Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-05-30
For Tie Enquirer.
>,,-s AND TIE MESSENGER.

|
~ g., Va. i wns b.cause we love the lnsti'u'
ton, because we desire to see 1t extended nu NJ
proved and elevated i'll It's character MI" - Il.
in ructon, that re- nice t" see lie oTS"n 90 and
strong points aud IFS weak points, rs c1roi'e'' ho
ia deficiencies laid open and discussed ny o ;de
is evidently qualified for tho task not ohy y! i,o INV
range of Information upon such SUBJECTS o ,raatly
long and patient thought. II VIC are not very scls
mistaken we think know the writer OF .,' ,.t ar
and wa speak what we know when We say t'.as :"
tachment to his Alma Mater the prde anu " 10 nrn
of the State. aud deep and earnest desre ~ arnv
mote her best and highest interests were '''
| motives which prompted him in It's puul''ce: md
Looking at the article from this poln' Vi 49,
NOT suppnsipp IT, from a rather hasfy reau'"-' .p
bic of any other Interpretation, We "e' =, ,,,ur
surprised uuon reading the criticism upon u ~ i,
paper of the 2lst May, over ti'c "iGnatu IN som.
;ts Nth Tho ur;tar in the Messenger that our al
rn,ion was called Ia it, but It was tlie 'o ,;i, nm
per that pervaded the CRITICISM "h'I. w ,.yorstv
Fortunate not Ia say Objectionable. ~ ''e ,;an,
| is to be benefited from an ih'ercnanS from
a,non,.t her AInmn TO derive any adVahihse 'o.
n nnhi;c discussiou of the peculiar features Vi NC. ~
ynuizatiou her increasing wants 10 ineet t.o 1T If
creasins demands upon her by the grea. ~ ,ioy
Letters We, feel assured that the ii''e''T rr;ad
must IA Ike pnce and the discussion mus 70 To- w.
~ :; n s,m.what different spirit from mat oi the az
| t;nIs bv "aIumnus" We may be nislaken-"o
sbopld h. clad to discover that such was tne
bnt wa cannot help feeling, when we reau 'l's ~
| hat \
~ 20 tLrou more or less Of contempt upon the "ruc'e
| ~ tho MESSENGER, by kind OF quiet sneer at Inc
writer Why is it that there is sue" wh"'csae "",
| lection 10 il i'm all its parts why Such 'inIee'
rffur, to it into rldicule ana throw so't vi
vic air around those suggestions and improvements
| wbicb "a Iumnus" admits 10 be desirable ana heces
| .ary1 Why the numerous lngs ut the wrlter ANU,
Germany and German universities, ana the s''Sut u"
| capIaudnm hints about "home'in"de oookS a,u
"hn,ne-made scholars in contrast with with lhose
| who NAV have enioyed the additional advantages vi
foreign instruction Was all or any of thus necessary
for calm discussion of the merits ana usheins ="
the University or itthe spirit OF the writer Ill Tue
Msssepgsrl We think not, and we think we eHn
| ud,,imDartially Personally We know nothing about
th,Iiernan iversities. We only know that they are
wonderful in their results in the woriu OF Ie'e, a.n
they are great seats and centres Oh nen. anu '1a
| uy unapproached by any thing else ot tiler R'hu
| in rho wnrd, Why may We not learn much, very
| much from them. Ii is quito obvious That !he
| writer in the Messenger does KNOW some'.,',s
| of what he is speaking. 1t is very manifest tha'
| hs has an acquaintance with their organization
and pene al operalun whilst We suspect that Alum
nus" though he INDUCES IN ridcuie knows rs little
about them as we ourselves certainly do. suppose
It were contemplated to tunnel the Mlsslssppi AT 81.
Louis would MIR. Ellet, or any other eminent Ehgi-
nrer who had been abroad, be deemed wanting IN
Anne rcan feeling. or desev OF suecrs aud rldicue,
because he referred to the tunnel of thu Thames sud
attempted to profit by the great achievement oil Eng
lish scicncel We should think not why then ap-
rather dsns, all such feelings; let US come up tn tile
discussion of this question like brothers engaged III
one common cause, and having III we" one common
end and let tho true catholic spirit OF letters per
wade at least the whole brotherhood oi Alumni OF
our common foster mother.
