Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1848-01-21
For THE EHoUIRRR.

|
Colleges aad Universities. Had the manage
menl orths entire subject under my own control
would have all parents 10 commence not only
the moral but Intellectual education OF their chill
dren around the family flreslde, SO that they
might be prepared for good common schools
which should be so arranged that every child IL
Virginia might have access 10 them. These
would prepare them for high schools, and IRON
these they might 90 10 our Colleges and UnIVer
sites, we'll grounded ia all The branches Of
useful learning. Thus we should have peIiec
system, each parl depending upon The DINER. Inc
patronage OF Colleges and Universities depends
upon the patronage OF high schools, and these
again upon good common schooIs-,hus, from The
natural and necessary connection q these .eve'
raj insti uioEs, if we multiply good common
schools we will unavoidably multiply colleges
or crowd The halls Of these already existing
Bu,Ihis system we have not in Virginia; and
It is with unleignei resrc, that saY this The
Legislature however, has done all il can 10 &C
complish this grea end, under present crcnmstan
ces. When public opinion shall be properly en-
Iiohicned have strong hopes yet OF our good old
Stale To take things as They are, let US DO the
most we can with our existing Institutions. Ard
what Of our noble Uaircrsiiu? Tha, institution
has No, yet had lis halls as much crowded, As we
are au hodzsd TO expect, from the magnitude and
scale y, Ihe insiitu ion-iron is able corps OF
proiessnrS-rOm the fixtures and apparatus, ne
cessary not only for professional knowledge, bal
Tor general scientific aainmentS. The small
number Of $50 tr Us Students TOR such an insi-
luton as our University, is, indeed, a small bu.
siness-an institution that has not only he very
best schools OF he several departments o!scic.cc,
in an acatemical course, bat also schools Of law
and medicine, that will sand a comparison with
the very best OF our counlry-and an institution
10 erect which cos; some $3.50, co.,
Now | bring up this su' cc! with no design If
| saving any thing that may tend 10 excite popu.
lar preIadicc against tn University, in any torn,
shape or manner. know this has existed with
many, and does exist sl this lime with some, ant
that the many tciaIs which she had 20 encounter
have been brc ugh; 40 again and again, as evil
dence that she ought not to b. encouraged
These things know tou--and know we'll the
| history Of these painful occurrences and their al
| ,epdanI circumstances, better than some VINO go
aoains, the University With knowledge Of all
these things | sand by her, and would meet any
man in the State, or out OF it, who would lake the
IL, 600 dollars appropriation from her. would
oppose any vandal spirit that would lake from her
plank or a brch-l would say TO him, imam!
hou kGowesl not what thou doesi-hat insi!u'
ton is sacfed-hring not upon thee the curse and
indignation OF generations shortly 10 bel
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Legislature and Congressional Halls, the pulpii;
and last, though not least, 10 ouf improved far
mers-I would tell him she is The glory and price
of "Old Virsinia"-lhe palladium Of our nslitu-
| tons In fine no man shall go before me IN my
zeal and ardent desire f,r this, our great Sale in
s,iiu!ion. may say all This, and sill entertain
serious doubts whether things cannot be arranged
more in accordance with lh- best interest both o.!
the institution and the State. The obJec OF every
| 70 10 11,cIr Linn In n
MANI as possibie II will not DO 10 have an inst-
luton al which science is taught only-ils utility
and value TO The Stale and the age depend upon
the number of young men taught. Our Univer-
| s;ly nigh, turn ouI annually halt dozen young
| men, who might be Stars OF the first magnitude;
il is moi enough to refer 10 these half dozen and
saw, See The ruits O! the University il would
be better If she Turn on, sixty. We ought Sc
riously 10 enquire why there are not greater
number attending The University2 There may
be several reasons probably assigned; but GER
any there is one that strikes all as very plausi'
bic; It IS The loo great expense. The necessary e1-
nehse is made up OF these ilems-J0ard, tuitton.
and other charges atriculalion and library tee.
