Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-06-27
For rnE ESorIRER.
Tur trntvrpsrTy-fSo. ItI.l

! In view Of the PROSTATE condition Of our ota.e
College al present, the past hi tory OF the il's"u
1 lion, and is almost certain iailuie III iu'u'el W.
less we lie induced 10 enter speedily upon TeI"fm,
| in every department where any change can oe
made, taking The history OF our own lnS.lu'lo,,,
and other literary institutions, ana Soou seuoe
sound reasoning as our guides, ! nave nov nIs
ted 10 ca your attention ocertain lha'ei''
ing your serious consideration. am aware,
thai some OF The amendments proposed, WIN -
regarded as ultra, and totally uncalieu io' nv
DO entertain very great hope, that the reuuc.lon'
in The expenses pointed out Will De iiiau.'
without much opposition from certain "e -
csled quarters. But have these consiuera'itn, y :
strengthen Inc in the position assumed, 20.
have had an opportunity Of seeing how me pr
sent arrangements al the University proSresSeu'
and this opportunity neglected not TO linPlGy.e'
because il was nv decided conviction wiz"
connected with the University, that cer,ai" ' ps.
lers OF reform were imperiousy deinaiueu >,
sides this, have found very many lndi'luua
concur with me in my positions, IN the many ~ ~.
versalions have had in different sections 81 me
, State, relative to our University. Wnale'el ~
authorities may he disposed 10 think OF these ria.
tiers of reform, certain am that the people OF !ne
Union have expressed their entire disappearance
I ofexisiing regulations, as seen most cledie -,
The truly pilltul number OF annual matiIcu'n.s'
/ Nor am | at all deferred, from making 'hgse
suggestions and proposing these amendihen',,, =,
the stubborn facts, that the Board oil flsi'ois
| have met regularly, and have made Movements
! towards adopting them, and that the cotliii's.eI
on schools and Colleges gave very lal,eIl"S' al.
| highly favorable report TO The Legislature iaS'
winter Before | can regard these iac's,
as proving any thing al all against my
positions, mus forget that there ever mas
been a very great disposition on The part Oh lnose
appointed 10 manage public institutions and slale
establishments 10 let things remain as they iounu
/ them | know that there have been the srosSe''
abuses in the General Government, that nave
/ been enailed by one administration upon another,
and been permitted 10 pass uncorrected; vel
/ during all The time, The very officers existed
whose duties were 10 see 10 every interest OF Y u
Gle Sam know, moreover, that officers OF banks
directors, and special comm tees appointed 10
investigate and report on their condition, nave an
been lullcd, and made favorable reports, QhouSh
all would have supposed, that il was no dilhcuiI
matter To ascertain the actual state OF the case,)
when the situation OF tie institution was Iios'
critical. Few men are reiormeIs. Few indlvl-
duals can be induced 10 be guided by the lights oil
reason and a LILLE good sense, and Irample under
(oot existing customs in the social world, ana
mark out for themselves, and pursue bold, lnde-
| pendenl course. For one such original charac-
Ter. there are ten thousand dependent mItaioiS,
and sycophanlc followers, satisfied 10 take things
as they find them. Why should We suppose lhal
,bp authorities connected with the UnVcrsl-
~ are altogether free from this common
weakness, that attaches itself 10 all classes!-
Cause and effect 90 hand in hand; one follows the
other in all departments. In The case OF the Uni
versty il is admitted, that such results have not
been seen as all had right 10 eXpect,-we are
all dissappoin,e. most sadly disappointed. We
have seen the eject, and as clearly as sunbeam,
are the causes pointed 10. Some Of these we have
| reicucdlo 10. ;,
There is another matter connected with the
JTniyeI >ity thai So jeopardzes her reputation ana
standing. "a literary institution, that we nave
ever been al "A loss 10 explain how such Glnd
r.yn,,,ion couliev have been brought into ex-
istence. But really, when an Temnted OF The
rsnor, oflhe Committee on Schools and Colleges
the loity bearing and elevated tone OF that docu-
men, am almost deferred from questioning, in
anv manner whatever, the intellectual culture.
and The perfect system Of mutual discipline 'pe
cnlial IN the University, and The high rank which
il u,llv holds as scientific and literary lnstitu-
linn. And il what shall relate were not tact
| (unrhanoeahle AMI subborn) never shonld ven
lur, 10 call in question, The positions taken in the
report. According 10 that report there i no m
s,iu,ion in The Union equal 10 the Universe
,v-at none is the mind so well trained; al none
do the students golhroush 50 thorough course.
