Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-02-07
Popuiarizing Colleges.

The professors at the University OF
Virginia are taking it turn about de-
liyeripg lectures, to which the public
are invited. This is move in the
right direction, and we hope it will not
be confined to the professors Of that
institution. Indeed, we hope that the
lecturers will not be satisfied with the
comparatively limited popular audi
ences that can be secured at the Uni.
versity. No one who keeps up with the
current literature Of the day can fail
to see that our Virginia professors
are wofully behind the same class in
the North in bringing before the public
and popularizing by writing and lee
turing themselves and the institutions
in which they hold chairs. The crlti-
cism may seem harsh, but it is none the
less true, that the average Virginia
professor does too little to keep our
higher institutions Of learning before
the people. Few Of them attend the
meetings Of the leading scientific
bodies, contribute articles to popu-
lar magazines, or are heard from the
platform. They expect the masses to
learn all about our colleges and uni
versities from the catalogues that are
sent out annually, when they should
know that the majority Of catalogues
take the most direct route to the waste
basket. If a man has already made up
his mind to send his son to college he
NAV examine the catalogues Of several
institutions in order to determine which
institution is the best but we dare
say the fewest number Of men have
reached the conclusion that there
sons should 60 to college simply from
having catalogues thrust into their
hands. The scope of the college cur
riculum and of college work in gen.
eral is a sealed book to the general run
of men who have not attended college
themselves. AS for the leading north
ern colleges, vast deal of their popu-
larity and success is due to the fact
that their professors are constantly
engaged in educating the public.
But it may be said that our
professors are not paid to edu-
cate the public, and that already
most of them are hard-worked. True;
but if. by educating the public, they
can excite enthusiasm for higher educa
ton, they will increase the revenues OF
the institutions to which they are at
tached. The result of this would in
the end be that they would be bet
ter paid, and, where necessary, fur
nished with assistants. Some time ago
Professor CHARLES II. WINSTON, one
Of the few excepted in our criticism,
delivered in this city an exceedingly
instructive course Of lectures. These
lectures were not only enjoyed by the
public, but accomplished much in the
way of interesting our people in Rich
mond College. Professor WINsTON's
lectures were evidences in themselves of
good work at the college. His example
should have been followed by other Pro-
fessors. There are numbers Of Virginia
professors who are capable of preparing
popular lectures on subjects imme-
diately connected with their chairs. If
q plan could be perfected to have these
professors deliver lecture each in
Richmond during the winter we might
have two or three lectures week du-
ring the whole season. This would
not only afford entertainment aud in
struction for the public, but would
open their eyes in respect of the intel
lectual equipment of our leading edu-
Gators, and the high plane upon which
our colleges and universities stand. 1t
would do more than anything else that
could be done to dissipate the too
prevalent impression that our profess
sors and our colleges are behind the
age as compared with similar men
and similar institutions at the North.
Nay more, to take the most utilitarian
view of the matter-and that view is
presented for the especial consideration
of the trustee "Dons ut would put
many a dollar into the treasures o.
| VIRGINIA colleges,