The four-year Great Books program at St. John's College in Annapolis, Maryland was based on the works of great thinkers from Homer through such twentieth century luminaries as Sigmund Freud. Stringfellow Barr, one of its founders, was once asked about the utility of such a program.

"Don't you feel sorry," Barr replied, "for all the students in all the other colleges who have no one to teach them but oafs like me?"