Microsociety—An Antidote for School Boredom

Money, taxes, employment, legislation—these are topics that we associate with the adult

world. George Richmond, a Yale graduate who became a in the New York City

school system, felt that elementary school youngsters could also be interested, even excited,

about such issues. He experimented in his own classes with the Microsociety in which basic

instruction takes place and is reinforced as pupils operate their own businesses, pass laws, live

within the parameters of a constitution that they drafted, seek redress within their own judicial

system, buy and sell real estate, and so on.

Richmond’s book on the Microsociety came to the attention of the school board in Lowell,

Massachusetts, and their members decided to give it a try in 1981. In much less than a

the results were quite remarkable: students exceeded the norm in reading and math;

8th graders passed college level exams; school attendance went up to 96%; and the dropout

rate took a nosedive in Lowell.

In Microsociety ’s classes, mornings are given over to the traditional curriculum. In

the afternoon, the students apply what they learned in activities that run the from

keeping double entry books, doing financial audits, running a bank, and conducting court

sessions to engaging in light manufacture that leads to retail and wholesale commerce.

Other school systems have since adopted George Richmond’s innovative ideas.

“ Microsociety,” said a Yonkers, New York principal, “gets kids to role-play life!”

A Time Magazine reporter was much impressed with Microsociety ’s results: “Such an

approach would go a long way toward making U.S. public schools a cradle of national

renewal.”

N EW W ORDS

Anthropologist

an´ thrə pol´ ə jist

Bizarre

bə zär´

Inanimate

in an´ ə mit

Fetish

fet´ ish

Artifact

är´ tə fakt

W EEK 24 D AY 1

PRIMITIVE MAGIC

In the course of their studies of other cultures, anthropologists have reported numerous

customs and practices that seem bizarre to the average American. Many primitive people

believe that certain inanimate objects have a will of their own and possess some magical

powers. These fetishes may be simple things like a particular feather of a bird or a unique

pebble. The fetish might have derived its power, according to members of some tribes, from a

god who lives within the object and has changed it into a thing of magic. Fetishes need not

only be natural objects, however. An artifact such as a sculpture or carving is also believed to

possess supernatural powers.

Sample Sentences Now use your new words in the following sentences.

1. Stones are ________________ objects that have no life of their own.

2. It has been suggested that the man who builds a better mousetrap will find the world

beating a path to his door to possess this ________________.

3. The explorers saw the golden statue and thought of how much money it would bring

them. But their lives would be in danger if they moved it because it was a powerful

________________ to the natives.

4. Margaret Mead, the famous ________________, fascinated thousands of readers with

her studies of South Seas islanders.

5. It would be rather ________________ for a young man to come to school wearing a

dress.

Definitions If you have studied the reading selection and the sample sentences, now try your

hand at matching your new words with their definitions.

6. anthropologist a. an object made by hand, rather than a thing as it occurs in

nature

7. artifact b. lifeless

8. bizarre c. an object that is thought to have magic powers

9. fetish d. an expert in the study of the races, beliefs, customs, etc. of

mankind

10. inanimate e. odd, peculiar, strange, weird

T ODAY ’ S I DIOM

to get down off a high horse —to act like an ordinary person

When Susan discovered that the young man who was trying to make conversation with

her was the son of a millionaire, she immediately got down off her high horse.

N EW W ORDS

Taboo

tə bü´

Imprudent

im prüd´ nt

Prohibition

prō´ ə bish´ ən

Imperative

im per´ ə tiv

Taint

tānt

W EEK 24 D AY 2

FORBIDDEN

An outgrowth of the idea of a fetish* is the closely related practice of taboo. Whereas the

gods or supernatural powers merely inhabit an object that is a fetish and lend it magic, they

will punish the imprudent native who violates their prohibition of an act or use of an object or

word that has become taboo. If a taboo has been broken, it becomes imperative for the

offender to be punished. In many cases, however, the taint on the community may be removed

after the priests have performed a special ceremony. Often, the violator of the taboo will be

punished or die merely through his own fears of the terrible thing he has done.

Sample Sentences Has the context in which your new words appear given you clues to their

meaning? Try now to use them in these sample sentences.

1. Unsanitary conditions in the bottling factory caused hundreds of cases of soda to be

________________ by dirt and foreign objects. The health department refused to allow

the soda to be sold.

