H -°, L 6° | Tomorrow: 
H 18°, L 6°In Purcellville, Va., sits one of America’s youngest and most respected schools.
Less than 10 years old, Patrick Henry College has already gained notoriety for tremendous placement of its students in internships all over Washington, D.C., from the White House to the Capitol. The secretary of the school’s Board of Trustees is none other than Janet Ashcroft, the attorney general’s wife. And early alumni of the college have gone on to work in places as prestigious as the aforementioned internship hubs.
But there is one vital element of a quality higher education missing from PHC: diversity.
A strict Christian college in the tradition of Bob Jones University, the Virginia school boasts a student body of fewer than 1,000 and almost all of which had been home schooled.
Moreover, according to a March 8 New York Times article, the school formerly enrolled only a single black student. He dropped out.
But diversity is not lacking at PHC merely on account of high school experience (or the lack thereof) and skin color. The Purcellville school is also entirely devoid of religious diversity. In order to enter the college, students must sign a document saying that they accept the Christian Bible — in its entirety — as being literal. In fact, the school’s website explains, “Any biology, Bible or other courses at PHC dealing with creation will teach creation from the understanding of Scripture that God’s creative work, as described in Genesis 1:1-31, was completed in six 24-hour days.”
John Scopes and Clarence Darrow must be rolling over in their graves.
And PHC does little to help expand students’ worldview. In fact, the college works as an almost incestuous compound where pupils are so radically exposed to their own homogeny that the real world comes as a shock. One PHC student, upon meeting this writer — a practicing Jew who imbibes openly — inquired almost innocently, “What does it feel like to know that you’re going to hell?”
The question is sensible if you consider that students at the Virginia college are prohibited from touching alcohol while attending school (including weekends and other non-class times).
Yet PHC’s crippling shelter only grows greater with its “courtship policy.” Should a male student wish to date a female student, he must first get the permission of her parents. Imagine walking around State Street Brats on a Friday evening, meeting the person of your dreams, and then, instead of asking for their number, asking for their parents’ number!
Should the parents sign off on the courtship, the two budding young romantics will be permitted to hold hands on campus — so long as they are walking of course. That’s right, at PHC, if you’re sitting down, standing still or otherwise immobile, you better not be caressing the palm of another student.
Then again, with almost the entire student body sharing a common major — government — abiding by the same faith, having similar high school backgrounds, displaying the same skin color and being sober at all times, it must be difficult to make small talk with the opposite sex. After all, “What’s your major,” “Where did you go to high school,” and any questions central to faith or world view seem almost rhetorical to pose.
PHC is a reminder that even the finest of textbook educations — which, sans biology, the school does seem to offer — can be near meaningless without an equally robust social education. An extensive knowledge of American government is fruitless if its bearer becomes shell-shocked upon entering a real world environment. And having been home schooled and then educated at PHC, it seems safe to say that many of these students have never seen that real world.
Of course, Madisonians see it every day. A stroll through Der Rathskeller, a cram session at College Library, a shopping spree on State Street and even an 8 a.m. lecture in Agriculture Hall reveal people from all over the world with a plethora of backgrounds and cultures.
So keep your eyes open, ask questions of the people around you and soon, you will discover there to be much more to your education at UW than the knowledge you regurgitate on a bubble test.
Mac VerStandig ([email protected]) is a junior majoring in rhetoric.
IP hash: 90d4550a
This is why I can respect you, Mac. Even though your views tend to be excessively conservative for my taste, you can still recognize the importance of several ideas that used to be considered liberal, like diversity.
IP hash: 6699853d
“you can still recognize the importance of several ideas that used to be considered liberal, like diversity”
These ideas are still considered liberal. It’s just not the “liberal” that is associated with leftists.
IP hash: e709b62e
Nice piece, Mac, but that tux… UGH!!
IP hash: e709b62e
I agree. In fact, we should take this diversity thing all the way!
BRING BACK THE MULLET!! BRING BACK THE MULLET!! BRING BACK THE MULLET!!…
IP hash: 68fee7ca
I am UW-Madison graduate who teaches at Bob Jones University. God has told us in His Word (the Bible) that our chief task is to glorify Him by believing in His Son Jesus Christ and obeying God’s laws. Everything that we teach, we want to conform to the Bible. We look at history as God’s and we look at computer science (my subject) as God’s. In my classes, I teach the same computer concepts as are taught at UW-Madison. However, during student visits to my office and briefly in the classroom when appropriate, I teach the principles of God as applied to my students’ lives. For example, I admonish them to pray, to be kind and courteous to all people, and to make sure they are active in a Bible believing church now and when they graduate.
