I have a lot of ball caps in my closet. The old men are wearing so many ball caps (one at a time) that their collection is growing.
I have three favorites. Two are rare, but may be seen on other heads in town and in northern Colorado. It's a Wall Drug cap and a South Dakota state cap, both of which reflect my personal history.
A truly unique ball cap features the word “WILLARD” in blue over a gold “U” on a “University” background.
An attentive observer will look at “Willard University” and ask, “I've never heard of that.” Where is the campus located? ”
I respond with a mischievous smile and a gesture pointing to my head, “I'm fine here.”
Of course, the actual Willard University does not exist. However, I did teach some classes at my previous employer.
The essence of this is that you too can own a ball cap with “Your Name University” proudly emblazoned on it.
they are not free. I think the three caps (for my son, grandson, and myself) were close to $100. Education costs are not cheap!
When the idea for the first European universities was being developed, a ball cap like mine wasn't an option.
Plato — who lent his name to Platonic Love (don't mess around or kiss) — was a student of Socrates. And Socrates was a philosopher who walked around Athens, stopping to discuss the conduct of life.
The old rulers of the time did not like Socrates because he demanded noble behavior, nothing that perhaps some politicians would still comply with. So they bought Socrates a drink.
He might have preferred aged red wine, but they offered him a glass of hemlock, which was inevitably fatal.
After Socrates' death, Plato changed his career path from politics to education.
He must have been a road scholar, as he wandered from Athens to Italy and Egypt. He studied geometry, geology, religion, and astronomy.
This was after 400 BC, so he didn't know anything about Christianity.
He began his writing career and created his masterpiece “The Republic”. He wrote it in the form of questions and answers, suggesting a dialogue about his topic.
He addressed some of life's great questions, including wisdom, justice, courage, and how individuals relate to themselves and society as a whole. He taught me what it means to live a “good life.”
The Republic is considered one of the most influential works of philosophy ever written, but as Shakespeare said, “It's Greek to me.”
In his view, an ideal government would have philosophers as the only rulers.
Perhaps even one or two people in government would be a pleasant change.
His book was so successful that he created the Academy on a site associated with a mythical Athenian hero called Akademus, providing the basis for the word academia.
Plato U. offered subjects such as mathematics, biology, political theory, and his major, philosophy. Rumor has it that he offered financial support to the attractive co-ed. No, of course it wasn't.This was in 387 B.C.
It certainly provided a skeptical mindset and denied the possibility of arriving at absolute truth. This was before the era of “alternative facts.”
Plato remained at the Academy until his death (Plato Professor Emeritus?).
The university flourished until the Byzantine Emperor Justinian came to power. He closed down the academy on the grounds that it was pagan in nature and confiscated everything he could get his hands on.
At this time, there is no solid documentation about the academy, its sports mascot, or the league's records. After all, what is more important to higher education institutions than championships?
If we compare Plato's Academy to Willard University, what would our sports mascot be?
Alliteration is important, but not appropriate because wombats are Australian. Maybe the tattoo on my right leg is an old wolf that looks like it's howling at the moon?
And then there's the question of tuition assistance for coeducational attraction (perhaps left for another discussion).
So if you're thinking of buying a ballcap that says “YOUR NAME University,” consider these things before investing $30. People will ask you questions.
