The School of Hard Knocks (also referred to as the University of Life or University of Hard Knocks) is an

idiom An idiom is a phrase or expression that typically presents a figurative, non-literal meaning attached to the phrase; but some phrases become figurative idioms while retaining the literal meaning of the phrase. Categorized as formulaic language, ...

atic phrase meaning the (sometimes painful) education one gets from life's usually negative experiences, often contrasted with

formal education Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty. Vari ...

. The term originated in the United States; its earliest documented use was in 1870 in the book ''The Men Who Advertise'':

... his misfortunes were largely owing to the inexperience of youth. Trained, however, in the school of hard knocks, he now had learned the theory of success".

It is a phrase which is most typically used by a person to claim a level of

wisdom Wisdom, sapience, or sagacity is the ability to contemplate and act using knowledge, experience, understanding, common sense and insight. Wisdom is associated with attributes such as unbiased judgment, compassion, experiential self-knowledge, ...

imparted by life experience, which should be considered at least equal in merit to

academic An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary education, secondary or tertiary education, tertiary higher education, higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membershi ...

knowledge. It is a response that may be given when one is asked about their education, particularly if they do not have an extensive formal education but rather life experiences that should be valued instead. It may also be used facetiously, to suggest that formal education is not of practical value compared with "street" experience. In the UK,

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

and

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

, the phrases "University of Life" and "School of Hard Knocks" may be used interchangeably.NZ Herald - David Hill: Struggling for right meaning
/ref> In 1947, newspaperman

James Franklin Comstock James Franklin Comstock (25 February 1911, Richwood, West Virginia - 22 May 1996, Huntington, West Virginia) was a West Virginia writer, newspaper publisher and humorist. He founded the weekly ''West Virginia Hillbilly'' (1957-1980) and compiled ...

("Jim" Comstock) founded the "University of Hard Knocks", an honorary society with a mission to recognize people who have made a success of their life without the benefit of higher education.

Alderson Broaddus College Alderson Broaddus University (AB) is a private Baptist university in Philippi, West Virginia. It is affiliated with the American Baptist Churches USA. It was formed in 1932 as Alderson–Broaddus College by the union of two Baptist institutions: ...

Philippi, West Virginia Philippi ('FILL-uh-pea') is a city in and the county seat of Barbour County, West Virginia, Barbour County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 2,928 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. In 1861, the city was the site of the ...

, US, sponsored the organization, which moved its offices to the A-B campus in 1976. The society was dissolved in 2014.

References

{{Authority control Alternative education English-language idioms

See also

References