Now. 10 wipe oil all this gloss, and TO scatter
10 The winds This rhetorical lourlshng, state an
inconroverlible fact: that, though Inc University
has no, more than 200 students, a1out 5O arc m
| able 10 pass PLAIN EnstH1 etam,na,ton etery
yeay, IN tier 0wn mother tongue The Editors OF
The Enouirer in a number on Education, have
! r.f;rrej N The want OF common schools, as one
| canse why the University mas not iiourshed more.
This is a correct position. Young men from 10
up, OF all grades and calibres, and every degree
ot attainment, are permitted 10 Join The UNIVERSE
~ who 90 on in this ,rondeIfpl sustain n nigh
mental culture, from SeptembcrnA Jniv, when they
| have 10 pass an English examination, before they
can graduate in any school, AMI The consequence
| is, that not unirequenuy at least one hall oil The
candidates arc rejected. This examination refers
10 Elymology, Synlax and Composition-spelling
few words, correcting illle bad grammar, and
writing short composition. H. however, one
fails al The first examination, there is second al
lowed, and not unirequently lhiid, and some
times fourth.
really feel like covering and hiding from the
public gaze. this weak and most absurd point,
! in our University regulations especially al
ter the high position and elevated scale OF
mental training claimed for il bv The report
But am asked, why men.icn this circum-
siancel What has tins 10 do with The point IN
| handl Serious consequences result from inns
! great oversight in The authorities o The Unlver
si,y This feature is calculated 10 degrade, IN
stead Of elevating the institution. By admitting
young men who are wholly unpreparer, no credit
can be gained for its literary standing, and such
admissions are ,o:ally Incompatible with The orr
ginal design OF The University. Ii was The de-
sign. when The institution was established, 10 adj
! ,,,.,L n. fbnsa ,ukp hid
proficiency in their studies, and who wished 10
prosecute them 10 high degree of Perfection
Fortunate would il have been, had This feature
! been risidly adhered 10.
/ maintain, then, that il is absolutely essential
10 The real success OF the University, and us best
! interests that immediate reform in This partlcn-
lar be resorled to. No ponng man, 1rho ean'~t
undergo a ne,d eraminnti0a IN Engllsa, Momd
srcr he permitted 10 maHiculate. To adhere to The
present very irrational, and highly absurd custom,
l is TO do great injustice 10 the community IN TAX
| ing from parents money for the expenses oil their
/ children, who go 10 an expensive College, ior
which they are entirely nnprepared-it IS 10 40 10,
serious injury 10 the Young men themselves. o
/ talk of admitting young men 10 The University
when they are consummately ignorant OF theil
own vernacular tongue, and to say that they have
passed the examinations in Ancient Languages,
or any other School in the University, and can
not graduate in English, is iarsica in It's nature
panlomimic in character, and most ridiculous IN
all its aspects.
But, it is true, that mos. disorders in colleges
arise with those who are unprepared 10 JOIN col
lege, and come with any other object in view lhan
study. II this reform were instituted, 10 admit
y only those who could pass an English examiha-
\ lion il would have most Saluary influence IN
lessening the frequency Of disorders and rotons
movements, 50 injurious 10 every literary insti-
tuition. Would not even this consideration be
suiiicien, inducement 10 cause the proposed sep
Of reformation 10 be pursued, leaving on! OF view
The higher literary standing, and the truly eievat-
I'd position that our University would occupy IN
future? Whilst it is notorious that many are re-
Jected at English examinations, am al a loss 10
account for the yaunling about The elevated scale
of mental discipline, superior course OF study,
and greatly improved method OF teaching, SO Oh
ten heard from the 100 partial friends OF me oni-