Every once in a while someone asks me if I listen to Rush. I do not. I am at work while he is on. I did, in an earlier life, listen to him as I traveled to work while studying at seminary. I generally enjoy his humor (at least I did during the Clinton Administration). I have not listened to him regular for 15 years. I was interested, however, that he made, during a verbal joust with an angry Occupy caller, a dig at getting a degree in classics in college. While this does not really touch on the reasons why someone should get a classical Christian education in grammar and secondary school, I do not like anyone with influence taking a swipe at something that I feel is worthwhile (i.e., studying the classics). I started to sharpen my pen, but found that Chris Perrin, my old friend from Harrisburg, had beaten me to the punch. Here is his response:
The truth is that the problem is not with a college degree in the classics, but on the bloated prices of studying anything in college. Honestly, most colleges are just factories now whose main job seems to be to get as much money has possible. The institutions in our culture that were meant to serve and protect look increasingly like wolves and snake oil salesmen. Hopefully, these schools will be undercut by other smaller svelter institutions that can provide actual learning (which is priceless) at a price that will not cripple people. More on this to come. Here are a few colleges doing real teaching that do not cost and arm and a leg. You should consider them:
New St. Andrew’s College—Tuition, Room, Board, and Books—$15,800
New College Franklin, TN—Tuition $9,100
Grove City College—Tuition, room, board, books and fees—$21,008
Gutenberg College—Everything $17,653
