07 Jun 2010
A Classical Education: Back to the Future

Latin didn't kill me - nor do I remember any of my classmates dying of it. In fact, a core focus on the humanities serves as the best possible basis of an education. To the authors list I would add music and art, but that's about it - and I would eliminate all "physical education", "industrial education" and other such pap. If kids want to play sports, more power to'em - after school and with their own funds. If factories and offices need trained workers (and they do) methinks they would find a classically educated person a much better trainee than one whose education consists of classes in health, psych, PE and basket weaving ...

Classical High School (in Providence, RI) is the best and most demanding educational institution I have ever been associated with. The name tells the story. When I attended, offerings and requirements included four years of Latin, three years of French, two years of German, physics, chemistry, biology, algebra, geometry, calculus, trigonometry, English, history, civics, in addition to extra-curricular activities...

(link) [New York Times: Opinionator]

21:34 /Politics | 3 comments | permanent link