Harvard professor Harvey Mansfield speaks of the difference between excellence and greatness, and he reminds us of the greatness of America’s Founding Fathers when he remarks, “Any American education in greatness could begin by appealing to the admiration most of us already have for those who initiated the society we now enjoy.” Professor Mansfield delivered his remarks on October 6, 2006 upon accepting the Philip Merrill Award for Outstanding Contributions to Liberal Arts Education in Boston, with an introduction by Paul A. Cantor.
Any number of colleges and universities seem to be having PR travails these days, but this may be a case where the turmoil is healthy. The school year that is now ending has turned out to be something of a banner year for academic reform. Consider the recent unrest at the College of William and […]
A timely quiz: •What did the Emancipation Proclamation actually proclaim? •What was the source of the following phrase: “Government of the people, by the people, for the people?” •Who are Beavis and B–head (this program won’t let me post the actual name, but you know who I’m talking about anyway, right)? USA Today reporter Rick […]
A recent survey of Britons under the age of 20 reported that more than 20 percent of them believe Winston Churchill, Richard the Lion-Hearted and Florence Nightingale were fictional characters, but that Robin Hood, Sherlock Holmes and King Arthur were real people. We hope American students are more knowledgeable, but evidence is not reassuring. They […]
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