The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1873-07-05
The University Of Virginia.


lhe paradox that Ono~naIL u I!lo
American people knows not. how the
other half lives finds rather a unique
confirmation in the surprise with which,
as we venture to say, most persons late
ly read President Venable's descrip-
ton of the system IN which the great
est university of the South is founded.
We there learned that certain measures
of university improvement, which are
only matters of prophecy at Harvard,
Yale and Cornell, have been for nearly
fifty years matters of history In Virgin
ia, and that certain other measures
we're long ago quietly and successfully
introduced at Charlottesville by Thomas
Jefferson, for the late Introduction OF
which, at Cambridge and at Ithaca, Pres
ident Eliot and President White have
been smitten with the epithet of limo
yatOrs.
The University of Virginia al the
dream of Jefferson's earlier life, and the
fruition and delight of his old age.
When the declaration of indepen-
dence shall be forgotten among
the common places Of political
achievements, this university will re-
main as his monument, testifying to his
emancipation from prejudice, his knoWIs-
edge of human nature, and his far
sweeping foresight. He had the choice
Of constructing a new college IN Virgin
ia or Of reCOnstruCting an old one. he
dreaded the inveteracy and the petit
ness of those gray traditions and Gus
toms that had clambered, like Nlr-
ginia creepers, oyer the walls OF
the College of William and Mary. He
resolved not to try to cut the new gar
ment out of the old one. He deter
mined to cut it out of whole cloth and
| the pattern he found in the amplitude
| of his W mind. That spacious uni
versity which bears the imperial name OF
his native State is the resultOf his brave
and wise determination.
There are half adOzen topics, either of
instruction or of discipline, on which
our more progressive Northern unlver-
| stiles are still doubling, or only timidly
experimenting, but which the Univer-
sity of Virginia has long since happily
solved. These are the elective system
of studies, instruction by lectures as
we'll as through recitatiOns, the bestOw-
ment of degrees only after rigorous ex-
a%minatiOns, the abolition of the inquisi-
tOrial and police system of government,
and the recognition of religious free
dom as a right belonging even to such
wretches as university students.
Upon all these topics the experience
of the University of Virginia throws
great light. It is high time that We
opened our eyes to it. They have there
"the elective system in its broadcast
sense. There is no prescribed curricu-
lum. The instruction is given in sepa-
rate and distinct schools. Students are
permitted to select the schools to which
they are led by their special tastes or
proposed pursuits in life" The several
advantages, both to pupil and to teach
er, of instruction through lectures and
textbooks are secured by an arrange
ment which admirably employs both.
But the two subjects OF most striking
interest in President Venable's testi-
mOny relate to WOrshipandtO discipline
in the university. With regard to the
ligiOus exercises is entirely voluntary.
These exercises are held by the resident
chaplain, who is not q State officer, but
simply the pastor of the faculty and
students, elected in rotation from the
four leading denominations in the State,
and supported, as other pastors, by the
voluntary contributions of his fock.n
And what are the results of this ter
rible system of religious freedom /?
They are summed up in these words :
: "The students contribute with very
} cOmmendable liberality to the support
of the chaplain, who goes constantly in
and out among them as their friend and
brother, laboring earnestly in the pro;
motion ~Of Christian activity and all
good works. There is always arespect-
able attendance of student ~worshipers
e at morning prayers, a good attendance
of students in the Sunday SER
vices in the chapel as we'll as in the
churches in the town. There is an ear
nest Christian activity among the stu
! dents, which employs itself in the differ
! ent enterprises of the University Young
7 7 Mems Christian Association. They
1 hold weekly prayer meetings in the diff
ferent districts of the institution, the
average attendance on which is more
. than One-third of the whole number OF
! 4 students. They keep up six Sunday
= schools in the sparsely settled mountain
y districts of the neighborhood, five fol
! whites and one for freedmen, with M
average attendance on each of thirty
z pupils. This steady Christian activity
l is not a thing of to-day or yesterday
but it has been the rule for years."
9 Finally, the system of discipline adOp'
L ted in the University of Virginia is one
! of the nOblest features oft. NOmethOC
" Of surveillance isemployed. Jefferson'G
maxim about the best government pre-
walls in the institution which he found
ed. Moreover, the statements of thu
students in all transactions with the au
thOrities are received as on honor; an(
- in the written examinations each stu
8 8 dent appends to his answers a certiti
cate OF honor that he has received NJ
e assistance.
! And how does a university COntrive t.
= get on with it's community of student
y who are "governedn as little aspossible
. and who are always and veritably pu
y upon their honor ? Nothing could b
:. finer or more cheering than the pIesi
; dents answer to this question. eth
effects of this sytem,n he says, Gin i'm
- spirit of truth and candOr, in givin
them the proper scOrn for a lie, and. i
70 promoting a frank and manly inter
- - course between the students and pro
fessors cannot be too highly estimated
~ A student who is known to have bee
!" guilty of O violation of his examinatio
- pledge, o T any other falsehOOd in hi
dealings with the authorities, things
! rare occurrence, is not permitted b
4 his fellows to remain in the institution
4 | believe that if this system of trust an
- confidence were adopted in all the col
~ - leges of the land, it would prove an in
estimable blessing to our country i
y intoxicating manliness, truth and il
u tegrity upon our future rulers.0
e President Venable has earned th
~ gratitude of all the people by his nd
40 mirable contribution to the rightful Dir
- derstanding of college reform. It wi
y be observed that he deals in facts, ratf
q er than IN cOnjeCtures, or prophecies, {
|" hopes, or fears. And one ounce of fax
is worth a pound of guess-wOrk-a
leastl