Memorial Day is a wonderful constant. Every year, it never ceases to touch me. My family attends an annual parade in Mercer, Pennsylvania. It’s terrific—total old-school. The flags, the courthouse, the kids, the snow-cone stand, the marching bands, and, … More>

Editor’s note: This article first appeared in The American Spectator.

Every human life is special, unique, unrepeatable — to borrow from Pope John Paul II. Every loss of life is a loss. Some losses, however, seem larger, leaving a void … More>

The great 20th century novelist Chaim Potok wrote, in his novel, My Name Is Asher Lev, “You have a gift, Asher Lev. You have a responsibility.” My Mom had a gift of 89 years, 89 years to live her … More>

Editor’s note: A version of this article first appeared at Forbes.com.

Sunday, April 28, marks the 255th anniversary of President James Monroe’s birth in 1758.

Recently, I had the pleasure of reading one of Harlow Giles Unger’s thorough biographies of … More>

Margaret Thatcher, one of the greatest leaders of the Cold War, of the 20^th century, and of British history, has died at the age of 87.

I’ve referred to her as one of my Cold War seven: Ronald … More>

One of the most famous opening lines in literature comes from Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina: “All happy families are like one another; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.”

Great literature causes us to think and ponder; … More>

Editor’s note: A version of this article first appeared at Forbes.com.

New Year’s observances blend recollections of the past, celebrations in the present, and anticipation of the future. For a variety of reasons, I’m feeling nostalgic this year. I’ve been … More>

It was shortly before Thanksgiving. I was in the kitchen washing dishes when I heard my first music of the holiday season. Sick of talk radio and sick of election post-mortems, I gave myself a breather, turning the FM … More>

Editor’s note: A version of this piece first appeared at USAToday.com.

Dear Mitt,

I have awakened on November 7 to learn that your bid for the presidency was unsuccessful. In the midst of the disappointment that I share with you, … More>

Fifty percent of college students today are either unemployed or underemployed. Dr. Jim Thrasher, the director of Grove City College’s top-ranked career services office and coordinator of The Center for Vision & Values working group on calling, gives some … More>

Alex Karras, the former Detroit Lions All-Pro defensive tackle and later a successful actor, died on October 10. I have vivid memories of him before he ever gained immortality as “Mongo” in “Blazing Saddles” or as the stepdad of “Webster.”… More>

Dr. Craig Columbus (executive director of The Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation) joins Dr. Paul Kengor (executive director of The Center for Vision & Values) and Glen Meakem (a successful venture capitalist and radio talk-show host) … More>

This August 23, 2012 marks the centennial of the birth of Gene Kelly, the great American dancer, actor, singer; a guy’s guy who—along with Fred Astaire—is the only male who ever left me (momentarily) wishing I could dance.

I’ve always … More>

A book review of Gregg L. Frazer’s “The Religious Beliefs of America’s Founders: Reason, Revelation, Revolution,” written exclusively for The Russell Kirk Center for Cultural Renewal’s University Bookman.

Read the book review»… More>

When we open our newspapers on Father’s Day, we expect to find something nice about dads—often heroic dads. Yet, for every boy or girl whose father was a doctor or Marine who stormed the beaches of Normandy, there is … More>

“It is morning in America. Good morning, welcome back. I’ve had a zillion talks and lectures around the country and had a lot of fun—always enjoyed them. I never had as enjoyable an evening as I had at Grove City. … More>

At 0227 hours on the morning of June 6, 1944, Lieutenant Robert Mathias saw the red light flash above the door of his C47 “Dakota” aircraft, signaling his men to get ready to parachute into a terrifying blackness that was … More>

Like many Americans, Memorial Day never ceases to move me. Rivaled only by Christmas and Easter, it’s the most poignant time of the year for me, maybe because, like Christmas and Easter, it’s about life, death, and remembrance.

This Memorial … More>

Editor’s note: A longer version of this article first appeared at Forbes.com

What interesting timing. I had recently planned a column on my observations about Mitt Romney at Cranbrook. Why? Not because of anything in the news related to Cranbrook—at … More>

December 1941 is usually remembered by Americans as that fateful month when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, thus thrusting the United States into World War II. However, consider an alternate scenario: Adolf Hitler appears triumphantly before the Reichstag announcing the destruction … More>

On March 19, speaking at a Morris Township, New Jersey Democratic Party fundraiser, Vice President Joe Biden provided what may be the mother of all election year bumper stickers when he asserted, “Osama Bin Laden is dead and General Motors … More>