(I had a EE professor at Madison spent one whole class hour telling us about his Buddhism so don’t tell me that religion isn’t taught at Madison.)
If it is true (and it is true) that all reality is God’s reality and people are dying and going to hell every day because they don’t have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, why would we teach anything else?
BTW, Bob Jones University dating couples are not allowed to hold hands. However, they are allowed to date without asking a parent’s permission. And they are allowed to date someone of a different race (my own wife is not white).
Anyone is welcome to look at my department’s homepage: http://www.bju.edu/academics/cas/math/cps/index
IP hash: e709b62e
That’s precisely why I’d never attend Bob Jones University. I once dated a llama and I cannot begin to tell you the ridicule and humiliation we both suffered because we were dating a different species. Both of us were the subject of taunts from our own species as well, so it is obvious that prejudice knows no boundaries.
Only in a universally tolerant educational setting like UW-Madison can the two of us express our undying love for each other without scorn from those who are ignorant of the true meaning of love and commitment.
By the way, anyone know where we can find a good vet who accepts Medicare?
IP hash: 122a42d5
“God has told us in His Word (the Bible)……”
Hold on a sec…..I thought the bible was written by humans. Humans aren’t perfect (according to original sin) and therefore the Bible can’t be perfect. The bible was translated and re-interpretted by humans in a new and not so relevant social context…..it’s seems silly to take it as the literal word of GOD. On that same topic….it’s seems rather arrogant to think that a human being could have the capacity to understand the true and complete intentions of an almighty GOD……let alone express it in terms of language…..which was also created by humans and therefore…..not perfect.
“If it is true (and it is true) that all reality is God’s reality and people are dying and going to hell every day because they don’t have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, why would we teach anything else?”
All reality may indeed be God’s reality……but it is unfair for you to assert that you can understand reality as God does. If you think that you can understand existence or God’s reality by reading a book…..I feel you might be simplifying the matter a bit too much. According to your own faith God is the one to judge whether someone goes to heaven or hell….so you can’t really say that “people are dying and going to hell every day” becuase you don’t really know. Furthermore, by asserting that you do know…..you are saying that you are in a position to judge people like God judges people….essentially putting yourself on the level of God…..which seems silly to me.
“Bob Jones University dating couples are not allowed to hold hands.”
I find it rather strange that Christians try to enforce things of this nature. First of all, if you really believe that God is all-knowing……you would realize that God can see the motivation behind the action. I think God wants us to do the right thing because we think it’s the right thing….not because it’s a rule. So by that logic….wouldn’t the kids who truly believed that this was some kind of sin (which I find to be absolutely ridiculous) not hold hands because that is what they believed is the right thing to do. I feel by forcing this on students….you are really only preventing them from reflecting about the issue themselves…and then following their heart. To push the issue further, sin does not exist in action….but in thought. God knows your intentions, if God is all powerful, and by even thinking about committing an “evil” or “impure” act……you ARE committing the sin in the all seeing eyes of God. However, the act of human touch is not a sin….nor is it impure. Human touch can express things that words cannot….whether it be a friendly hug, a persons touch, or a lovers kiss…..these are powerful expressions of love and caring that God does not want us to ignore. We must use the tools that God us to express our love….I feel that is, after all, what wants us to do.
IP hash: 00a064f0
Mac, on behalf of all your friends at Heritage, I would like to say that it is about time that someone set the record straight on Patrick Henry. We all know what kind of material that place turns out (Adam), so I’m glad that you publicized how everyone felt about the place. Anyway, take care and good luck at UW!!
James McNiece
IP hash: 49b369da
Mac,
I must say that this article does show some light on what goes on in the hills of Virginia. It even brings back memories of similar encounters that I’ve had with some students from PHC. Thanks for the time capsule…and great article!
Rupa
IP hash: d88ed272
Have you actually interviewed any of the students who have graduated from PCH to know that they truly are “shell shocked” upon entering the “real world,” or is this your speculation?