Yes, this is indeed a rant, for which I make no apology whatsoever!
It was with great dismay that I read in the December issue of BBC History Magazine that 'some schools prevent pupils from studying history'. What on earth is going on?!?! It seems that the ongoing row over league tables, and the pressure to perform well or be dropped, is causing schools in England to bar students from studying history.
The Historical Association surveyed 450 schools in England, accounting for 15% of the total, and of these 39% turned away students or whole classes from the subject at GCSE level. What's more shocking, is that this figure has been rising since 2011 - when it was at 16% - and 2012, when it was at 31%. The Association believes this is due to schools using their students merely to tick the boxes and improve their standing in the league tables, and not reflecting the true purpose of schools, to cater to the 'educational and cultural needs of the pupils', which is shocking, to say the very least.
What is the point of knowing what happened hundreds of years ago? History is not just a mildly interesting story of what happened long ago. It provides us with a sense of cultural identity and a sense of location in space and time. The academic subject of history teaches people to think critically, to evaluate, and to argue effectively. To deny students the opportunity to develop these skills seems scandalous!
At least the article ends on a positive note, as we look forward to an overhaul of the league table system that, hopefully, will lead to a fairer system for all concerned. The idea of league tables - effectively, the principles of capitalism - being applied to the educational system is woefully misguided, in my view. History would teach you that.
Saturday, 21 December 2013
Tuesday, 17 December 2013
Happy Birthday, Prince Rupert!
Yes, it's the birthday of everybody's favourite cavalier, Prince Rupert of the Rhine! He'd have been 394 years old today, bless him. Famed for his swarthy looks (much like his cousin, Charles II), and for carrying his faithful dog, Boy, into battle with him, Prince Rupert was commander-in-chief of his Uncle Charles I's army from 1644.
Already a charismatic leader after leading the rout of the parliamentary army in the very first cavalry engagement of the English Civil War at Powick Bridge, Rupert became the stuff of Royalist legend very early on - and, perhaps consequently, the stuff of Parliamentary scorn and derision.
The most hilarious, to me, of this derision must be the Black Legend of Rupert and Boy. While it was generally remarked that his dark complexion made him look 'like a black man', the link was not far from being made with the devil himself. Accusations of shape-shifting and demon-summoning were rife. But the worst was saved for the poor hunting poodle, Boy. Said by some to be leonine in proportions, this tremendous war-beast was purported to save his master by catching bullets in his teeth, changing shape at will, etc etc.
Boy was killed at Marston Moor, perhaps having an off-day from his usual bullet-catching tricks, but Rupert made it through the war, having left England following the fall of Oxford in 1646. He continued his uncle's cause following a brief stint fighting for Louis XIV of France against Spain. Earning a reputation as a privateer, he worked across the Atlantic harrying English shipping to cripple Oliver Cromwell's economy. Following the Restoration in 1660, Rupert was made Duke of Cumberland, was effectively Lord High Admiral, developed a number of military innovations for gun locks and gunpowder, created a new form of brass that was subsequently used to imitate gold ('Prince's Brass'), funded an expedition to Canada (Rupert Land is named after him), and was the fourth-best tennis player in England, according to Pepys. He died in 1682.
Already a charismatic leader after leading the rout of the parliamentary army in the very first cavalry engagement of the English Civil War at Powick Bridge, Rupert became the stuff of Royalist legend very early on - and, perhaps consequently, the stuff of Parliamentary scorn and derision. The most hilarious, to me, of this derision must be the Black Legend of Rupert and Boy. While it was generally remarked that his dark complexion made him look 'like a black man', the link was not far from being made with the devil himself. Accusations of shape-shifting and demon-summoning were rife. But the worst was saved for the poor hunting poodle, Boy. Said by some to be leonine in proportions, this tremendous war-beast was purported to save his master by catching bullets in his teeth, changing shape at will, etc etc.
Boy was killed at Marston Moor, perhaps having an off-day from his usual bullet-catching tricks, but Rupert made it through the war, having left England following the fall of Oxford in 1646. He continued his uncle's cause following a brief stint fighting for Louis XIV of France against Spain. Earning a reputation as a privateer, he worked across the Atlantic harrying English shipping to cripple Oliver Cromwell's economy. Following the Restoration in 1660, Rupert was made Duke of Cumberland, was effectively Lord High Admiral, developed a number of military innovations for gun locks and gunpowder, created a new form of brass that was subsequently used to imitate gold ('Prince's Brass'), funded an expedition to Canada (Rupert Land is named after him), and was the fourth-best tennis player in England, according to Pepys. He died in 1682.
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