This quote (“The half of knowledge, is knowing where to find knowledge”) is inscribed over the doors of Dodd Hall at FSU. Apparently no one knows who actually said this, but it seems very applicable to the conversation about the importance of the network in connectivism.
Thanks Gina!
I cannot agree more qith you: “The knowledge of the connection, which is almost as important as the information that can be accessed by the connection”.
You are very generous by leading us to the source of knowledge, not many people shares that. Thanks for introducing me to MetaFilter, I had never heard of it, it seems a nice resource.
See you around! Love: Maru
Maru – I love Metafilter. It gets a little racy in there sometimes, but very interesting stuff!
I can get back to 1911 on Google Books:
Proceedings – Page 249
by American Library Association Conference, American Library Association General Meeting, American Library Association – Library science – 1911
“Pupils should be taught to consult reference books and others for Information.
One-half of education consists in knowing where to find knowledge. …
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Standards in English: A Course of Study in Oral and Written Composition for …
Standards in English: A Course of Study in Oral and Written Composition for … – Page 171
by John Joseph Mahoney – English language – 1919 – 198 pages
Longfellow GRADE VII “One half of education consists of knowing where to find
knowledge.” 1. To be memorized or studied by children. …
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Ed cool! I think you are on the right track with that, thanks.
Here’s the story about who said the quote.
My fifth grade teacher, Elizabeth Fain English, frequently used the quote. That was in 1957. About 50 years later, after the invention of the internet, I began a search for the source of the quote.
I found the reference to Dodd Hall, but couldn’t find anything further. Finally, I called the telephone operator at Florida State University and asked her which college had its offices in Dodd Hall. I forget which college she said, but I asked her to connect me to it. I got through, but the dean was on on a business trip. When he returned, and he called me back, I asked him about the quote, and he referred me to a book authored by an FSU alumna who had researched the question. He agreed to send me a xerox copy of the relevant pages, and they arrived several days later.
It seems that when the school was being built, about 1925, the architect made an unannounced visit to the site, so the superintendent assigned one of the workers to guide the architect around. During the t0ur, the workman commented that, “The half of knowledge is to know where to find knowledge.” The architect was so impressed that he had the saying carved above the door.
I then called the photo lab at FSU and got the photo on the web site above, and one of the building.
I guess the workman and my fifth grade teacher were both right. The saying has guided much of my research over the past 50 years.
wow i need to find the meaning of half of knowledge is knowing where to find it. you guys are no help at all
Julie if you figure it out come back and let us know!!
Hello ladys & gents,
Maybe this will help.
” Knowledge is of two kinds – we know a subject ourselves, or we know where we can find information on it.”
Dr Johnson in a letter to William Strahan, 27/3/1775.
Found it in “Ancient Energies of Earth”
David Cowan & Anne Silk, published 1999 ISBN 07225 3800 6.
Re previous, found on page 1.