From the Academy

About eight years ago, Mr. Christopher Jencks estimated that perhaps 1 per cent of the students enrolled in our colleges are interested in obtaining a rigorous intellectual discipline; another 2 or 3 per cent seek a fairly good general education; about 5 per cent desire an introduction to middlebrow culture and middle-class conviviality.

And what about all the rest of the undergraduates? Well, approximately half of their number haven’t the foggiest notion of why they enrolled in college— except to avoid conscription, or because dad sent them. The interest of the remainder is in professional or vocational training—chiefly vocational. Since Mr. Jencks wrote, doubtless the proportion of students who really desire learning for learning’s sake has diminished—because enrollments have grown enormously.

RK

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Russell Kirk

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About eight years ago, Mr. Christopher Jencks estimated that perhaps 1 per cent of the students enrolled in our colleges are interested in obtaining a rigorous intellectual discipline; another 2 or 3 per cent seek a fairly good general education; about 5 per cent desire an introduction to middlebrow culture and middle-class conviviality.

And what about all the rest of the undergraduates? Well, approximately half of their number haven’t the foggiest notion of why they enrolled in college— except to avoid conscription, or because dad sent them. The interest of the remainder is in professional or vocational training—chiefly vocational. Since Mr. Jencks wrote, doubtless the proportion of students who really desire learning for learning’s sake has diminished—because enrollments have grown enormously.