Peterkin: An Educational Fable
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Authors
Solley, Charles M.
Issue Date
1972
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Type
Book, Whole
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Abstract
This somewhat simplistic book follows Peter Peterkin from the third grade up to college graduation. By conversing with animal teachers, he gets very partial and mostly unsuccessful strategies on how to get educated. From Prof. Bottomley, the frog, he learns to imitate exactly what his teacher does. From a bee, he learns that touches can have meaning. From a butterfly he learns the value of drugs and fermented liquids. From a sheep he learns the value of following what others do. From a dog, he learns the value of obeying. Reflecting with Bottomley, he tries for a while to do as little as possible and only to obey direct orders. In all this the most stimulating thought may come from Bottomley. In his frog culture, the worst students are sent to school to become teachers, so that they can learn from their students. They get, as it were, a second chance by staying in school. Peter has at last a good human teacher in the next grade and learns to follow freely the suggestions of an interested person. His road leads him at college to develop a friendship with Socrates, the mainframe computer. He ultimately learns that there need to be human teachers besides good computers like Socrates. Only human teachers can share their lives. Since education never ends, Solley refuses to give an ending to the story. If you insist on an ending, you'll have to write it yourself.
Description
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Publisher
Brooks/Cole Pub. Co.
Wadsworth Publishing Company, Inc.
Wadsworth Publishing Company, Inc.
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Identifier
4302 (Access ID)