Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-08-08
2s6el)eogoeu1 Gagqttteer<

Term OF attendance al CoiieSeI a"u "Pl
tional Professors 10 give The necessary lnslruc-
tion-tbereby increasing thc.expense both oil time
and morey 10 the learner. Some colleges adopt
the one and some The other plan. Indeed, some
colleges having larger number Oh fioiessois
| than William and Mary, condense the suplects
Of Chemistry and Natural Philosophy cohs'ue' q,
bly and perhaps other studies meet inc same
,oe in order 10 make room for additional SUD.
iccts-while We OH The contrary, md The luii
Term barely sufficient TO do justice 10 those SUD
| iects and the two years term scarcely suih'i1h'
| for that Of Mathematics. Thus showing, tha'
| these subjects want expansion rather IMAM aofiuSe-
ment, and consequently By cuTlalllnS thein' 'hey
must be less perfectly taught Harvard ana
| Yale Collrses which are the best and most COM
/ uletc examples OF Institutions of Education III
| The country have very properly fixed upon iour
years as the term for their course OF instruction.
asihis allows sufficient time TO embrace every ne
/ ccssary branch of study; and we adopt The same
| term for obtaiuingihe master degrcc, AMI can 'heh
| admit all the most essential subjects Otherwise
I omitted Indeed, time is 50 necessary an element
in education that il cannot be dispensed win ;
| and however spacious and extensive isl we
may prepare ofsubjects TO bcianshl, or promised
10 be Taught yet, in practice, j, will prove but Il
deception on tic student and ON The pubic, Unless
tic necessary time is allowed for their acquire
ment If, therefore, our course of studies IN
| William and Mary should be less extensive Than
| in some other Colleges, | feel persuaded, that on
investigation, it will De found 10 comprehend all
that is most essential and useful 10 The p ivac or
professional gentleman, and 10 be quite as eSlcD-
siye as our present length OF College studies will
admit Of and by concentrating The attention upon
few subjects, | am fully satisfied thai The in
stfuclions given in our institution are "a SOLID
| and profound, ii not more SO, than those which
hoy nlo al her mr.
out Of The county, in the sane 5T;0ii Q. time.
As 10 The ability, industry, and energy Of The
Professors, 10 impait instruction, and preserve
The interests Of the Institution, and the welfare
AMI hs,.:..e5s III the students entrusted 10 their
care This is subject which delicacy iorbids me
10 comment upon All can say is, that The NJ.
most cordially and unity Of opinion exists
among the Professors themselves, as to their du-
ties; and you alone are the best Judges Of their
ability and diligence in the discharge oi their Sc
vcral Offices.
AS seclarianism, some Colleges are avowed-
Is sHch, owing 10 the nature OF their foundation,
their locality, and being supported by particular
secls or other causes. The Two great UNIVERSE
lies of Oxford and Cambridge, in England, are
Of this ind-lor no student can enter them with
out taking the oahs Of allegiance and suprema-
cy, and embracing The doctrines CT what is there
called the Church OF England, which agrees
with the Episcopalian Church OF this country
All Jews, Catholics and dissenlers were, there
fore, shut out from the advantages Of these lnsii
lulions until the Catholic emancipation act re
moved one part Of the restriction. This very
circumstance, j, was, that induced Lords BrouS'-
am, Auckland, John Russell, and certain other
liberal minded members Of the opposition palv
10 establish the London University, in which uni
versal liberation as 10 religious tenels was lead
ing principle. In this country many colleges are
sectaIian, being chiefly supported b., and .re
quenled by particular sects. And William and
Mary may perhaps rank among this number, and
be considered an Episcopaian Institution, because
il once admitted theology as one of It's branches
of instruction; and lis first President, CommissaTy
Blair, was an Episcopal Minister, and he was
afterwards followed by Bishop Madison. and
other Episcopal Clsrsymeh. Sill, il il is Epis-
copal il is highly tolerant for its printed laws de-
clare, that any student who makes declaration
that he is studying theology, with the object of be-
coming a Church Minister in any OF the four
denominations oil Episcopal, Methodist, Baptist
or Presbyterian faith, shall receive the full bene
fit of the College instruction withou, payment
