Education: S Etting It Right

NATIONALHumanities ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES • VOLUME 12 • NUMBER 1 • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1991 EDUCATION: S ETTING IT RIGHT Editor's Note Education in America "How is it that we can so often see where we are going wrong," asks Endow ment Chairman Lynne V. Cheney, "and yet be unable to change direction?" In her latest report on humanities education in America, Tyrannical Machines, Cheney finds that the obstacles to improving our educational institutions are pervasive and extend from the earliest grades to the university level, from the way books are chosen to the way teachers themselves are taught. "We force prospective schoolteachers to take education courses that waste their time. We place expectations on college and university faculty members that discourage Tyrannical Machines, a report on humani them from devoting time to students and the classroom," she writes. "Thought ties education in America by NEH Chairman Lynne V. Cheney ful teachers and faculty members, as well as concerned administrators, chafe under these regimes; but the machines, larger than any individual or school, Humanities roll on." A bimonthly review published by the In this issue of Humanities, we carry an excerpt from the report's chapter on National Endowment for the Humanities higher education, examining the conflicting demands between research and teaching. Nobel laureate Roald Hoffman offers hope for a healthier balance: Chairman: Lynne V. Cheney "I am certain that I have become a better researcher, a better theoretical Publisher, Editorial Director: chemist, because I've had to teach undergraduates," he says. "... The more Marguerite Hoxie Sullivan I taught beginning classes, the more important it became to me to explain." Editor: Mary Lou Beatty Pursuing the thesis that "explaining" to beginners invigorates the class Assistant Editors: James S. Turner room, in another article we examine the tack this process is taking for even Ellen Marsh the very young. Michelle and Robert Wilhelm, who teach classics at Miami Editorial Assistant: Kristen Hall University in Ohio, write about summer institutes that have helped elemen Marketing Director: Joy Evans tary teachers use classical mythology to stretch the intellectual capacities of Editorial Board: Marjorie Berlincourt, children. In Evanston, Illinois, in Waco, Texas, and in dozens of other cities Harold Cannon, Richard Ekman, George across the country, kindergartners on up are learning history, language, art, F. Farr, Jr., Donald Gibson, Guinevere and culture through the Iliad, the Aeneid, and tales of other heroic exploits. Griest, James Herbert, Thomas Kingston, And turning to the nature of heroism, playwright Valerie Lester offers some Jerry Martin, Malcolm Richardson provocative thoughts on Achilles as the quintessential Greek hero. His coun Design: Hausmann Graphic Design, Inc. terpart, Odysseus, she says, has worthy points to be considered, and his taste The opinions and conclusions expressed in for strategem should make him no less a model. She sees in George Dimock's Humanities are those of the authors and do not new textual interpretation, The Unity of the Odyssey, a welcome redressing of necessarily reflect Endowment policy. Material a hero's reputation. appearing in this publication, except for that already copyrighted, may be reproduced. —Mary Lou Beatty Please notify the editor in advance so that appropriate credit can be given. The Chairman of the Endowment has determined that the pub lication of this periodical is necessary in the transaction of the public business required by law of this agency. Use of funds for printing this periodical has been approved by the director of the Office of Management and Bud get through September 1992. Send requests for subscriptions and other communications to the editor, Humanities, National Endowment for the Humanities, 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20506. Telephone 202/786-0435. Annual subscription rate: $11.00 domestic, $13.75 foreign. Two years: $22.00, $27.50. (USPS 521-090) ISSN 0018-7526. Cover credits, top row: College of Saint Scholastica; Saint Anselm College; College of Saint Scho- lastica. Second row: University of North Texas. Third Row: Gettysburg College; University of Tennessee; University of North Texas. Bottom row: Kirkwood Community College; Saint Anselm College; Dixie College. Tyrannical Machines credits, from left to right: p. 6-a. University of North Texas, b. Kirkwood Community College, c. University of Tennessee; p. 7-a. Gettysburg Col lege, b. University of Tennessee, c. University of North Texas; p. 8 University of North Texas; p. 9-a and b. College of Saint Scholastica, c. Saint Anselm College; p. 10-a. University of North Texas, b. Dixie College, c. Gettysburg College; p. 36-a. University of Tennessee, b. Univer sity of North Texas; p. 37-a. College of Saint Scholastica, b and c. Dixie College. 