OK I’m walking Post #84 back. Just finished watching and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this talk. I actually think the discussion of Sophonisba Breckinridge and her colleagues was appropriate and even crucial, given what Dean Gorman-Smith was setting out to do, which was to demonstrate just how distinct the University of Chicago was - at that time - from other schools in opening doors of opportunity to pursue intellectual inquiry even among the field of social work - and to women in particular. Could these brilliant, remarkable and socially conscious pioneers of the very early 20th century been able to accomplish ANY of those things elsewhere? Doubtful. Dean GS didn’t give a recitation of what “aims of education” meant. She gave us a history of real people who lived out those very aims at the very same university currently in the process of welcoming 1700+ matriculants. Food for thought.
Two “wow-worthy” takeaways:
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With the introduction of the social service minor, every single division and school is now open to undergraduate study. Every single one. Booth. Law. Harris. Med. And now SSA. Have I missed one? And this is a liberal arts education. Think about that. It’s worth at least another thread and round or two of debate.
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Sophonisba Breckinridge is, I believe, the namesake of Breckinridge House (and formerly Breckinridge Hall before it was shut down). We’ve discussed the fate of the houses in I-House and what a travesty it would be to retire them. Breck’s been around for awhile and the namesake seems too valuable to just go away (IMHO). It was at risk of getting retired a few years ago, before the administration changed their minds and moved it over to I-House. Given the history that Dean GS just gave us all, I truly wonder how anyone would have the gall to remove it now. And it’s not like SSA is some under-performing school. It’s one of the best in the country.