During the second half of the twentieth century, other countries have been scrambling to recreate them. And yet, the accomplishments of our public colleges and universities go largely unheralded. We are like the sherpa farmer who can view Mount Everest from his bedroom window, but doesn't see it any more. Or the Washington, D.C., federal worker who rushes passed the tidal basin every spring morning barely noticing the cherry blossoms. Ho-hum, another brilliant oratorio of color.
Familiarity can lead to indifference, and worse still, indifference can lead to erosion.
In the 1980s, I think we allowed very serious erosion in our values to occur. Historically, Americans have believed that an educated population was a benefit to society as a whole . This powerful idea nourished some extraordinary American initiatives such as the land grant colleges and the G.I. Bill. But in the 80s, this idea was undermined, fundamentally, without any real debate. It was undermined by the idea that only individuals benefit from higher education.