Robert Browning (1812-1889) wrote, in a poem about a man looking back on his life, “Ah, but a man’s reach should exceed his grasp, or what’s a heaven for?”  His message was inspirational (reach high!), slightly melancholy (we do not always win), and literal (Heaven awaits those who try). As kids struggle, my Maine education comes back. We have to return to what works.

Growing up in rural Maine 50 years ago, believe it or not, we had traditional, strong, public schools. We read Jack London (Call of the Wild, White Fang), Herman Melville (Bartleby the Scrivner, Moby Dick), Kenneth Roberts (Arundel, Northwest Passage, Rabble in Arms), and Sarah Orne Jewett (Country of the Pointed Firs). We learned to love reading (although Moby Dick was long).

Those books taught us about important things: courage, how to dream, why and how to be intrepid, to respect nature; life’s joys, ironies, and contradictions; the goodness in searching out challenges and discomfort, the importance of seeing beauty, counting our blessings, and managing loneliness.

Beyond literature, we read “The Essays” by New England’s Ralph Waldo Emerson, including “Self-Reliance,” and then “Walden” and “Ktaadn” by Henry David Thoreau, one of Emerson’s students.

In Maine’s public schools, we started with the Pledge of Allegiance, which was often taught by veterans, and all – every single student – respected their service and sacrifice. We learned languages. I read Franz Kafka and Thomas Mann in German, then Cicero, Ceasar, and other Romans in Latin.

On the geography and history fronts, we memorized the state capitols in 5^th grade and got a year of Maine history by law. In sciences, we had a year of earth science, biology, chemistry, and physics. We learned algebra, geometry, and calculus, much of which we forgot, but we knew we could do it.

For those who liked to use their hands, and had a gift for figuring things out, we had “shop,” which included working under a hood, mechanics, welding, carpenters, electricians, plumbers, and learning how to train in a profitable trade. For those who liked art, we had all kinds; they loved it.

Creative writing was offered, along with anatomy (dissecting frogs and pigs), and for non-athletic fun, debate, orchestra, chorus, and plays like 1776 and Bye Bye Birdie (based on Elvis Presley). On the athletic side, most participated, some running, others baseball, football, soccer, and field hockey.

In short, public schools did not dodge hard stuff; they taught it. They leaned into it and taught us that is what you do. You do the hard thing, stay calm, fail, do it over, use your eraser, and learn how to lean into it.

Our public schools were, objectively, very good. Teachers of all kinds were given the freedom to be teachers, to elevate teaching with stories, be creative, teach each child how to learn, morale high.

Teachers worked to expand our thinking and create “out of the box” thinkers, or critical thinkers. We were taught to ask questions, no questions stupid, tiresome, inappropriate, or unworthy of asking.

Teachers lived to help encourage kids to be healthy, and have strong hearts, inquiring minds, tough bodies, and integrity. Wed goofed things up, and failed the perfect line, but tried, because they expected us to try. They put us on track for whatever met us. And of course, in those days, the State of Maine – and our Nation – was filled with opportunities, business, trades, services, agriculture, you name it.

So, where is America – our public education system – today? In the tank. Most kids ending high school – if they do – have never read a book cover-to-cover. They can no more name state capitols than the planets, or food groups, or describe a color wheel. Naming the states would escape them.

They have fewer math, reading, writing, and industrial arts skills, often no “shop,” zero earth science (not taught), and no idea what prime numbers, square roots, polynomials, or long division are. Excuses for non-performance are accepted, and efforts to enforce accountability are punished. Is that right?

Sadly, while the level of any State’s education ebbs and flows, Maine is now Number 49 out of 50, inexcusable.  Other states have fallen in absolute terms. America is 16th out of 81 countries in science. We are robbing kids of what they need most, a solid, strong, robust start in life.

As one study noted: “In 2022, there were 5 education systems with higher average reading literacy scores for 15-year-olds than the United States, 25 with higher mathematics literacy scores, and 9 with higher science literacy scores.” We are letting a generation down.

So, instead of teaching social policy, cultural change, political activism, and leftism, how about we go back to basics and teach skills, things that improve prosperity, not activism?

Bottom line: We need to refocus on rebuilding our schools, putting kids not administrators first, and remembering gifts our parents gave us – and taught us. As Robert Browning reminded: “The best things in life … must be given away.” Time to start giving learning away, and return to what works.

Robert Charles is a former Assistant Secretary of State under Colin Powell, former Reagan and Bush 41 White House staffer, attorney, and naval intelligence officer (USNR). He wrote “Narcotics and Terrorism” (2003), “Eagles and Evergreens” (2018), and is National Spokesman for AMAC. Robert Charles has also just released an uplifting new book, “Cherish America: Stories of Courage, Character, and Kindness” (Tower Publishing, 2024).