Among America’s amazing pantheon of founders, Patrick Henry stands out for his stirring speeches and fervent commitment to liberty, virtue, and small government. The Virginia planter, lawyer, and politician strongly denounced Great Britain’s political and economic control of the American … More>

If you follow professional sports, and especially if you are a football or hockey fan, you undoubtedly are aware of the rash of concussions that have rendered players unfit to play. Now there’s a rash of lawsuits being filed against … More>

This is the time of year when 2012 prediction lists abound. I am struck by how many lists have included some reference to a surge in American entrepreneurship during the next year. Entrepreneurs are clearly being counted upon to act … More>

On December 16, 1944, the men of Lieutenant Lyle Bouck’s platoon had their all-night vigil interrupted by a pre-dawn fusillade of artillery rounds from a hundred German guns, their muzzle flashes punctuating the darkness like a volley of fireballs hurled … More>

Editor’s note: A version of this article first appeared at TheBlaze.com.

They say that famous people die in groups of three.

I recently heard the news of the death of Christopher Hitchens, one of the world’s best-known atheists and polemicists. … More>

Editor’s note: This article first appeared at The American Spectator today.

Vaclav Havel is dead. Among other forces and powers, he is among the seven individuals most responsible for peacefully ending the Cold War; the great liberators who brought freedom … More>

Barry Bonds’ Dec. 16 sentencing for obstruction of justice is an anticlimactic addendum to a sterling, though marred, baseball career.

Without a doubt, Bonds was a great hitter who didn’t need performance-enhancing drugs to put up Hall of Fame numbers. … More>

Last week I wrote an article on Deer Season a half century ago, focusing on my grandmother’s town in the mountains of Emporium, Pennsylvania. Each year, my grandmother and other households opened their doors and kitchens and beds to perfect … More>

On Tuesday, November 15, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas visited Grove City College. I had a choice to make—whether to meet him or attend to the tons of work I had to finish before several looming deadlines.

I don’t … More>

This week hunters across America storm the woods loaded for deer. For yet another indication of how times have changed, consider this account of Deer Season a half century ago:

My mother’s family lived in Emporium, Pennsylvania, as did dozens … More>

How will you spend your Thanksgiving Day this year? Sleep in because you have extra days off? Settle down to watch football? Pull up a chair at four o’clock to eat a huge feast? Make plans for Black Friday, plotting … More>

In economics, the first lesson I teach my pupils is the lesson of things that are seen and things that are not seen. Actions have some effects that are readily apparent and others are overlooked or not perceived.

It’s the … More>

“It was nothing dramatic,” says Dr. Karl E. Blake of Wexford, Pennsylvania, retired surgeon and member of the World War II generation, “but it was important, and no one has written about it, at least that I’ve seen.”

I got … More>

Editor’s note: A version of this article first appeared in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

“Just existing became what was important,” says 87-year-old Frank Kravetz of Pittsburgh, captive of the “hell-hole” that was Nuremberg Prison Camp. “Yet even as I struggled … More>

Written by the executive director of The Center for Vision & Values for CatholicVote.org.

Read the article»… More>

As an entrepreneurship educator, studying the co-founder and former CEO of Apple, Steve Jobs, has been one of the great pleasures of the profession. At times, it even feels like an indulgence given the difficulty future technology leaders will surely … More>

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is being urged to seek the Republican presidential nomination. There is a genuine groundswell for Christie.

Asked this week at the Reagan Library whether he will enter the race, Christie gave a very interesting answer. … More>

“The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball.”
—Terence Mann (played by James Earl Jones), Field of Dreams

For over 100 years, baseball has been a cultural reference point for millions of Americans. Just as certain songs … More>

Amidst the rhetorical pyrotechnics surrounding July’s debt-ceiling debates, another controversy streaked across the sky like a comet, flared for an instant, then receded into the maelstrom of ongoing partisan attacks. The shooting star in question involved an exchange between two … More>

Editor’s note: This article first appeared at National Review Online.

It was 20 years ago this summer that the final disintegration of the Soviet Union rapidly unfolded. In June 1991, Boris Yeltsin was freely elected president of the Russian Republic, … More>

I just read two very interesting articles on the U.S. economy, written from historical perspectives. They compelled me to share my own historical perspective. And what I want to say is more about our changing culture than our economy.

One … More>

Written by the administrative director of The Center for Vision & Values for WORLD Magazine.

Read the article»

 … More>

I encourage you to set aside the burgers and dogs and soda and beer for a moment this Fourth of July and contemplate something decidedly different, maybe even as you gaze upward at the flash of fireworks. Here it is: … More>

Being a congressman can be a great job. It can be attractive for someone who relishes the ersatz virtue of playing Santa Claus with other people’s money, who finds a year-round routine of fund-raising social events enjoyable, and who covets … More>

Written by the administrative director of The Center for Vision & Values for WORLD Magazine.

