Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!att!cbnewsj!cbnewsi!klf
From: klf@cbnewsi.att.com (karen.l.fenton)
Newsgroups: comp.edu
Subject: Re: Against educational fads
Summary: secretaries v writers
Message-ID: <1990Dec12.151320.29053@cbnewsi.att.com>
Date: 12 Dec 90 15:13:20 GMT
References: <1990Dec5.005509.11049@massey.ac.nz> <15447@cs.utexas.edu> <27743@cs.yale.edu>
Distribution: usa
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 27

In article <27743@cs.yale.edu>, horne-scott@cs.yale.edu (Scott Horne) writes:
> Opinion?  Indeed, there are those who are of the opinion that typing and
> word-processing skills are more important than writing skills.  Russell and
> I won't agree with these people on much.  Russell's article stated the
> (correct) opinion that writing skills are more important to most than typing
> skills.
> 
> The world can use only so many secretaries but needs plenty of good writers.
> 
First of all...I *AGREE* that good writing skills are much
more important than any transcription abilities.

			But...

Only in our dreams does this world need/use/appreciate good writers
more than a good secretary. Face it: our entire culture is built on
and is subordinate to COMMERCE. A good writer is useful only 
in that arena. We encourage/support/pay clerks and secretaries
much more than writers - unless the writer is Stephen King or the
guy who writes the Burger King ad. And you're back to $$$$.

There's no contradiction in our school systems...we are turning
out precisely the type of person our society values and is willing
to pay for.

caught on a bad day...
K. Fenton