Panel Forum Argues About The Value of Liberal Education

"How long can a man or woman live for a carrot alone?"

Last night's panel debate on "The Postgraduate Value of an Undergraduate Liberal Arts Education" highlighted the above question along with similar others in a forum held in Paine Hall.

Panelists Edwin O. Reischauer, professor of History, Leon Botstein, President of Bard College and Steven Fischer, chief counselor at Bernard Haldane Associates, a career-counseling organization, presented their views on liberal arts education, its private and public consequences, and even debated its existence.

Last night Botstein questioned the existence of a true liberal arts curriculum in America today. Using Harvard as an example, Botstein said that people should not confuse a general distribution program, which he described as "an agglomeration of courses," with a truly coherent liberal arts curriculum that "guides students in areas that will help them to deal with present and future society."

However, when asked how he would go about devising such a core curriculum, Botstein gave no specific groundworks for a plan.

Fischer described the present college system as "a training ground for a consumer, production-line ethic."

"A truly liberal arts program," said Fischer, "is certainly liberating, but not very practical."