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It was wholly a pleasure--wait, that's somebody else's lede. Let's say it was quite satisfying to see the story in Tuesday's paper about French Hill's latest meeting.

Yes, meeting. They're not all bad.

The congressman from central Arkansas knows something about economics and business. Somebody told us he had a bit of a background in both. So when he talks on these matters, some of us listen. Intently.

He held a meeting earlier this week to discuss ways to help people out of poverty in the state. The Book says the poor we'll always have with us. And that may be true. But that doesn't mean there have to be so many poor people. Any good the rest of us can do . . . .

Representative Hill and various speakers noted that, back in the day, students got at least an introduction to vocational skills while in high school. But these days all students are expected to be on college paths or bust. And that doesn't make sense.

Certainly college should be college. And there's nothing like a liberal curriculum to round out a person's education on that level. But what about the high school student who knows he's never going to apply to a four-year university? Shouldn't his path be one that can lead to success too? Why not steer him toward a vocational or technical school that might be a better fit? All the while teaching him how to better read and write--not to mention teaching him to be a better citizen.

That used to be the way we did things in America. Let us return to the past. As somebody keeps saying, that would be real progress.

Editorial on 08/18/2016

Print Headline: The beaten path

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Archived Comments

  • Foghorn
    August 18, 2016 at 9:53 a.m.

    Just another GOP windbag spouting platitudes out of both sides of his mouth. Yes, not everyone can or should go to college. But before someone can even go to vo-tech, they need to be able to read and write. We have to fix K-12 education and make it available to and work for everyone. And just last week Asa vetoed any support for kindergarten in AR. More BS without action is just more BS.

  • GrimReaper
    August 18, 2016 at 11:02 a.m.

    Yep! We're now suffering with what the government and the Democrat aligned NEA have done to public education.

  • pcrasehotmailcom
    August 18, 2016 at 11:23 a.m.

    WTF, we can always count on your insightful productive commentary. Thanks, very helpful. So you're thinking that the reason Johnny can't read or write is because of all these GOP windbags? No kindergarten in Arkansas? You sure we don't have kindergarten in Arkansas? Might want to recheck that "fact". Who doesn't have access to K-12 in Arkansas? With that being said, I don't believe I'd be calling BS on anyone.

  • ARMNAR
    August 18, 2016 at 12:20 p.m.

    I'm with French on this one.

  • pcrasehotmailcom
    August 18, 2016 at 12:53 p.m.

    My man Mike Rowe has been beating this drum for years now. I agree with AMNAR. You want to make a good living and not get outsourced? Get training in welding, HVAC, plumbing or diesel mechanics. You can get a good job any day of the week.

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