Read carefully, "Young members of society’s elite in the 1700s regularly took a year of travel and adventure before continuing their education or beginning their career."

Let's NOT create another money sucking "education" bureaucratic program.  Our citizens have enough choice already; work, university, community college, various federal and state "Corps" (etc.), and the military.  Its time to grow-up unless the child's family can on their own afford not to let their child do so.