Posted by
The Maine Republican Hick on Saturday, June 13, 2009 7:25:19 AM
I’ve noticed signs around town in Dover-Foxcroft, ME calling for the salvation of the Music and Art courses. It got me to thinking about electives and extras. Wasn’t there a time when Music and Art were considered necessary electives? We all hoped that our children would at least dip their toe in the artistic pool for some fine art exposure. So what brings us to this point when even basic pleasures are being taken away?
It always seemed like our forefathers, the “old-timers”, always had some precious heirloom they kept. A search through the attic of many of our elderly’s homes inevitably will reveal relics, treasures and antiques. How did our ancestors manage to acquire such jewels on so little income in comparison to the wage scale of today? Our grandparents only bought things when they could afford it. Because they bought only when they could afford I, they could keep what they bought.
Last winter, my wife and I suffered through some financial difficulties. We had to pinch pennies and tighten our belts to fight and get our heads back above water. We had to cut back on our spending. We simply had too much. My elders had so much because they had just enough. I’ve learned that wealth is acquired over time and not in a single moment.
While I’m tearing to spend less, I keep reading opinion editorials from our legislators lauding the new spending legislation they are initiating. Our governments keep reaching for new things they can’t afford, grasping for shiny new threads to cover their poverty. If we keep buying what we want, we might lose what we need. Can you imagine education without music and art? I can’t. But keep up the bloated spending and we may just find it’s reality.