There is continued conversation around the high cost of higher education. This conversation became a roar during the pandemic. Many college students and their families questioned the cost of classes as campuses shut down and many students switched to 100% virtual seminars. “What exactly are we paying for?” many questioned as access to state of the art gyms, dormitories, and extracurricular activities became non existent.

When we look at this national dialogue parallel to the conversation about college debt many have argued we as a society may need to move away from the push to send all young people to college right out high school. Aside from specialized skills such as becoming a medical doctor or lawyer; many argue we need to encourage our young people to consider trade schools and alternate programs post high school. I recently overheard podcasters lament on the ridiculousness of getting into debt (for some over $100K to work in a field where the starting pay may be less than $50,000 a year).

As an educator, I am well aware of the multiple intelligences that exist. Many educational theorists and researchers often argue that many school models do not take into consideration the way people learn. For some, listening to a lecture will never equate transformative learning in the way that a hands on activity may. For others, movement is important to grasp new information. Dear reader, lets all stop and think about traditional schooling. Students are expected to sit, listen and regurgitate the information that’s being shared from one source, the teacher. In addition, movement is discouraged, even as young as preschool aged children. When I enter a classroom that’s a buzz of activity and movement where the teacher is not the focal point, I am overjoyed. With all that being said, I can understand the argument for non traditional education. I understand many young people may not fit into the mold needed to succeed in a traditional four year liberal arts program. I get it. The fact that this experience also comes with a hefty price tag further supports the argument that not everyone is okay with leaving school at the tender age of twenty-one with an inordinate about of debt.

Although I support the decision for students to take an alternate route in pursuing education and vocational training, I must admit there is beauty in having the luxury and time allotted to the arts. I think it is important for us as a society to have a generalized understanding of literature, music, poetry, drawings, paintings, sculptures and essentially all things related to the arts.

The arts humanizes us.

It is through the arts that the human spirit resides, without it, what are we?