Sunday, 8 July 2012

First, a little context...

If one was to check out my profile, one would.find that I currently find myself at something of an impass.  As I write this, I await the results of the final module for my Open University degree.  Provided that the results are favourable, I intend to undertake a Masters at some stage and have even contemplated going back to actually get some A-levels.  However, a lack of funds and various other commitments means that right now, committing to a structured course of education would be a little irresponsible.  So, I find myself seeking knowledge, but I also need to be able to suspend when necessary.  I also found myself questioning what is more important, the knowledge or the qualification?
It is then that a few clicks on the StumbleUpon button lead me to discover Dr. Elliot.
Professor Charles W. Elliot was an educator and a president at Harvard University between 1869 and 1909.  During his service there, he was remebered for his frequent statement that a person could obtain a full and liberal education by reading for fifteen minutes a day from works no more numerous than would fit upon a five foot shelf.  In about 1908, a publisher challenged Elliot to qualify his statement and he began selecting a number of works which were subsequently compiled and published a year later as the 51 volume Harvard Classics collection.

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