Today at Clear Spring I had 1st through 4th grade students doing paper sloyd projects. The 1st and 2nd grade students decided to use the envelopes they were making to write letters. In the process of making one of the projects that involved tying with string, I discovered that some of our students don't know how to tie their shoes. These days you can get around shoe tying by wearing slip-ons or velcro, but I suspect there are some important developmental things that happen in the process of tying string. One student had to take me aside to tell me, so that he wouldn't feel embarrassed. So there is one more thing that we need to practice. One more basic skill that is being ignored as we launch ourselves head-long into the virtual plane.

This afternoon, I got a disappointing email. I had applied for a Fulbright Senior Specialist Grant to help me go to Finland in the fall. The email informed me that my application wouldn't be forwarded for consideration because I lack a Ph.D. degree. I had suspected that my application would meet academic bias at some point, but to be thrown out so early was a shock to me. I quote a part of the email: "Professionals and artists outside academe require recognized professional standing and substantial professional accomplishments in the selected discipline and specialization."

I don't intend to just roll over dead. The hands don't teach complaisance. It is always refreshing to get stirred up by exhibitions of academic idiocy.