The Mis-Education Of American Scholars

2 Pages 567 Words

Several individuals may believe that general education requirements, such as a Literature course, are merely a university’s attempt to prolong a student’s collegiate career and collect additional tuition fees, but what many of them fail to realize is that these courses create a foundation upon which future knowledge will be based and expanded. This groundwork will give students the ability to handle themselves and will enable them to interact with a rapidly growing and diverse population. Without literary courses, students will be debarred of valuable knowledge and tools that will inevitably become vital to their academic growth and future success.
Ever questioned as to why most students -- even those who have attended esteemed colleges or universities -- seem to be unaware and unintelligible in reference to life or the world around them? It may possibly be because in the impetuous quest of triumphant sports teams, expensive overly proficient facilities, and the obvious influence of money, colleges and universities seem to have forgotten their principal charge: to teach students something about history, literature, mathematics, the natural sciences, foreign language, philosophy and English. Generally speaking, five of these seven topics are closely linked to the subject matter of literature.
The reason most scholars fail to leave college with such a base-line education is simple: It is no longer required of them. Concisely, there has been a purging from the curriculum of many of the required basic survey courses, including literature, which previously familiarized students with the historical, cultural, political and scientific foundations of their society. According to the National Association of Scholars President Stephen Balch, America is "in danger of losing the common frame of cultural reference that for many generations has sustained our liberal, democratic society." According to a study by the NAS, the number of top schoo...