Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1897-08-09
THE NEW UNIVERSITY.

!
The past session of the University {
Virginia, under the craftsmanship Of
DR.. P. B. Barringer, was one of the
most prosperous it has ever had. The
year was characterized by unexampled
activity in ali departments. live count
| the summer students in law and the
sciences, a total of about 600 students
attended the courses of the University
in '96 '97, of whom about 25C
were academic, l46 were medi
cal and 1l9 were regularly ma
circulated law students. The gradu-
a.es in this large number were
hopefully numerous. About so medi-
Cal students received the well-earned
degree OF NJ. D.; 19 law students re-
csived the degr, OF B. c.; 10 academies
received the M. a. degree; IL aca-
denies received the B. A. degree
4 bachelors of science we're graduated
from the engineering department, aud
one advanced student received the de-
gree of doctor ofphilosophy. New reg
ulations have been adopted by the fac
ulty for this crowning honor of the Uni
versity, increasing the number of sub.
lects studied to three, setting a mini
mum time limit of three years in which
B. A. may complete his studies for the
iegree, and requiring of all Candidates
reading knowledge of French and
German.
There were over 20 titled graduates
of this and other institutions at the
university last session, 80 of whom pur-
-ued post graduate courses in its AGA
demic lecture rooms and laboratories
while the remainder distributed them
selves among the law aud medical
courses. This large mass of serious
minded youth pursuing pedagogical
and professional work in the walls of
the university at once defines the
unique position of Jefferson's creation
in the South as "the educator of its ed
uoators." Its unrivaled facilities for
work of ell descriptions, its great ply
si(al and mechanical laboratories now
nearly ready at the lower IN ofthe bis
toric lawn, its magnificent observatory
on Mt. Jefferson, lts matchless rotun-
da now thrown into one majestic room
for the reception ofthe 10000 volumes
recently donated by enthusiastic alumni
and friends ("ver and above the II 900
volumes saved from the fre). All
these material agencies, combined with
Intellectual resources of the most stimu-
Iating kind, make of the University in
it's environment of enchanting scenery
an ideal spot for tue student aud
scholar, n spot haunted by revered
and beautiful associations, the birth
place since 1926 of innumerable ambi-
lions, the Mecca of thousands of young
men whose children, grandchildren
and great-grandchildren return again
and again to drink of the fountain
which the great mother of Common
wealths has so lavishly provided in the
lovely mountains Of Virginia.
Starting in 1926 with faculty of I
men and about 100 students, the Uni
versity has more than quintupled these
figures and has expanded into faculty
of about so professors and instructors,
and au annual attendance of virtually
600 students. Numerous scholarships
and tellowships have been founded to
attract the aspiring undergraduate. An
admirable moot court supplemented by
stimulating prizes with hundreds OF
dollars Increases the usefulness OF the
famous Law School, which for 2S years
past has additionally attracted hua
dreds of SIMMER law students (nearly
thousand having actually attended
the school since lSSS).
The expansion of the medical course
to three sessions of nine months each
puts this widely-known school, already
celebrated for the success of the grad
yates in competitive examination,
abreast OF the great schools OF the
American Association of Medical Col
leges.
! The new schools of mathematics,
modern languages and English prom
Use remarkably we'll under their reorgar
iz4tions, and are abundantly attended.
The literary life of the University has
la.terly assumed new vigor and vitality
under impulses received through a
more enlightened encouragement on
the side of the faculty. The triumphs
OF the University teams IN the athletic
field North aud South call renewed al
tention to the admirable Fayerweather
gymnasium and the accomplished di.
rector, who not only turns out these
merely ornamental results, but sue
ceeds in interesting nearly 80 per cent.
| of the students in some form OF health
full physical exercise.
Ia this crowded intellectual metrop.
oils OF nearly 500 souls Gncluding all
the attaches of the university gathered
within the picturesque and venerable
arcades, rows" "ronges," and lawns,
the christian life has rot been forgot.
ten and an excellent system of Sunday
lectureships voluntarily maintained by
students and professors made Sunday
last year day of welcome spiritual re-
freshment to many souls. Thirty five
clerrymen. distinguished in their sew
! eral denominations for elo1uence anc
ability, preached twice on sunday II
the chapel to the whole student body
and gave them rare opportunities o
hearing such pulpit orators as Blsnol
Randolph, DIR. Hose, President water
house. President Whitman, DIR. Wlliett
of Chicago University; DR.. Denny, o
Vanderbilt University; Rev. Proiesso