An inspiring colleague spoke to us today on competencies, and he told us that Matthew Arnold, a Victorian poet, couldn't make any money from his poems, so they hired him in education. He revolutionized education in England by, essentially, making education competency based. Pupils were graduating, but were not able to read or write. He told the schools that they could have 1/3 of their money if their students could read, 1/3 if they could write, and 1/3 if they could do math. Of course they then succeeded in their teaching. He said that's were the 3 R's came from: reading, writing and 'rithmetic.

Is that true? [I don't dare go to Snopes!] I checked the Internet, but could only find references to his poetry.

I can't comment on their origin but expression "the 3 Rs" has been current here for as long as I can remember - and it's getting on for sixty years since I started school.

Richard English

I vaguely recall that it was originally "Reading, Writing, and Rhetoric."

Wasn't there one course of study called the "trivium", with three divisions, and another with four divisions called the "quadrivium"?

All I can say is that I spent waaaay too much time on the Internet, trying to validate his story. This actually may be one for Snopes!

I love Fuller's 1845 beer...and the Cubs!

I know it wasn't the origin of the expression "the 3 R's" but they are mentioned in the song "When We Were a Couple of Kids" which was popular in (I think) pre-WWII days or thereabouts:

Readin' and 'ritin' and 'rithmetic,
Taught to the tune of a hick'ry stick.
You were my (something) in calico.
I was your (something, something) beau.
You wrote on my slate "I love you, so!"
When we were a couple of kids.


(A nice pastiche of nostalgia, pathos, and corporal punishment!)

"You were my Queen in calico,
I was your bashful, barefoot beau ...."



(no charge, C.J.)

Thanks, J.T. I figured that if anyone would have known it, you would. I kinda like my version better, though.


Reminds me of an incident where I was trying to relate the lyrics to a song, one which had almost completely escaped my memory, by describing it (tunelessly, I mean, without singing it) to a friend. It went something along the lines of:

"When the (something, something, something) in the (something, something) blue, you'll be (something) ever (something) and the (something, something) too."

What was really wild was that the woman I was addressing actually recognized the lyrics and named the tune although we were then totally unable to convince a third person present that the whole thing wasn't some sort of stupid joke on him.

quote:

---

Originally posted by C J Strolin:
Readin' and 'ritin' and 'rithmetic,
Taught to the tune of a hick'ry stick.
You were my (something) in calico.
I was your (something, something) beau.
You wrote on my slate "I love you, so!"
When we were a couple of kids.

---

I remember it as "You wrote on my slate "I love you, Joe!'" In looking it up I found both versions, and couldn't confirm one way or another, but did find some interesting information.

The song, titled "School Days," came out of a Broadway musical of the same name which ran from 1908 to 1910. The actors included Eddie Cantor and George Jessel.

The play inspired many schoolroom acts on the vaudeville circuit, including one by the Marx Brothers titled "Fun in Hi Skule". At that early time, Harpo still spoke, and Groucho didn't have a mustache! Enjoy the link!