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Difficulty: EasyBlack Education, HBCUs, and Philosophical Debates

Read the following excerpt from W.E.B. Du Bois's essay 'Of the Training of Black Men' (1903):

"If we make money the object of man-training, we shall develop money-makers but not necessarily men; if we make technical skill the object of education, we may possess an artisan, but not, in nature, a man. And to make men, we must have to-day, and in the kingdom of the future, school-teachings and the training of college-bred youth."

Which of the following educational philosophies does Du Bois most directly advocate for in this excerpt?

  1. A
    An industrial and vocational training system focused on immediate economic utility.
  2. B
    Emigration of educated professionals to establish new educational institutions in West Africa.
  3. A classical liberal arts curriculum aimed at developing critical thinking and leadership.Answer
  4. D
    The establishment of segregated trade schools funded by northern philanthropists.

Answer

A classical liberal arts curriculum aimed at developing critical thinking and leadership.
Du Bois argues that education must focus on developing the whole person through classical higher education rather than merely training students for technical labor. He emphasizes that 'to make men,' society requires 'the training of college-bred youth,' which directly aligns with a classical liberal arts curriculum.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the excerpt to identify the author's primary argument.
The author states that focusing solely on 'technical skill' produces 'an artisan, but not... a man,' and that true education requires 'the training of college-bred youth.'
This establishes that the author rejects purely vocational training in favor of higher educational pursuits.
2
Relate this argument to the historical educational debates of the post-emancipation era.
W.E.B. Du Bois is advocating for classical liberal arts higher education to develop intellectual leadership, in contrast to Booker T. Washington's focus on industrial training.
This contextualizes the passage within the debate between classical liberal arts and vocational education.
3
Match the identified philosophy to the correct option.
A classical liberal arts curriculum is the correct match.
The focus on training 'college-bred youth' to 'make men' directly corresponds to a liberal arts model.

Key Concept

The debate between classical liberal arts education and vocational/industrial education in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
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Topics

Black Education, HBCUs, and Philosophical Debates

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