Gentlemen - prepare to kilt up monday!

[Jock Scot]

I suspect, just like other years, much of Scotland will be totally unaware of the significance of the day.

[CDNSushi]

I suspect, just like other years, much of Scotland will be totally unaware of the significance of the day.

Well, then. Kilt up, go to town. Who better than you to educate them?

[Jock Scot]

Well, then. Kilt up, go to town. Who better than you to educate them?

I think the Scots are more than capable of deciding what is important in their education!

[OC Richard]

8/1 is also the anniversary of when my CEO told me I couldn't wear kilts to work anymore. I grieved the directive and won. Ironic that since he has promoted me to management.

He probably likes people who are willing to take a stand for what they believe in.

I'll be kilted on Monday, as I'm piping at a funeral. Isle of Skye tartan it will be.

After having a month with no funerals, I had one Friday and I have one on Monday and one on Tuesday. And band practice Saturday and Sunday... enough piping to do me for a while.

[Father Bill]

I suspect, just like other years, much of Scotland will be totally unaware of the significance of the day.

Jock, my sense is that what you've described is the way it's done in much of the western world. We mourn the poor teaching of Canadian history here, and as a former teacher and headmaster, I have to agree. I always added a small sampler of Canadian history and legends to my own class curriculum much to the delight of students and parents alike, and much of it had to do with our "legendary" type history - the stories that are just too wonderful to ignore.

I was told by someone or other that the reason Scottish tour guides are required to have two years training is that the schools don't teach Scottish history - rather "British" history. We took one bus tour and the guide was extremely knowledgable and added much to our experience. Perhaps that's the sort of thing that needs to be taught.

And so... I'm REALLY hoping that I get some questions on Monday so that I may return for a few moments to my former role as an educator.

[Jock Scot]

Father Bill, please don't take this the wrong way, but many non Scots forget that The Highlands until quite recently was the home of the kilt and that the majority(area and population) of Scotland is not in the Highlands. Not only that, at the time of proscription most of Scotland did not give a damn about the Highlands, Highlanders , tartan, or the kilt.The event that you wish to remember is just an event amongst many thousands of events that have happened during Scotland's long history and as such merits hardly a thought amongst the natives.

[Nighthawk]

I think the Scots are more than capable of deciding what is important in their education!

No one is capable of that. You can't know if it's important or not if you don't even know the information exists! My father in law and I had a long conversation yesterday on the manufacture of soap. I had NO CLUE what a long process it actually is! Now could I have known that soap is graded by density if I didn't have someone telling me that the information is out there?

Father Bill, please don't take this the wrong way, but many non Scots forget that The Highlands until quite recently was the home of the kilt and that the majority(area and population) of Scotland is not in the Highlands. Not only that, at the time of proscription most of Scotland did not give a damn about the Highlands, Highlanders , tartan, or the kilt.The event that you wish to remember is just an event amongst many thousands of events that have happened during Scotland's long history and as such merits hardly a thought amongst the natives.

The Mountain Man/Fur Trapper period was a footnote in the history of Colorado, as well, and yet there are people here (myself for example) who keep it alive. Why? Because even the smallest events create huge ripples in our culture that most people aren't even aware of, unless someone tells them. Now I'm not saying that you should go on some sort of crusade- just that no part of our collective past is so insignificant that it should be forgotten.

[Father Bill]

Well understood and acknowledged, Jock. It just strikes me as such inhumanity and cruelty, and of course in my line of work I need a well-developed sense of moral outrage.

Ah well; It got me stirred up when I was a wee tyke, and look where I am today!

Bill+

Father Bill, please don't take this the wrong way, but many non Scots forget that The Highlands until quite recently was the home of the kilt and that the majority(area and population) of Scotland is not in the Highlands. Not only that, at the time of proscription most of Scotland did not give a damn about the Highlands, Highlanders , tartan, or the kilt.The event that you wish to remember is just an event amongst many thousands of events that have happened during Scotland's long history and as such merits hardly a thought amongst the natives.

[CDNSushi]

I think the Scots are more than capable of deciding what is important in their education!

Actually, mine was supposed to be a lighthearted comment. I didn't understand the need for taking such a snipe...

But hey, Scotland can do whatever the heck it wants, for all I care. Clearly someone who lives there is in the position to know.

[Jock Scot]

Sigh,

With the greatest of respect, I think you misunderstand Nighthawk on both points.

I know CDNSushi meant no disrespect and perhaps my reply was rather pithy, but I don't think the Scots need any suggestions from anyone, outwith Scotland on how and who does the educating in Scotland and I was just pointing that out.

Secondly. Our Scots history is there for all to see and of course proscription is part of that. BUT proscription only affected the minority and I really do not understand why people from outwith Scotland want to make a bit of a big deal about it when the native Scots don't.