Do You Know Rufus Xavier Sarsaparilla?

Were you lucky enough for any of your high school/junior high/grade school teachers to give you a treat in the form of School House Rock? I was. It was always something to look forward to, especially since it would indicate the teacher was in a good mood.

I also grew up watching these on TV. They’re entertaining enough to not really make kids realize that knowledge is being imparted to them. Is it sad that we might learn better through trickery and manipulation?
School House Rock covered topics that ranged from American history and government to English rules of grammar. No videos with style tips, but I picked all of those up on my own.

Can you recite the preamble to the Constitution? Well, if you were a fan of School House Rock you might have learned the words without even trying. That came in handy for me since we were required to memorize it. Of course, you had to remember to add in ‘of the United States’ or - points deducted, buddy.

We the people
In order to form a more perfect union,
Establish justice, insure domestic tranquility…

Through Rufus Xavier Sarsaparilla you could easily learn about using pronouns. If you needed to learn about the planets (back when Pluto still was one) Interplanet Janet was your gal…er, song. The Tale of Mr. Morton taught you about subjects and predicates. They taught a lot.

And learning how a bill becomes a law was never easier than with the popular I’m Just a Bill:

I’m just a bill.
Yes, I’m only a bill.
And I’m sitting here on Capitol Hill.
Well, it’s a long, long journey
To the capital city.
It’s a long, long wait
While I’m sitting in committee,
But I know I’ll be a law some day
At least I hope and pray that I will
But today I am still just a bill.

That bill is the cutest little smooshy-faced bill evar!

I’m off to go watch something less educational! All of this knowledge wears down my brain, you know?

Jessica

School House Rock! Rocks CD (sing ‘em in the car!)

Top image is from school-house-rock.com.