April 7, 2006
On our recent March 24 wedding anniversary, my husband Bob Sutherland and I reminisced as we drove by Milligan campus, stopped in Sutton Hall, picked up The Stampede and felt awkward.
You students look so young, but your dining hall antics, enthusiasm about Friday’s arrival and complaints about hard classes are quite ageless. Do you know that we felt and acted similarly to the crowd of campus youth today?
Let me give you an example. After reading Kofi’s article on humanities (March 24), Bob said, “I was no premier student in humanities myself. But when I finally started learning the material, I realized that it might actually be worthwhile.”
For me as a lover of learning, humanities made history, art, literature, and music blend together in a synthesis of truth. I had been a student of details and facts since I was a child, but finally, all the pieces of knowledge had a framework for the data … humanities. I began to think in terms of cause-and-effect timelines. Knowledge wove together. Shakespeare, art, wars, leaders, geography and music made infinitely more sense to me.
Yes, I ended up with an English major, and also a pre-med major. Bob majored both in sociology and business. What do we do now? I teach high school, and my husband works in crisis counseling.
However, the value of humanities is not as much about the facts. As Bob said, “It’s about intelligent communication with others, understanding the allusions to history in a movie or the significance of some age-old conflict. Humanities information offers so much intelligent conversation!”
He continued, “You don’t appreciate the opportunity of humanities while you’re in it. Then, Bam! You’re 45, realizing how stupid you were to squander the opportunity to learn it and understand life better.”
Sure humanities was hard, but what worthwhile thing in life has no struggle?
Perhaps, beyond one student’s complaint might be gratitude. Perhaps, beyond trivial factual data lies understanding. Perhaps, in time, humanities might become an ageless reference point and, indeed, a wonder worth discussing.
Written by Candace Witcher Sutherland, 1983 alumna from Bristol, Tenn.