Sloan Creative

I have this set to come up in my calendar to read once a month. I find it helpful and thought you might too.

To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not, rich; to listen to stars and birds, babes and sages, with open heart; to study hard; to think quietly, act frankly, talk gently, await occasions, hurry never; in a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common–this is my symphony.

WILLIAM HENRY CHANNING

I ran across this the other day on the Bureau of Labor Statistics site.

Time use on an average weekday for full-time
university and college students, 2003-2005

			       Hours	

Sleeping                	8.5
Leisure and sports      	4.1
Working                		2.7
Educational activities  	3.1
Other                  		2.4
Traveling              		1.5
Eating and drinking     	1.0
Grooming               		0.7

Total                  	       24.0

http://stat.bls.gov/opub/ted/2007/may/wk4/art04.htm

From this, I draw the following conclusions.
1. College kids are well-rested, in good shape, but malnourished . Maybe bad dorm food saves them time on eating, only 1 hour per day? But to include drinking in that 1 hour number seems to me disingenuous.

2. That if I want to continue my self-education at a college-like pace, it’s certainly possible, given that they are spending only 3 hours per day on educational activities. If you want to remain a life-long learner, it’s certainly possible to keep up with, or even stay ahead of the average college student by simply reducing work hours a bit and devoting some leisure time to your studies.

I’ve just purchased the Great Books of the Western World series (Thanks Joy!) and am looking forward to diving in.

I am reminded of a recent book by an author I respect, The Well-Educated Mind: A Guide to the Classical Education You Never Had, though some of the key ideas in her book are from Giambattista Vico’s great work from early in the 18th century, On the Study Methods of Our Time, which is certainly worth a look if you have the time!