Of any lee whatever; and this privilege IS an
nually accepted by several Students frequently OF
different denominations, and yet all agreeing per-
teclly among themselves; and think can ven
lure Ia assert, without ever feeling that they are
placed among professors and students who haycIe
li2ions opinions differing from their own Tor the
utmost cordially and harmony have ever prevail
ed between Them The very circumstance Of
there being three distinct churches of different
denominations, within len minutes walk Of the
College obvi;Ics lie necessity of our having any
Chaplain attached 10 the Institution, and prevents
the possibility Of is becoming seclarian, as The
Students follow that course of worship which is
most coneenial 70 their own feelings As il is in
religion, 50 il is in politics. for there The same to-
lerant Spirit pervadrs our Institution No Pro
t,sscy here is elected by any political faction
nci is he dependent Tor his annual income, or The
stability OF his appointment, upon the will Of a
ruler or the caprice OF Legislator. He can
think as he peases, and vote as he plcascs-a pri-
rcge joyed but By few men in office; and the
consequence j., that The politics OF our Instilu-
ton cannot be fixed, but must vary with The OPT
Mons OF lis incumbents- and, Tor some Years
past lis ma ority has been in favor Of Wing pin
ciples, as evnccd a The last Presidential election.
But gentlemen, have taken up Too much 0!
Your time in making these observations, and shall,
therefore, now draw TO conclusion by referring
10 those Two points, which, ! stated, were more
important than all others in stamping the fame
OF public school or university on the public
mind. The first OF these is he character and ac-
quirements of the alumni She sends into The world.
Yes, gentlemen, in This instance il is the children
that give fame, and power, and reputation 10 the
parent. All The praise that the Join, efforts of the
Faculty could heap together, and disseminate or
publish daily in the public prints, extollins the
value, and extent and perfection of the insiruc-
tons afforded by ours, OF any other college, would
be viewed in no other light, by the thinking part
Of the public, than as vain and arrogant pulls,
issued for the purpose Of imposing on The public,
by calling together large classes for their own
particular emolument and advantage. They
would never be believed, because they could on
Is be viewed rs The eliuSions OF interested pari-
Ians. issued for selfish motives, and therefore,
they could not but lower, in The estimation oil The
public, such establishments as might issue them
No one can accuse William 4 Mary Of ever
having Iesoued 10 newspaper aid 10 lfing herself
under public notice, further than the simple an
nual advertisement, announcing the commence
ment of her session ana the subjects taught
She has. if possible, been too modest and retiring.
But her spirit is loo high TO permit her TO resort
ii such measures and she relies on 4 more GER
tain, honorable and eilicacious means oil bringing
herself into the notice, appreciation and esteem
Ct the pulc- She Ieies on her own intrinsic va
llc. And nm, gentlemen, her students, are The
advertisements She puts forth TO declare her va
ue or her impotence. You, gentlemen, reside
amongst MS for months together; yon Co., .a-
ceve our instructions and admonitions; you dali
u witness The examples OF industry and OF pune
luality that are set before you; and YOU alone
can duly value appreciate and testify The advan-
laees that are held ont TO you. The favorable OF
uIiavorable impression that is thus made on
yuu, uird., and the reports that you will conse-
quenlly make of what YOU have seen and obtain
ed. when you reach your parents, your klnsfolk
and your neighbors, are The advertisements we
rely upon for The establishment of our character,
ant npon these we wish TO ground our claim for
public support But, gentlemen, there IS another
funrtion YOU have 10 perform, of far more i'm
porance Than these private and domestic COM
indications that you may make Tins IS me
impression YOU may be able 10 produce on pub
lie opinion, by The soundncss of The principles
and the quantity and value OF the requirements
that you may take home with you, as well as in
the exercise of The highly honorable and business
like principles, which il is one Of our ProudeY,i
aims 10 endcavor To instil into your conduct. II
il ,L;s ,,l ,,;c ,lnne thoi in DrouTpSs of time