Higher education must find an appropriate mix between liberal and vocational education to assure that every individual, upon leaving postsecondary institutions, will understand society and how it functions and will be able to earn a living. Dewey's thoughts on integrating the two are still relevant today for dispelling the false notion of dichotomy. The clientele of higher education has altered considerably to include children of blue collar workers who wish to acquire skills and specific information with the appropriate credentials to acquire a particular job. Instead of passing on the high culture, liberal arts should foster a closer alignment of its information, theories, and values with career preparation. Powerful advocates have in the last 15 to 20 years made the American public aware of the need for universal availability of vocational education that relates closely to the world of work through emphasis on application of theory and experiential learning. Dewey's idea that the question of how to interrelate technical and liberal studies was ultimately related to the question of what the quality of life would be in a technological civilization that has come into its own. The postindustrial society of the 1980's demands a balance of liberal and vocational education in higher education. (YLB)