Read the article»

 … More>

Written by the administrative director of The Center for Vision & Values for WORLD Magazine.

Read the article»

 … More>

Madison, Wisconsin’s winter follies relinquished their national attention to Tuscaloosa’s tornado in April, events along the Mississippi in May, and finally to the most recent twister in Joplin, Missouri, where genuine suffering puts into perspective tenured teachers who are learning … More>

Written by the executive director of The Center for Vision & Values for National Review Online.

Read the article»

 … More>

Written by the administrative director of The Center for Vision & Values for WORLD Magazine.

Read the article»… More>

The Warrior River borders the University of Alabama campus, separating old Tuscaloosa from up-scale housing developments to the north. Tuscaloosans know a “north of the river” address connotes six-figure incomes. The schools, public and private, are excellent. It’s the country … More>

Editor’s note: This article first appeared at Crosswalk.com.

For many Americans, April 15 marked Tax Day. But it also marked an event much more redeeming. On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in major league baseball. The … More>

Written by the administrative director of The Center for Vision & Values for WORLD Magazine.

Read the article»… More>

I have been using computers since 1982 and still recall a simple artificial intelligence program that ran on my Commodore 64. I was mindful of that this week as I watched IBM’s computer—named “Watson”—compete on “Jeopardy!” against two human “Jeopardy!” … More>

I recently sat down with Emil Styka of Boardman, Ohio. A friend of Emil’s, Jo Ann Bryan, had emailed in response to an article I wrote on a remarkable World War II campaign at the Aleutian Islands, off the Alaskan … More>

To listen to the streaming audio of this lecture, please click on the link below:

“Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy: A Righteous Gentile vs. the Third Reich”… More>

To view or download the PDF of this paper, please click on the link below:

“The Inspiration of the Declaration: President Calvin Coolidge”

 … More>

Washington’s stunning economic power grabs—healthcare centralization, Keynesian fiscal stimulus, and Federal Reserve bailouts—are creating an unintended consequence: an increasing demand for freedom literature. Exhibit A would have to be F.A. Hayek’s 66-year-old Road to Serfdom’s recently hitting number one for … More>

As we celebrate the Fourth of July this year, our attention will once again turn to such luminaries as George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Samuel Adams. However, another founder who made substantial contributions to American independence, … More>

Editor’s note: A longer version of this article first appeared in The American Spectator. Some 2,000 years ago, the great Ancient Library in Alexandria, Egypt burnt to the ground, taking with it a vast reservoir of irreplaceable information, subsequently … More>

Editor’s note: This article first appeared at The American Spectator, February 22, 2010. Alexander Haig passed away over the weekend at the age of 85. A military man, a war veteran, no less than a four-star general, a chief … More>

Editor’s note: This article first appeared at National Review, February 6, 2010. This February 6 marks the 99^thanniversary of Ronald Reagan’s birth. In a telling development, Republicans around the country have begun holding “Reagan Day” dinners, as they’ve … More>

Editor’s note: A version of this article first appeared with theMackinac Center. Permission to reprint in whole or in part is hereby granted, provided that the author and the Center are properly cited.

Called “arguably the greatest American in … More>

I was saddened to learn about the death of Fred Honsberger, a Pittsburgh institution who pioneered conservative talk-radio at KDKA-AM, and who was the local forerunner to Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, and the other horses in the conservative stable who … More>

America honors its deceased presidents, its fallen troops, its late senators, and even its musicians and movie stars. But what about its veterinarians’

Well, there’s one veterinarian who deserves pause for recognition. His name was Nels Konnerup. He recently passed … More>

It seems that when an economy goes bad, the temptation for intellectuals to go and do likewise is too much for them to resist. Public thinkers across the spectrum, from Paul Krugman to Richard Posner, are now calling for a … More>

On September 28, 2009, Dr. John J. Fry—chair of the history department at Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, IL—will be speaking in the Sticht Lecture Hall of the Hall of Arts and Letters on the Grove City College campus. … More>

Editor’s Note: The “V&V Q&A” is an e-publication from The Center for Vision & Values at Grove City College. Each issue will present an interview with an intriguing thinker or opinion-maker that we hope will prove illuminating to readers everywhere. … More>

Charles Wiley of Accuracy In Media will be speaking at Grove City College at 7:00 PM on Tuesday, March 31 in the PEW Recital Hall, on the topic “Modern Youth in a Time of Economic Crisis.”

