Loud Arguments About Silent Letters

by Kevin Burton    When my parents issued me flash cards before kindergarten, I wondered why the work “knife” had a K in it when it didn’t do anything.     All these years later I hear from Merriam-Webster that not just e’s and k’s but all the letters of the English alphabet are silent at …

Let’s See If I Really Know My ABCs

by Kevin Burton    One day my kindergarten teacher Mrs. Wolf asked me, “Kevin, do you know your ABCs?”    “My good woman,” I replied, “if you are referring to the English aaal-phabet, then yes, I suppose I do know my A-B-Cs. May I be of some assistance to you in this matter?”    It …

“The Electric Company” Brought The Power

by Kevin Burton    Fifty years ago a technicolor light was turned on. For me it still shines.   The premier episode of The Electric Company aired on PBS on Oct. 25, 1971. The show makes a very short list of my favorite television shows ever.     It burst forth on PBS in the wake …

Never Too Late To Do The Right Thing

by Kevin Burton    There is one much overdue good deed I will not get to do.    I was looking through my language arts books for a Spanish text I got from my sister.  The text was actually property of Wichita West High School and should have been returned to them.     I never …