• The Glass Castle

    February 2017 Book of the Month Jeannette Walls grew up with parents whose ideals and stubborn nonconformity were both their curse and their salvation. Rex and Rose Mary Walls had four children. In the beginning, they lived like nomads, moving among Southwest desert towns, camping in the mountains. Rex was a charismatic, brilliant man who, when sober, captured his children’s imagination, teaching them physics, geology, and above all, how to embrace life fearlessly. Rose Mary, who painted and wrote and couldn’t stand the responsibility of providing for her family, called herself an “excitement addict.” Cooking a meal that would be consumed in fifteen minutes had no appeal when she could make a painting that might last forever. Later, when the money ran out, or the romance of the wandering life…

  • The Diminishing Value of Childhood

    Could I climb to the highest place in Athens, I would lift my voice and proclaim, “Fellow citizens, why do you turn and scrape every stone to gather wealth and take so little care of your children to whom one day you must relinquish it all?” — Socrates A few years ago while shopping in the children’s department at an unnamed location (think Big box retailer), I came across a size 6x “Hello Kitty” thong. I am still haunted by the sighting. For me, the sight of those teeny tiny panties confirmed my worst fears about the diminishing value of childhood in our culture. Throughout history, the concept of childhood has remained malleable. Numerous scholars have confirmed that as a society experiences shifts in predominate values or norms, concepts of childhood are routinely affected. Despite the popular…

  • The Disappearance of Childhood by Neil Postman

     September 2015 Book of the Month In his seminal book,, Neil Postman argues that the invention of the printing press had a profound impact on society and the concept of childhood. Literacy reformed the adult world by creating a required skill set for entry into adulthood. Prior to the development of moveable type, few people in society could read well and the history of knowledge was oral. After the development of the printing press, reading became an adult skill. With literacy came adult “secrets,” information available only to adults who could read. In addition, literacy required schools to teach children how to read. According to Postman the slow disappearance of childhood began with the advent of electronic communication. Rapid transmission of knowledge and a reliance on visual imagery verses thewritten word replaced the need for literacy. Watching…