Part IV. Pros and Cons of Higher Education

Capitalist Schools. Rana Dogar…………………………………………………198

Вам «неуд», сэр. С. Атарщиков……………………………………………... 204

Living Without It. Caroline Austin……………………………………………...207

В Америке наукой уже не прокормишь. Питер Т. Килб…………………….212

A German Harvard? Stefan Theil……………………………………………215

Фирма ищет таланты. Клаус Смолька……………………………………….221

It Doesn’t Pay to Go to Some Universities.Jane Hopkings……………………224

У белых воротничков – пустые карманы. Марина Аникеева……………...229

Dumb On Down From Day One. Frank Furedi………………………………..233

Очень среднее образование. Вероника Сивкова, Роза Сергазиева…….239

Supplement:

Education Glossary………………………………………………………………243

Famous People’s Sayings………………………………………………………..256

Part I. University Challenge

On Education

“I have decided,” said Mr. O’Brien, “to put my boy through college.”

“Take my advice and don’t do it,” warned Mr. Murphy. “Joe Rafferty put his boy through the college, and what was the result? No sooner did he graduate than he invented a labor-saving gadget which they promptly introduced in the factory, throwing half the neighborhood and his own father out of work.”

“’Tis merely the progress of civilization,” said O’Brien, “and you can’t stand in the way of it.”

“Just the same,” said Murphy, “I wish that civilization would walk on somebody else’s neck for a change.”

“Education is the only solution,” said O’Brien. “My boy shall have a college education and make an amazing success of himself. I may have to strangle myself with economy to do it, but I will manage somehow. At least I will have the comfort to know he will support me in luxury and elegance when I am too old to work.”

“’Tis not a college education you are thinking of, but an old age pension.”

“And why not?” asked O’Brien. “Why shouldn’t I live like a king in my old age off the splendid success of my son?”

“’Twill be very glorious,” said Murphy. “I shall come to live with you.”

“You’ll do nothing of the kind, Murphy. You’ll live on oatmeal mush in the poor house while I am drinking champagne.”

“Is that your idea of the progress of civilization?”

“’Twould be an improvement.”

“You would send me to the poor house and call that an improvement?”

“Why should my son be burdened with you?”

“Indeed, O’Brien, I can’t see why he should be burdened with you either.”

“And why not? Me starving myself half to death to put him through college.”

“You seem to think they rub some magic ointment on them at college which attracts money right into their pockets.”

“I do not,” said O’Brien. “But I do know a man does not get rich on the end of a shovel.”

Murphy took his pipe out of his mouth, stood on his feet, and pointed the stem directly at O’Brien.

“Send your boy to college if you can, O’Brien. I allow it is a fine thing. But do not bank too strongly on your champagne and marble lions. There is many college educated men on the relief rolls, and all because thick-headed parents like you placed all the hopes in their children and none in themselves. They pass on their problems from generation to generation, each one passing the buck to the cradle. ‘I’m a stupid mug myself,’ they say, ‘but that boy of mine, he’ll do the trick.’ Then they sit back letting the world go to hell in the belief their children will straighten it all out.

Send your boy to college, O’Brien. But meanwhile, attend your union meetings and lead a hand at fighting for the old-age pension. Who knows, if we fight hard enough we might be able to have your boy graduate into a job instead of a breadline.”

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