The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-12-12
PLANS FOR REBUILDING.
LEGIsLATIyE IID TO THE EXTENT
or 5000, 900 FOR THE USfyERsITf
Is What the Finance Committees Are Told
Is Wanted -The Rotunda, but Not
the Annex, to be Rebuilt.


1t becomes my painful duty to report
to you the burning on the 9th Of Octo-
Der last, Of the rotunda and annex of
that grand institution OF learning, the
University OF Virginia, which for nearly
three-quarters Of century has been
the pride of all Nirginians and the IT
erary and intellectual Mecca oil the South,
and whose founder and first rector was
the sage OF Monticello. 1t Is a CALAMITY
which has brought sorrow TO the Who're
State and l am sure l state IL not 100
strongly when 1 say that the people OF
Virginia viii not be content until they
can again gaze with iullness OF beart
upon the rOtunda as Jefferson PLANNED
IL. and such additions az VIII MAKE tile
whole equal in form ana beauty 10 what
II was before the fire.
II am not prepared, nor do ] th'nk
il proper for me 10 suggest ways an
means / have the utmost confidence III
your wisdom as well as your leVotion
TO the object so warmly cherishea
throughout the borders OF our state, ana
/ am confident you viii take such ste!s,
If within the scope Of your authority as
will result speedily IN the full Iestora-
ton of our beloved tniversity-the nut-
sery OF statesmen and orators, sciennsts,
and Iiterati. | hope to be able TO second
your every effort and give you my hearty
FINANCE COMMITTEES.
These words, spoken in all seriousness
did not fail 10 make deep impression
upon the members of the Legislature
Last evening al 1880 o'clock the nemDefs
of the Finance Committees OF the sen
ate and Oh the House of Delegates met IN
Joint session in the hall OF the House OF
Delegates for the purpose OF listening 10
the addresses 10 be made by member OIL
the Board of Visitors of the uhlNeIsity
of Virginia as to the manner in which
that instuution Of learning could nc
assisted by the State in the most sub
stantial and most effective manner
Those who were present outside OF the
members OF the two joint committees
we're Or W. {. II. Randolph OF CHAR
lottesville. rector Of the University; Hon.
Marshall Mccormick, of Berryyllle, FRO
fessOr W. Gordon McCabe, of Richmond
Hon. L. r. Troine. OF Big stone Can,
Wise county; members Of the Board OF
Visitors. and Professor Walter ID. Dab
ney, Of the committee from the faculty;
The meeting was called 10 ordeT py
Mr.. Cooke of Norfolk. chairman OF the
Finance Committee of the House anc
Senator Wickham, chairman OF the RI
nance Committee OF the Senate, suggested
that the gentlemen of the Board OF Nisi-
tors should arrange among themselves as
10 who should address the meeting.
DIR. RANDOLPH'S ADDRESS.
Dr. Randolph, the rector of the univer-
sity, first arose for few Introductory re-
marks lie stated that within an hour
after the fire had broken out on that
memorable sunday. the members Of the
faculty had remodeled the scneuule OF
lectures and on the next day not a single
lecture was lost. A committee was SUD
sequently appointed TO appear before the
LEGISLATURE with facts and figures 10 eX-
plan the needs of the institution.