2. Although a New Jersey high school principal placed a ________________ on boys

wearing their hair long, one student fought in the courts and won his case.

3. It is considered ________________ to give your computer code word to anyone not

fully known to you.

4. It is ________________ for certain South Seas islanders to eat some foods before they

marry.

5. In the nuclear age it has become ________________ for the nations of the world to

learn to live in peace.

Definitions Now is your chance to test your knowledge of your new words by matching them

with their definitions.

6. imperative a. contamination, undesirable substance that spoils something

7. imprudent b. the act of forbidding certain behavior

8. prohibition c. urgent, necessary, compulsory

9. taboo d. forbidden by custom or religious practice

10. taint (n.) e. unwise, not careful

T ODAY ’ S I DIOM

the first water —of the best quality, the greatest

Lebron James is obviously a basketball player of the first water who would be of

enormous value to any team.

N EW W ORDS

Universal

yü´ nə vėr´ səl

Contemptuous

kən temp´ chü əs

Absurd

ab sėrd´

Bigot

big´ ət

Abhor

ab hôr´

W EEK 24 D AY 3

AN ABSURDITY

Although it is probably universal human behavior to be contemptuous of the bizarre*

superstitions practiced by inhabitants of unfamiliar cultures, it seems to be somewhat

imprudent* to laugh at others before one takes a good, hard look at the absurd taboos* and

fetishes* one accepts as part of one’s everyday life. Isn’t it somewhat absurd when the “dyedin-

the-wool” bigot, who illogically fears the taint* of close association with blacks (behavior

that resembles fear of a taboo), spends most of the summer lying in the sun trying to acquire

the color he claims to abhor? Since doctors tell us that excessive sun-tanning may be a cause

of skin cancer, our strange yearning for sun-darkened skin has all the qualities of a fetish.*

Sample Sentences Did the starred review words seem familiar to you? Yet, how many were

totally foreign several days ago? Keep up the good work now by using your new words in the

following sentences.

1. Bob felt ________________ of his best friend after he saw him cheating during an

exam.

2. The teacher felt like laughing after he heard Sally’s ________________ excuse for not

having done her homework.

3. One politician, a notorious ________________, hopes to get support as a presidential

candidate on the basis of his prejudices and intolerance.

4. I ________________ some one who is constantly changing channels with a remote

while I’m trying to read in the same room.

5. Would relations between countries be simpler if a ________________ language were

spoken rather than hundreds of separate ones?

Definitions Match your new words with their definitions.

6. abhor a. ridiculous

7. absurd b. present everywhere

8. bigot c. expressing a feeling that something is worthless

9. contemptuous d. a person who is intolerant of other people or ideas

10. universal e. to detest, to despise

T ODAY ’ S I DIOM

dyed-in-the-wool —set in one’s ways

He was a dyed-in-the-wool Republican who would not consider voting for a Democrat.

N EW W ORDS

Vulnerable

vul´ nər ə bəl

Entreaty

en trē´ tē

Tradition

trə dish´ ən

Originate

ə rij´ ə nāt

Inviolable

in vī´ ə lə bəl

W EEK 24 D AY 4

GESUNDHEIT!

During the Middle Ages most people believed that the devil could enter our bodies when we

sneezed, because at that propitious* moment we left our bodies vulnerable. However, this

catastrophic* event could be avoided if another person immediately made an entreaty to God.

This was how the practice began of saying “God bless you” after someone sneezes. Although

the tradition continues today, few people are aware of its history. A superstition originates in

ignorance—when people are unsure of the causes of events. But it continues inviolable over

the years because it usually represents our deepest fears.

Sample Sentences Use these new words in the following sentences.

1. Some bad habits ________________ in adolescence and continue throughout a

person’s life.

2. The murderer made a(n) ________________ to the governor for a pardon.

3. Despite the inexorable* torture, 007 kept the ________________ secret of the

labyrinth* leading to the underground headquarters.

4. It appears that many computers are ________________ to “viruses” that can cause great

damage.

5. Eskimos have a(n) ________________ of rubbing noses to show affection.

Definitions

6. vulnerable a. begin, arise

7. entreaty b. capable of being injured

8. tradition c. custom that has been handed down

9. originate d. appeal, plea

10. inviolable e. safe (from destruction, etc.)

T ODAY ’ S I DIOM

blue chip —a highly valuable asset, stock, or property In poker, the blue chips are