Today's Parable

The only connection with Sweden is that this parable arose from a conversation with my dear friend, Dr. Torgny Smedby.

There once was a professor whose university was eager to recruit the best and brightest undergraduates.  So, when the families of highly-qualified potential students visited, they would send them to chat with professors.

One day a very bright young lady and her family visited the professor and inquired about the nature of the academic instruction there.

The professor beamed with pride and told them about the University’s classes.

“We want our students to learn, grow and apply!” he said enthusiastically.

“Our classes each meet for one or, for the very enthusiastic, two hours each week.  We meet in a large lecture hall that usually has between 100 and 700 students in it.  Everyone hears the same lectures in the same class rooms together.  Each class is made up of both the newest freshman right up to our most senior Ph.D. students, so that everyone shares exactly the same experience.  We only lecture and discourage any participation or any questions.  There is no syllabus nor systematic curriculum.  We give no exams, and best of all we give NO homework!”

Now the potential freshman was the one beaming.

The prof continued, “If your daughter decides to stay beyond her first four years, we’ll teach her the same basic stuff over and over.  Remember, she will be in classes with new freshmen, and we can’t go over their heads with material too challenging!”

The parents were appalled and decided that there must be a better alternative for educating and training their daughter.  Alas, but the only alternative educational approaches were outside the official university!

He who has ears to hear, let him hear.