The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-01-29
The University OF Virginia.
PARTICLE

fHc
ARTICLE IL.
Editors Of the Richmond Dispatch:
We promised in the conclusion Of our for
mer article to state what, in our opinion,
ought to be done for the University Of Nir-
@inl and to suggest the means Of doing it
without burGening our people. We nov
proceed TO fulfill that promise.
The University ought to be endowed with
an annuity sufficient 10 make 1t independent
OF patronage.
Instruction. whether intellectual or moral,
is one commodity to which the great COM
mercial law Of supply and demand does not
satisfactorily apply. The greater the igno-
rance Of community, the more they need
intellectual Instruction, yet the less they
seek il; the greater their depraYity, the
greater their need of moral training, yet the
lass thew desire it. Hence, missions must
be established for the latter case, and educ4.
iional institutions must be ehdO,red for the
former.
The province of the University is to cdu.
cate the people to desire for higher intel
lectual development. and hence it must
precclc and always exceed its support. 1t
cannot therefore depend upon is patronage.
put in an article like this it is unnecessary
70 discuss the question whether or not this
ought 10 be so. The fact is established that
il is so now. and certain to continue. The
rising rivals Of our University are hand.
somey endowed, and will not depend upon
fees for their maintenance. If we charge
heavy fees and they do not, our professors
mill haze ample leisure in their empty lee
turc.r0oms 10 discuss the question OF pro-
prietv which we here dismiss.
The support OF the University must come
from the State. The very fact that it is
STATE institution, under the control OF the
State authorities, repels in grca; degree
private donations. This. too, needs no arSu-
meat.
Let the University, Their, receive from the
State 4 sufficient annuity 10 make 1t free TO
every citizen of Virginia who is. ia the estl-
nation of the faculty, prepared to profit by,
its course Of instruction. This proYiso will
avoid all civilrights difficulties.
To determine the question Oh preparation
Jet en- ID applicant be required to pass strict
preliminary examination before being ad-
Mite. This wol'd accomplish many good
results. It Woui / harmonic our whole syS.
TEN by removing The University from the field
Is q competitor for patronage which should
90 to the colleges. 1t w0uldraise the standard
in many schools in the State by establish
ing a certain degree Of attainment iorall pre-.
Dalatory education, which they would he
compelled to require, for the institution
whose graduate failed at this preliminary
examination would at once lose position and
patronage. 1t would avoid the many evils
which would result to the student himself
from lack Of preparation for the Work he
undertakes 10 do. Many who would have
all OF
! then well at the University, in the ignorance
OF their parents or themselves, might DINER
| wise be entered at the University without
| such preparation, and do well nowhere.
| DjsappOintment and failure ia attempting 10
do y bat was beyond their strength might
naturally lead such first into idleness, and
then into dissipation. Without it the pro-
| fcssor of mathematics might have to form
Glasses in arithmetic, and the professor oil
ancient languages be obliged TO drill raw
| recruits in the elementary form', and the
number OF graduates in these departments
would probably be but 4 small proportion
of the senior classes. We have heard oil
such things resulting where pecunlary ne
ccssity compelled university 10 admit well.
nigh all who applied.
! II relieved of the drudgcry Of preparatory
classes the eminent men ut the head OF each
department could do much for the advance
mcnt of learning in their spheres. Professor
| Gilder>eeyc might give Us series OF Grees
text. books, as valuable, perhaps, as ms LatiI
ones. Professor Peters could put luto torn
| for general use the results OF his pains
taking and critical research into Latin syntax
Professor Tenable, if not required 10 spcnC
his time explaining the mysteries OF thu
wrulc of three" would extend lis excellent
mathematical Sariesi and Professor Smith
might save time from the exposition OF thI
" five great mechanical powers . to write ;
philosophy as eloquent as his lectures, Which
would cause everybody to fall in love will
that beautiful and much-neglected science
We must by all means have prellminar!
examination.
Now comes the last question. Where
shall the necessary funds be found to sup
port this great free school of Virginia
Why, of course, IN the free school fund
This is both Just and polite. The amour
necessary in addition to its present income
would probably be within $4,000. Th
school fund is paid BY the property-owner
of the Stae-.he class which really derive:
the least benefit from the common public
schools. They have been generous enough
| W ,ifC LuOSt VI ~ AZ ~ ~ IA>
taxpayers; but it seems only just that thell
own free school, the University, should bt
first supported out Of the fund, and then lie
the charity to others begin.
Many of our citizens say that the whole
public school system in the country is worth
less, and that the money spent upon 1t there
is money thrown away; that the little tina
is learned in desultory attendance for 1Yt
months is forgotten in the ensuing seven OIL
absence We will not open that question
now, but there is one change which coulc
be made, and which would accomplish oul
object to the satisfaction of large number
of our people. Many of the counties o.
Virginia contribute to the school fund large
excess over what they receive from 1t fol
their free schools. Loudoun county, WI
have been told, pays in some $4,000 more
than she receives, and Fauquer some 'S8, O00
This excess goes, we suppose, to maintain
the free schools in the counties which nave
large population and little property.
Now. although the citizens of the tWt
counties named are libera-minded men, WI
think they would prefer TO see this money
which would, with similar funds from three
or four nore counties, so easily maintain on
University, devoted 10 that purpose, rattle
than 10 see that time-honored institution die
TO maintain Indifferent or worthless school,
in counties unable or unwilling to supper
them themselves. II devoted to the I'm
A., paonla yUho maid III in W0Ii