Great Plains Honors Council 2010 Conference

Outspoken American editor H. L. Mencken held that “any man who afflicts the human race with ideas must be prepared to see them misunderstood.”  He experienced this backlash firsthand; however, he doggedly refused to give up his pursuit of truth, taking virtually all aspects of the American status quo to task.  This lifestyle of analysis eventually gave Mencken the title critic.  Honors students, too, are known for their tendency to search for a profound level of knowledge and understanding— one far beyond the level that satisfies the general public.  Questioning is an integral part of being an honors student, but even more important is learning how to frame one’s critique.  Plenary speakers Bruce Plante, H. L. Mencken (Paul Vickery), and Dorothy Parker (Suzan King), express serious messages through satire.  Sculptor Bob Haozous, whose Artificial Cloud (pictured in the top left corner and below) is a comment on environmental destruction, calls humor “a very serious tool” and a way to get past barriers.  Achieving a successful dialogue with society, like those of Mencken, Parker, Plante, and Haozous, is essential to effecting measurable change.  Therefore, the Great Plains Honors Council proudly invites you to join us in exploring the Art of the Critique from March 26-28, 2010.

Note: Conference presentations, including Boe submissions, need not adhere to the theme, which describes the plenary experiences.