We have come here tonight, Dr. Ran
dolph said, az your agents to represent
to you the condition OF your property anu
TO submit A report of the calamity that
mas befallen the University. That insu-
tuition is just as necessary 70 you as Is
the Capitol building or the State pehiteh-
tiary Your free schools are no more
free schools than the University OF VIZ
ginia is In your free schools you DO not
look after the health OF the boys, you 40
not give them the use OF a library OF OF
gvmnasium but all this Is done al Inc
University OF Virginia at an expense OF
Sl55 Ter year TO each scholar. Certainly
no cheaper institution Of learning can ne
| found anywhere. NOW we ieaIe II 70
vCu gentlemen of the Legislature, 10
decide what is to be done in the premises
| But ! can say one thing. being thoroush-
! Nv familiar with the University Tor many
wears. unless you aid us liDerally we VIII
| become a secOnd-ratc college. ii !ou 40
not aid us we must go down
The Board Of Visitors have gone 10
work 10 raise funds, and they nave sue
| ceeded in securing SboVp. We nau "a 49, So,
! lar fre-trap in the old buildings that are
nov I'm ashes. The FIRE was discovered
| at 1890 A. NJ in the annex, ana Just an
hour later we were driven from .he To-
| tanned I'm the library. we have saved dDoui
! ~ OO0 II cost $4,000 originally 10 buiid
| that fre-trap. Ny people nave dI""!S
| been connected with the University, anu
| l heard men predict at the time when me
anneN was being built that IL would hnal-
! IL nrove to be a fre-trap rms pre9lc-
| ton has now become true an" II has
| caused the loss of the rotunua. ,,,,,d-
we could rebuild the deslroSyss.1a oa p" h,'t
in@s as they were before for Szz9VuV. bus
are we to run the same chances, oi
would II not be better 10 eIeOt,
proof 1bulding 8 IN 'heMW tRa1rmick a
| psbnev on behalf of the visitors anu ,''
| faculty 10 lay their views before yo"
u0N MARSHALL MCCORMICK.
Hon. Marshall Mccormick, OF Berry,
| vile next addressed the meeting anu
| smoke i'm substance as follows; AS a mat
| - Of business we have 10 lay before
| Vou gentlemen of the Legislature, an"
| ihrough YOU before the people OF IL
| ginia, ii single proposition; " lining 70
| lei us rehabiltate the state. PT9pSil -.
| The State of Virginia owns the ui,i n'.i
| sity which represents as Nalus ol sI'e,y,
| COO or 81. 10000 II IS the STATE pup,,a'
| and the educational home OF virginia
! YES i'm fact. of the entire South. us sys-
| iem is TO be regarded as the leaulhB sya-
| tom Tor the education OF the youths,
| fire in October last uvs,los S -, ,e-
| rooms were laid in ashes and 90 stuGthts
+! nd 10 90 elsewhere for their information
and instruction. Since tlen, the pro
| ffssors have found acComWodaion -"
| their classes in places wholly uhnl iol
| e,,cb nurposes But gentlemen OF the
legislature. YOU cannot keep the stude.ils
there ar induce other 10 come, unless YOU
supply tho necessary accO>nmoda'lohs.
You must make up your minds 10 ie-
build the rOtunda, TO erect a IA" pliii1
ing. a laboratory, and an acadelnlc JUN
ing or the University of virginia must
90 nv the board. NOu must oHer the
same advantages which ilchti lhst .loi, III,
Of a similar nature hold out hdi Ndlu
has over 1900 students. but the theory
80 leaning there is no more thoroughly
taught than at the University OF VII
cinia Yale has $500 students, Cornei,
Ann Uarbor. the Polytechnic School, al
Roston. the Stephens Institute. al TO-
boken. each one OF these INSTITUTIONS , '. .a
at least 100 students The great Sc
cret is that these schools have the neces-
sarv appliances? 10 carry out IN pIac-
tice the theory of their Instructions
Hundreds and thousands OF young het
from the South annually pass through
virginia 10 thesS schools OF learning
wherein so much better facilities are Of
The University of Virginia has never
had the means 20 properly compete WIN
these institutions 1t cannot maintain Us
school at the old standard, unless the
state comes TO its rescue.
IL has been said that the University
of Virginia Is the rich mans school. But
| say the rich man can send his son
where ne pleases on the other hand. II
is only the University Of Virginia that
gives an opportunity 10 the poor man 10
ssn6 his son there, because il Is the ell
max of the free school system. There
Is not a boy living within the borders
Of the state of Virginia who cannot go
10 theUniyersity with free tuition. The
f-,fs.~rsitv furnishes an ODDOrtunfty 10