The student can dress as he p!eases, and his
clothes cost him no more here Than II he were al
any her place
The question is now. can this expense be dimi-
nished? Let US see: First tuition comes natu-
rally first, as il is most important; and what does
The student pay2 Each student takes generally
three tickets al 525, making S7o. Taking the
las session as Standard OF comparison, The ave-
rage number OF students attending each schoo;
were 81 and a fraction, say 81 Now, this num-
her multiplied By SD, we have product OF
I.275. Add this 10 The 81 900 received l'om the
State. and each profess rs salary is S22I5
am OF opinion tina, almos! any man may make 4
compromise Tor lille al 81 500 annually, with
house. garden, Sc, lurnisle! hl:n-but LEI MS
lake the 81 275. The position that | take is just
that Of free trade men against he Proectioni-'--
reduce The tariff 10 Increase the revenue 81,
say, reduce The expenses a. tie University n IN
crease the number Of students. l., then, the tees
were reduced 10 SIS per ticket, aud the professor
had eishiy-fvc students ailcGding his class. h.
would receive his present salary exactly. and
Mirtv four nors u0ung ueH 'rOuid 7ccctre fle DC.
n,n Of lbs tns,rMct,9n We have referred 20 the
,arG-can we moi predict what would be The STATE
OF things At The University, under change OF
| po,icy from the actual results IN Gases IL our
rcvenHe-gfcaily increased nn!ef inilhishel
tarff2 The ony possible ar.un'nl 'ha' can Dc
used against my position Is, iii"i " ie'Hcl u"
tuition fees, we may reduce Professors sAiafirS
and thereby tail IL secure The s"Ivi'fS ct an'c
men. Ru. con.cfd nat the onIy Rect .! 20
ducing these tees VOID he 10 increase M stc
|
ness OF the Unigersily-whch increase wond
cause lhc salaries to remain unchanged only. II
M, increased lndre1 rhH only successful means
of eyer increasing nc nBnhcr u s.udaoiS - Is
removing ever possible Tr,tiI';i"! ard ai g.
siraia,s 10 the fountains II sciencr. hc.1"i e.
pericncc. contrary 10 the convictions ami sab
born opinions of very many enlightened nl;i'!s
has shown us that free trade is the Likelihood Of
. our highly favored land and not only this exam
ME: but the Post Office Department, in which
more revenue is produced by diminished post
age. and thousands upon thousands more ieuer'
written. thereby cuiiva,ine The minds and hearts
OF the people, ought TO teach US, that as few re-
.iric,ions as possible ought 10 be imposed. DE-
miui>hed taxation is the woodworking power
hat will cradle our literary institutions 10 reach
their desired pinnacle OF tame ana usenIGess.-
could refer TO particular eases Of editors. whose
patronage increased most decidedly and whose
remuneration was enlarged, contrary 10 the cx
,ectaion OF many, by removing Inc tax on lht
annual ubscripiion-simrly lessening The sub
scripiion prce;-and doubt not, that many whi
read this article will call 10 mind simiIa! cases
ferries. The restriciire policy belongs to nnen
ishened limes-il> history b0rders on The uncI
yiZed periods OF nalions-it is altogether anti
republican, and opposed 10 Ihe Interests OF GU
: government, and all institutions under our go
vernmenl.
Second Board-Compciiiion in all business
Is lis life. We may make calculations a
reasonably as we possibly can from The data be
fore us, but they may be erroneous. "her
5 Congress laid down particular contiIiors uPor
which CONTRACTS in the Post Office Department
should be let the most exorbant prices were Oh
/ tanned; but when individual enterprise wa
, brought 10 bear, and competition encouraged, by
S advertising the contracts TO the iorea 6.dds's, I'M
7 mense amounts were saved TO the government
In 1915, a reduction in The board was made a
The University OF $40; but | most respectfully
submit TO its friends, whether The whole system
Of boarding should moi he changed, and compeii
: ton encouraged, by publicly advertising To-
: boarding houses 10 be taken By the lowest bid
, te,s. ana encouraging other boarding house
L I'm, nd cnnlinnnns 10 The University al