Over the past 150 years of TCU’s commitment to higher education, change may have been a constant, but so has the hope of the men and women who have come to our university with a dream to learn and lead.
This hope – and the underlying belief that education is essential for the well-being of individuals and society – is a topic that transcends time and for which many have thought and written about critically.
In 1873, when brothers Addison and Randolph Clark established their college to educate responsible citizens, their father, Joseph Addison Clark, wrote an essay on education in reference to the individual. Then, in 1973, as TCU celebrated its centennial, Chancellor James M. Moudy added an essay on his beliefs about education. The collection was called A Hope of Wisdom and was published by TCU Press.
Now a third essay on education, written by Chancellor Victor J. Boschini, Jr., has
been added to the publication as TCU marks its Sesquicentennial.
“Texas Christian University is shaped by the exceptional leaders who have come before us. As chancellor in TCU’s 150th year, it is a great honor to contribute to the book of essays on education from Joseph Addison Clark, father of TCU’s founders Addison and Randolph Clark, and James M. Moudy, TCU Chancellor in 1973, the university’s centennial year,” Boschini said.
“In my 20th year as chancellor and throughout our Sesquicentennial, I’ve reflected on our incredible mission, campus culture and the power of education,” he continued. “TCU is thriving because of the vision of those who came before us, generous supporters and the dedication of our students, faculty, staff and alumni. These essays capture moments in time and invite all Horned Frogs to reflect on our past, express gratitude for our present and consider the opportunities for our future.”
TCU Press Director Dan Williams said the cloth-covered, updated book will have much of the same look and feel as the first edition and is intended as a keepsake.
“We wanted to republish the book to give Chancellor Boschini an opportunity to offer his thoughts on education and the future of TCU,” Williams said. “He took ideas from both Clark and Moudy, but his contribution is as unique as his voice is recognizable. His concern for students always dominates his thoughts.”
From the essays
“It is the duty of everyone who has the means, to give himself what is commonly called
a liberal education. All that is learned there will be useful, whatever calling or
profession he may afterwards pursue.… Every truth has some relation to every other
truth; and general knowledge upon all branches elevates and enriches the mind and
enables it to take a larger view of things. Literature, science, and especially the
true philosophy of man are essential to the highest degree of excellence in any profession.”
– Joseph Clark
“Education Considered in Reference to the Individual”
“Here is a key both to learning and to changing people. Whatever a person learns,
by that much he is changed. He will never again be as he was, for learning is never
accomplished without a change being worked in the learner.”
– James Moudy
“Toward Wonder, Education and Recognition”
“Personally, I think the best aspect of a Texas Christian University education is
that both the professor and the student converge in a campus setting as learners.
TCU has a rich and remarkable history of providing a living laboratory where an individual
can experiment and learn by missteps or failure with a safety net, or learn by accomplishment
with the coaching and encouragement of others. This is what an education is all about.
Students grow under the guidance and care of an incredible cadre of faculty and staff.”
– Victor J. Boschini, Jr.
“What is a TCU Education?”
Limited copies of A Hope of Wisdom are available through TCU Press.
Learn about other 150th commemorative books including A History to Remember: TCU in Purple, White, and Black, Images and Stories of TCU's First 100 Years 1873-1973, A Remarkable Story to Tell and Walking TCU: A Historic Perspective.