posted
There must be some kind of fraternity rush going on even though the university I live across the street from doesn't begin classes for a little over a week.
This is the second night in a row that I've heard very rough choral singing going on right about midnight. There are a couple of frat houses on the next block, in the direction that the singing is coming from. I can't think of anything else it could be but a rush/pledging activity.
My question is, couldn't they do it just a little earlier in the evening? Or is disturbing the neighbors one of the requirements of fraternities?
Posts: 2454 | Registered: Jan 2003
| IP: Logged |
Although, this is Fresno, after all. "Early" doesn't seem to be a factor mitigating against drinking here.
Posts: 2454 | Registered: Jan 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Well, assuming they have parties or something else to be at somewhere else during the day, they have to sober up sufficiently to drive without getting pulled over, then pick up more beer, then down enough to get drunk enough to sing again... Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
| IP: Logged |
What I want to know is why schools start so early now. I didn't see anything wrong with starting school in the middle of September and ending in the middle of June. Now, it doesn't seem like anyone does that anymore. Schools around here are starting August 22 - that goes for the local community college and Fresno State (AFAIK) as well as the public schools. One district nearby started last Monday. As far as I'm concerned, that's just nuts.
Okay. I'll get off my soapbox now. Posts: 2454 | Registered: Jan 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
It's the south that does it. My friends teaching in Atlanta have started already, but I'm not scheduled to start here in NJ until September 7.
Posts: 3960 | Registered: Jul 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
To tell you the truth, annoying as it is to have, say, Hatrack summer gatherings or out of town visitors all happening after my vacation is over, I'm really loving life when I get out of school in late may. Posts: 13680 | Registered: Mar 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
But when I was a kid (in Texas) we got out the end of May AND started right around Sept 1. What happened?
Posts: 1014 | Registered: Jul 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
A lot of the real partying starts before classes get started. The weekend before school starts is always a major party weekend. No class, no homework, but everyone's back in town and can't wait to see what's going on.
posted
I think there is a sense, in hotter areas, that if we get the kids off the street earlier in the "Long, Hot Summer" there will be less gang violence and juvenile delinquency.
Posts: 13680 | Registered: Mar 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
What are people's thoughts on year-round school? Same number of classroom days, but with say four medium length breaks instead of one long, one short, and the rest tiny?
In Virginia, I think they require 183 days of school.
Figure 5/7 of 365 = ~260 weekdays. Take off 10 federal holidays for 250. This leaves 67 days for other breaks.
So you can have 4 three week breaks with 7 extra days for making some 4-day weekends when holidays seem to call for it.
And just for fun, say no homework allowed over the long breaks.
What do people think of this? I always thought it made a lot of sense, at least where farming concerns don't come into play.
posted
It also is problematic where many of the parents are on semester schedules; such as in college towns.
Posts: 15770 | Registered: Dec 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
(I happen to think that would be a loss for education, but others can feel free to disagree. )
Posts: 13680 | Registered: Mar 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
I'm having a little trouble because I'm attending school in the US (my classes begin on the 22nd) but I'm getting my financial aid from the Canadian Government - they're releasing my student loan based on when school starts in Canada (early-mid September). They haven't finalized my application and my school is starting to get worried that I'll begin classes and then not get my student loan. Posts: 367 | Registered: Apr 2004
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Jhai: But rush doesn't happen until the start of spring semester. Ah, the silly chanting...
Well, I know for a fact that rush has started around here. Aside from the singing, I also saw a sorority rush car wash going on down the street from my place yesterday. Anyway, I assume it was a sorority since it was women holding the signs (which specified that it was a rush event) on the corner and trying to drum up customers, but I wouldn't put it past the frat boys to put girls in shorts out there to bring in more men.
I just hope it doesn't get much louder. It's going to be bad enough when football starts. The stadium seats 41,000, sells out more often than not, and is like two blocks from where I live. It gets really, really loud.
Posts: 2454 | Registered: Jan 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
It's easier to start earlier in the South of the US, since a far greater number of schools have air conditioning. In the northeast, it is rare that schools are air conditioned, so having kids sit in class when the heat index is 103 F (as it was today) isn't as easily justifiable.
As for year round school, a teacher in my building came up with a sort of trimester system. The first would run from September through November, with a month break until January. The second would run until through March with a month off for April. The third would run May-July with a month for August.
This would work out pretty well for holidays, too. Everyone would be off for Christmas, Hannukah (it's always at least in December, no?), Eid al Adha (normally in December), New Year's, Good Friday, Easter, and Passover. Unfortunately, Ramadan still falls smack in the middle of school, but it's too hard to clump with other holidays being in October.
The plan actually ended up having about 190 days of school, rather than 180, even including days off for Yom Kippur, Rosh Hashanah, President's Day, Thanksgiving, and MLK Jr. Day.
Posts: 3960 | Registered: Jul 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
Chanukah can be in late November, but that's pretty rare. Ramadan and Eid can both be in any month, since they are part of a lunar calendar that never syncs up with the solar calendar. Oh, and Passover starts the last week of March not that infrequently.
But I'm with Ic on this: teachers need the long break to either recharge or work another job -- or both.
Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Dag, in Arizona, they are going to school year round now. I can't tell you the specific schedules. Other places, too.
Posts: 10890 | Registered: May 2003
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Icarus: I think there is a sense, in hotter areas, that if we get the kids off the street earlier in the "Long, Hot Summer" there will be less gang violence and juvenile delinquency.
I'm trying to keep from laughing. This is Fresno. All starting school earlier does is give the gangbangers (certainly not anywhere near a majority, but an all-too-present minority) a convenient venue in which to network while it is still warm enough and still light late enough to get up to mischief after school.
Good Lord, I've gotten cynical in my old age. Posts: 2454 | Registered: Jan 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
littlemissattitude, it sounds like they're doing early rush. A lot of fraternities and sororities start their rushes a couple of weeks before classes start.
I'm not a fan of year-round school. I completley agree with Icarus about teachers needing the time off (child-care workers, too). Families also vacation then and the rates are cheaper in a lot of places (though much more expensive in others). Finally, many high school students need that time to work. I had to work full-time every summer to make enough money to get me through the year (my scholarship didn't cover books or pom-poms or things like that).
Posts: 3037 | Registered: Jan 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
And, further, many businesses need students to work in the summer, especially in resort areas.
Posts: 10890 | Registered: May 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
I don't like the idea of year round school either. In Utah there are some schools that are year round and some that aren't. The trouble will be finding one that isn't when it's time for our kids to go to school.
Posts: 747 | Registered: Aug 2004
| IP: Logged |
Printer-friendly view of this topic
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
![[Eek!]](eek.gif)
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
Treasure your luck in that. ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Grumble]](graemlins/grumble.gif)
![[Frown]](frown.gif)
![[Angst]](graemlins/angst.gif)
