Education and Integration:
Europe and America
INTRODUCTION
Jon Westling:
Good morning, ladie and gentlemen. I'm Jon Westling,
president of Boston University. It is my pleasant duty this morning to wel–
come you to this conference on "Education and Integration." As I am
scheduled to impose my own views on you at some length tomorrow
morning I shall be uncharacteristically brief. I wish, fir t, to thank the co–
sponsors of this conference, the Austrian Cultural Institute, and
Partisan
Review. Partisan Review
has been a part of Boston University now for more
than twenty years, but it has been a part of the life of the mind in this
country and around the world for more than sixty years. Throughout its
very distinguished history it has had a commendable record of standing
against intellectual and political fashion and for thoughtful and reasonable
discussion. We are honored to be in the company of
Partisan Review
in
sponsoring this conference.
The connection between what is taught at the elementary and sec–
ondary level and what ought to be taught in higher education is
increasingly problematic. I started out as a medieval historian. The
medieval universities solved this problem by taking on the full duties of
education beyond the mo t elementary level. Students would enter at
twelve or fourteen and it was common for them to stay in the pre-modern
university for eight or ten years or more. We may be returning to that
model, but I hope not.
It
is also my hope, as I'm sure it is yours, that the
understanding and illumination that we are able to glean from the papers
we will hear and from the ensuing discussion will help us to set a course
to improve the ways in which our educational systems function. Indeed,
there can be no more serious subject, and we are honored to be host to so
many distinguished and thoughtful commentators. We are also grateful to
those of you who have taken time today and tomorrow to help us in these
deliberations. Our distinguished guests, and all of you, are very welcome
here. Thank you.
Edith Kurzweil:
Thank you very much, Jon Westling. I too want to thank
all of the people at Boston Universi ty who are helping us make this
