Music Till Dawn on WEEI

[Doug Drown]

Off-topic indeed, but worth pointing out:  turn-of-the-century prep school 
students knew not only one modern language, but Latin and, in many cases, 
Greek as well.

I have a notebook of my mother's from public school ninth grade (1930, if I 
have it figured correctly).  My mother certainly didn't consider herself an 
intellectual or even a stellar student, but her spelling, penmanship, and 
general grasp of English grammar was almost astonishing in comparison to 
what I've seen produced by the high school seniors for whom I've been a 
substitute teacher.

I have an acquaintance who taught at a broadcasting school during the 1980s 
and early '90s.  He was dumbfounded by the fact that many of the incoming 
students couldn't put together a decent sentence, to say nothing of not 
having a concept of what it would mean to write copy.

-Doug




----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Paul Hopfgarten" <paul@derrynh.net>
To: "'Donna Halper'" <dlh@donnahalper.com>; "'Bill O'Neill'" 
<billohno@gmail.com>; "'Doug Drown'" <revdoug1@verizon.net>
Cc: "'BRI'" <boston-radio-interest@rolinin.bostonradio.org>; 
"'Dan.Strassberg'" <dan.strassberg@att.net>; "'Don A'" 
<donald_astelle@yahoo.com>
Sent: Sunday, February 24, 2008 5:27 PM
Subject: RE: Music Till Dawn on WEEI


> "Back then, most people
> were barely educated-- high school was considered a luxury in many
> cities, and rural poor people often left school in the 8th grade".
>
> ***
>
> I realize this is somewhat off topic.....but do NOT begrudge the level of
> education 75-100 years ago. I was shown an 8th grade test from 1895 that I
> believe most undergrads today would fail. An 8th grade education in the 
> 20's
> is actually quite equivalent to a bachelors' degree today.
>
> -Paul Hopfgarten
> -Derry NH
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: boston-radio-interest-bounces@tsornin.BostonRadio.org
> [mailto:boston-radio-interest-bounces@tsornin.BostonRadio.org] On Behalf 
> Of
> Donna Halper
> Sent: Sunday, February 24, 2008 3:19 PM
> To: Bill O'Neill; Doug Drown
> Cc: BRI; Dan.Strassberg; Don A
> Subject: Re: Music Till Dawn on WEEI
>
> At 02:26 PM 2/24/2008, Bill O'Neill wrote:
>>Doug Drown wrote:
>>>>>Housewives'
>>>Protective League. How's that for an exciting name?
>
> Joke all you want, guys, but actually the show served a very useful
> purpose when it first went on the air in 1925 (!) in New York and
> appeared in various incarnations after that.  Back then, most people
> were barely educated-- high school was considered a luxury in many
> cities, and rural poor people often left school in the 8th grade.  As
> a result, radio was seen as an educational service in many ways, and
> some of the housewife shows, in addition to plugging lots of
> products, actually gave important and factual information about
> nutrition, and taught listeners how to avoid outrageous pricing,
> various health scams, etc.  It was an era of various "doctors" making
> false claims, and shows like these provided the facts.  They also
> helped rural homemakers to feel a sense of community with those who
> lived in the bigger cities.
>