The “Edmundite Tradition” closely mirrors many of Robert Putnam’s recurring themes throughout his entire dissertation on America’s declining social trends. The “Edmundite Tradition” embodies exactly what Putnam describes as the pitfall of America. As Americans we moved away from the goals and ideals of our predecessors. We have shifted our focus from the well being of the community to the well being of ourselves. By shifting our focus from we have let our …showed first 75 words of 432 total…

…showed last 75 words of 432 total…seemingly Putnam’s ideal mission, to respect the dignity of all humans, to search for truth, develop moral character, to provide service and help to those around us, and to value community. Ideally, if everyone participated in the smallest way in the “Five Pillars” of the “Edmundite Tradition” the social capital of the United States would be astronomical. Saint Michael’s could quite possibly be Putnam’s ideal society in the ideals that it teaches.