Today’s big educational controversy is about the Common Core program, which teaches kids a new kind of abstract reasoning.

A century ago school was about civilizing bumpkins and street kids into pupils who could sit in a row and pay attention. Central lesson: cleanliness is next to Godliness.

Written on the chalkboard:

My Rules to Keep Clean

  1. Wash my hands
  2. Wash my teeth
  3. Comb my hair
  4. Clean my fingernails
  5. Take my bath often
  6. Keep my clothes clean
  7. Wash my hair often