Sunday, February 18, 2007

After reading a response by a true libertarian to a letter asking for thoughts about "solving" gang violence, I noted one of his suggestions, eliminating minimum wage laws, and thought it could use some additions. Elimination of child labor laws, and killing off the public education system itself, would also be needed. Apprenticeship may seem old-fashioned, but it's the best way for kids to learn to master various specialties, and schools can't cut it. What would happen if, for instance, a young Thomas Edison were to be put in today's school system?

I was going to point out a link to a biography of Edison, and then pose that question to all you folks, and what do you know but they beat me to it!

Biography Of Thomas Alva Edison
At age seven - after spending 12 weeks in a noisy one-room schoolhouse with 38 other students of all ages - Tom's overworked and short tempered teacher finally lost his patience with the child's persistent questioning and seemingly self centered behavior. Noting that Tom's forehead was unusually broad and his head was considerably larger than average, he made no secret of his belief that the hyperactive youngster's brains were "addled" or scrambled... If modern psychology had existed back then, Tom would have probably been deemed a victim of ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and prescribed a hefty dose of the "miracle drug" Ritalin.