The Rise and  Fall of the American Teenager
Providing a historical perspective on a modern phenomenon is no easy  task, but Thomas Hine has done an admirable job cataloging that ever-changing  creature we know as the American teenager. Beginning with a look at colonial  times and ending with the present-day burger-flipping menaces portrayed in the  press,The Rise and Fall of the American Teenageris a fascinating look  at a culture that we take for granted in these times, yet is quite a recent  development. Looking deeply at the economic and educational realities of people  ages 10 through 20 over the last 300 years, Hine takes readers through a world  where teens were expected to contribute greatly to their family's financial  well-being; in fact, in the early years of the industrial revolution, employers  would often refuse to hire the head of the household unless he had several sons  to offer as part of a package deal. While the first few chapters cover 50 to 100  years in one shot, time moves less rapidly beginning with the 20th century, and  each decade earns its own complete chapter. Using personal stories from  revolutionary-era students, 19th-century millworkers and immigrants, and classic  all-American cheerleaders from the 1950s, we're given an accurate picture of  what life was really like for inexperienced kids. The evolution of modern  education is closely examined and will provide a wealth of interesting insights  for today's educators. What was once meant as a viable alternative to the  college experience has now simply become a holding pen for teens, some who may  go on to a university, some who are destined to join the ranks of the  perpetually underemployed. The last chapter offers a few possible suggestions  for bringing realistic change into the current system; the rest of the book is  sure to provide plenty of inspiration for readers to invent their own set of  educational possibilities.--Jill Lightner