Says the speaker-rating site … More>

At this very time of year, on a dreary night, and during a lightning storm, Victor Frankenstein first gave life to his hideous creation in Mary Shelley’s tragic novel. And so was born both the connection between Halloween and Frankenstein … More>

After lying dormant for more than 22 centuries, the modern Olympic Games were launched in 1896. Held in Athens (of course!), the first modern Olympiad attracted the largest crowd ever to have assembled for a sporting event. The athletes were … More>

Sir John Marks Templeton passed from this world on July 8. In an extraordinary life of 95 years, John Templeton was one of the world’s wealthiest individuals, most successful investors, most generous philanthropists, and a tireless seeker for spiritual truth.… More>

The first time I encountered Tony Snow was through his columns for the Detroit News in the 1980s, when I was an undergraduate subscribing to a forgotten but quite good publication called Conservative Chronicle. His articles were like his … More>

Like many people, I suppose, my bookshelves are filled with books I’ve purchased with plans to read someday, sometime … but not right now. A couple of weeks ago, I grabbed one of those books, bought almost 10 years ago, … More>

One probably had to live through the times to better appreciate the real significance of William F. Buckley. A deserving plethora of encomia—wouldn’t he use a word like this?—currently suffuses conservative media outlets, cataloguing the great man’s kindness, humility, extraordinary … More>

Editor’s Note: One of the don’t-miss features in every new copy of National Review when it arrived at newsstands and in mailboxes was the latest William F. Buckley, Jr. “RIP” tribute to some national figure … More>

In 1951, the late William F. Buckley, Jr. issued one of the best-known challenges to higher education. In what became a conservative classic, God and Man at Yale, Buckley, then a recent Yale graduate, first called upon U.S. colleges … More>

The one time I met William F. Buckley, Jr. (1925-2008), the great figure of modern American conservatism, he was gracious and inviting. In 1991, he was the commencement speaker for my graduating class at Grove City College. My friends were … More>

On July 9, 1755, the “most catastrophic” day in Anglo-American history, Colonel George Washington was traveling with General Edward Braddock’s army toward Fort Duquesne when they were ambushed by Indians and French hiding in the woods. In the ensuing massacre, … More>

It is a statement of the obvious—both trite and troublesome—to acknowledge that most children today generally receive more than they need at Christmas, especially compared to children of times past, and particularly in America. They know the joy of receiving … More>

Jane Wyman died on Monday at the age of 90, one of the few holdovers from Hollywood’s Golden Age. In the public’s eye, she is best known for her roster of celebrated films and, unfortunately, for her divorce to Ronald … More>

The Pastor of the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Grove City, James Seeley, who presided over the memorial service for Hans Sennholz on June 26, 2007 took note of his outstanding qualities. He was indeed a great teacher, having instructed … More>

Dr. Hans F. Sennholz
Fellow, Economic Theory & Policy
February 3, 1922–June 23, 2007

www.Sennholz.com

Grove City College News Release

When I came to Grove City College as president in 1996, Hans Sennholz had long concluded his legendary teaching career. … More>

“What do we have here? A student from (a nearby college)?” bellowed the irritated and hugely popular and internationally-known economics professor in his thick German accent. A student in Dr. Hans Sennholz’s Grove City College economics class had not yet … More>

As we celebrate the 4th  of July with fireworks, parades, cookouts, and speeches, we should be grateful to our many forebears who risked their property, reputation, and lives to attain our independence. Some of them are well known and highly … More>

I first heard a lecture by Dr. Hans F. Sennholz in 1962 as a freshman economics major in his Principles class at Grove City College. I had come to Grove City because of Dr. Sennholz having been intensely interested in … More>

Great teachers leave lifelong impressions on the students they inspire. Their teachings become their students’ teachings, thereby spreading their influence in endless directions and across many generations. Hans F. Sennholz was such a man. The thousands who sat … More>

Dr. Hans F. Sennholz, economist par excellence, prolific author, dynamic lecturer, legendary Grove City College professor for 37 years, passed away on June 23 at age 85. How does one encapsulate such a long, productive, remarkable life? You may … More>

May 29 marks the 90th  anniversary of John F. Kennedy’s birth. Kennedy was struck down by an assassin’s bullet in the prime of life, prompting national anguish. His vitality, idealism, powerful rhetoric, and charisma inspired many younger Americans to social … More>

Former Russian President Boris Yeltsin died this week at age 76, on the heels of two decades of both extraordinary health problems and political achievements.

