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So, these were educational projects, the purpose being to instill in children a sense of responsibility. I'd be interested in hearing about how well it worked.
by wrp 4y ago
So, these were educational projects, the purpose being to instill in children a sense of responsibility. I'd be interested in hearing about how well it worked. I've lived in rural America and I see a huge difference in maturity between suburban and farm kids. The daily responsibilities of farm life seem to instill a focus and determination that carries into the workplace. The trains project would be a much less immersive experience, so I wonder how pronounced any benefit would be.
- IIAOPSW 4y agoJust curious why do you say it would be a less immersive experience? Running a train system is no small thing. From drawing up time tables to ad hoc rerouting when something inevitably breaks to all the signal and rolling stock maintenance...
- mantas 4y agoAt least in my city, the child railway used to be an isolated bit of decommissioned railway. A kilometer or two of a single track to do back-and-forth runs. While it still had to be great experience (it was closed many years before I was born), it was not that complicated :)
- orthoxerox 4y agoIt's still complicated, since your tiny train can run over some wino who fell asleep across your tiny track after finding a hole in the fence.
- wrp 4y agoThe trains experience would be something children would voluntarily spend a few hours on occasionally. Farm life would be a daily responsibility that children would have no option of walking away from. I anticipate that children running a train could be very immersed in the moment, but the goal of the activity was to instill a sense of responsibility, and I'm wondering how effective that transitory experience would be.