I think they miss a lot. I was a German major at Beloit before I received a master s in German languages and literature and a law degree. I now litigate primarily in the international arena, something I could never do successfully without the linguistic skills and cross-cultural emphasis I learned. More importantly, I would never have had the sense of accomplishment and historical interest that this training brought me. In large part, liberal education makes the difference between a job and a career.
Psychic rewards are as good as the monetary ones.
Using these and the many other excellent responses I have received, I am going to try to craft a better, more accurate, less clich -ridden statement of the case for liberal education. One challenge I face is how to incorporate the two responses with which this column ends. Clearly, they are too important to leave out. I wondered early on at Beloit how courses like art and music appreciation, foreign language, etc., were preparing me for my life s work. Years later, after my marriage, it dawned on me that my spouse was truly my best friend.