But We do not wish 10 coufne ourselves solely TO
mere generaliiies. We shall proceed in perhaps
quite an irregular and desultOry manner I" point out
one or two instances in which We think Alunnus has
laid himself liable to the charge of making otec-
TONS by the wholesale, merely for the sake OF object
me-. His first point Is the EVIL pointed out by the
writer in tie Messenger referring to the shorness Of
the time spent the institution by the students who
enter tn. University, the average time being less
than two sessions. New, that this 10 an evil O most
serious character, il obvious. 1t Is one which APP
peals at once to those having charge OF the insu.
tion to SEE whether something cannot be done whe-
;h.r some induce,nent cannot be hold out to induce
those who to 90 out Alumni vi the institution,
10 devote themselves tor longer period to their col
leyiate studies. We do not suggest any remedy our
selves for We have not given the necessary rehec-
ton to the subject pretend to be- able To do So but
we see clearly the evil when our attention - called 10
It by the writer in the Messenger. And yet upon
this point Aiumnus has nothing To say, but INDUCES
in n slnge paragraph of light satire and Asks. with
an air Of mock SERIOUSNESS, how this !. managed III
Germany! Now, in oil sincerity, is this the way in
which to dispose Of such a difficulty, and one dis
cus.ed with US much camness rs il has been by the
writer in the Messenger! We think not
But, again. the question OF admitting students into
the Cniverrty before they are properly qualified, is
discussed in The article alluded 10, And all who are fn
nillnr with the working 1T the institution, know that
this i. pertaa lst the evil that calls loud
Is for correction; ull'! yet, Alumni. finds nothing
here tn cniume,d but SIMPLY pa'srs II by with the
remark that he objection 10 II, but has heard
what nobody .se hns, tina, 1t ~ III contemplation /"
establish examinations Ter adins-ion. and doubts not
i, will be thoroughly done, nc. Bat til" third point
raised against In. article III the M+s'ehS"r ~ yer
stranger than all the rest. 1t WAS suggested by
Ia 10
in the Scbool Of Ancient Languages in the foremost
University Of our country what II should be- n large
addition corps ofinstructors should be"pp"inted
bv dividing the chair aCd giving ench protess"ra sut
fcient number of assistants 10 enable hun not only TO
drill his class thoroughly in all this critical phology
of the languages. but also To enable him to bring the
minds of the pupils i'll contact with the great body OF
the literature Of those languages To conduct them IN
their studies through the wonderful aud instructive
history of those grand old nations; aud, IN short TO
eo,nur.isnd az University course ought to do, not
only the thorough teaching OF the language but also OF
the literature, history philosophy, religion and fine
of tho most cultivated people that over Vea up
Oh the earth. Now is this desirable. or is 1t mott We
do not expect To see il all accomplished at once. or in
une generation but surely we can do something to-
wards it. We can, at all events, begin Or such i'm.
portauce did the Society of Alumni regard it, that
three wears ago. in accordance with their wishes their
orator. for that occasion, in most able and eloquent
address before the society upon The wants OF the Unl-
versty, dwelt with much emphasis upon this point,
and the able professor who fills the chair cuncurred
in every sentiment that vas Uttered. And how has
"Alurnuus met ihrse suggestions "a Tee writer IN The
Messenger! Has he lent helping mana ia IL" dis
cussion and development o subec, 80 Important
and 80 dear tho great body OF the Alumni as their
official action as n society will abundantiy prove =
ust the reverse. lie begins by protesting earnestly
that any sGc!, OF instruction should be adopted
Us substitute Tor tho thorough pathological instrue-
| ton now ably given, AM then volunteers II long
defence of the present systerl, as j, anybody had
Thought of undertaking that. As wsl w.ite long
dissertation prove that the beautiful symmetrical
arch which is 10 span some broad river, was proposed
by the engineer SHbstnuic tor the aDutinen;s Of
| solid masonry ON either siie which were To support
that arch. The truth 49, the writer in the Messenger
not only did not propose any such Change in the sys
TEN of instruction as that insnaated by "klQmnus,
but he expressly disclHiIned doing His PROPOSE.
ton was to make broader aud deeper the course not
| narrower and shallower. Nor WAS the long defence
| of DR.. Harrison by "Alumnus." however justly ne-
rited called for by anything said intmGted by tho
| article under review. We need not 20 beyond the
pages Of that article itself TO discover that its author
enrertains the very highest opinion of DR.. Harrison
requirements rs scholar; aud il was unjust and un.
fair both To DR.. Harrison aud TO the writer in the
Messenger, 10 insinuae by such a course. TO those
who had not the article, TINT the writer had even
| Indirectly disparaged DR.. Harrison linguis We
are confident nothing OF the kind was thought Of.
| But really we have neither the time nor the space
! TO follow up this question and "Aumnus' We
| should Ike IL do. Ope more point, and We are done
"Aunuu-' evidently thukg he has his competitor i'll
dilemma in first complaining that the students do not
remain long en"uSl aud yet pro2cs:n: whH: ~ lun'
nus thinks Ill almost indefinite extension Of the
| Now is there anything III this Was IT ever heard
before, or will it ever he imagined again tim; the
whole duty of University is fulfilled. when its
has been extended just 10 the point OF satisfying the
call made upon it by the average of the studcit1 at
tending it, when that attendance is less than two
years
Does i. fu!low that because those who now attend
its Instructions do not remain long enough a. they
certainly do net, 10 master half that is taught that
therefore the course Of instruction reeds further
development, no further expansion Ind, yef this
is precisely the point nade strongly against The
writer in the Messenger by Alunnns. We do mos