Like Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin was a man of immense intellectual breadth. He founded the College of Philadelphia in 1749. Franklin was also the co-founder of the American Philosophical Society with John Bartram. Early members included George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, John Marshall, Thomas Paine, Benjamin Rush, and the lesser-known Michael Hillegas who edited the Declaration of Independence and served as our nation’s first Treasurer. Despite its appearance as a pantheon of early political and military leaders of an upstart nation, the APS was, and continues to be, an elite assembly of the leading thinkers of the day.

Ours is a nation conceived in intellectual idealism. The visionary leaders who conceived this republic were deep thinkers who embodied the best citizenship that is at the heart of liberal learning. They were avid scientists, political theorists, natural historians, and moral philosophers. Theirs was, however, an idealism deeply rooted in practical wisdom. Among the many articles in the first volume of the Transactions of the American Philosophical Society published in 1771 were the Society’s observations of the Transit of Venus in 1769, an essay on grape cultivation and wine making, and designs for an automated bilge pump. The preface of that initial volume began:

Knowledge is of little use, when confined to mere speculation: But when speculative truths are reduced to practice, when theories, grounded upon experiments are applied to the common purposes of life; and when, by these, agriculture is improved, trade enlarged, the arts of living made more easy and comfortable, and of course, the increase and happiness of mankind promoted; knowledge then becomes really useful. That this Society, therefore, may, in some degree, answer the ends of its institution, the members propose to confine their disquisitions, principally, to such subjects as tend to the improvement of their country, and advancement of its interest and prosperity.

— “Preface,” Transactions of the American Philosophical Society, volume 1.

The establishment of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences is another notable example of the integration of these goals as addressed in their founding document:

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that the end and design of the institution of the said Academy is to promote and encourage the knowledge of the antiquities and the natural history of America; to determine the uses to which the various natural productions of the country may be applied; to promote and encourage medical discoveries, mathematical disquisitions, philosophical enquiries and experiments, astronomical, meteorological and geographical observations, and improvements in agriculture, arts, manufactures and commerce; and, in fine, to cultivate every art and science which may tend to advance the interest, honor, dignity, and happiness of a free, independent, and virtuous people.

— Charter of the Incorporation of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, 4 May 1780.

The charter members of the AAAS were alumni and faculty of Harvard, but they immediately began to induct new members from outside that circle and beyond the nation. Many of these new members were already affiliated with the APS, and nearly all of the early members played leading roles in the revolution and the establishment of the Republic (Tables of the early members of AAAS and APS and be found below).

The same spirit of scientific thinking and a flourishing of the enlightenment that fueled the APS and AAAS provided the spark that created our new republic and led to the rise of liberal arts colleges throughout the new nation. These institutions prepared the next generation of leaders, and they have continued to produce a disproportionately high percentage of leaders in science, letters, business, and government. Liberal arts colleges represent only 3% of American college students, yet “a third of all Fortune 500 CEOs have liberal arts degrees,”^[1] and yet the value of what we do in liberal education is questioned in the media daily.

One of the greatest ironies of our time is the celebration of anti-intellectualism as self-proclaimed patriotism. Nothing could be farther from the truth; America’s greatest hope for the future is to celebrate the intellectual ideals of its founders, and the best stewards of these ideals remain our liberal-arts colleges.

American Philosophical Society Early Members:

Early international members included:

Charter Members of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences:

Other early members of AAAS:

^[1] Ray, Edward J.: “The Value of a Liberal Arts Education in Today’s Marketplace,” Huffington Post, 24 July 2013.

In recent years the public debate over the value of a liberal arts education has included arguments citing high returns on investment due to a greater likelihood of achieving positions of leadership, higher financial earnings, and even statistics confirming greater job satisfaction and increased happiness. Meanwhile, against tremendous positive data, there remains a steady stream of arguments about the relevance of a broad-based liberal education in a society evermore obsessed with entry-level skills, impatience, and quick, but shallow rewards.

Naysayers could do themselves a favor and take one of those history courses they undervalue to appreciate how the founding of our nation and the creation of American liberal education are inextricably linked. The Founding Fathers were progressive intellectuals whose collective experiment was one of the great byproducts of the Enlightenment.

William Smith was named Provost of the College of Philadelphia (forebear of the University of Pennsylvania) in 1755. He introduced the first systematic course of study and degree program in the colonies. It is fitting that he would serve as the inaugural President of the first college founded in the new United States. It is even more fitting that this institution, Washington College, would be established under the aegis of its namesake. George Washington was a member of the board during the College’s early years, stepping down when he accepted the U.S. presidency.

George Washington’s belief in the critical role education would play in our national development continued throughout his career of public service. The draft of his first inaugural address embraces the foundation of liberal education:

Whenever the opportunity shall be furnished to you as public or as private men, I trust you will not fail to use your best endeavors to improve the education and manners of a people; to accelerate the progress of arts & sciences; to patronize works of genius; to confer rewards for invention of utility; and to cherish institutions favourable to humanity.