His presidency ran from June 1991 through December 31, 1999—almost the entirety of the 1990s, … More>

Back in November, on the heels of the landslide defeat of Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA) by Democratic challenger Bob Casey, Jr., I wrote an article recalling the first time I met Santorum. I intended the piece to be a personal … More>

The celebration of Presidents Day is a good occasion to reconsider a vital aspect of Abraham Lincoln’s life: his faith. Like George Washington’s, Lincoln’s faith has been closely scrutinized, hotly debated and often misunderstood. Both men attributed their success in … More>

Saddam Hussein grew up barefoot in a mud hut in the town of Takrit, north of Baghdad on the Tigris … More>

Few American economists have wielded as much influence on economic thought and policy as the late Milton Friedman. He was an articulate and ardent advocate of free markets and personal liberty. In 1962, his CAPITAL AND FREEDOM, which continues … More>

Even before he died in December 1799, a battle began over the nature and significance of George Washington’s faith. Was the father of our country a deist, a Unitarian, a lukewarm Christian, or a fervent evangelical? Popular paintings depict Washington … More>

I will never forget the first time I heard of Rick Santorum. It was 1990 and I was a student at the University of Pittsburgh, where I was editorial page editor of the campus newspaper. I was approached by Tara … More>

Noted military historian and Fellow for the Middle East & Terrorism with the Center for Vision & Values at Grove City College—Dr. Earl Tilford—was featured alongside prominent scholars and commentators in a groundbreaking documentary produced by Coral Ridge Ministries. The … More>

Editor’s Note: Bob O’Connor, the 58th mayor of Pittsburgh, PA, died of brain cancer this past Friday, September 1, at the age of 61.

In the fall of 1994, I drove my tiny Toyota Tercel into downtown Pittsburgh for a … More>

EDITOR’S NOTE: On Sept. 27, 2005, Dr. Richard Pipes, the acclaimed Russian historian and Harvard professor of Sovietology, visited Grove City College  at the invitation of The Center for Vision & Values to deliver the annual J. Howard Pew Lecture. … More>

On Monday evening, March 27, I spoke to students in my “Modern Civilization” course here at Grove City College. I was lecturing on the origins of the Cold War. I began talking about the Berlin Wall, going through the date … More>

With the arrival of a national holiday, concomitant weekend getaways, and the ceaseless pounding of sensationalistic news headlines, it sadly becomes far too easy to miss the passing of an age. And, in fact, that has just happened when at … More>

A giant of the 20th century died on Thursday, March 17. George F. Kennan lived for 101 years. Many things will be said of Kennan this week: He was a leading thinker of our time, the founding father of containment, … More>

When we open our newspapers on Father’s Day, we expect to find an article on dads. These are often tributes to heroic dads. Yet, for every boy or girl whose father was a fireman, a doctor, or Marine who stormed … More>

Ronald Reagan was a man who had it all. It is difficult to identify an American who lived a fuller, or greater, life—what he understatedly called “An American Life.” In nearly everything he did, Reagan succeeded wildly. When he left … More>

While being a mother has never been easy, the task today is particularly daunting. My wife, who is the mother of my 8-year-old and 6-year-old sons and 2-year-old daughter, learned a few months ago that she couldn’t even let her … More>

Fyodor Dostoevsky-one of the greatest writers of Western Civilization-was born 182 years ago on November 11th. Into his novels-works of art in their own right-he infused philosophy, theology, psychology, criminology, and a profound understanding of human nature.

Dostoevsky’s career began … More>

Periodically, brushfires sweep through the sequoia forests of California. Rangers once feared that the fires would harm the sequoias; instead, the fires not only cleared out the smaller trees and underbrush; they actually strengthened the sequoias. Such is the case … More>

A tyrannical regime is brutally treating its subjects. Suffering abounds and basic freedoms are denied. Congress, the press, the religious community, and the American public denounce the cruelty and butchery this government has practiced for decades and debate the best … More>

He’s 19 or 20 years old and a Marine Rifleman fighting in Iraq. His hair’s cut “high and tight” and he’s muscled, weighs about 150 pounds on average. He’d get carded in a bar and in six or seven years … More>

There’s a serial killer in Louisiana who kidnaps, rapes and murders women. Another may be active in the Los Angeles area. Have the police in Louisiana and Los Angeles-and presumably the F.B.I.-gone to Anthony Hopkins for advice?

Who would know … More>

I was quite saddened when I woke up on Thursday morning, turned on Channel 4 and learned that Fred Rogers had died. Mr. Rogers had always evoked sentimentality from me, though never as he did that morning.

I’ll always have … More>