Since the early 1800s “The Three Rs” has been a reference to basic skills in children’s education. The phrase is equating the strong sounding ‘R’ of words; Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic to the foundation of childhood schooling. However, what is missing in America’s education system is the fourth R.

As this dissertation will deal with early education, I will keep the lesson to easily understood subjects. However, I will invite all professional education elitists to attend and listen to what amounts to a “Show and Tell.” This method is very successful for all levels of human progress. Incidentally, the phrase ‘American Education’ will address only the United States of America, as other parts of North and South America prefer their national titles.

To begin this ‘show and tell’ exhibition, we shall start with a simple rock. Any plant set alongside of the rock will present two items of difference to contemplate. One is an inert object, the other a living assemblage of cells. The children agree there is a vast difference. When we introduce a cat or dog in line and compare the plant to the animal, again there is a starling difference noted. The animal has a brain, has instinctive defenses, and can take care of its nutritional need to survive. Enter the child or any educational elitist to the line. The human mammal has a brain as well as the cat. It can defend and feed itself. What is the difference? Some children leap up and shout that we can draw, ride a bike, go to the movies, and even… make movies. Eventually an educated listener will conclude that we humans went to the moon and returned. A rhinoceros could not do that.

A vast difference exists as we leapfrog to the human in this show. We humans have a brain that can ‘reason,’ and in doing so, can absorb all the knowledge of the Earth over which we hold dominion. Thus, ‘Reason’ is of equal, indeed the most important human facility of all, in this visual sequence of ‘differences’.

Are we humans the last in the feeding chain of Earthy dominion? Is there something as vastly different from humanity as the separated items in the ‘show and tell’? Enter the spiritual aspect that parallels the known history of mankind. As this leap into Theology will consume this lesson, I will drop that subject for another time.

‘Reason’ is our subject. However, exercise of ‘reason’ is not known, equally distributed, or used among humans. This can be illustrated in a small way when a criminal, of any age, having found ‘the capacity to reason’ while educated in prison, wonders why he or she wasn’t taught that trait at a young age.

This same question, regarding exposure to reason at any age, can be asked in all aspects of human communication. Stable family growth, Education, Government, Trade skills, scientific advancement, and yes; even Theology can be addressed through reason.

The United States of America was created in the same sequence as the show and tell of this lesson; ending with the Declaration of Independence, The Constitution, through reason denied other nations. There still is a vast difference that separates The United States from nations ruled by Demigods, Theocratic tyrants, Monarchs, and Dictators.