Why Learn

 LISTEN. Mark Edmundson, author of Why Teach, Why Read, and Why Write, answers his own questions:

"By coming up with fresh and arresting words to describe the world accurately, the writer expands the boundaries of her world, and possibly her readers’ world, too. Real writing can do what R. P. Blackmur said it could: add to the stock of available reality." 

And by natural extension, teachers attempt to expand their students' stock of reality.

At convocation yesterday, Andrew Forsthoefel told our new students that he'd expanded his own stock of reality when he set out on his trans-American walk and listened to the stories of scores of Americans. In the process he learned a great deal about who he was. He grew up... (continues)

 

(Andrew begins speaking at about 38")