This is what the Bowdoin education was until 1968, prior to which it was learned by every fraternity pledge:
The Offer of the College
To be at home in all lands and all ages; to count Nature a familiar acquaintance, and Art an intimate friend; to gain a standard for the appreciation of other men's work and the criticism of your own; to carry the keys of the world's library in your pocket, and feel its resources behind you in whatever task you undertake; to make hosts of friends among the men of your own age who are to be leaders in all walks of life; to lose yourself in generous enthusiasms and cooperate with others for common ends; to learn manners from students who are gentlemen, and form character under professors who are Christians, -- this is the offer of the college for the best four years of your life.
~ President William DeWitt Hyde(1906)
This is the modern version of The Offer of the College adopted sometime after 1973 when I graduated:
The Offer of the College
To be at home in all lands and all ages;
To count Nature a familiar acquaintance,
And Art an intimate friend;
To gain a standard for the appreciation of others’ work
And the criticism of your own;
To carry the keys of the world’s library in your pocket,
And feel its resources behind you in whatever task you undertake;
To make hosts of friends...
Who are to be leaders in all walks of life;
To lose yourself in generous enthusiasms
And cooperate with others for common ends –
This is the offer of the college for the best four years of your life.
The Offer of the College
To be at home in all lands and all ages;
To count Nature a familiar acquaintance,
And Art an intimate friend;
To gain a standard for the appreciation of others’ work
And the criticism of your own;
To carry the keys of the world’s library in your pocket,
And feel its resources behind you in whatever task you undertake;
To make hosts of friends...
Who are to be leaders in all walks of life;
To lose yourself in generous enthusiasms
And cooperate with others for common ends –
This is the offer of the college for the best four years of your life.
Sun, 04/07/2013 - 5:50am
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There is no doubt that at one time, Bowdoin was one of the most esteemed schools of higher learning, in the country. But, alas, much of that is long gone, like it is at many institutions in the USA today, replaced by........."identity politics running wild". Bowdoin even made it into the pages of the Wall St Journal, a few days back!
The golf shot heard round the academic world
It seems that back in the summer of 2010, Bowdoin Pres Barry Mills, played a round of golf with philanthropist Thomas Klingenstein. During this round, an exchange took place, that is spoken of in several, differing ways, by the two participants. These gents spoke on the topic of "diversity", of course one of THE most important topics on a modern college campus in the USA.
This conversation affected Pres Mills in such a way that he spoke of it, weeks later, at the Freshman class convocation.
........"President Mills........said he had been interrupted in the middle of a swing by a fellow golfer's announcement: "I would never support Bowdoin—you are a ridiculous liberal school that brings all the wrong students to campus for all the wrong reasons," said the other golfer............ During Mr. Mills's next swing, he recalled, the man blasted Bowdoin's "misplaced and misguided diversity efforts".............
Word of this speech soon got back to philanthropist Klingenstein, who though he had not been "named" by Pres Mills, recognized that he was the gent being talked about. He, of course, had a different opinion of the golf match conversation.
........"The real story, wrote Mr. Klingenstein, was that "I explained my disapproval of 'diversity' as it generally has been implemented on college campuses: too much celebration of racial and ethnic difference," coupled with "not enough celebration of our common American identity".........
Klingenstein states that Pres Mills did not like his views, thus described him (Klingenstein) as wishing to return to the days of Jim
Crow! Mr Klingenstein said that Mills declared him a "racist", as he did not agree with all the wonderful ideas of "diversity politics".
Crow! Mr Klingenstein said that Mills declared him a "racist", as he did not agree with all the wonderful ideas of "diversity politics".
[url=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142412788732410090457840450214577128... report suggests that maybe 5, of the 180 plus full time faculty members, could be considered politically conservative. Most of the liberal profs think they are so smart that "they" can infuse their class participants with info on how true conservatives truly think, a profound assumption![/url]
All in all, a delightful little "behind the scenes read" re how Bowdoin is struggling to find what is really important....... in the 21 century!
If nothing else, a reader can come away with a good feeling of the kinds of "diversity garbage" that is taught at most institutes of higher learning in the USA today.
WC
Original article:
http://www.asmainegoes.com/content/fear-and-loathing-bowdoin-college
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