"Future Shock" is here in Missoula courtesy of Missoula County Public Schools

I thought that I'd post a few thoughts about a subject that was shared with me by a Missoula friend (a fellow long-time Missoulian) who attended Franklin for all 8 grades (!) in addition to graduating Hellgate High.

When my friend was in high school - as I just mentioned - at Hellgate - a school from which her grandfather graduated in 1929 when it was named Missoula County High School!! - her elective English class read the book "Future Shock" by Alvin Toffler.
We, in Missoula, as are people worldwide, experiencing "Future Shock" just as Toffler had predicted in his 1970 book. Future Shock is here and it is effecting how our schools are operating and have been operating for some time.

I would like to apply the ideas in the book Future Shock to the demolishing of Franklin School in addition to making huge renovations to the A.J. Gibson school building - Lowell School - on the north side. Such radical changes to our traditional school buildings has been extremely stressful to many people -  most likely for long-time Missoulians. My friend, the Franklin School alum, is saddened by this as are many others who have talked to me, some Franklin alumni.

Here's some quotes from 'Future Shock" that may explain our dismay of these changes to our beloved schools -

The introduction of Future Shock in a compact classic book states:

"Many people have trouble coping with change - particularly when it comes too fast. Since changes in our rapidly advancing society are both common and sudden, many of us are experiencing great stress."

"Alvin Toffler's phrase "future shock" has become a classic byword to describe this inner turmoil." 

And when one applies the concept of future shock to our buildings which would include school buildings Toffler writes -

     "We live in a throw-away, one-time-use society, which, in turn, spawns a throw-away mentality.

 EVEN OUR BUILDINGS ARE CONSTANTLY BEING TORN DOWN AND REBUILT"

The demolition and rebuilding of Franklin School, which according to this writer, appears to be in good shape (Note: as in many Missoula schools Franklin had additions throughout the years), is just another symptom of future shock in our wonderful(and getting less so with ill-advised changes) city of Missoula.

Additionally, with the school bond passed in November 2105 there will be the closure of Cold Springs school in the 39th St. area to add to our already 4-5 closed schools.

Written by Missoula school watchdog on June 9 and 10th, 2016, Friday and Saturday.

edited - September 2, 2016