All schools, all colleges, have two great functions: to confer, and to conceal, valuable knowledge. The theological knowledge which they conceal cannot justly be regarded as less valuable than that which they reveal. That is, when a man is buying a basket of strawberries it can profit him to know that the bottom half of it is rotten.

Summary

This quote suggests that educational institutions have a dual nature: imparting valuable knowledge to students while also hiding certain knowledge, such as theological or controversial information. It proposes that the concealed knowledge holds equal importance to the revealed knowledge, as knowing about the rot in a basket of strawberries can be beneficial to the buyer. In essence, the quote asserts that there is value in both what is taught and what is left untold within educational systems.

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