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From: mc68020@gilbbs.UUCP (Tom Keller)
Newsgroups: net.singles,net.cse
Subject: Re: Happy People
Message-ID: <35@gilbbs.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 5-Mar-86 19:25:27 EST
Article-I.D.: gilbbs.35
Posted: Wed Mar  5 19:25:27 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 8-Mar-86 21:57:59 EST
References: <653@moscom.UUCP> <6470@cca.UUCP> <582@hoptoad.uucp>
Organization: Gil's Place, Santa Rosa CA
Lines: 71
Xref: watmath net.singles:10757 net.cse:694
Summary: universities ought not to be viewed as trade schools

In article <582@hoptoad.uucp>, laura@hoptoad.uucp (Laura Creighton) writes:
> In article <6470@cca.UUCP> g-rh@cca.UUCP (Richard Harter) writes:
> >{...}  The universities have always, from the
> >founding of the first universities in the middle ages onward, served
> >a dual function.  One function is to serve a temple of wisdom -- a
> >place where learning for the sake of learning is encouraged and
> >supported.  The other function is to prepare the young for their
> >place in society.  Let me expand on the latter thought for a bit.
> 
> I think I had better cut in here first.  As far as I know the ``other
> function'' got into the game very late.  From everything that I have
> read it seems that universities were founded to be centres of wisdom.
> The ``places in society'' bit came later.  But I haven't looked into
> this per se' --- do you have any references?
> [many lines deleted] 
> And somewhere along the line, I think universities have been shafted --
> perhaps because they now are expected to turn out the officers of
> society?  Learning for its own sake is a source of joy as well -- but
> I am not all that sanguine that it can coexist with other functions.
> Universities may end up serving both of the functions you mention -- and
> doing badly at both of them.


   Laura is a highly intelligent, well mannered person.  I am a more crass
and uncaring lout.  I like a good flame now and then.


   One of the *MAJOR* problems we have in our Universities and Colleges in
the United States is that we have allowed ourselves to view them as trade
schools.  This is a pile of unmitigated BULLSHIT! (no apologies for crudery)

   Most of the persons currently attending university have *ANY* business 
there.  They are not academically inclined, they are not sufficiently 
prepared, and they have little, if any, interest in what they are studying.
They are there because "it'll help me make more bucks later".  ***GAG***


   Most countries provide an institution known as trade (or vocational)
schools.  There, programmers, plumbers, electricians, carpenters, welders,
mechanics, cooks, lab technicians, etc, etc. are trained for their professions.
The schools are specifically and deliberately set up to teach the skills needed
by the students to go into the real world and perform in a chosen field.
This is a **GOOD THING**.  


   Persons who have the academic skills and background, on the other hand, 
have the option of attending universty, and studying to become a more highly
skilled, and highly trained professional (please note that I refer to both
levels of training as "PROFESSIONAL" training).  These individuals are
more academically inclined (or ought to be).  Many of them (though not all)
may well end up in the research end (which is where computer scientists belong)
as opposed to working in the "real world".


   If this is an elitist attitude, so be it.  By broadening the university
to include what is essentially vocational training we only destroy the
nature and purpose of the university.  


(end of flame)

-- 

====================================

Disclaimer:  I hereby disclaim and and all responsibility for disclaimers.

tom keller
{ihnp4, dual}!ptsfa!gilbbs!mc68020

(* we may not be big, but we're small! *)