Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-06-20
R6eNngoorU Eoqeetrer.
IN N, Ed,io,s nj n, ENQUIRER.


| To The Editors Of The Enquirer.
have seen two communications in your daily
paper, one of Nav Both, addressed 10 Chapman
| Johnson and others" &c. and signed "a Friend
of The University" and The other OF June lo.n,
signed "Virginian," and | ask small space 10
correct importan. errors which they contain
! | have waited with the hope that The correction
OF these errors would have been made by some
one else, and SHALL therefore, purposey AVOID any
| comments on the strange want Of accuracy when
each OF these writer's in his way, exhibits, while
taking upon himself TO advise and inform inc
Boa of Visilers and the public.
The former OF these aiirms, that The univer-
sy is The "mos expensive institution IN Inc y.
States" and makes The basis of his assertion Tue
statement, chat whilst one (studenD comes on
with less than $500, len 20 over that sum-" Now,
all will agree, that the proper way to determine
the expense OF a student al public institution IS
not TO lake the random Suesses or Assumptions
derived from the reported expenses OF students,
or even the sums actually expended by some or
many unnecessarily and contrary to The provi-
sons of The laws and spirit OF The institution
but from the necessary expenses determined by
the laws, and the experience OF the prudent and
studious: that, when the question proposed IS TO
determine, not only the amount OF expenses in
different institutions, but also The reasondbieness OF
those expenses some account should lie taken Of
the comparative facilities afforded for gaining
! knowledge, and the extent and thoroughnesS OF
| The course OF nslructon-for, il would be very
unfair 10 say, because Il lac course with two
professors, in Harvard University costs student
t from 800 10 100 dollars, exclusive Of clothes
/ and pocket money, that, therefore, II would
he more wise and consderate 10 frequent The
law school Of Virginia Practitioner or Judge,
giving only spare hours 10 instruction, al a
cost of $50 or 300 dollars. And, lastly, that, in
making comparison between one institution
and another. the items Introduced into The esl
mate should be the same in botl--and not the ne
cessary and purely collegiate expenses OF The one
| be compared with The Mm tOtai ~ these and al
Oiier expcnscs OF the other
The actual collegiate expenses OF The Unlver-
sity are 223 dollars, Gncluding three Professors
fees. board for nine months fuel and candles,
washing room rent, and use Of public rooms,)
and the experience OF years has shown that a
student with moderate degree OF economy
living as comfortably and respectfully, and GER
tainly spending his time as proitably as any
other, may cover all other expenses whatever,
viz hooks and stationery, clothes and pocket mo-
ney. for The additional sum of l21 dollars. That
is 10 say, student taking the acreage of one
hundred-not the highest and not, OF course, The
lowest-may pay all his expenses al the Univer-
sitv for $50 dollars a session. For this sum he
can get instruction not inferior IN its qualify and
fruits to that given in any other institution in the
country; and carry away with him the certain as
surance, that il his talents and industry have
fairly come up 10 the standard ofinstruclion there
pr sented, he will enter upon the theatre OF life
among the ioremos, competitors for public favor.
On This point | challenge the attention OF The
reader 10 the career of men already sent out from
the University in the brief period OF lis existence;
whether that attention be directed 10 the present
delegation in Congress-lo The members OF the
General Assembly-to the bar or the pupit-to
the conductors of the public presto the profess
sorships Of colleges or the heads OF academies in
Virginia and the South.
The truth is, that $50 dollars are ordinarily a
sufficient allowance Tor 4 student OF the univer-
sty; and that, il some may expend greater
sum- others require less. have known an in
stance in which student, taking four tickets, al
cost of 100 dollars, and obtaining the highest
honors OF the University, spent lille less than
300 dollars for the entire session. What pro-
prety, then, can there be, in roundly asserting the
expenses of the University In be greater than OF
any institution in The United States, and rather
over than under 500 dollars} ADD 10 this, that
student al The University is not compelled 10 go
through certain prescribed routine oil studies,
demanding three or ionr years without reference
10 his peculiar destination in life, but that he may
pursuits, and carry with him the testimonial of
his excellence in these. This makes the whole
amount of money, required By student 10 edn-
cate himself at The University less in the aggre-
gale than in those colleges where tie old system
of iour-years' course is mainiained and, at the
same time, answers The objection Of "a Friend
Of the University" that "all have ground 10 Won
der at The comparatively small number Of her
maIriculaies;" for, if the number new students
annually received at The Universy-averagin
for the last ten years ll6--be compared with the
same class received at other Colleges or Unver-
sites in The Union, il will be found, that not two
o! them have, on an average, received a greater
number.
"Virsinian" DOGS gross injustice 10 the Unrer-
sity By comparing the collegiate expenses OF Will
liam d Mary COS dollars) With The total ex
penses Of the University, $3.50 dolars) when The
comparison should have been between The collie
gia,c expenses Of William & Mary cos dollars)
and the collegiate expenses OF the University
(2.3 dollars j with the remarks that the boarding
OF student at the University is mol allowed in
any case TO exceed ITO dollars for nine months,
while the catalogue OF William & Mary shows
that student there, who resides out OF college,
| (Which any may do, and believe most actually
do,) pays $50 dollars for board-making in such
cases Il difference in favor OF the University; and
that, while al the University The professors lee IS
IS dollars, requiring daily lectures of one hour
and half, at William Mary fee OF 70 dol
lars is required for The daily service of one honr.
| ! do not wish 10 infer that consider the expenses
| Of William & Mary extravaganl. desire only
| 10 correct the blunder OF "Virginian" upon this
| point.
| OF all the schemes OF University reform with
which the press has so teemed OF late, there is
| none which would be miSchievUus in lis ei-
iects, as reducing the compensation oil the probes
sors In favor OF this change il is urged that
able professors are obtained in France on much
more moderate terms. Surprising this 10 be
rue and laying no stress on The TACT lhat
professors there lecture only small part OF
the year, and are totally exempt from The one.
rous and irlsome duties oil discipline, no rational
mind would ever think OF determining the degree
OF emolumen which any species Of talent or in
duStry should receive in one country by that
which il earns in another. Who, for example,
would say, that ccausc in England Judge re-
ceives 5000 or 100000 year, and chancel-
Tor yet more, that similar tunctionarcs should re-
ceive as much here ?-Or, that because 4 mem
Der Of Parliament receives no pay the services oil
our Representatives in Congress should be sralu-
ilous
Nor could we adopt the same rule Of compensa-
ton among the several States of this Union, not
withs,anding the similarity their circumstances,
ways of thinking and habits Of expense. Because
the State of Connecticut gives but $llO0 10 its
Governor and its highest Judges il does not fol
low that Virginia or n. Carolina should do The
same. If one dollar and a halt j found suiii-
cient for The daily pay Of legslat' in Vermont,
or Two dollars day in Massachusetts, we cannot
infer that ii would I've sufficient in This State. The
price of these services, like all others, depends
upon The proportion between the supply and de-
mand OF competent PERSONS as well as ufon Inc
cfa larJ and all ne
know, admit OF endless diversity. Even in the
simple business of mechanical labor, the daily
wages of carpenter are one dollar in some places,
t,o dollars in others, and in Louisiana and the
contiguous States, three dollars.
But it is assumed, that professor may put up
with an income of 81 700 or $500, because The
Judges oflhe General Court receive scarcely as