George Will is in fact correct, founded in 1852; Antioch’s first president was Horace Mann-the father of American public education. Antioch was indeed among the first nonsectarian colleges, among the first to offer equal compensation and opportunity to male and female faculty, among the first to offer an equal curriculum to women and blacks. At the time that Antioch made those choices, it was roundly criticized by the reactionary social commentators of the day just as it is today by Mr. Will and his ilk.

Without question, Antioch has faced financial challenges throughout its history. Yet even with modest financial resources it has proven to be one of the great academic incubators among American liberal arts colleges. Mr. Will makes note of just a few of our noteworthy alumni. A complete accounting of the contributions of our graduates to health care, scientific invention, artistic excellence, and social justice would be excessive in this brief reply, but what is worth noting is that such a small and as Mr. Will suggests insignificant college should produce so many people who have contributed so much to our collective quality of life.

This is a time of distress and concern for those of us who feel the survival of Antioch in imperative. The scathing rebuke of a one-hundred and fifty year-old college and its students throughout the generations offered by Mr. Will is at best wholly unfair and at worst mean spirited. Antioch has been a beacon for progressive thinking, yes and as a result it has always and will remain a lighting-rod for those who benefit from the status quo.

Mr. Will’s alma mater Trinity College has a deservedly fine reputation. It was historically a member of an elite class of liberal arts colleges that for generations educated the privileged in American society. Although it has had more presidents in the past ten years than Antioch, it has generally been a well funded and ably led institution. Antioch is not struggling today because its brand of education is out of favor as Mr. Will suggests, it has failed to thrive because it has never been a wealthy college and of late, when the financial stakes became very high, it has not been ably led.

While Mr. Will may find it “heartening” that Antioch will in his view close, we hope that thinking individuals with predilections leaning to the right or the left of the political spectrum would disagree. It is a chilling thought to consider the loss of a college of such significance as well as a possible warning sign to other progressive colleges. In a nation where institutions like Bob Jones and Liberty are growing and becoming wealthier, we hope that those who have a more expansive view of what the landscape of American higher education should look like will rally to the defense of Antioch.

Mr. Will is right about one more item. Antioch will not be missed. We intend to make sure that Antioch College will in fact not close. It is our fondest wish, as the very proud alumni and friends of Antioch, to prove George Will wrong. We are grateful for the motivation he has provided as we embark on saving and strengthening one of the most important educational institutions in the nation.

Matthew Derr
Antioch College Class of 1989

Last Modified : September 29th, 2007 Filed under : CG, Faculty, News articles, news Navigate : Previous post / Next post