To Hillsdale College: Thank You
I've been wondering how to thank Hillsdale College for this cruise. I repeat what I said in the beginning: One day, out of nowhere, Hillsdale College sent me an invitation to go on a cruise in the Baltics on the Good Ship Crystal Serenity. In exchange they asked only that I spend an hour doing what I'd usually pay good money to do: Tell interesting, friendly people what I think about the world.
This is not the sort of thing that usually happens in a human lifespan.
The words "Thank you" don't seem fully adequate. So instead I'll say this. Have you considered sending your children there and including Hillsdale College in your philanthropic plans?
From everything I've seen, that would be money well spent. The part about sending Claire Berlinski on a cruise--okay, you could say, maybe that's not your priority. But I suspect that was a momentary exuberance.
The part about teaching, explaining and defending values that I'm sure every member of Ricochet holds dear? They're serious about that. They're committed to that. And they're doing a better job of it than any other organization to which I've ever had any personal exposure.
I'm not just saying that because they brought me on a Baltic Cruise. I was truly deeply impressed.
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Re: To Hillsdale College: Thank You
I couldn't have said it better, Claire, even if I were Vice Chairman of the Hillsdale Board of Trustees. Oh, wait...never mind.
Edited on Jun 11, 2011 at 8:46pmAug '10
Re: To Hillsdale College: Thank You
Thomas and I looked at it seriously as one of our out-of-state schools when we were applying to college. He is currently at the US Merchant Marine Academy. I pitch Hillsdale to any family who has not already settled on school, particularly if they don't know what they want to study.
With the bubble in higher education about to pop, I steer folks to Hillsdale as a remedy to 'grievance studies' practiced everywhere else. The only pushback I get is the ability to acquire funding- I think Hillsdale needs to be more explicit about that.
I'll donate to a school when one of my progeny is a grad. WeiEn will be looking for school in 10 years or so, we'll keep Hillsdale in mind then. Charlotte follows 4 yrs after (so what are our odds of getting into Hillsdale College AND Hillsdale Academy at the same time?)
Re: To Hillsdale College: Thank You
Claire, I hope that Tim Caspar and the powers that be bring you to campus some time. If the timing is right, the Rahes can have you to dinner with Pat Sajak, Bill McGurn, and Mark Steyn.
Apr '11
Re: To Hillsdale College: Thank You
Let put in a completely unsolicited, utterly disinterested plug on the same grounds for Christendom College in Front Royal, Va. Like Hillsdale, they maintain complete independence from the Leviathan State's "educational" funding stream.
Re: To Hillsdale College: Thank You
If this meal takes place, I'm flying to the States and crashing the party.
Apr '11
Re: To Hillsdale College: Thank You
I'm a grad of a terrific college in Minnesota some 50 years ago but that college has become more and more liberal and politically correct. Hillsdale has become my main interest. I've been to their functions all over the US and four times on their campus. Claire, after reading your posts on Ricochet and your books its a no-brainer you were invited. I'd love to hear you speak at Hillsdale.
I had a good taste of Turkey a few years ago following the footsteps of Paul, thus your posts are even more interesting.
Nov '10
Re: To Hillsdale College: Thank You
Hi Instugator -- just thought I should let you know, you rose a bit in my estimation after reading at one of the recent Sarah Palin postings that you're a fan of Ann Barnhardt. I thus only now felt compelled to see whatever responses you made to my assertions that all economics is ultimately epiphenomenal to the political. Now that I see see you're also a fan of Hillsdale, I thought I'd take at least the trouble to apprise you that the president of Hillsdale, Larry Arnn, is a hardcore, unreconstructed disciple of Harry Jaffa and that Arnn, I can say with apodictic certainty, understands politics as having a kind of inherent independence from economics. This actually happens to be why Arnn altered the curriculum at Hillsdale: freshmen now spend their entire first year immersed in the Founding's first principles by studying the Constitution...which is most assuredly not an economic document (Marxist, libertarians and Charles Beard to the contrary notwithstanding). Those first principles are not themselves economic. In fine, the choice for, say, free markets is itself not an economic choice, anymore than the choice for science is a scientific choice. Fact/value distinction, hoss.
Aug '10
Re: To Hillsdale College: Thank You
Robert Lux, hey, when one is at the bottom, there's nowhere to go but up...
I honestly think that we are arguing a chicken/ egg concept, particularly whenever the definition of the political is expanded to any sort of societal organization. I don't accept that premise.
However, whenever those first principles recognize the concept of property rights, they are dealing with economic issues - determining who owns the good or service that is available for trading.
Edited on Jun 12, 2011 at 8:42pm