"It is the function of the scholar to evoke into life wisdom and beauty which, apart from his magic, would remain lost in the past. A progressive society depends upon its inclusion of three groups--scholars, discoverers, inventors. Its progress also depends upon the fact that its educated masses are composed of members each with a tinge of scholarship, a tinge of discovery, and a tinge of invention."

A wonderful collection of essays perhaps summarised best by Corruptio optimi, pessima ! I woudl highly recommend this collection of essays for your consideration.

"In the history of education, the most striking phenomenon is that schools of learning, which at one epoch are alive with a ferment of genius, in a succeeding generation exhibit merely pedantry and routine. The reason is, that they are overladen with inert ideas. Education with inert ideas is not only useless: it is, above all things, harmful--Corruptio optimi, pessima."

In a world of crammed curriculum, outcomes based education, criterion referenced assessments, many of the propositions here are challenging if not a bit humourous!

Online essays: http://www.english.upenn.edu/~rlucid/A_Whitehead.html

Source: Robert Lucid, Professor Emeritus of English, Former Master of Hill College House.