A writer's Random ramblings
The news surrounds the federal budget each year as it goes from proposal to public information. Once again, the United States finds our Federal folks debating the removal of arts funding. Although these endowments for arts and humanities make up less than one percent of the budget, they play important roles in our society.
One may argue that PBS is technically public television and radio, so why should the government support it at all? The legislators who make up the government get their jobs from the public. We elect them to lead our nation. As leaders, they can set a precedent for the importance of arts to society by upholding public funding of such programs. Those who follow the government may then be led to contribute of their own resources. Government support of the arts would also demonstrate to art aficionados that others exist who share their interests and provide a base for election decisions. In many communities, the arts get cut from education and other budgets first. Especially in these areas, public television and radio expose the people to new ideas. Children and adults alike can learn about artists and musicians they otherwise may not have seen. Parents can more easily expose children to the music on which they came of age. This allows multiple generations of the same family to learn to like the same styles in many cases. In regions where no local professional arts exist, people may discover a love of symphony or symphonic band through public TV and radio concerts. These stations also bring in dance and theatrical works more often than others, stimulating interest in those areas. These media make access to the arts free, allowing lessons on even painting and visual art to those who could not afford courses or may not be able to find them. During Women’s History Month, the public stations have also brought more lessons to the masses. Documentaries abound on First Ladies and other notable women. These can either teach us something new or augment what one learns in school. Oftentimes, women remain sparsely represented in class literature. Even at the college level, courses by and about women tend to be scarce. Teachers could use the lessons from PBS and add to them by integrating women into the typical history found in schools. Assignments could be as simple as younger children watch a replay of such a program and write a sentence or draw a picture based on it. Older students could write a few pages explaining which famous lady was profiled and why she was important in history. These exemplary women then receive their due and all pupils learn that all people have a place in history. Without Public TV, we would not have such easy access to notable women, as many other stations do not cover the topic. People may see the arts as unnecessary, but many studies proved the value of these areas in helping children academically. The arts incorporate math, history and sometimes science in concrete, applicable ways. Without access to this information, many will not learn it. If it keeps disappearing from schools and then Public TV follows, many will be deprived of sensible educational material. Governments need to keep this service in the budget, even at small levels, to provide not only necessary funding, but an example for constituents of how to help the community they care about. For the love of society, we all need to help the public arts.
0 Comments
Today I send out a special wish
For all to have the good luck o’ the Irish Regardless whether ye are a lass or lady On this Day of Saint Paddy Which falls during the month we celebrate women’s history, A union of culture to inspire the lessening of mystery In the common quest to find What it truly means to belong to the race of humankind In which every gender, color, and creed can share A curiosity about others that leads all to care For everyone’s thoughts and needs As we bring about love and peace in our deeds Where those green or gold of heart Learn to appreciate every type of art – Those using number, color, or other theory, Music, dance, word, or new ideas on society – So here’s to good luck on finding your part along the way To peace and prosperity on Saint Patrick’s Day! International Women’s Day? What’s that? A real holiday? To women, yes, March 8 each year marks a special day for us. As with any other special day on the calendar, each person will have a different way to celebrate the occasion.
In 2017, news reported that many women who work outside the home planned a day off. Woman-owned businesses took the economic impact of the day. In some school districts, so many female teachers and staff requested the day that systems treated it as a teacher workday. This gave students a day off where none had been planned originally. This day, along with the others of Women’s History Month surrounding it, deserve to have any instructional time in schools dedicated to women’s topics. Women’s history and issues in social studies classes and literature by and about women in language classes would provide good starting points. Through these studies and bringing up prominent women in all fields throughout school days, all students could see the contributions women make to society. They would learn a greater appreciation for women. Girls could then theoretically learn to see themselves in a better light, improving self-esteem. Everyone could draw inspiration and motivation from great women to become great in the fields they choose to study or work in later. This would lead to a stronger society where more people value one another, regardless of sex and gender. Good for women for taking the day off from outside the home labors. But what about inside the home? Nobody can get around the work there. Personally, I chose to take whatever mechanical help I can find this Women’s Day. A four-ingredient supper went into my slow-cooker, which I set for 8 hours since the ingredients came from the freezer. As usual, laundry will go into the machine on a short cycle, then air-dried outside, with other members of the family helping to bring it back in later. In my writing life, I would normally make a rough draft or at least notes on paper before this article, but not today. It began as thoughts pouring right into the computer. This will leave more time for photography and other artistic endeavors later on in the day so I still have time to enjoy that which does not resemble work. Women’s Day gives mothers and fathers alike a good opportunity to teach teamwork to children. Feminist men who value equality will pitch in voluntarily to help around the house. Leading children in the way will show them there is no such thing as “men’s work” or “women’s work” and to have an egalitarian society, we all need to help however we can. Families can pick up where schools leave off or never start by talking about what the women in their own lineage did, if they know. They can discuss women they look up to or have seen in the news and how those folks make good or bad examples of humanity for society. By comparing and contrasting men and women of all walks of life, we can all learn how all people need to come together for the greater good. In these ways, International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month in general give everyone a look into women’s lives. These issues and accomplishments matter as much as those of men, and as such, all deserve proper study and reflection. Education and media representatives have the best opportunity to begin the discussions since the people pay so much attention to them. However, the rest of society needs to use their output as a starting point to foster its own appreciation of people so we can forget fear and find peace. Do you seek ways to keep your mind active? Where can you find and easy, inexpensive way to do this? By bringing words and pictures into single, cohesive works. Anyone can begin the process, not only artists and writers. Many of us have photos clogging up the memory on our phones and computers. Others have stories, poems and other written matter in the same places.
Begin by recognizing that artistic inspiration abounds everywhere. Learn to see it in the least expected places. Snap a quick photo of something you want to write about, or conversely, write down a brief description of something when the phone is charging. Keep lists of both photographs and written items, as one never knows in what context they may collide. Each can describe the other in new and exciting ways, whether the writer/artist wants to submit the works to magazines and other outlets or simply grow as an artist. In the process, snap photos of anything interesting. When inputting them into the computer, write about everything that comes to mind about each photo. Give them captions or tags to describe them: who is in the picture, what is happening, where it was taken, and what time of day are good starting points. Tell the picture’s story and why it holds importance to you as the artist: maybe it acts as a study guide of new concepts or inspiration for a painting at a later time. Writers who hold to the practice of photography can create files of story illustrations or book covers for later. The pictures can even inspire songs and lyrics among those with a musical bent. Any of these combinations can become a book later, whether for public consumption or for the artist to leave a legacy for loved ones. You may think, “This is all well and good, but really, what’s the point for an amateur?” As mentioned earlier, putting words to pictures and/or music gives the creator a cohesive body of work. Even for those practicing this to amp up their own artistry and not for publication, it can provide a source of pride. Allowing different types of work to describe one another also helps the artist see things from multiple angles. This skill applies to other areas of life, especially conflict resolution, when a person can understand better another one’s way of thinking. In the art realm, stretching the power of description brings understanding among many when viewers can read about how the piece of art came to be. They can thus see how their view differs from the author or artist’s and why he or she shared that work rather than another. Thus, society can learn from the arts how to become a more cohesive whole. Those who use more than one art form in describing what they do lead the way by providing examples. Doing so as the artist also allows the stretching of the mind and imagination medical experts recommend we all engage in to keep our minds sharp throughout life. |
AuthorStuff about me: Archives
June 2020
Categories |