Big crowd gets a 'Taste of Gutenberg'

An estimated 250 people packed the old Weitech building on Larch Street to get a "Taste of Gutenberg" - along with some Slick's Que Co. barbecue.

The crowd was offered nine different tastes of Gutenberg College's program and curriculum in three concurrent breakout sessions.

"We want you to know about Gutenberg as it is, rather than some image of it. We think that if you know it as it is, you will have more confidence in your support," said Gutenberg President David Crabtree in his opening remarks. "This turnout is amazing and gratifying."

Gutenberg is a small, accredited four-year Christian college that has been operating on the edge of the University of Oregon campus since 1994. Over the last six months, the college has been working with Mac Hay and his economic development team to meet the requirements that would allow them to move their entire operation to the Weitech building. All the requirements have now been met. Fundraising to finance the move is their next challenge.

Crabtree said, "We think being located in Sisters will be easier for us. It will give us lots more visibility. In Eugene, the University of Oregon dominates. Sisters is one of the most visible small towns in Oregon. People living in Sisters are incredibly well-connected statewide. We need the visibility to grow. We have to grow."

David describes Gutenberg as a "dinky college," with 27 students currently. They have had enrollment in the 50s, but they are limited by their current facilities. They would like to grow the Sisters campus to a maximum of 150 resident students. The Weitech building fits their needs perfectly, according to Crabtree, but they will have to add student housing some time in the future.

Gutenberg is one of about 12 "Great Books" colleges in the country. Instead of textbooks, the students are challenged to read "...those writings that have been the most significant in the formation of intellectual culture in the West. In my experience, when you read the author themselves it is much more profound, much more impactful," said Crabtree.

The students discuss their reading of these original works in small groups (10 to 12 students) led by "tutors" (professors in a traditional college). The tutors use the "Socratic" approach to challenge the students. Named after the classical Greek philosopher Socrates, this teaching method uses inquiry and debate between individuals with opposing viewpoints, and is based on asking and answering questions to stimulate critical thinking and to illuminate ideas.

"The thing that makes our approach to education significant, it seems to me, is that we have stepped back a step or two from where education is going in the U.S. today. It seems to me that education in America today has kind of lost its moorings, it doesn't know exactly what it is doing," said Crabtree. "What has evolved in America in the name of education is vocational training. When people in America hear the term education they assume that it is preparation for a job.

"But education has more import than that, it has a bigger role than that, and we need to rediscover that role. It does no good to train students to make a good living unless they know why [they] live. What does it mean to be a human being, why are we here, what should we be doing? Those are all prior questions to how do I make a good salary. If you haven't answered those questions, then making a high salary is pointless. So we are trying to rediscover the more traditional role of education, and that is teaching people how to live a good life, not just how do you make a good living."

While the Bible is one of the great books that is studied, Gutenberg is not a Bible college in the traditional sense.

"For the tutors, a biblical worldview and a biblical foundation is key to who they are, and all tutors sign a declaration of faith," said Crabtree.

A number of the students come in and leave as non-Christian, including a number of the Muslim faith. The students graduate with an accredited bachelor's degree in liberal arts.

Prompted by pointed queries from attendees, staff emphasized that even in the Socratic approach, final exams, papers and oral presentations are still required.

In addition to the liberal arts training, the fixed curriculum also requires three years of science and two years of math - taught from the works and words of the original scientists.

Tutor and academic dean Charley Dewberry was working on a Ph.D in stream ecology at OSU when he read two books on the philosophy of science by Thomas S. Kuhn and Michael Polanyi that "destroyed everything I had been taught about science" leading him ultimately to a Ph.D in Philosophy of Science.

"At Gutenberg, what we are primarily interested in is what is science, how do you do it, and what role should science play in culture," said Dewberry.

Gutenberg has the Weitech building under contract while they scramble to raise the $2 million required to make their move to Sisters. Due to housing considerations, a summer move would work out best for the students. The accrediting agency also requires six months notice of an impending move. At this point Crabtree is looking for a Sisters start-up date in Fall 2012.

The "Taste of Gutenberg" was organized and staged by the Sisters 4 Gutenberg committee. Local resident Ken Ruettgers heads up the committee and emceed the event. More information can be found at http://www. sisters4gutenberg.com or http://www.gutenberg.edu.