The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1881-09-08

, and professional, are so practically
unlimited in their scope and
cost, that there is no in.
, stitutiOn, however heavily en-.
, dowed, that is not constantly cry.
, ing, as the expression of ITS stand
ing need, for more money. To build
agood observatory, equip it, and give
it working endowment takes $225,-
900 alone, if a chair of practical as
trOnomy be maintained efficiently
i'll university. To approach ap-
proximately even the advantages
offered by our most celebrated seats
of learning will require for the due
development of the literary and
scientific features the greatest pos
sible concentration of resources and
the wisest economy The en-
tire university must be Il natural
growth, keeping pace with our popu-
lation and its wants, and above all
with the development of its resour-
ces. Locate the medical depart
ment separately and at once the
charge upon the endowment is great
ly increased, if not doubled by the
duplication of some necessary chairs,
chemical and physical laboratories,
employees, printing, advertising
and travelling expenses of the
board of regents. Then let this
same principle and spirit pre-
vail when the next legislature meets,
and our people will be invited TO To-
cate the law department at still an
other place. 1t will make no differ
ence then where the main university
will have been located; with its
resources thus frittered away, it will
be but one more added to the list of
debilitated colleges in our state. A
separation of the university into its
component parts, and location of
those parts on the mere principle of
geographical distribution, or to sub
serve local interests only, would be
educationS a. ;atcrests OF the "spolls"
doctrine so unhappily prevalent in
the politics of to-day, and would be
most disastrous to all sound pro-
gress i'll science, art, literature and
the professions. Take away from
the University of Virginia her law
school and place it at Winchester
put her medical school at Rich
mond, where there is already an ex-
cellent medical college; the agricul-
tural department at Danville,
and the school of engineer
ing at Lynchburg and what fig
ure would this world-renowned pet
of jefferson cut in the future. Or
is it probable that Harvard would
to-day be the potent factor she is
in the world of letters, science and
politics, had this dispersive policy
been followed. Is there any
illustrious example of the success of
this policy, either In this country or
in Europe?
To the student of medicine many
advantages will accrue from
unity of location. He will have not
only a wider range of cultivated
student associates, the use of libra
ries, university societies, Laboratories
and scientific apparatus, but also ev-
cry opportunity of prosecuting,
without extra expense, courses of
study in such branches of letters or
science as he may find himself de-
ficient in, or for which he may have
special taste and aptitude. The
university would thus tend greatly
to elevate the standard of general
culture among those contemplating
medicine as a life profession-a re-
suit greatly to be desired. The i'm
portanee of locating the medical
department at some point plead
ing SPECIAL local advantages is
more apparent than real, when
we consider what must inevitably be
the extent and character of its in
struction. 1t is idle to suppose for
a moment that it will be anything
else, for generations to come, but a
preparatory school-a feeder for
the great medical universities of
New York, Philadelphia and Balti-
more, which are located at our chief
centres ofpopulation, richly endowed
with money, brains and reputation,
and offering in their lecture rooms
laboratories, dIssecting halls and i'm
mense hospital attractions, which will
always make them seats of higher
medical culture. The hospital alone
of the John Hopkins university,
Baltimore, is endowed with three
million dollars-more than the en-
tire foundation of our whole unlver-
sity. If this, then, is to be the func-
ton of the medical department, and
limited funds, if nothing else, would
seem to settle that question, that
function can be well discharged, il
matters not where the voice of the
people may place the institution
The University of Virginia is located
, in town not larger than Tyler, and
, its medical department is celebrated
, throughout the country for its thor
ough instruction, simply because il
aims only atpreparatory professions
: training. The student has first to be
l come familiar with the terms of hii
t science, with the related subjects o.
{ christianity, physics, botany, etc
8 with the physiology and anatomy q
e the human body, and with mucf
t else that can as readily be taught a
e one location as another; for expert
s ence shews that on the score of sub
ljects for dissection medical colleges