play rather than a novel.

Of the actual Shakespearean plays the offerings were Romeo and Juliet,
Othello (at least there was one tragedy mentioned), Much ado about
nothing, Midsummer's Night Dream and a couple of others. It was
gobbsmackingly depressing that it took so long and that so many
people couldn't answer or bowed out and even attempt to answer.

There is a difference between not knowing your Shakespeare and voting for
candidates who want to invade a country that you cannot find on a map and
know nothing about.

David