History is what is written, not what happened

While many topically political themes and modern political debate goes on, all referencing “the facts” and “the truth” make me go back to my 10th grade history teacher.

While I cannot remember her name, I do remember her face and personality. She was meek, but always dispassionate and calm. She probably taught the curriculum in Arlington County, Virginia at the time, but I will never know. I do know the 9th grade typing teacher used her position to express her political point of view which I strongly disagreed with. Since I was crummy at typing, I cannot argue that my debate with her influenced her grade, which was poor.

What I remember most in history class was the idea of a “yellow press” getting our Country into a war with Spain circa 1898. The idea then, as taught in 1960, was that the war would generate income for the newspapers. Right or wrong, that was being taught in 1960 in Arlington County, Virginia. I believed it then, and I believe it now. And I thank my mentor teacher for encouraging me to think for myself.

I often wonder what she would say about all the global warming hype these days. Mostly I wonder about how she would teach analyzing all this, and influencing making up my mind in the 10th grade. Mostly she has given me a hint, decades later about how to think. Having the advantage of hindsight, the yellow press idea is still alive and well. While she is probably dead and gone due to age, I still want to thank her for being a teacher and mentor.