Lehigh University - Epitome Yearbook (Bethlehem, PA)

Page 19 text:

From its founding in 1865, Lehigh ' s purpose has been to achieve a balanced combination of professional training in diverse disciplines and a broad liberal edu- cation. Since 1865, the ease with which such a balance could be reached has dimin- ished considerably, as any engineer can verify. Four years is a scant span of time for one to cover the deluge of technicalities associated with any professional field. As a result, the university today can only delegate the responsibility of broadening an education to the individual. It aids the individual in this respect by teaching him to learn and think, and by aiming to develop, outside the classroom, individual abili- ties as manifest in qualities of intellect, personality, and interpersonal relationships. All this, of course, must be coupled with teaching the individual to apply facts and concepts in his field of study. The ideal university is one which strikes an appropri- ate balance between these two aspects in such a way that each individual person receives the education which best enables him to pursue a full life. This balance between education in the broad sense and education in the narrow, practical sense is indicative of the needs of society today. 15

Page 21 text:

s All important is the university ' s effort to develop an ability, stimulate a willingness, and inspire an obligation in each of its participants to assume responsible leadership in solving the problems of society so that the society of the future will be the servant and not the master of men. The goal of the university is to enhance unity among its diverse elements. The university com- munity recognizes that promoting communi- cation and the free exchange of opinions is funda- mental to breaking down barriers when they occur and enhancing a sense of common pur- pose. . . . the ideal institution always makes it clear that it serves others and not itself. And it hopes that its members will develop this same attitude. The UGC summed up the duties of an ideal university as follows: The ideal university is one which strives to improve itself so dramatically that its alumni and emeriti will sense a certain remorse for not being presently in attendance . . . As graduates of Lehigh, how remorseful do you feel? How far from ideal is Lehigh? As graduates, we should know. Will Lehigh ever approach ideality? It can. 17