Eschewing hand-wringing and political rhetoric for close, critical observation, freelance journalist Traub (Too Good to Be True, 1990) delineates a unique—and uniquely representative- -institution: New York's City College. Traub spent a year observing classes at City College's Gothic Revival campus, which sits atop a hill in Harlem. Founded in 1849 as an egalitarian experiment, tuition-free City College came into its own when the great turn-of-the-century tide of Jewish migration provided it with cohorts of driven students. Their legendary successes—a record number of Nobelists and intellectuals such as Irving Howe—made it a beacon of educational possibility for the nation. A confluence of social and political upheavals, however, brought radical changes in the 1960s, key among them guaranteed admission for graduates of New York City high schools to the City University of New York, of which City College is a part. An exploration of the drastic results of this ``open admissions'' policy constitutes the main part of Traub's book. After limning the ideological conflicts that still continue among the faculty and in the press, he introduces us to its ramifications in City College's classrooms. We meet a range of teachers, from dedicated idealists, struggling to reach woefully under-prepared students while maintaining some semblance of academic standards, to the controversial Afrocentrist professor Leonard Jeffries, whose authoritarian anti-intellectualism Traub exposes as he captures the human, even tragic dimension of Jeffries's sway over uninformed followers. Empathetic portraits of City College students stand at the book's center. Many flounder in remedial courses; difficult family situations and looming financial disaster burden most; the dedication of contemporary immigrants provides some hope. But Traub's ultimate accomplishment is to reveal the consequences for one legendary college of the inadequacy of our urban high schools and vocational training, and our general devaluation of learning. The crisis continues—and as goes New York's City on a hill, so goes the nation. Exemplary reportage, essential for all those debating the future of American college education.
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 1994
ISBN: 0-201-62227-0
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Addison-Wesley
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1994
An important manual for those brave enough to face their shortcomings.
A middle-school guidance counselor offers passionate words of wisdom regarding the profound American need for responsibility, trust and character.
In a collection of short essays, some no longer than a paragraph, Baggett makes the case that in today’s society, the importance of virtuous behavior has diminished in favor of a desire for immediate satisfaction and a tendency to shrug off accountability. A tolerance for all ideologies and a willingness to explain away questionable conduct has become the norm in our current politically correct culture, leading to a dangerous lack of common ethical values. The author argues that respect and self-discipline are the hallmarks of American democracy, and without these principles, the country will experience a moral disintegration. Character education in public schools is imperative to the development of a new generation that knows true freedom does not mean freedom from responsibility. According to Baggett, character depends not only on the nurturing of trust, but also one’s willingness and courage to look deep within to discover faults and weaknesses. Perhaps one of the more intriguing ideas in the book involves culpability; without the feeling of guilt, personal growth and the development of positive character traits may be seriously impaired. Baggett, who tends toward redundancy in his efforts to convince, fortunately makes his work accessible by including memorable stories from his work with young teenagers and presenting exercises that promote self-examination. By quoting famous figures from Albert Einstein to Pogo, the author provides inspiration to readers who wish to tackle the challenge of becoming well-rounded, respectful and powerful citizens. Despite a pledge in the introduction that his Christian beliefs will not seep through the pages, a cranky sort of conservatism–and a generous sampling of scripture–may push more liberal readers away from the book. But the author’s passion for his subject makes for a spirited call for change.
An important manual for those brave enough to face their shortcomings.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: 978-1-4196-9781-4
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 27, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A worthwhile addition to the existing group of books on Christian leadership.
Impressive, though at times imposing, exploration of incorporating biblical precepts into the study of leadership.
Faulhaber explains leadership as “an outcome or manifestation of [a] person’s character.” As such, from the Christian perspective, as a person’s character becomes more Christlike, that person becomes a more effective leader. Faulhaber encourages leadership based upon love of others, rather than love of self. Ultimately, she promotes “virtuous” leadership, which she argues counters modern concepts of leadership. She writes that today’s society focuses upon “values,” which are relativistic, whereas virtue is tied to objective moral truths. Hence a Christlike leadership is more interested in virtue than values. Faulhaber continues to explore examples of Christ’s leadership, and how it ran counter to the idea of leadership-as-power in biblical times and still runs counter to such a view. She also explores the role of grace in developing biblical leadership, arguing that such a role can only be gained through hard work and diligence, supported by God’s grace, for only grace helps leaders grow in the midst of so many obstacles. In the final analysis, Faulhaber hopes that virtuous leadership will be a “transformative leadership” as well, changing the paradigms which leaders are called upon to reform and, basically, turning the structure of power on its head. Faulhaber’s book is extremely well-researched and is brimming with quotations from figures as diverse as C.S. Lewis and Nietzsche. However, the number of outside references becomes slightly intimidating, acting as a barrier to what is otherwise a rather clear message. Likewise, visual diagrams throughout the book fail to simplify the material and are unnecessarily complex. Nevertheless the book provides beneficial advice on how Christian readers can put their beliefs into practice.
A worthwhile addition to the existing group of books on Christian leadership.Pub Date: July 21, 2008
ISBN: 978-1-4363-4179-0
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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