Goofus and Gallant Teach History and Ethnography—Petulant Demands

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On this date on Round and Square's History 

21 April 2013—China's Lunar Calendar 2013 04-21
21 April 2013—Philosophy of History: Heaven is High and the Emperor is Far Away
21 April 2012—Fieldnotes From History: Head Tales
21 April 2011—Endings: Argonauts of the Western Pacific

[a] Highlights Magazine June/July 1959

You probably didn't see this coming. Here is one of the oddest pedagogical experiments in the twentieth century, and it makes the Republic of China (on Taiwan) primary school readers look almost tame in comparison (well, sometimes). It began as early as 1936, depending on the hoary sources you investigate. By 1948, it was a part of Highlights magazine for children, and I got my copy every week (several decades after 1948, I might add) at Randall School in Madison, Wisconsin, back when the Badgers lost eighty percent of their football games. 

This series will teach us a great deal about culture, society...and history. I lived some of it. I would be lying if I said that I didn't aspire to be Gallant...even as I recognized the stupid lack of irony in all of these unreflective adults-writing-for-children-DIDACTIC posts. Still, I wanted to be Gallant. W...T...you decide.

[b] Scowl RF

Goofus and Gallant are at it again.

It seems that the Summer 1959 Goofus does not know how to ask for permission. And, if you look carefully at the drawings, you will see that mama does not look at all amused. As I once heard it, "...and if mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy." 

Our little Gallant has it quite otherwise in his charmed and cherubic little life. He says "please," "thank you," and "may I..." These words are not part of Goofus's vocabulary.

And mama knows it.

As we proceed with this series, we'll start to think about some of the unexamined little social dynamics in the drawings. A good place to start might be Goofus's parents. I don't want to start by blaming mom and dad, but...

Let's think about this for the week and discuss it next Monday. We'll call it "the social roots of Goofus-speak."

[c] Polite Give-and-Take RF