What are the humanities, and how should they be cultivated? With respect to this crucial question, opinions differ as to how widely the humanities should be construed and pursued. Initially connoting the study of Greek and Roman classics, the concept now more generally covers arts and letters, history, and philosophy. But does it also include the…

Describes a reading program based on Piagetian theory and a psycholinguistic interpretation of the reading process. Explains each component of the program and offers evaluative data attesting to its success. (FL)

Noting that it is difficult to pinpoint exactly what back to basics advocates really mean by "basics," this paper suggests three interpretations: one dealing with skills, one with subject matter, and one with values. The first section of the paper places each of these interpretations in historical perspective, demonstrates how each…