I am … appalled. OpinionJournal has a list of colleges that do not require any history or western civ courses in order to graduate.
One of the ones listed is “Pamona College.” Given the other names on the list, it seems highly likely that this is actually Pomona College, my alma mater (BA, History, Class of 1983). (A quick web check of this misspelling makes it look highly likely.)
I intend to inquire. If so, then … not one more thin dime will be going from me to them. None.
Why is this a bad thing? Read here (requires free registration).
All this goes a long way toward explaining why the college seniors queried by Roper in an earlier Council survey had so much trouble with even the most basic history questions. No more than 22% had any idea that “government of the people, by the people, for the people” came from the Gettysburg Address. More than half could not identify the Constitution as the source of the separation of powers. This being the day after Thanksgiving, we’re too embarrassed to print the percentage who thought the Magna Carta was what the Pilgrims signed on the Mayflower. Remember, these are students from the nation’s top 55 colleges.
Facts about America’s wars were also in short supply. Just four out of 10 seniors could identify the Battle of the Bulge as having taken place in World War II. Only 34% knew George Washington was the general commanding the Americans at Yorktown, the ultimate battle of the Revolutionary War. A higher percentage–37%–thought it might be Ulysses S. Grant.
How appropriate. It’s snowing.
Not. One. Thin. Dime. The ghost of Vincent Learnihan would never let me rest again.
And, hell, if alumni can use their financial clout to influence the selection of coaches, certainly I can do the same as to curriculum.
(Via InstaPundit)