Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-10-22
UNIVERSITY OF VA.
An Interesting Letter From the Rev,
]. William Jones.
THR!Y-SEvES YEARS CHANGES,
Grounds and Buildings the Most Com.
plste and Beautiful In the South
Old and New Professors.
tcOrro.pouaoncs of tho Richmond Dispatch,

your old compositors should be startled
at the remembrance Of the FIVE columns
or more a day used 10 send in report
ing university commandments, let them
possess their souls In patience" as j
have no idea OF piling II in on them
after that fashion. but shall only send
you few items which may be Of gene
raj interest 10 your readers.
A PROSPEROUS SESSION.
Despite hard times the university has
matriculated up TO date 4a students
which is only about twenty behind the
number at the same date last year, when
the matrlculates ran up TO 5n during the
session. II is hoped that as the times
grow better the number of matriculates
will increase more rapidly than usual
and will reach at least $50 before the
close OF this session.
The classes have been fully organized.
and one can see at half n glance that
this great workshop Is in full blast, and
that the students generally are hard at
work. fully approaching that az honor
airy degrees are forbidden by the laws
Of the university" n man must work
here for whatever he gets.
IMPROVEMENTS
AZ your correspondent matriculatcd AT
the university thirty-seven years ago. II
has been both sad and an interesting
and pleasing task to note some OF the
many changes that have taken place here
since then.
The grounds and buildings, as Mr..
Jefferson designed them setln this mag
nidcent landscape, were always very
beautiful But now the shade trees, the
inproved grounds, and the new build
ings combine TO make the university
grounds and buildings the most complete
and beautiful Of any university In the
South. and 10 compare favorably with
the rich colleges of the North. Among
the new buildings and improvements may
be mentioned the Lewis BROOKS Museum,
one Of the most beautiful buildings uhl
containing one Of the most complete
collections illustrating the course In ma
tural history, geology. ninerology, zooio-
pv. biology. and botany 10 be found
anywhere. The Leander Mccormick obser-
yatory. which IS one OF the most complete
buildings and contains one OF the largest
telescopes in the word-the physical
laboratory. the chemical laboratory. the
museum OF Industrial chemistry, the
biological laboratory. and the mechanlcal
laboratory and machine shop are all
arranged upon the most approved plans.
and contain the latest and most approved
appliances for the purposes designed Ihe
"Fairweather Gymnasium" just COM
.,lcted. is the finest in the South. ana
one OF the finest In the country, and
Is completely equipped with the most
modern and improved styles OF Eymnas-
tic apparatus and arrangements. together
with baths Of every description, and an
abundant supply Of hot and cold water
and a very complete system Of lockers
and dressing rooms.
OUTDOOR ATHLETICS.
The most ample provision Is also made
for outdoor athletics in a beautiful cam
pus. a football and baseball field. tennis
courts, and other convenient arrange
ments The gymnasium and other
athletics are under the general control
of a committee Of the faculty, and the
immedia.. direction Of the able and
accomplished instructor In physical cul-
mre. pr William A. Lambeth.
But / must not omit 10 mention the
beautiful new chapel, built of granite
and finished with great taste furnishing
i'm every way beautiful and convenient
audience room, in which to hold our re-
ngious services costing 5000 and
monument to the self-sacrinclnS Hbe-
rality of some OF the university faml-
lies. the untirng zeal of the ladies. ana
the esrecialy active efforts Of Rev. Otis
A. Glazebrook. n former chaplain OF the
university. Old students will be especially
struck and gratifled by the three beauti-
ful memorial windows to Dr. James l..
CabeU DR. Gessner Harrison, and Dr.
John Staige Davis, three noble co-workers
who wrought so long. so fai'ntIlly, ana
so well for the spiritual, as wen as the
general welfare of the unlv afSitY, ana
have left behind so blessed an influence,
so precious memory.
A THOROUGH CHANGE.
These that have mentioned and other
university buildings and beautiful private
residences have so changed the appear
ance of the place that an old student
would hardly recognize it until he
comes upon the incomparaby beautiful
lawn and sees the old rotunda, the ar
cades and the professors pavilions' look
ing lust as they did fifty years ago, ex-
cept that the trees have spead their
foliage and are looking more beautiful
than ever before. But the changes in
the faculty are even more marked. OF
those who were there in my day DIT.
Gessner Harrison, DIR. Howard. DIR. 5.
Maupin, DIR. A. r. Bledsoe, DIR. James
L. Cabell, Professor James IL. Holcombe.
and DR.. John Staige Davis have passed
over the river. De. b. l.. Gildersleeve.
who had lust come, IS at Johns Hopkins
University, and the assistants generally
have died or gone to other positions OF
usefulness. | recall especially Professor
r. II. Massie who died in the Confede-
rate service; Professor Edward Il. Smith,
who died several years ago as professor
in Richmond College, and DR.. William
pinwiddie, the able and successful Pres
byterian minister.
But IL Is refreshing to note that several
OF the old professors are still spared 10
serve the university with their ripe
scholarship and long experience as
teachers.
Professor John 3. Minor. whom heard
Chief-Justics Bleckley. of Georgia. in a
speech before the Virginia Society OF At
lanta pronounce the greatest professor
OF law which this continent ever pro-
duced." stin lives to teach his classes and
impress upon his noble profession his
pure example and hallowed influence.
Professor +. H. Smith is still one of the
ablest teachers and most beautiful lee
turers on physics to be found, while
his reverent teaching of the harmony be-
tween Gods word and Gods science
when properly understood, is still doing
untold good
WALKING ENCYCLOPAEDIA.
Professor George Frederick Holmes is
still the walking encyclopaedia, the
widely read historian, the charming con-
versationalist, and the brilliant lecturer
of yore.
DIR. N. Schele de We're stands first In
order OF official seniority. having been
professor In the university longer than
any of his colleagues. but IL is pleasan,
to See no abatement OF the graces OF the
genial gentleman. the accomplished
scholar, and the able teacher whom We
knew nearly forty years.
COURSE OF INSTRUCTION EN-
LARGED.
But the most gratifying change after
all 10 the friends OF the university, and
the friends OF higher education every
where. is that through all OF these years
OF special difficulties the liberality OF
our grand old Commonwealth and the
special igifts OF friends have enabled
the authorities Of the university TO steadi-
ly enlarge and extend it's courses OF
instruction until now IL has six depart