My father was born on the North Dakota plains in 1901. He finished eighth grade and was proficient in arithmetic and 'figuring'.

He died in 1995, still sturdy and healthy, except for a too-slow heartbeat.

For almost all of his life he mocked higher education- we kids grew up knowing that 'he went to college was a definite clue to a man's lack of good sense and judgment and the ability and humility to work with his hands. "He never worked a day in his life" was the ultimate put down.

I was practically 30 years old before I was brave enough to point out to him that hiring an educated - as in trained - plumber or mechanic or electrician saved a great deal of time and money and anxiety. So why not an educated mind? He didn't buy that- as far as he was concerned, an 'intelligent' mind learned everything necessary through his own experience and from the people around him.

Having been exposed to that kind of thinking all my life I kind of understand where this new 'thought' is coming from. It is mind-boggling to me, though, that it is still around and seemingly more prevalent than a hundred years ago.