TEENS: When I was a high school student, history was not one of my favorite subjects, but fortunately, I had dedicated teachers. By the time I graduated with courses in world history, U.S. history and civics under my belt, I knew a great deal about our country's past and how it has shaped the present. I'm eternally grateful to my teachers for getting through to me.

Unfortunately, not enough history teachers are getting through to their students these days. According to a recent Department of Education report, most U.S. high school seniors have poor knowledge of American history. Diane Ravitch, a historian and professor at New York University, stated that this is especially grim at a time when the United States is at war against the threat of terrorism.

If high school seniors had been given a letter grade on a recent national history test, only 1 percent would have gotten an A; 10 percent would have received a B, 32 percent a C, and a whopping 57 percent a D or F.

For instance, only 48 percent knew the correct answer to this question: When the United States entered the Second World War one of its allies was (a) Germany (b) Japan (c) Italy (d) the Soviet Union. Do you know the answer?

An even more abysmal 37 percent got this question correct: Which president, (a) Harry Truman (b) John Kennedy (c) Richard Nixon (d) Lyndon Johnson, opened diplomatic relations with China's communist government?

According to Education Department statistics, over 50 percent of junior and senior high school students are taught history by teachers who neither majored nor minored in history. This is a major part of the problem!

The answer to the first question is: (d) the Soviet Union. The answer to the second question is: (c) Richard Nixon. If you didn't know these basic facts, you might want to check a good book on American history out of the library and start making up for lost time!

SCHOOL DANCES ARE SAFE AND WONDERFUL

DR. WALLACE: I want to start attending dances sponsored by our high school, but my parents won't let me go because they think a lot of the kids drink and do drugs when they go to dances. What can I do to convince them to allow me to attend school dances? - Nameless, Columbus, Ohio.

NAMELESS: There are no dance venues safer from alcohol, drugs or violence than school dances. All are chaperoned by staff personnel and only students attending that school are allowed to attend.

Have your parents speak with your counselor. This will assure them that your local school dance is safe and a wonderful student activity.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. E-mail him at [email protected]. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.