Higher Learning for a Purpose

 

Higher Learning for a Purpose

Jesse Bluma at Pointe Viven.  All rights reserved.

The "Political Animal" and Civic Development

In the foundational passages of Politics, Aristotle posits that man is, by his very nature, a "political animal."  This is not an observation of mere partisan inclination by the Greek philosopher, rather a recognition that human flourishing is inextricably tied to life within a community.  It is here that we find the nexus of education and citizenship.  To the serious scholar, learning is far more than the perfunctory acquisition of data; it is a transformative journey that develops the individual into a capable participant in self-governance.

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Politics by Aristotle, The Developing Person Through the Life Span by Kathleen Stassen Berger, The Iliad by Homer, The Republic by Plato, Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville.  The classics, international, and multi-disciplinary texts are read, discussed, and debated in college classrooms by university students.

The study of political science and all kinds of power acts as a foundation for this development, offering a curriculum for the classroom and informing the citizens.  The discipline is defined by a specific framework:

* Socialization and meaningful community connections.

* The thorough cultivation of logic and wisdom.

* Modeling lifelong learning and personal growth.

* The building of confidence through attending school and in public discourse.

* The practical mastery of public service and citizenship skills.

 

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The Websterian Paradigm: Education as the Bedrock

To understand the American context of this transformative journey, one must look to Noah Webster.  History remembers him as the "Father of American Education" and the definitive author of the dictionary, yet his role as an abolitionist and a fervent champion of the Constitution reveals the depth of his commitment to civic virtue.  Webster understood that for a republic to endure, the "diffusion of knowledge" was not a luxury, rather a requirement for survival.  He articulated this mandate with characteristic clarity:

“Our American republics, where [government] is in the hands of the people, knowledge should be universally diffused by means of public schools.  Of such consequence is it to society, that the people who make laws, should be well informed, that I conceive no Legislature can be justified in neglecting proper establishments for this purpose.”

Noah Webster promoted universal education for all citizens, including slaves, females, and adults.  Purchase your copy of Noah Webster: Weaver of Words on Amazon today.

Webster envisioned a curriculum that reached beyond basic literacy to encompass ethics, law, commerce, and the mechanics of government.  His goal was to arm the "yeomanry" with the intellectual tools necessary to navigate the republic’s complexities.  In this light, civic learning is defined as the essential developmental process through which a populace acquires the collective wisdom to function as a unified, purposeful community.

Similarly, President Ulysses S. Grant (1822–1885) accomplished a great feat in the realm of education.  He recognized the health of the republic was inextricably linked to the intelligence of its people.  Grant emphasized that for a nation to remain strong, and for all citizens to remain equal before the law, the electorate must possess the education necessary to navigate the complexities of self-government.  Grant’s call for compulsory, free public schools was a movement toward national unity and stability.

By investing in public education, the nation sought to raise wages and improve living conditions.  In this context, education was of benefit to students and a community duty.  It was an investment in intellectual progress and enabled the American people to compete globally while maintaining a high standard of living at home.  Overall, public schools are communities that are the grounds for cultural unity.  Public schools, absent segregation and divisions of private schools, are communities that help cultivate personal and societal achievements.

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The Nexus of Scholarship and Service: The Career of Dr. Barbara Stone

The essential ideals of higher education in life are exemplified by Dr. Barbara Stone, Professor Emeritus of Political Science at California State University, Fullerton (CSUF).  Her career serves as a class in how familial socialization and thorough academic progress coalesce into a life of public service.  As documented in the “Women, Politics, and Activism Since Suffrage Oral History Project”, Dr. Barbara Stone was profoundly shaped by her father, California Assemblyman Joe Stone.  This early exposure to the practice of governance served as a catalyst for her memorable lectures. 

However, Dr. Barbara Stone did not merely inherit an identity; she analyzed and provided original thinking on the very nature of movements through a scholarly lens.  Her Ph.D. dissertation on the John Birch Society provided her with a sophisticated understanding of radicalism and the "psychology of fear,” a scholarly depth that informed her later service.  When the governor of California appointed her to the Little Hoover Commission, it represented the practical application of the "ethics and law" curriculum Webster once championed.  Throughout her tenure as a professor at CSUF, she demonstrated academic and community service with grace.

Five Essential Principles for the Citizen

Drawing from the  insights and lectures of Dr. Barbara Stone, we can distill five principles that remain vital for the health of our nation:

1. The Dynamics of Leadership: True power is never solitary and it is a social contract.  As Dr. Barbara Stone succinctly noted, “You can’t be a leader if nobody follows.”

