Observations by a Closet Humanist.

Overview & Synopsis

A discussion is presented on the role of the humanities in society and in the community colleges. First, some reflections on the status of humanities education are provided, including comments on the limitations of federal funding for projects to enhance the quality of the humanities and encourage their growth; and the difficulties facing the humanities at Tarrant County Junior College (TCJC). Next, the importance of the community colleges in providing humanities education is highlighted and trends towards increasing the humanities component of degree programs in Southern colleges are outlined. The following section discusses the increasing emphasis on high technology in education and in society and argues that an increasingly technological society will require more, rather than less, general education and humanities instruction and that a strong relationship between humanities education and technological education will enrich both areas. The next section discusses the context within which humanities education operates and underscores its role in intelligibly linking different experiences and knowledge in an individual's life. Then, observations on the humanities outside of academia emphasize the role of non-academics in contributing to the development of the humanities and promoting their study and practice. Finally, the paper discusses the future of the humanities at TCJC and outlines both external and internal pressures (e.g., financial) that challenge education at TCJC. (HB)