Return of the Manual Arts

We have spent considerable space in these posts discussing education, particularly the liberal arts. This post is dedicated to the lesser known side of our curriculum—the manual arts. Manual arts are not something that the average American thinks about in the 21st century. But a hundred years ago, the vast majority of Americans were engaged […]

The Dawning Of A New Era

We have been saying for years that the day would come when the concepts and results of a liberal education would again be valued in politics, business, and society in general, that citizenship would enjoy a renewed position of importance in our nation, and that statesmen would rise up in our capitols to provide courageous […]

If It Saves Just One Life

I was shocked, dismayed, and like you I personally grieved for the families who lost children at the Newtown, Connecticut shooting just two month ago. What a severe act of violence. Who can make sense of 27 senseless deaths? It will indeed be a black mark on American history. And as much as I try […]

The Liberal Arts During Bondage: Part One

[This series of posts are a continuation of the blog posted on January 1, 2013 at Shanonbrooks.com entitled Job Training Versus Character Education] What does bondage look like? One attribute of human nature is that we tend to acclimate over time to whatever condition we are experiencing.  We get used to the hot or cold […]

Job Training Versus Character Education

Modern higher education has become proficient at convincing the American public that to earn a good living, one must hold a college/university degree. While some jobs/careers do require specialized training, the scheme of requiring a degree in most cases, is more a function of credentialism and jumping through hoops than actual job preparation. Just ask […]

Funding Is Half Way There

Last month we sent out an email (The Right Idea At The Right Time) comparing the beginnings of Monticello College to other now well-known colleges and universities. We showed you the simple solution used by many institutions of higher learning centuries ago and how it stabilized those schools to become the great educational pillars they […]

A Renaissance in Social Leadership

I actually wrote and posted this article in 2009, but I felt that it was a good time to take another look.   In Lee Iacocca’s book Where Have All the Leaders Gone?, he strikes a poignant cord—with all of these problems we are facing, where is the outrage? And now that he mentions it, […]

Controversial Article: Read At Your Own Risk

This is an article worth reading. It is a liberal critic by a normally liberal news outlet. It is the kind of scrutiny that all potential presidents should be subjected to (before the election) and it addresses the issue of racism. I Too Have Become Disillusioned —by Matt Patterson (Columnist, Washington Post, New York Post […]