Wednesday, March 23, 2011

B.U. Before Unions

My education started in a public school in the mid 30's. Technology was a stick with graphite on one end and a piece of rubber at the other end. It was called a pencil
and used to put numbers and letters of the alphabet on paper. Advanced technology was an invention called a fountain pen, so we didn't have to dip a straight pen into
an inkwell every third or forth letter. A large slate hung on the wall and a piece of chalk was our PC screen; fingers our calculators.

Secretarial work, nursing and teaching were the few choices women had for employment. The latter two were chosen as professions, not for money but dedication, because we were in a deep depression and the families of their patients and students were barely eking out a living.

Public sector unions were unheard of and beneath these honorable professions that would shake down the town and add to the expenses of the community.

I was not in a unique position, being the rule rather than the exception. So why have so many in similar straights of this era become successful and exceptional?

In the case of education, it didn't take tons of money, unions and their entitlement demands to motivate excellence and dedication, because a teacher's first concern was about their students and today, all the union icing on the cake doesn't add a fig to a better education.

In any job, in order to keep it, you must produce. In those dark days tenure was an unknown word and there was no life time guarantee of employment.

Conservative Commentary by George Giftos

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