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Ancient and modern

The ancients knew the value of practical education

21 September 2024

9:00 AM

21 September 2024

9:00 AM

The welfare state was designed to serve everyone’s needs. But those needs were defined by the state. So schools teach fronted adverbials (but what about hindmost ones, eh?) and trigonometry, and may (absurdly) have to teach maths to all up to 18. Do these really fulfil the needs of all our children, far too many of whom are not (apparently) leading happy, useful lives?

In the ancient world education was for the sons of the elite, to prepare them to run the country.

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