Laudo Dissentiri ("I Praise the Dissenters")

The idea of a Composition course is a modern American course that is not taught in British or European Universities, as Horner points out in his article.  The idea for a class that is needed to ensure that all incoming students were on the same page when it comes to their ability to compose legible and organized prose, sprang forth from the Scottish and Dissenting universities of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.  As Horner shows, because of the lack of religious influence on these establishments they were able to accept a broader range of students and were also able to teach these students core material, rather than the pampering practices of Oxford or Cambridge Universities that were known for doling out degrees for the British aristocracy regardless of classes completed or attended.  It is because the lack of the required oath at these universities that allowed them to accept a wide range of people from the aristocracy, middle-class, urban, or rustic communities for those who had the ability and desire to seek out further education.  This took some of the British "class-ism" out of the requirement for degrees, and was one of the first steps to equal education (unfortunately women had to wait a bit longer).  Since the 'doors to better opportunity' had been forced open at certain establishments there had to be some way to standardize and equalize the students ability to write as a tool to ensure everyone was on the same page when entering other classes.  So, the Scottish were renowned for including elements of grammar, literature, writing, belles lettres, etc. into their courses no matter the subject matter.  They knew the importance of the students' ability to clearly relate what they have learned whether it be written or oratory.  This is where the Americans break off.  The American Universities use a composition course in English as a siphon.  We siphon every student through the same composition course to ensure they everyone has the same ability to correctly iterate ideas clearly.  The ideas are the same, but instead of every course including some composition, we have an entire course dedicated to it then assume it is rote.  The reason I think that this system is still popularized in America is due to our system of education.  It traditionally is not considered as "pristine" as a European education, but we open up college to a wider range of people.  In doing so the composition course has become vital to ensure hat all students are actually at the level of composition required when they arrive at college (as we know most aren't).  I would rather have an education available to more and require an extra course than to have education for few.