If children entering school today are to avoid a 12- to 20-year apprenticeship in alienation dominated by the mere manipulation of words and numbers, education must foster an appreciation for the roles the humanities play in helping mankind rise above the earthly and achieve a reflective overview of society. Such an appreciation can be obtained through the study of art and of the aural, tactile, and visual means by which artists share their experiences and world views. Through artistic modes of expression, students can examine the society and environmental orientations that bound their lives and, through an understanding of these boundaries, can advance to the state of the "unbounded self." In this state, the individual is free to develop inwardly as he or she wishes and to respond emotionally to life. To implement this personal exploration, a course which seeks to teach the humanities through the arts can include: (1) a comparison of literary works such as Loren Eiseley's "The Immense Journey," Davis'"The First Sex," or Persig's "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance," which offer alternatives to triviality in the thought process; (2) interviews with practicing artists; and (3) the creation of a work of poetry, drama, or art. By giving tangible form to their feelings, students will achieve a greater sense of their identity and a greater understanding of others. (JP)