Kanawha Valley star. [volume] (Charleston, Va. [W. Va.]) 1856-1861, 1857-02-24
The Tnersity pfYirginia.

INV kD9AfASA saf~
high state Of Aspenty., Since the
opening ofthe &rcat session in 0c-'
tober more thantx hundred students
have matricalcuted in the different
schools OF seienc1iteraturc, and pro-
fessional study w,eh arc comprised
within the univerky, and there is q
fair prospect tha3he number will
reach seven hun'$i. Situated in
one Of the most beitifnl and highly
cultivated parts Of b Old Dominion
and easily accessible BY lines of rail
road from every par6f the country,
it promises to beconaone of the lar.
eest seats Of thorou education in
the world. If the i'll strous founder,
whose mortal remainArepose ut his
beloved Monticello, l1he neighbor-
hood, could be permitd to look from
his state of exalted pity and wis
dom ON the scene of hiformer exer
tions how he would rSicc in this
glcrious result Of his epl hteped and
patriotic lahors |
Not intending an'ipvidhs conpar-
son with other institution we may
yet say that the tutioparJsystem Of
this university embraces SC, e features
of noble inspiring .usefullss which
might be adopted with ad intage in
the oldest and most ren0un& colleges
of the North. The faculty icompos-
ed OF !aborions teachers, Phoundly.
yersed in the various subjecfassign-
edsto their respective chairs, Ind en-
dowed especially with the tant and
tactindispepsible to those wlse bu-
sipess is to communicate kneledge.
The majority Of the protessa and
assistants are hard workina men
more so probably than are to bound
elsewhere. The requisites fortrad-
uation are correspondingly .hig; $50
that the degree Of master Of all of
the University Of Virginia" mayyelI
be regarded as reliable assnrap. of
eminent attachments in science nd
scholarship. There is nothing Ike
''graduatilgclass" usnalinother sh-
inaries, each of whose members g.
ceivcs . diploma, az . matter ofcou,e
at the end of tho>regular curricului.
No .higl..aoademic honors Of this u.
iversity are never conferred in conrs'
but only after series of rigorous es
aminations, fitted to. test tire ability
the diligence. and the success of til
candidate in the studies ofthe differ
ent schools.
Among the Improvements recent
introduced is the establishment of
Profess0rship of History and Genel
al Literature, with the view of sup
plying d kind and degree of informa
ton OH the subjects indicated by thi
title such us are not frequently pre-
scented to the student, in this country
lis colsatirist, the Rev. Sid
ncy Sfnith, put.forth in the Edinburg
Review an article upon the system I
the two great English Universities g
Oxford and Cambridge, Significant
headed Too much Latin and Greek,
wherein lie charged those distinguish
ed seats Of learning with a neglect 9
other studies quite as important, a
least, as natters..of information, an,
infinitely more closely related to tn
business ofmen in every rank, profes
sion or occupation. We question
whether our iHnumerable college
give "too uuch Latin and Greek .
There is reason TO apprehend. per
haps, that IN some the knowledge Q
those languages is rather loose ant
superficial among both professor
and students, but We believe it is al
mitted that while young men ma,
emanate from them somewhat &C
quainted with Athenian and Roman
story, and endowed with stores ofclas
sical legends, traditions, and allasion
very few masters or bachelors of art
leave their academic retreats possess
ing auy exact knowledge Of thos,
great eras in modern history tina
have had the most direct bearing mp
on the existing condition of society
and still smaller number have an,
deep or epamored familiarity with thu
rich and diversified literature of thei
own tongue. In other words, no tim,
nor application seems to have given
during tie collegiate course, to thos,
very subjects which are most needed
in the demands Of professional ant
public business, and most frequentl,
called into requisition for social i'm
proyement, for compensation, and fo
private. enjoyment in the domestic
circle and in the inner life of the maj
of general taste and culture. /.
T Fit were not so eemmon,. woul,
not this seem strange2 That it is s,
common, this is stranger still. I'm
doubtedly the historical and literar,
acknowledgements desirableto an Amer
lean is that vast treasury which re
lates to the records ofmodern Europ,
Especially of Great Brittany and til,
United States, or which relates to til,
illustrious procession of poets, dram
artists, historians, philosophical essay
iats, and other men Of genius 40,