BASICS NEED TO BE BEDROCK OF SCHOOLS

A survey published earlier this month revealed that while 59 percent of teen-agers can name the Three Stooges, only 41 percent can name the three branches of government. Further, while 74 percent can name the city where cartoon character Bart Simpson lives (Springfield), only 12 percent knew that Abraham Lincoln lived in Springfield, Ill. All this and more is according to the survey commissioned by the National Constitution Center. The group is building a museum in Philadelphia designed to make Americans more familiar with the Constitution.

There is some good news as well. Nearly 74 percent of teens knew that Al Gore is vice president. But that's well below the 90 percent who know that Leonardo DiCaprio was the make star of the "Titanic."

Mayor Ed Rendell of Philadelphia told a Senate committee that too few Americans have even a basic working knowledge of their government. He is concerned that while 75 percent knew the ZIP Code of Beverly Hills (90210), only about 25 percent know in what city the Constitution was written (Rendell's Philadelphia). "I believe that building this museum and reversing this tide of ignorance is absolutely critical to the health of our democracy," said Rendell, who is chairman of the center. "The Constitution doesn't work by itself. It depends on active, informed citizens."

Amen to that. Rendell is asking Congress for an appropriation of $20 million for the building. Backers hope to persuade Congress ultimately to fund half the building's expected $130 million cost.

Such sums may be money well spent. Still, one has to wonder about our schools, many of which seem hell-bent to focus on a multicultural approach to the study of what used to be straightforwardly treated as history, geography and civics. Every Missouri eighth grader used to have to pass a comprehensive exam on our state Constitution. It was a good exercise. One hopes that amid all of today's focus on Africa and the feminist authors of the Third World, there might be a little time to teach the timeless fundamentals of American civic life: The Constitution, the Founders and other basics. This is what parents want, and today's school officials ignore this desire not only at their peril, but at our country's as well.