2 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1991 Contents Education Tyrannical Machines: A Report on Educational Practices Gone 4 Wrong and Our Best Hopes for Setting Them Right by NEH Chairman Lynne V. Cheney. Excerpts from the Chairman's biennial report to Congress. The Numbers Game by Jeffrey Thomas. A recent survey shows 33 an increase in museums and museum goers. In Focus: Wm. Theodore de Bary. How Asian studies were 36 incorporated into Columbia University's core curriculum. Other Features Odysseus Redressed by Valerie Lester. A reinterpretation of 11 Homer's classic sees the hero in a new light. Bringing the Classics to Life by Michelle P. and Robert M. 13 Wilhelm. On introducing Vergil to the elementary classroom. A Balloon's Eye View of Ancient Sites by Maggie Riechers. A 18 novel archaeological device enables researchers to rise above it all. Exploring America's Oral Traditions by Diana Pabst. An overview 23 of the new Encyclopedia of American Popular Beliefs and Superstitions. Music of the Gaslight Era by Ellen Marsh. A look at the diary 26 of George Templeton Strong, a nineteenth-century American lawyer whose passion was music. The Bill of Rights: Celebrating Two Hundred Years by Skip 30 Kaltenheuser. The Pennsylvania Humanities Council uses the occasion to foster discussion of some basic principles. 17 Noteworthy 38 Calendar 39 Letters. A controversy over Islam. The Humanities Guide Extending the Teacher-Scholar Program by Angela Iovino, 41. Recent NEH Grants by Discipline, 42. Deadlines, 46. HUMANITIES 3 Tyrannical Machines A Report on Educational Practices Gone Wrong and Our Best Hopes for Setting Them Right BY LYNNE V. CHENEY "The institutionizing on a large scale of any natural combination of need and motive always tends to run into technicality and to develop a tyrannical Machine with unforeseen powers of exclusion and corruption." William James March 1903 IME AND AGAIN, reformers are as uncongenial to teaching as the and were then told that their con have pointed out the failings Mojave Desert to a clutch of Druid tracts would not be renewed." Tof American education. They priests." Almost a quarter century The emphasis on research is great have cited its unsuccessful practices later, historian Page Smith asserts est at research universities where 64 repeatedly—and quite often futilely. that faculties "are in full flight from percent of the faculty report spending Even when reformers have built con teaching. In many universities, five hours or less per week on formal sensus on a matter—that we do not faculty members make no bones classroom instruction and 86 percent train our teachers properly, for exam about the fact that students are the report spending six or more hours ple—practice has frequently changed enemy. It is students who threaten per week on research. At liberal arts only at the margins. How is it that to take up precious time that might colleges, by contrast, only 16 percent we can so often see where we are otherwise be devoted to research." of the faculty report less than five going wrong and yet be unable to This situation has not come about hours a week in the classroom and 48 change direction? Indeed, how is it because faculty members necessarily percent report spending six or more that we get off track in the first place? prefer research. In a recent survey, hours on research. Even at liberal Philosopher William James might 71 percent reported that their inter arts colleges, however, the emphasis have blamed what he called "institu ests either leaned toward or lay pri on research is growing. Fifty liberal tionizing on a large scale." As James marily in teaching. But the road to arts schools have banded together described it, ways of doing things that success—or even to survival—in the under the lead of Oberlin College are well justified in the beginning tend, academic world is through publish and are considering calling them when established widely, to become ing. Anthropologist Bradd Shore selves "research colleges." Schools "tyrannical machines." Practices that notes, "If you fail at the teaching and such as Colorado College, Grinnell, begin by filling needs become detached fail at the service but still do terrific and Wellesley have reduced the num from their original purposes, even scholarship, you are likely to get ber of hours faculty teach so that they counterproductive to them. Having tenure," but not the other way have more time to do research. A been adopted on a large scale, how around. A senior literature professor, recent survey of twelve liberal arts ever, these practices take on a power of who himself publishes actively, colleges reported that faculty fre their own. We force prospective school reports that "the way one prospers is quently distinguish between teaching teachers to take education courses that by finding time away from teaching and "what they often call, signifi waste their time. We place expecta to get one's own work done." Phi cantly, 'my own work/" or research. tions on college and university faculty losopher Thomas Flynn relates the Faculty members often blame members that discourage them from advice he received as a young assis administrators for the emphasis placed devoting time to students and the tant professor trying to get tenure: on research, but administrators are classroom.

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