| It has never made sense to me that a student or a | | | | Contrary to what I have just stated, knowledge is, |
| parent should have to go into debt for the sake of a | | | | of itself, a very valuable commodity. And degrees |
| higher education. | | | | are of great value in advancing through one's career, |
| Neither is it logical that sitting in a classroom should | | | | whatever field it may be. But an education which is |
| carry more weight than actual experience, with the | | | | truly valuable in every way is one based on both |
| knowledge thus gained by action. It happens, by the | | | | knowledge and experience. |
| way, that a new seminary agrees with me. | | | | The problem is that experience has been traditionally |
| Would you rather be subjected to a surgeon who | | | | undervalued in meeting educational requirements for |
| has published widely acclaimed papers or one who | | | | an academic degree. Institutions of higher learning |
| has successfully performed life-saving procedures | | | | that give substantial academic credit for life |
| hundreds of times? Would you prefer to visit a | | | | experience have an impossible time trying to get |
| clergyman who is an expert on theology or one who | | | | accredited. |
| has a history of helping people heal and grow? | | | | Then there is another problem: Accrediting agencies |
| I once knew a young psychologist with very | | | | have monopolized the educational community in the |
| advanced alcoholism. After going through | | | | United States. Never mind that these approval |
| detoxification in a hospital, he objected to being | | | | sources are only commercial businesses, whether |
| referred to a counselor who had only a high-school | | | | they claim non-profit status or not. They are |
| education. | | | | multi-billion-dollar industries that have the entire |
| The patient reasoned that since he was a doctor of | | | | educational system by the throat. |
| psychology, he could be understood and really helped | | | | Their emphasis is on physical facilities, faculty, |
| only by someone at the doctoral level. But when he | | | | classroom-based curricula, number of books in the |
| met Hank, he was told that he needed a friend more | | | | library, and many other items that do not necessarily |
| than anything. | | | | add up to an educational experience of lasting and |
| Hank had been an alcohol counselor for many years, | | | | practical value. |
| and because of his daily encounters with | | | | It is interesting that Harvard would not go along. |
| tough-minded alcoholics, he could read their needs | | | | Perhaps the most prestigious university in the |
| with amazing effectiveness. He got the psychologist | | | | country, its founders and successors saw no need |
| sober by having breakfast with him every Saturday | | | | for second-hand approval. They knew what they |
| morning, and the two became fast friends for 20 | | | | were doing and how well. |
| years. | | | | One time a little-known, non-traditional university with |
| When the psychologist reached middle age, he | | | | heavy emphasis on life experience asked Harvard if |
| realized that he had learned nothing of real value by | | | | their graduates could apply for postgraduate study at |
| obtaining a Ph.D. He became widely known as a | | | | Harvard. The official response was to the effect that |
| gifted healer. Some thought that he had a | | | | they were more concerned with the extent of |
| supernatural ability, and perhaps he did. | | | | knowledge on the student's part than with how it |
| His competence, however, did not come from his | | | | was obtained. |
| classroom time; it came from long experience in | | | | That is the attitude that should be the real standard |
| trying to help people. The more he practiced, the | | | | for education. As the cliché goes, "Experience |
| better he got. At age 64 he published a book | | | | is the best teacher." |
| revealing what he had learned in the real world. It | | | | This article is brought to you by St. James the Elder |
| was a much greater contribution to his field than was | | | | Theological Seminary. |
| his doctoral thesis. | | | | |