Robert M. Katzman © October 30, 2020
A proud tree cut down
Leaves, branches all asunder
Trunk chopped and scattered
Like so much plunder
***
The tree softly cries
While its birds fly in search
Their nest blown away
Nowhere for them to perch
***
(Read on …)When I started college at Southern Illinois University, in 1968, tuition, fees and book rentals came to $89 per quarter or $267 per year for a full-time student. Today, the same state university charges $331.25 per semester hour or $10,600 per year 40 times more expensive. Why?
Here in Portugal, tuition at a state school costs about $1200 per year. There is talk of reducing or possibly eliminating tuition. Several European countries, such as Germany, have zero tuition, even for foreign students. A few even provide stipends to students to help cover living expenses.
The difference appears to be that European countries consider developing an educated citizenry part of the infrastructure like roads and bridges. Of course, they pay higher taxes but I hear few complaints about that. The US does not want to fund education or infrastructure presumably because Americans are rugged individualists (at lest the poor ones) who do not want the government to be meddling in their lives.
My travel photos are at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/rick-pic/