2. The Necessity of Stakeholder Awareness: Effective governance requires a clear-eyed understanding of influence.  Elected officials and public administrators must remain intimately aware of the stakeholders who possess a vested interest in their decisions and provide the foundation for their mandates.

3. The Impact of Fear: In her work The John Birch Society: A Profile, Dr. Barbara Stone observed that when individuals lack a firm civic grounding, they become susceptible to radicalization.  She noted that “certain individuals who are basically apolitical feel so threatened by the uncertainties of their world...and its international instability, that they are goaded into action.”

4. The Bulwark of Socialization: There is a vital synthesis between a stable family life, college involvement, and political stability.  The influence of a parent, instructor, classmates, coaches, school staff, school clubs and organizations, and other college activities is a stabilizing anchor, support system, and builds understanding between community members.

5. Education as a Unifying Force: Reaffirming the Noah Webster principle, public education serves as the common ground that unites a diverse citizenry through shared practice, knowledge, and values.

A Complex Vocation

The pursuit of an advanced degree is not merely a path to personal advancement; it is a vocation and a sacred duty to maintain the intellectual health of a nation.  By aspiring to become professors, instructors, or teachers, one steps into the "Websterian" role of ensuring the people remain an informed and formidable force.  This academic path is the ultimate means of achieving that confidence and wisdom required to steward our foundational principles into the next century.

Teacher preparation is a sophisticated system of clinical practice and compliance.  A structured approach is the essential infrastructure for maintaining instructional quality and ensuring that new educators possess the professional stamina to survive and thrive in the realities of the classroom.

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The dream of the professoriate is a compelling one: a life defined by intellectual freedom, the pursuit of original ideas, and the opportunity to mentor the next generation of thinkers.  Yet, the road to the front of the lecture hall is a marathon, not a sprint, often spanning six to ten years beyond the initial graduation ceremony. 

The thorough process includes earning a bachelor’s degree, applying and getting accepted to a graduate program, completing courses, and taking and passing comprehensive exams (such as tests, research essay, oral exams, portfolios, and/or a dissertation and dissertation defense).

The transition from student to full-time professor is rarely immediate, and the strategy varies by target.  For instance, a master’s degree is often sufficient to teach at a Community College, where the focus is strictly on instruction.  However, for roles at Research or Teaching Universities, the market is incredibly competitive.  To bridge the gap, many graduates enter the "gig economy" of higher education as Adjunct Professors.

The journey from a bachelor’s degree to a seat on a university faculty is a complex navigation of distinct academic systems.  It requires the persistence to survive decade-long timelines, the strategic mind to navigate gatekeeper phases like candidacy, and dedication to build a job portfolio in a shifting job market.

Commitment to Community

The achievements and work of Dr. Barbara Stone stands as a testament to the enduring power of civic engagement.  Her life’s work demonstrates that the marriage of scholarly inquiry and public service allows us to understand how government works and how to "govern our own lives".

Ultimately, civic learning is the key for students to learn and practice how to be teammates, then to become part of the fabric of our larger community.  By embracing the dual roles of scholar and citizen, we honor the vision of an informed, active, and united society, ensuring the health of our nation is robust.

Bibliography

Amazon.com.

Epilogue: Securing the Republic: Noah Webster, On the Education of Youth in America. 

https://press-pubs.uchicago.edu/founders/documents/v1ch18s26.html.  

GoogleLM.

“How to Become a Professor: Your Step-by-Step Path.”  Bestcolleges.Com, www.bestcolleges.com/blog/how-to-become-professor/. 

Noah Webster 250th | Archives Exhibitions and Blog | Noah Webster 250th | Amherst College, www.amherst.edu/library/archives/exhibitions/webster. 

Stone, Barbara.  California State University Fullerton.  Lecture. 

Stone, Barbara S.  “The John Birch Society: A Profile.”  The Journal of Politics, vol. 36, no. 1, Feb. 1974, pp. 184–97.  DOI.org (Crossref), https://doi.org/10.2307/2129115.

The John Phillips Show.  

“Ulysses S. Grant and General Orders No. 11 (U.S. National Park Service).”  National Parks Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, www.nps.gov/articles/000/ulysses-s-grant-and-general-orders-no-11.htm.

“Women, Politics, and Activism Since Suffrage Oral History Project.” fullerton.edu/collections/FINDING%20AID_WPA.pdf.