Hillsdale College President Larry Arnn on His Journey as an Educator and the Nature of a Good Education

Hillsdale College President Larry Arnn inherited a love for books from his parents. (Courtesy of Hillsdale College)

Dr. Larry Arnn is the 12th president of Hillsdale College, where he also teaches politics and history.

American Essence: Please tell us about your journey as an educator.

Dr. Larry Arnn: My father was the first in his family to become a college graduate. He became a schoolteacher in my hometown, Pocahontas, Arkansas, and in that profession, he found much happiness. But my parents had little money, so my father usually had two jobs outside teaching. His work ethic taught me to work while in school. I was a paper boy. I was an ironworker. I was a welder. I paid for much of my graduate school waiting tables.

The other thing I got from my parents was a love for reading books. It is much of the reason I did well in school. In my last year at Arkansas State, I was required to take a course in ancient political thought that I wanted to evade. I was on my way to law school and was admitted to some very good ones. I may have thought I had become too grand to study any old books. I asked the chair of the department if she would waive the course, me being so near graduation. She told me to shut up and take the course. It proved life-changing. I deferred my applications to law school and eventually went to graduate school instead.

Arnn explains that a true liberal arts education is grounded in the idea that self-governing citizens should train their minds in varied disciplines. (Courtesy of Hillsdale College)

I studied many ancient philosophers such as Plato’s “Republic” and Aristotle’s “Nicomachean Ethics,” which I have the privilege of teaching today at Hillsdale College. I also studied the life of the great Winston Churchill and worked alongside the great Martin Gilbert on finishing Churchill’s official biography. I’ve since written a book on Churchill and have loved teaching classes on him. Through all of this, I’ve come to see that Churchill is, without question, the greatest statesman of the 20th century. We’d do well to heed his example and take his words and his deeds seriously. Aristotle, Churchill, and one of my former teachers, Harry Jaffa, are some of my greatest influences.

My proudest moments, and what I enjoy most at Hillsdale, are when I see the amazing journey that our students go on, between freshman year and when they graduate. Many of them arrive here thinking they know everything. They were the kings and queens of their high schools. Then, they get to senior year, exhausted but deeply fulfilled. Wiser, and now knowing they still have a lot to learn about everything. But that hunger is there now. And I’ll see them years down the road, doing important and weighty things, and yet, they remain my students. And they’re still growing. But now, they’re seeking after the right things. It’s a joy to behold.

American Essence: What is the nature of a good education?

Dr. Arnn: A good education cultivates a student’s natural desire to learn. It’s like tending to a garden. Good teachers don’t do anything to students; they cultivate the desire to know and learn that’s already inside of them. They help them grow. A teacher ought to instruct in a way that tends to both the minds and the hearts of students, so, one day, these young men and women can learn to govern themselves. Teachers must possess a high degree of knowledge in their subject so they can guide the students in answering the age-old questions of the human experience. And the students must be driven to apply themselves in the endeavor. They must ask the questions that need to be asked. And they need to come to realize that one is never done learning. It’s a lifelong pursuit.

Hillsdale College’s 400-acre campus has many historic buildings. (Courtesy of Hillsdale College)

(Courtesy of Hillsdale College)

American Essence: What kind of education did our Founding Fathers have? How did it shape their worldview? And what can we do today to ensure that our future generations are well educated?

Dr. Arnn: Like the first attendees of Hillsdale College, most of the American Founders were well versed in Greek, Latin, and the classics. As such, America’s Founders understood that man is flawed and that nature is governed by certain eternal principles established by our Creator. They recognized that man ought to learn these principles in order to protect his rights and respect the rights of his neighbor. For instance, they recognized that given man’s sinful nature and the challenge of individuals living in close communities, it was essential to constitute a government that protects the natural rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. On that last note, it’s important to remember that, unlike our society that today is so dominated by a sense of entitlement or grievance, happiness itself was not guaranteed, just the noble pursuit of it. The Founders insisted upon training the mind in the disciplines of history, language, mathematics, and the natural sciences in order to impart the character required for self-governing citizens within a republic.

From the beginning, the Founders viewed education as vitally important to securing America’s present and ensuring its future. While Congress was locked in debate during the Constitutional Convention, the Founders passed the Northwest Ordinance of 1787. It declares that “schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged,” as “religion, morality and knowledge” are necessary for good government and “the happiness of mankind.”

(Courtesy of Hillsdale College)

These words are as true today as when they were penned centuries ago. James Madison believed education should inculcate liberty. He was right. Intelligent and informed citizens are a bulwark against tyranny and oppression. Indeed, if young people are shown how to wrestle with questions of the Highest things, in times of trial, these men and women of character can show the nation, and indeed the world, how to lead.

Now, while the Ordinance of 1787 recognized the government’s role in encouraging education, the Founders knew it should be controlled locally. The Founders understood education as a public interest, but for it to accomplish its purpose, private citizens should manage its affairs at the township level. Indeed, America’s greatness stems not from government benevolence, but from the hard work of individuals. To ensure our future generations are well educated, we need schools and teachers that engage students in discussions about the higher, eternal things—not just present controversies or whatever whims and fancies are trendy at a given moment.

This article was originally published in American Essence magazine.