On Jeeves, Wooster, and wars that destroy all of a class society

In a discussion on james_nicoll's lj about Jeeves and Wooster, it was pretty well determined that, in the world of Jeeves and Wooster, neither World War must have happened. They were written post-WWI, and some of them, even post-WWII, but the world is pure Edwardian.

So I was a bit surprised when I was re-reading the 1921 "Jeeves in the Springtime":

"The method which I advocate is what, I believe, the advertisers call Direct Suggestion, sir, consisting as it does of driving an idea home by constant repetition. You may have had some experience of the system?"
"You mean they keep on telling you that some soap or other is the best, and after a bit you come under the influence and charge round the corner and buy a cake?"
"Exactly, sir. The same method was the basis of all the most valuable propaganda during the world war. . . ."

And later, during the same story, as Mr. Little was discussing his cook:

"She has been with me many years, and in all that time I have not known her guilty of a single lapse from the highest standard. Except once, in the winter of 1917, when a purist might have condemned a certain mayonnaise of hers as lacking in creaminess. But one must make allowances. There had been several air-raids about that time, and no doubt the poor woman was shaken. . . . "

So, instead, it seems that World War I, at least, did happen. It just didn't affect anyone.

Two related thoughts

1. So, I'm finally beginning to get really nervous about the trip we're going on Thursday. It will be the first time I've ever been out of the country, and I'm just plain scared. My hands are shaking, palms sweating, and mouth dry. I hate travel, and I'm going to try my best to have a good time. Because it's an awesome trip: London for a few days, then train to Italy for more time. We're even already packed, and our luggage is reasonably lug-able. So, now that there is nothing to be nervous about, I'm massively nervous.


2. You know that song "Boston" by Augustana? About a woman who's sick of her life and wants to start over, so is saying that she'll go to Boston, away from California? The whole idea of Boston being the exotic, far-away place where you can start over, and California being the starting point you're getting away with so messes with me that I literally feel nauseous every time I hear the song. Not because the song's bad or anything, but because that idea of Boston being there and some place other than Boston being here is so disorienting that I get motion sickness.

Now that the Hebrew School year is over, I thought I'd try to remember some of the lessons I taught

So, I thought I'd try to write down some of the things which I taught to my students this year.

Every once in a while, I wonder why the Hebrew School keeps hiring me back. I mean, the board members' children have all had me as a teacher -- they KNOW what I teach and how, and yet, they not only keep hiring me, they LIKE what I'm teaching their kids.

So it might be a good idea to try to remember a few of those things:
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