Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-08-04
The STATE UNIVERSITY.
An Address from the Board Of Re-
.s gents. s..< ,
A GOOD SHOWING CLEARLY MADE.
An Able and lrfefutable Defense Of the
States Leading Educational
.srs Institution.

MoRGANTowN, August 3.-As Regents OF
the West Virginia University, having in
charge to some extent its government and
administration, we have believed that its
prosperity would be promoted by frank
and fair statement of its condition, diff
culues and prospects. .fa'.l
The college was established and endowed
at period in our history when the country
was just emerging from civil war,
and when a large portion Of our
population, particularly in the Second
and Third Congressional districts were ex-
cluded from active participation in the gov
ernment of the State. After their restora-
ton, in 1872, many changes wcrc naturally
to be expected in the administration Of pub
lie affairs. The University, being public
institution, could hardly expect 10 remain
unaffected by the restoration. 1t was nat
ural and, as it seems to us proper also,
that the college should be delocalized, as 1t
were and placed in harmony and sympathy
to some extent, at least, with the public SEN
timent Of the citizens whose money, raised
by taxation contributed largely, by annual
contributions, to its support. Hence
some changes were made in 1928,
and in 1876 when the Board compri-ed
FIVE at least of the present Regents, the
change took a more decided character.
Two professional schools were established,
and several new professors added to the
g., lly tha nF al.
minated in the election of Hon. Vim. Il.
Wilson, and, upon the recommendation Of
the entire faculty, in the adoption Of tie
more modern elective instead of the O'd
curriculum system of collegiate education,
AS to the character and working of this
change we refer to the following extracts
from circular published by the late Prsi-
dent Wilson:
Abolition Of the Curriculum for the Eiec,
tive $. stem.
The American college, as originally or:
ganized, had fixed and in0exible course
of studies, CO led curriculum II was dis
tributed over four years le..ding BY success.
sive classes to graduation, (B. Az and
none could graduate but those who COM
pleted this curriculum. When this routine
was established The subjects OF college study
included little more than the ancient Ian
guages, mathematics, philosophy and logic,
and it was net only possible but easy to pre-
scribe the same course for all students, as
the foundation or rather the entire scheme
of liberal education. But in modern times,
in TIE last two or three decades, there has
been such an immense multiplica-
ton of the subjects Of knowledge,
worthy a place in scheme of
liberal education, and such an indefinite in
crease in the range Of occupations for
which college education is intended 10
qualify, that the subjects Of instruction are
limited only by the ability of institutions to
employ instructors Among these subjects
] may specify the modern languages and
literature, the scientific study af our own
tongue the new science of languages the
study of history with reference to its philos-
ophy: the se;eral social and political
sciences, and the constantly increasing and
splendid sisterhood of the physical sciences.
ALI these now demand recognition on a
footing OF equality with the formerly exclu-
sive subjec,s OF the curriculum, and the
great endowments Of our richer colleges are
unable 10 keep pace with the progress and
methodizing Of knowledge. especially in the
domain Of scientific and, technical
education. Clearly then it is not
possible to combine all Of these
subjects into a curriculum, or indeed
to study many of them in the time allotted
for college course, nor is it easy or per-
baps practicable, to make judiciouG telec-
ton among them, adapted to the needs OF
majority of the students. Education, in
which the first object must always be to
train The mild and 10 stock it only the
second is one, but the road for one student
to reach :. m-y be widely different from that
which is most advantageous to another
Hence our best colleges have been forced,
very reluctantly in many cases, to allow
students constantly widening freedom in
the selection of their studies by substituting
an elective system for the curriculum, or At
tempting to combine the two in some prac-
tiCable scheme.
In order TO understand the effect Of these
reforms. it is necessary to observe that the
preparatory department Of the University
is strictly academic in its character, and
has been chiefly patronized by local pupil
age from Monongalia and adjoining coun-
ties. So fa- as the number of students is
concerned, the prosperity Of the institution
is TO be measured by the increase in the
collegiate department. We call attention,
therefore, to the number Of students since
the Inauguration of the changes alluded TO-
as proven by the annual catalogues. In
lSf6-17, the number Of students in the col
legiate department was 81; in ls77-7S, F2i
in Is7S-i9. so; 1880. 50; in l6S0-Sl, IS;
in lSsl-s2, "a; in 1882 So, ia; in lsS3-Sir
fS
1t will thus be seen, that since 1876, the
number of students in the University proper
has
More Than Doubled
and indeed under the successful sdministra-
ton Of President WiLon, in 1928, it
was more than trebled.
Our purpose is higher than mere selfvin-
dication otherwise the publication Of these
statistics alone would suffice TO refute the
ISLANDERS so recklessly circulated by partizan
newspapers, in regard TO the inefieiency Of
the administration Of the University.
II is because these attacks are calculated
TO injure the University, that we deem It
proper to notice them. They have exhib-
tied violence. indecency aud disregard Of
truth, worthy Of the most licentious age Of
a corrupt press Every session Of our board
has been literally bounded by their unscru.
pulous and untruthful correspondents, and
the institution itself DETAINED, and (so far
as that purpose could be accomplished) de-
graded in the eyes ofits patrons, and in the
estimation Of the world
We ask the public ....
-s Not TO Believe
or regard these attacks, but 10 inquire and
examine for themselves. We think tina.
such examination will prove that in
eS76 there was spirit Of po-
Etical propsgsndixm prevalent at the
Uniyerity, and within is very walls, ct yari-
ance with the public seatiment Of the State;
that this sPirit has been overcome and in q
measure suppressed. and that q, present.
there is no psrtizan influence exerted or at
tempted, but the
Students Are Let Free
to form their swn political opinions, and TO
express their own sentiments in such man.
ner and with such latitude As the sons OF