Do you remember thinking, I’ll never need to know that!, well,you just might, I have just explained to hubby what a spinning Jenny is…didn’t realise I even still knew! had to do a project on it when I was about 8, I suppose it was pretty important in Lancashire history!..he only wanted to know because his mate is in a pub called The Spinning Jenny (via facebook),he’s not taking up crafts!lol
I get you, but I`ve never been asked to find x…in an algebra type of way!
Nor have I ever had to find the square on the hypotenuse!!! Although 2 to the power of 3 is useful when watching quiz shows!
I often go off at a tangent…as many of us here do!
Once had to find the properties of an onion in Biology class…didnt find any!
pollsx
And anyway, why does a minus plus a minus equal a plus? And a minus plus a plus equal a minus? Etc. Btw I really don’t want anyone to try and explain it to me. My brain will only hear ‘blah, blah, blah’. Just like it did every other time!
I think I almost remember a Spinning Jenny, was that Richard Arkwright or some other bloke?
Sue
Some other bloke, called James Hargreaves, you see that project did some good! although I’ve never needed to know! l’m sure there are loads of pubs named for bits of our industrial heritage e.g the Jolly Potter etc.plus the ones named after the local land/factory owners-maybe I should do another project, I think I’ve been in plenty of them already!
And clearly, I’ve never needed to know either. Although it’s bound to come up in a crossword one day.
Sue
trying to imagine the clue, I give up with anything involving numbers in the plus or minus!
Recall the English teacher telling us that she was ‘depriving us of Shakespeare’ as she kicked all the boys out of her class (we were mucking about)
Don’t think we were too bothered!
omg algebra, couldn’t see the point when i was younger and still don’t see the point I used to just switch off in maths when algebra was mentioned, so boring.
When we mucked about in English they took us to the cinema to watch Roman Polanskis’ version of Macbeth which was suitably dark brutal & violent to get our 15 year old brains to look at Shakespeare in a different way.
Mick
Algebra is a bit like opera / ice dancing or golf , I can appreciate the skill involved but just not my thing…
Mick
Excellent English, both language and literature and correct pronunciation! I’m told I have a very distinctive accent and a “way with words”. This I put down to the undercurrent of elocution lessons that were subtly introduced in our lessons as a child.
Convent School educated, I had wonderful English teachers. A Nun in Primary school and lay teachers in Secondary. I’ve always had a love of English and excelled in exams. It’s something I still love today and it matters to me. Text speak and improper punctuation drives me mad today!
Mick, I agree with the Algebra and how you compare it. 
Oh and Latin. I had to endure the translation of Julius Caesar for two years of my life, aged 13 and 14. WHY?!! I almost cracked and broke under the strain of it. As well as trying to learn French and the Irish Language, English, History, Geography, Maths and Science, I’m amazed I came out of the system relatively unscathed at all! I mean, why? Just why was that subject forced upon me at that age?! I finally persuaded my father to intervene and allow me to be given dispensation.
What a waste of my time. To this day I can barely remember Et tu, Brute? and the other things we taught ourselves to lighten our day…Tempus Fugit and my favourite, Non Futuis Mecum.
Nice one Poppy,
Luckily I never studied Latin but Google enabled me to enjoy your comment.
Mick
You have got that wrong why around Ssssue… BACK TO SCHOOL YOU GO!
Sue, you mentioned Arkwright…Wasn’t he the owner of a corner shop somewhere in Lancashire? And Grenville used to’fetch a cloth’
Pollsx
Eh?
No idea. I’ve pretty much forgotten everything I did at school. And University too come to that. In fact the other day I found a folder of essays I’d written in college. Obviously a few years ago, but I had absolutely no memory of most of them.
And I think the only reason I can write in just about acceptable English, with approximate punctuation is more by luck than judgement. I put it down to a lifetime of reading. Absolutely nothing to do with education.
And Poppy, you put me to shame, Latin!! Honestly! I stumbled through a tiny bit of French and my understanding of the language is dire. In spite of having spent what must add up to about six months worth of holidays in France.
Sue
Sue believe me, that Latin was just added, unnecessary stress to my adolescent years. Seriously. Unless you were entering the Priesthood or studying medicine, what was the point?! French was the only foreign language offered in our schools in the '70s. I got a pass by the skin of my teeth, at A level standard and have never, ever used it! I holiday in Gran Canaria where Spanish is spoken. I’ve tried to learn a little, but languages definitely is not my forte.
i did latin, french and german o-levels.
they help me to work out what an unfamiliar word means but otherwise i’ve never used them.
auf wiedersehn, au revoir, ciao
carole x
I remember my sister chanting her Latin, verbs (I think), it was painful just to listen and the reason that I never had any desire to go to the grammar school…and I never did, but did go to university, which she didn’t,it’s a funny old world!