The Oxford intelligencer. (Oxford, Miss.) 1860-18??, 1860-11-28

We have songhtoniy to- show That ONtoru
and its citizens have deep and direct pc
cuniary interest in the success, and prosperity,
sd reputation, Of the University of Missis-
sippi Nero pecuniary. considerations, how
.eYer, should not alone be taken into the ac-
count by our community when they proceed
to estimate the actual value, to themselves,
of those advantages which they either enjoy,
sttke present time, or may hereafter promise
10 themselves, in consequence of the fact
that the University has been established in
our midst; for there are things which no
amount Of money can command, and for the
Absence of which not all the wealth of the
Indies would be an adequate compensation.
ss Comparatively speaking, the University is,
q yet, in its infancy; but its proportions are
a1hose Of a young giant. Intelligent strangers,
ssho visit Its halls and make themselves ac-
squsinted with the facilities it possesses for
il work Of imparting instruction, are struck
with astoni>hmcnt when they learn how re-
Gently it was instituteI-that the present,
in fact, is but its thirteenth session. Young
asit is, however, it has already attained a
degree of prosperity, and of popu arity, which,
doubtless, will enable it, through its own en-
'ergies, to triumph over any obstacles that
may hereafter be found in its path, and to
proceed, both surely and rapidly, in the race
Of Improvement, until it may proudly chal
iengc comparison of its merits with those
of any seat of learning in our own or other
lands. Should the present political troubles
result in severance of the existing relations
between the South and the North, the Uni
versity has nothing to fear on that account
"A war, of course, would temporarily diminish
the attendance Of Students but wars do not
last forever and, upon the return of peace
foodtidc of patronage would set in to
wards the University, and do much to fill its
Golfers, while the State would literally sup
ply the additional means required to place il
upon such foundation as would leave oul
citizens without an excuse for sending theil
sons abroad to be educated. Side by side
with the increase Of wealth which Oxfort
may expect to derive from her participation
In the advancement Of the University, there
will go on, silently, it is true, but certainly
steady improvement in the tone and stand
ard of society in Oxford. TO those who
knew Oxford fiteen years ago, it is apparen
that some powerfully meioratipg influences
must have been operating, in the mean time
upon the social elements that still remain
among US; and, to our mind, it is clear tina
those influences have proceeded, to create
extent, from the University, than from al
other sources combined. Without assertin!
that every occupant of Il Professors chair il
the institution has been, or will be, Solo
mon, it may be, at least, be assumed that tn
Trustees, as they have done, will always en-
deavor to secure the services of gentlemen
who are eminent for learning and ability il
their several specialties, and that, as a gen
eral remark, it will continue to be true, tina
the corps of instructors at the University
with their families, will constitute, as the
have done, important and valuable addition
10 the social wealth of Oxford. 1t is need
less TO enlarge upon this topic The suggest
ion is laid before our readers and they ca
extend, elaborate, and improve upon it, q
their leisure.
We do not suppose, however, that the sc
cial improvement, of which we have bee
speaking, has been, or will be, by any mean
exclusively attributable to the personal il
fuence of the Professors alone; though tbs
influence must be, in the nature of things,
potential one. The students mingle Target
in the society Of the town, and exercise, upo
the young of both sexes, an influence, which
in itself; is of inestimable value to their a
-rsocistes. Students talk, to young ladies,
the books they. have read, and of the studio
they are pursuing; and the young -ladie
wishing to interest their visitors by demon
nstfating their own knowledge and apprecii
''tion Of such subjects, are thus induced to b
stow upon the cultivation and improvement
Of their minds much of that time, which, III
der other circumstances, might have bee
sacrificed to dress, or skilled" by some othe
and equally idle, feminine instrumentality.-
Oxford, indeed, may point, with just degrC
of pride, to the galaxy of young women TIL
has grown up here, and in our vicinag
within the last ten or twelve years. Bein
still bachelor, we dare not affirm that the
equals are no where to be found but "
trust that somebody will allow is to expires
our belief that they cannot be elsewhere e
celled, in all that most highly exalts, adorn
and refnes the female character. We believ
however, that the one, chief, and eontrollir
cause Of the remarkable and unusual degr,
ofintsIIigence and attractiEesess on the pa
Of the young women we have alluded to,
to be found in the fact of their associate
with the students of the University. An i
fuence, not less salutary, is unconscious