“We the people, in order to form a more perfect union…”
The gym was crowded with the morning noise of kids eager to learn (or perhaps just to see their friends). Few of them were probably paying any attention to the Preamble to the Constitution… but within the first three words my mind was already humming the tune: you know the one… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHp7sMqPL0g I don’t know about my readers, but for me Schoolhouse Rock was formative. Not only did I learn important history lessons (I particularly love ‘I’m Just a Bill’ about how laws are created: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyeJ55o3El0&feature=related– though nowadays they would have to add some lines about earmarks and lobbyists;) But I also learned about math: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUHFzH06HqU&feature=related), and science: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jfNoarPudw&feature=related). Most importantly, though, I learned about grammar. Here are a few of my favorites: Adjectives: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbgZfQNBFS0&feature=related Adverbs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDwXHTcodNg&feature=related Interjections: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_e24kdjdbtw&feature=related Conjunctions: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AyjKgz9tKg&feature=related These shows are worth re-watching even now as an adult. It is truly amazing the knowledge I have forgotten, and what better way to remind myself than to bring back the songs that taught me to begin with (apologies to my teachers here, but this is pretty much true). These songs were clever, succinct and catchy… something that is clear when you see how many people still remember them. Schoolhouse Rock was broadcast on Saturday mornings beginning in 1973 and ending in 1985. Many were re-aired between 1993 and 1999 and in 2009 there were some additional songs made for direct to video. Many parodies and spin-offs, such as Jack Johnsons’ 3R song (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSM2riAEX4U) have been released on albums and YouTube since then and point to the perseverance of the tunes and topics. Like nursery rhymes, Schoolhouse Rock formed the cultural backbone of a generation of young children. We can only hope our words as writers, as moms, as teachers and friends will ever have half as much impact. I’ll end now having relearnt name of my most used word: an interjection. As they say on Schoolhouse Rocks… DARN! That’s the end.
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June 2020
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