What's Your Function?

By Tammy Derouin

If you grew up prior to today's multi-functional television remote control, you learned how to manage your time at an early age. The television commercial served as an effective tool to see how much you could get done in the least amount of time. The fade away was the starting pistol. My siblings and I would dash, collide and of course, fight over who did what first, before the show returned. Sometimes it was possible to negotiate a plan of attack ahead of time but that meant talking during the show. Negotiations could deteriorate very quickly if too much talking interfered with the program.

There was a time when entertainment was experienced in the present. Making plans and hoping they wouldn't be interrupted actually played a part in making the entertaining experience, your show of choice, special. If you missed it, it was gone. Eventually, there would be a re-broadcast but there was no guarantee you would see it. In more recent decades, even prior to today's multi-functional remote, holding out for summer re-runs was the best way to catch missed episodes. I recall neighborhood kids explaining or in some cases, acting out scenes for those who missed the show of choice.

Life was lived in the present. Pausing your entertainment was not possible. Don't get me wrong, it is nice to record shows and skip commercials. But, some of life's early childhood learning experiences came from learning how to get things done and done well, in a short amount of time. There was a given time frame and if you failed, life went on without you.

If you grew up in the 70's and 80's and enjoyed Saturday morning cartoons on ABC, you were treated to a world of knowledge during commercial breaks. Tucked in between shows such as The Super Friends and ending the morning with the Looney Tune Show, Schoolhouse Rock provided an ingenious way to educated and entertain many young minds.

The Preamble to the Constitution was planted in my head due to Schoolhouse Rock. I always hear the music when I recite it. We learned how a bill becomes a law, why we declared our independence against a tyrannical king, what it took to become a free country, plus lessons in science, math and English. We learned the proper use of nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs. After the historical lessons, Conjunction Junction, was my favorite.

Learning was fun and it offered another hidden challenge. If we were juggling other activities or chores and used the commercial breaks to accomplish some of our needs and responsibilities, what do you do when the commercials are just as entertaining as the program? Do you give up watching Elmer Fudd shoot Daffy Duck? To this day, I'm pretty much brought to tears when I think about all the different ways Daffy's beak landed. Who could forget the argument of duck season versus rabbit season and do you want to shoot him now or wait until you get home? Difficult decisions but we figured it out.

This past week, Bob Dorough, the musical director for the educational cartoon series Schoolhouse Rock, passed away at age 94. According to an article posted by the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, he was a very accomplished jazz musician who worked with some big names during the 50's and 60's.

We never know where life is going to take us. Mr. Dorough touched the young lives of a couple generations. Through the diligence of parents who grew up singing his educational songs, it is possible he could touch many more in the future. Wouldn't it be great if Schoolhouse Rock were part of the school curriculum?

Each one of us has a function in life. Just like a conjunction we have the ability to bring two things together. We can use our life to promote good or evil. Sadly, we are experiencing a time in our history where facts are no longer desired. The truth is hidden by the media to promote a dangerous political agenda. A type of scorch earth policy has been put into effect by the Left to destroy everything American. Hostility towards our fellow countrymen, including calling for death, has become acceptable behavior, by liberals, if you think outside of their political box. You are a target if you are an independent thinker. History shows what will happen when such diabolical practices become normal.

How you approach life is up to you. Do you seek out truth or listen to those who shout the loudest? Do you endorse violence, the suppression of freedom for those who believe differently? How do you treat your fellow countrymen? What's your function?

“Rockin' and a-rollin', splishin' and a splashin', Over the horizon, what can it be? Looks like it's going to be a free country.”

Schoolhouse Rock – No More King