The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-12-08

classical order. The Rotunda is an III
most exact reproduction. reduced one-haii
In size, OF the famous Pantheon AT hoine,
while the pavilions are modelled after
the most notable and beautiful temples
and buildings of the Imperial city In the
period of her most splendid art. among
them the Theatre OF Marcellus,th the Baths
OF Caracalla and Diocle4ian. and the
temples of Fortuna virilis
On two lines. exterior and parallel TO
the two above described. are rows OF
houses for hotels and residences, at In
tervals and with dormtories between.
AN OBJECT LESSON.
Mr.. Jefferson's idea in adopting these
exquisitely beautiful classical designs
was to afford to the students and 10 the
public an object lesson In tasteful archi-
lecture How" he writes. lis a taste in
this beautiful art 10 be formed In our
countrymen unless we avail ourselves OF
every occasion. when public buildings
are 10 be erected. Of representing TO them
models for their study and imitation
The effect Of these Ionic and Doric tenn
pies and structures casting the shadows
of remote antiquity upon the grassy
lawn. with the Roman Pantheon rising
between with its mute tale OF ancient
mythology. is indeed, n most picturesque
and impressive scene. In 1875, when the
Rotunda and all OF the buildings but one
were completed, the elegant and learned
George Ticknor, freshly returned from
an extensive European tour. visited Mr.
Jefferson upon invitation. lie was AT the
time a Professor IN Harvard College. IN
letter 10 a friend, ne gives MS impress
sions: "Of the details OF the system cine
elective and the lecture features). / shan
discourse much when ] see you. II Is
an experiment worth trying; and they
have a mass Of buildings more beautiful
than anything architectural I'm New Eng
land, and more appropriate 10 an Uni
versity than can be found perhaps IN the
world"
PUBLIC INSTRUCTIONS
Mr.. Jefferson's writings and letters
show that from 1l79 10 the close OF ms
life. he earnestly desired and advocated
system Of public education which should
embrace every child and youth IN the
State pyramidal system, with the Uni
versity for the apex, a comprehensive sys-
TEN Of public free schools for the base,
and between these. high schools, acade-
mics, and colleges. all forming a sys-
teuatic plan OF public instruction. lie
clearly saw that the public and primary
SCHOOLS would not dispense suitable ana
valAable instruction unless they were
fed by a University that should annually
send forth thoroughly trained scholars
and instructors 10 infuse their knowledge
and acquisitions into the mass below. In
this no displayed his characteristic sa-
gacity The truth is that the principle OF
gravitation applies 70 educational sys-
TENS as truly as 10 the material world.
The currents Of education can no more
flow upwards than river can flow up
wards TO its source. lie is the true friend
! OF a practical and sensible system OF
public education who rears and fosters
4 UFUI In
source Of the limpid streams that can
alone impart life and vigor TO the sys-
TEN.
The man who does not recognize this
has yet to learn. the first lesson in an In
telligent and successful system Of public
instruction II was. In fact, the deplor-
able state to which general education had
fallen in Virginia. that excited IN Mr..
jefferson a feverish anxiety 10 erect
university. In a letter 10 Mr.. Cabell he
| writes 1.-THE mass of education in Nir-
ginia before the Revolution placed her
| with the foremost Of her sister colonies.
What IS her education now2 Where is
| Il? The little we have we import, like
| beggars. from other States; or import
| their beggars TO bestow on us their mis-
| cradle crumbs"
II was his desire 10 restore this mass Of
education. But ne well knew that n
would be In vain TO broaden the channel
below, unless he fed the stream with
springs. and tributaries from above. IL
has teen well said. that universities are
the lighthouses OF popular education.
they show all educators on what course
| 10 steer"
Mr.. jefferson was no more the father
Of the university" than he was the
father Of the public school idea In Nir-
gina. While Governor OF the State be-
fore the close o. the war Of independence,
he introduced a bill I'm the Legislature pro-
| viding for a system Of common free
schools, and The more general diffusion Of
| knowledge. and he was ever through life
the earnest advocate OF an enlightened
| system OF free public instruction. In the
year ISIS he wrote TO a friend. "a sys-
| tenn Of general instruction, which shall
reach every description of our citizens,
from tho richest to the poorest, as II
was the earliest, so il viii be the latest
| of all the public concerns in which ] shall
permit myself 10 take an interest"
SELECTION OF PROFESSORS
During the six years in which tho Uni
versity was building, Mr.. Jefferson. was
assiduously engaged IN searching o~t tho
most capable men FOR professors. In
Feb. 1924, he writes 70 Mr. Cabell. mis-
faithful coadiutor: You know We have
all from the beginning considered the
| nigh qualifications Of our professors as
the only means by which we could give
10 our -etitution splendor. and pre-emni-
ence over all its sister Summaries" He
| corresponded with the eminent nea
whom he had met during his residence
| abroad and was able TO secure for all
/ Of the chairs. except two, the
most eminent instructors ia Eu-
ropct in their respective dc-
partments lie insisted upon having
these at any cost until they could pro-
| perly train, and equip a cJr0s Of prOfcs-
sors from among their pupils. For two
| OF the chairs, those OF constitutional law
and moral philosophy and political econ
| omy, he resolved . select natives
| With his intuiuve business Of percep
ton he insisted that American preceptors,
| holding enlightel "a republican princi-
| pies, should occupy the chairs which
| expourded the science ~ government. In
! Feb. 1925 he wrote 10 Mr.. Madison. that
when Coke Littleton a work that fought
! the orthodox d ictrine Of English liberties.
/ was the elementary book Of law students,
! our lawyers We're an Wings. but when the
| h0niei Mansfieldism Of Blackstone, be-
came the students horn-boOk that pro-
/ fession. the nursery OF Congress. began
! TO side into toryism. The young brood
! OF lawyers suppose themselves to be
| wings because they no longer know what
| Whiggism or republlcanism means II IS
IN our seminary University that the
| vestal flame Is TO be kept alive: II a.
thence, ii IS TO spread over our own, and
| our sister States"
| STARTS ON IT'S CAREER.