Way Off Topic--Education

["Jeffrey G. Purvis" jpurvis@xxxxxxxx]

I teach at a small law school of which none of you have ever heard. I
wasn't educated in the British public schools. I am neither famous nor
powerful. I have never edited or copy-edited any national magazines or
scholarly journals. I generally lurk on this list, gazing raptly
upward at ye mighty as you discuss Xywritely matters, and in the
course of doing that let drop the occastional fascinating tidbits of
your important lives.

What brings me out from under my rock is this comment by Mr. Stannard
(made in connection with a discussion on the poor state of
professional editors taking copy-editing classes):

"Could it be that you have:

-- the passive-spectator TV generation, 30-50 age range, reared with
little exposure to active discussion or logical argumentation, now
risen to desk positions? You might try giving them all phone handsets
-- they grew up tlking there."

In all the pomposity, smugness, contempt for lesser beings and
self-importance of the copy-editing class thread, I felt that this was
the outstanding contribution. Everyone born between 1953 and 1983, Mr.
Stannard? Is that in the United States, or the entire world? Thank
goodness I was born in 1952, and thus escaped the curse of those born
under such a malevolent star.

My students range widely in age, educational background, and previous
experience (although none attended Wellesley, to my knowledge, or were
caned into a knowledge of higher mathematics). Some of them are eager
to gain knowledge; others just want to get a piece of paper that will
permit them to work as lawyers. I have found that the quality of
classroom discussion is mostly a product of my preparation and efforts
as instructor. I am a pipsqeak, of course, and cannot comprehend your
Olympian concerns.

My apologies to Mr. Distefano and Mr. Holmgren (neither of whom is
likely to read this, and rightly so) for taking up bandwidth.

--
Jeffrey G. Purvis
James K. and Carol Sellers Herbert Professor of Constitutional Law
San Joaquin College of Law
901 Fifth Street
Clovis, California 93612
(559) 323-2100 voice
(559) 323-5566 fax
jpurvis@xxxxxxxx