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Practically Idealistic blog
 
The title for this blog originated with use of the term “practical idealist” in this 1996 opinion piece, which asked: “To what kind of work should a practical idealist aspire?” A century and a half earlier, Emerson, in his 1841 essay Circles, wrote: “There are degrees in idealism.  We learn first to play with it academically. . . .  Then we see in the heyday of youth and poetry that it may be true, that it is true in gleams and fragments.  Then, its countenance waxes stern and grand, and we see that it must be true.  It now shows itself ethical and practical.”  John Dewey and Mahatma Gandhi embraced practical idealism in the 20th century, as did UN Secretary General U Thant.  Al Gore invoked it in a 1998 speech. In the context of this blog, the term is meant to convey idealism tempered but not overwhelmed by realism: a search for the ideal on a path guided by common sense.
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Sunday, August 28, 2011

Public School Teachers Complete Seminars at Yale

Public school teachers from 21 school districts in 10 states have completed national seminars at Yale.  A July 23, 2011 post discussed these seminars, the National Fellows, and related Congressional legislation.

9:14 am edt 

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Literacy, Every Day

As the Literacy Coalition's new LiteracyEveryday website recently received its 1000th unique visitor (along with some 5000 page views), its Twitter page -- launched in May -- now has more than 100 followers.  These are purely volunteer efforts to increase awareness and action on behalf of literacy in the New Haven region and beyond.

1:40 pm edt 

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Real Food Challenge(s), Do Something

Nothing in the U.S. comes close to approaching the extreme drought and famine conditions in East Africa.  UNICEF, the International Rescue Committee, CARE, and Doctors Without Borders are among the organizations that can help alleviate the crisis. 

As mentioned in a July 9 post below, the Real Food Challenge is addressing significant issues in this country.  One of the project’s leaders, David Schwartz – who with Anim Steel was selected for an Echoing Green Fellowship – is a nominee for a Do Something Award on VH1.  Vote for him here, and sign up to vote every day through August 11. 

Do Something itself was featured in a June 2011 New York Times article, "Charity Goes Mobile to Appeal to Young." 

7:34 am edt 


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