The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1878-06-15
West Virginia University.

The catalogue of this crowning
school of the State for the years 1878
is before us. 1t is tastefully printed,
and reflects credit upon the publisher.
The catalogue well deserves careful
perusal by all patriotic and intelligent
West Virginians. If success is to be
determined by mere numbers, the
growth of the University in the past
year and quarter augurs for it use
full and influential future. Within
that period the number of its students
has been more than doubled. A glance
at the Alumni roll reveals the CRAFTY
ing fact that the graduates of the Insti-
tuition soon become men of mark and
influence in every sphere of human ac-
tivity. AS farmers, merchants, teach
ers, lawyers, physician and clergymen,
they are achieving signal success, and
rejecting great credit and honor upon
their 1lma Mater. In 1870 the first
graduate received his diploma; now
there are fifty-two.
A careful study of the curriculum
shows that the conductors of the
school are arriving at exact and
thorough scholarship. More is re-
quired in the Preparatory Department
than would be sufficient for graduation
in one-half the would-be colleges of the
country. And what is still more graf
flying and laudable, the Faculty of the
University inexorably require the
thorough completion of the course of
study before graduation. We have
been at some pains to examine into
this matter and are quite confident
that no school West of the Alleghan-
les and few Eastern Colleges, maintain
and exact higher standard of schol-
arship. The gentlemen of the faculty
have been educated at the best schools
of America and Germany, and are
highly skilled in the art of instructino
and disciplining the youthful mind
In scinee, in literature and philosophy.
in the ancient and modern languages.
in agriculture, in military science
and in the mechanic arts, the Univers-
ity imparts a breadth of culture not
elsewhere surpassed. A library of five
thousand volumes, yearly augmeuting,
is open, free of charge, to all the stu
dents of the University. The depart
ments of science are finely equipped
with all the apparatus necessary for
the practical study of nature, and Pro
fessors Fontaine and White are mas
tiers in their respective fields.
The discipline ofthe school proceeds
upon the best possible basis. 1t is
that of mutual trust and confidence
between teacher and pupil. No sys-
tenn of espionage is resorted to or per-
mitted. Young men are kindly and
firmly taught the necessity of self con
troll, industry, economy and moral puri-
ty. There is an atmosphere pervading
the school that tends to manliness
and nobility of conduct. Considera
bly, more than one-half of the students
(as we are reliably informed) are
young men of limited means, largely
dependent upon their own energy and
resources to secure the funds necessa-
ry to complete their education. The
school is free from caste; from degrad-
ing compulsion; from code of petty
and pernicious regulations; from haz-
ing,and other like "aristocratic" meth
DDS of culturing the minds of young
men. All disorder and meanness and
trickery are efectually repressed by
the esprit de corps of the students.
They heartily love their school, and are
determined that it shall be school of
Christian gentlemen.
The University is also a marvel of
echeapness, as will be seen by reference
to the catalogue. A young man Of
moderately economical habits need
! not spend more than $175 per year, in
Guiding board, room rent, tuition, fuel,
etc, and have every advantage afford
ed by the University. No cheaper
schoe3, considering the quality and ex-
tent OF the instruction furnished. can
be fosand in the United States.
The approaching Commencement cx-
ercises bid fair to snrpass in public in
tyrcst and like exercises in tile history