George Washington learned character at an early age because of his father. Among other things, Augustine saw to it that George was mentored in penmanship, and at the same time, CHARACTER.

George learned the “110 Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior in Company and Conversation” by practicing his penmanship. This became an important part of George’s youth—learning character traits that he valued all his life.

After seeing the results of our last Presidential Election, I am all the more convinced that teaching character is now the most important educational topic that our schools should now be involved in. In athletics and sports, good sportsmanship is taught by the coaches and P.E. instructors. I propose it now needs to be taught as a part of the English curriculum, or in history, or as a separate course.

Just look at what our citizenship has been reduced to. The losers are not good losers, whereas in the past, as I recall, they always have been unhappy, but quiet about it. Not now, not anymore. Character has not been taught or learned by the younger, now voting, generation.

If we can’t learn good character as American citizens, you may soon say good-by to a republic. As they sang in “West Side Story”, you have to be carefully taught!