Melville Fuller to an attendee to a church conference
U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Melville W. Fuller was presiding at a church conference when an audience member rose and began a ranting against universities and education, saying that he gave thanks to God that he had never been corrupted by any contact with a college.
Fuller: Do I understand the speaker thanks God for his ignorance?
Audience member: Well, yes, if you want to put it that way.
Fuller: Then you have a great deal to be thankful for.
Well you see, they were looking for witty retorts.