The End of the Liberal Arts Education

Since the 5th century, a formal education has consisted of what is known as the liberal arts. These arts consisted of diverse disciplines: arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, rhetoric, grammar, natural sciences, music and the like. The great European universities of the 11th and 12th centuries were steeped in these arts and all great students were held responsible for learning them. A number of such students became famous philosophers, mathematicians, musicians, poets, theologists, political scientists, psychologists, archaeologists, etc. And the world is no doubt better for having known them.

Unfortunately, since the dawning of the 21st century the liberal arts students have increasingly become viewed as unnecessary and unskilled. Seemingly, these students that spent over $40,000 for their undergraduate careers, are simply not able to function at the level needed to succeed in this world. So, slowly, BAs and BSs are becoming a thing of the past and in their place, the A.A. and other community college degrees have stepped.


Now, in some cases, community colleges can be helpful. They teach certifications in areas that are rapidly hiring. But in many cases, these schools are simply for those who don't know what they want to do with their life and would rather not spend the money and time to go to a real 4-year school. In short, these schools are for those who can't accept a challenge.


Garden Design, Fire Science, and Cabinetry are all classes taught at Ivy Tech and there are many more that honestly should not be a part of any degree. And while some Ivy Tech graduates have a necessary place in the world, it seems that now they are more important than those who spend twice as much time and money learning substance. This view is now being upheld by our dear General Secretary Obama as he announced last week his hope that $12 billion dollars be spent to help support community colleges.

This all while state institutions across the country raise their tuition rates 5-6% and private institutions suffer from lack of state funding. Many people vastly underestimate the importance of the liberal arts education. To some folks, courses such as philosophy, political science, western civilization, American history, etc. are simply a waste of time and teach nothing of significance to students. However, it is not so much the content of such courses that is significant, it is the thought processes which are formulated by advanced study and thought. Such processes, once learned, are invaluable to students who use them to make tough, last-minute decisions in the real world. What's more, they teach students to think in the abstract, develop models and formulas and strive to conduct new research. What research possibilities are granted at community colleges? What new techniques or theories have come from the halls of Ivy Tech? None. But they do turn out a large number of cabinet makers!

College is not for everyone, and community college is for those who can't hack it at the 4-year level. No one great has ever come from a community college and it is doubtful that they ever will. Instead of pushing childrentowards community college, Obama should support high -schools in briefing them in their myriad options: military service, trade school, peace corp, civil service, the workforce and...the 4-year undergraduate college.