— G. Washington, Draft of the First Inaugural Address, c. January 1789

In his final annual address to Congress, Washington outlined his dreams for a new nation, calling for the formation of a national university and a national military college:

I have heretofore proposed to the consideration of Congress the expediency of establishing a national university and also a military academy. The desirableness of both these institutions has so constantly increased with every new view I have taken of the subject that I can not omit the opportunity of once for all recalling your attention to them.

The assembly to which I address myself is too enlightened not to be fully sensible how much a flourishing state of the arts and sciences contributes to national prosperity and reputation.

True it is that our country, much to its honor, contains many seminaries of learning highly repeatable and useful; but the funds upon which they rest are too narrow to command the ablest professors in the different departments of liberal knowledge for the institution contemplated, though they would be excellent auxiliaries.

Amongst the motives to such an institution, the assimilation of the principles, opinions, and manners of our country-men by the common education of a portion of our youth from every quarter well deserves attention. The more homogenous our citizens can be made in these particulars the greater will be our prospect of permanent union; and a primary object of such a national institution should be the education of our youth in the science of government. In a republic what species of knowledge can be equally important and what duty more pressing on its legislature than to patronize a plan for communicating it to those who are to be the future guardians of the liberties of the country?

— G. Washington, Eighth Annual Address, 7 December 1796

Washington was not alone in his patronage of the intellectual future of the republic. The American Academy of Arts and Sciences was established in 1780. Its founders were John Adams, John Hancock, and James Bowdoin. Among the members inducted the following year were Washington and Benjamin Franklin.

The five authors of the Declaration of Independence were public intellectuals of the highest order. Robert Livingston was a distinguished man of letters who amassed a personal library of over 4000 volumes. John Adams, as noted above, was a founder of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Roger Sherman was a member of the Yale University faculty and served as the University’s treasurer. Benjamin Franklin provided the leadership to create the College of Philadelphia, which became the University of Pennsylvania. Of all his accomplishments, Thomas Jefferson took his greatest pride in having established the University of Virginia.

George Wythe, the first of the seven Virginians to sign the Declaration of Independence was our nation’s first law professor. At the College of William and Mary he provided instruction and mentorship to Jefferson, James Monroe, John Marshall, and Henry Clay. It is hard to overestimate his role in preparing a generation of leaders to bring forth our nation. In a letter to John Banister, Jr., Jefferson wrote:

When college education is done with, and a young man is to prepare himself for public life, he must cast his eyes (for America) either on Law or Physic. For the former, where can he apply so advantageously as to Mr. Wythe?

— T. Jefferson, Paris, 15 October 1785.

Other Virginia patriots provided important educational leadership. James Madison and James Monroe were charter members of the Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia, and Madison succeeded Jefferson as Rector of the University. Patrick Henry helped to establish the charter of Hampden-Sydney College in January of 1776, making it the last college founded in the colonies. On 5 December of that same year, Phi Beta Kappa was founded at William and Mary.

As I meet with alumni and friends of Susquehanna University, we have focused on four themes:

1.     Citizen Leadership

The residential liberal-arts college is a uniquely American form of higher education. Ours is a nation born of intellectual idealism, and the Founding Fathers helped sponsor these colleges to prepare citizen leaders to foster the new republic. At a recent alumni event at the Franklin Institute, I shared this quote from Benjamin Franklin’s outline of the content of the educational experience he hoped the students at the University of Pennsylvania would receive.

The Idea of what is true Merit, should also be often presented to Youth, explain’d and impress’d on their Minds, as consisting in an Inclination join’d with an Ability to serve Mankind, one’s Country, Friends and Family; which Ability is (with the Blessing of God) to be acquir’d or greatly encreas’d by true Learning; and should indeed be the great Aim and End of all Learning.

B. Franklin: Proposals Relating to the Education of Youth in Pensilvania (p.30), 1749.

Against the current backdrop of competing rhetoric about the role of higher education in American society, this is an ideal time for us to recapture Franklin’s message and its myriad implications.

2.     Global Citizenship

We live in a dynamic global society. As Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote in Letter from Birmingham Jail, “In a real sense all life is inter-related. All men are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”

How can we be effective global citizens? We must engage each other and learn to appreciate the credo of Terence when he wrote, “Homo sum, humani a me nihil alienum puto — I am human, I consider nothing that is human to be alien to me.” A truly cosmopolitan person is one who has developed the capacity to recognize and celebrate the humanity in others. Through the GO program and throughout our curriculum, we strive to foster a sincere appreciation for the true richness of human diversity.

3.     Access

One of our most important aspirations is to make a Susquehanna education attainable for all deserving students and to provide those students access to the most enriching opportunities we can. As we cultivate philanthropic support for the University, the ability of meritorious students to graduate and to be able to engage in truly transformative experiences on and off campus must continue to be our top priority.

4.     Engagement

Universities have many constituencies: students, faculty, parents, alumni, trustees, neighboring community members, etc. Dr. King’s “network of mutuality” applies to them as well. Each group has a different relationship with the university, but all groups benefit from the enhanced engagement of the others in support the work of the institution. We will continue to enhance our shared understanding of the ways in which the collective Susquehanna community can be strengthened by elevating each group’s participation in the life of the university and connection with each other.

Future postings will provide more detailed thoughts on each of these foci.