Word: herschelle
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We might expect more thoughtful answers from Herschell Podge--a gifted child; most of the students questioned had never given much thought to the matters involved--matters, of course, basic to their modern society. But another national magazine survey revealed that the intelligent student merely refrains from comment on the...
In secondary education in the United States today the premium is on group acceptance, on conformity and fitting in. "Intellectualism" and the will to learn are inevitably coupled with unpopularity. Herschell Podge failed to realize his potential in high school because he started with three strikes against him.
Out of the great morass--the American "Leveling" Philosophy, the equating of equal opportunity with "sameness"--came Herschell Podge. His teachers were underpaid, and his school turned most of its limited funds into a complex hierarchy of extra-curricular activities, the financing of a football team and rereleased motion picture...
Herschell's one chance of redemption would be a trained counsellor, able to recognize talent and intelligence, and equipped to help him get the courses needed, find the stimulation to work outside of his school's limitations, and apply to the right college. But good counselling costs too much money...
Thus Herschell, and most of America's gifted children--in order to survive in high school communities where the premium is put on social acceptance--and the scholar is only compensating for his big feet or his bad looks-generally adjust to that norm. The very educational system entrusted with...