Sifting and winnowing is a

metaphor A metaphor is a figure of speech that, for rhetorical effect, directly refers to one thing by mentioning another. It may provide, or obscure, clarity or identify hidden similarities between two different ideas. Metaphors are usually meant to cr ...

for the academic pursuit of truth affiliated with the

University of Wisconsin–Madison The University of Wisconsin–Madison (University of Wisconsin, Wisconsin, UW, UW–Madison, or simply Madison) is a public land-grant research university in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. It was founded in 1848 when Wisconsin achieved st ...

. It was coined by UW President

Charles Kendall Adams Charles Kendall Adams (January 24, 1835 – July 26, 1902) was an American educator and historian. He served as the second president of Cornell University from 1885 until 1892, and as president of the University of Wisconsin from 1892 until 1901. ...

in an 1894 final report from a committee exonerating economics professor Richard T. Ely of censurable charges from state education superintendent Oliver Elwin Wells. The phrase became a local byword for the tenet of

academic freedom Academic freedom is the right of a teacher to instruct and the right of a student to learn in an academic setting unhampered by outside interference. It may also include the right of academics to engage in social and political criticism. Academic ...

History

In the 1890s,

University of Wisconsin A university () is an institution of tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly means "community of teachers and scholars". Uni ...

economics professor Richard T. Ely's philosophy and radical practice came under fire from state education superintendent Oliver Elwin Wells. Ely was known to be liberal and pro-union, having published a book on socialism. Wells protested Ely's beliefs, teaching, and rhetoric, but UW president

and the Board of Regents did not censure Ely. A committee appointed to address the charges produced a report that exonerated Ely upon acceptance by the regents. The report introduced the idea of "sifting and winnowing": Charles Kendall Adams

Ely later referred to the report as the "Wisconsin Magna Charta" for its guarantees of academic freedom in pursuit of truth. In ''Decades of Chaos and Revolution'', Stephen J. Nelson contends that UW's sentiment on academic freedom had been set "well before" the 1890s. He added that the 1894 statement "sounds the trumpet of the fundamental principles of the academy: an unending, unlimited belief in the creed of academic freedom and inquiry." Ely's hearing was later dramatized in a 1964 television episode of ''

Profiles in Courage ''Profiles in Courage'' is a 1956 volume of short biographies describing acts of bravery and integrity by eight United States senators. The book, authored by John F. Kennedy with Ted Sorensen as a ghostwriter, profiles senators who defied th ...

'', featuring actors

Dan O'Herlihy Daniel Peter O'Herlihy (1 May 1919 – 17 February 2005) was an Irish actor. His best-known roles included his Oscar-nominated portrayal of the title character in Luis Buñuel's ''Robinson Crusoe'' (1954), Brigadier General Warren A. Black in ...

Edward Asner Eddie Asner (; November 15, 1929 – August 29, 2021) was an American actor. He is most notable for portraying Lou Grant on the sitcom ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'' (1970–1977) and drama '' Lou Grant'' (1977–1982), making him one of the few ...

, and

Leonard Nimoy Leonard Simon Nimoy ( ; March 26, 1931 – February 27, 2015) was an American actor and director, famous for playing Spock in the ''Star Trek'' franchise for almost 50 years. This includes Development of Spock, originating Spock in Star Trek: T ...

. The "sifting and winnowing" construction was coined by Adams, the UW president, who had defended Ely publicly and read his book. It was later invoked by UW–Madison Chancellor

Robben Wright Fleming Robben Wright Fleming (December 18, 1916 – January 11, 2010), also known in his youth as Robben Wheeler Fleming, was an American lawyer, professor, and academic administrator. He was president of the University of Michigan from 1968 to 1979� ...

when responding to protestors during his tenure. In a later incident, sociology professor

Edward Alsworth Ross Edward Alsworth Ross (December 12, 1866 – July 22, 1951) was an American sociologist and university professor, journalist and publicist with wide-ranging interests in eugenics and criminology. An adherent of the American Progressive Movem ...

was censured upon inviting anarchist

Emma Goldman Emma Goldman (June 27, 1869 – May 14, 1940) was a Russian-born Anarchism, anarchist revolutionary, political activist, and writer. She played a pivotal role in the development of anarchist political philosophy in North America and Europ ...

to address his class. He did not share her beliefs, but supported her free speech. In memorial of the incident, the Class of 1910 created a commemorative "sifting and winnowing" plaque of the phrase in its context, which the regents rejected. After the Class appealed to area newspapers, the regents relented. The plaque was installed on Bascom Hall in 1915, where it remains. It was rededicated in 1957.

References

Bibliography

* * * * * * {{Portal bar, Education, Freedom of speech University of Wisconsin–Madison Academic freedom Metaphors English phrases