Education: SOME IRREVERENT OBSERVATIONS ON ACADEME

PH.D. REQUIREMENTS. We are not suggesting that every Ph.D. in English should have to compose a passable sonnet—though that might be more sensible than requiring him to read Anglo-Saxon. What we are suggesting is that nobody should get a Ph.D. in English who has not tried to write a sonnet.

TEACHING ASSISTANTS. They listen to complaints and generally protect the professors from overexposure to the ignorant.

ACADEMIC STANDARDS. The amount of absenteeism, indolence and incompetence permitted students is far greater than that permitted almost any other sort of worker.

COLLEGE AIMS. The majority of...

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