This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, May 10, 2013 - Even if it were not for the fact that my younger son, James, is the recipient of two degrees from the University of Missouri-St. Louis, I would have plenty to say in appreciation of this institution now marking its 50th year of operation.
Besides James’s experiences there, over the years I have had one rewarding professional relationship after another, from exposure for the first time almost 40 years ago to a serious understanding of the art of photography, to long associations with scholars who have been stalwart and enlightened contributors of time, energy and treasure to my reporting on the cultural and civic life of this region.
Today a luncheon for 800 at the America’s Center offered a reason for going public with my admiration for UMSL. I was assigned to attend UMSL Chancellor Tom George’s Report to the Community, which, in addition to being an annual ceremony, this year is the golden jubilee of the founding of the university.
That founding brought together 672 students and 32 faculty members in the old Bellerive Country Club’s clubhouse. Today, the old clubhouse is gone, replaced by a large, modern ensemble of buildings. Fall enrollment is 17,000.
George gave a rousing address on the history and growth of UMSL, recognizing many in the audience, men and women representing alumni, faculty, former officials, friends, donors, state and local government officials, and so on, and acknowledging with spirit and pride both academic, artistic and athletic successes as well as financial and material growth.
Implicit in the chancellor’s report was a drumbeat proclamation of the value of higher education to this democracy of ours, and to its economic infrastructure, and to the general worthiness of a nation populated by a curious and educated citizenry. The content of the speech and its litany of accomplishments thus posited a rebuttal to an increasingly asked question, “Is higher education worth it?”
As you might expect, George – the physicist and chemist and accomplished musician – is a confirmed believer that higher education is indeed entirely worth it. My experience as a graduate and a teacher and a parent jibes with his observation completely.
But simply believing that going to college or university is a good idea is not enough, George said after the conclusion of the program. What we need, more than ever, is to communicate and to market that value. It is work all involved in a civilized society must do.