Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-08-04

| our Commonwealth and has inpres'''
| Itself upon the civilization oil oui '''
! try H., 90 mn,
The great need OF the University 20
ouestionabiy larger income 4, on
markabe that It has accon'p',o $50
much in it's straitened circumstance'
When became chairman OF the bAeou
two Committee and thus became ac-
| ouainted with the condition OF the M
| tuition. / was surprised and mortiieu
| the apparent neglect by the Sta'e.
| found the physical condition OF 'hs -.
yersity wretched the buildings s'nops
| and going TO decay; the stone wan ~
rear OF the public hall. some lo zee. ms
and 60 feet long. had fallen 'n'ouen 10
entire length. carrying with IL us .
| stone archway and brick arcn ~ ~
| high and as long as the WALL all iol '.o
want Of means TO make the necessary
current repairs: no adequate water supply
| for the purpose OF cleanliness OF 10 pr
| cent confederation and the sewer sss-
| tom devised by Mr. jefferson ana prop
| ably sufficient for its time, worn ou''
| and I'm its ruined state producing NV
very urwholesome conditions in the resi-
| derces and dormitories which II was IN
| tended TO prevent II was no wonder
| that students slckened and some uleo
! OF typhod-fever. The wonder was 'ual
! there had not Deen peslhe"S0 CT ~
| University OF Virginia.
| It was surprising that the institution
\ had 40 large an attendance, but IT was
an Illustration OF what had been proven
| I'm the moro enlightened European coun-
| tries. that the strength OF university
| is not in the buildings and surroundings
| or personal comfort OF tho students, out
| in the great minds who give the instruc-
! ton.
| Tho institution was burdened with n
| heavy debt. In making up the estimates
FOR the coming fiscal year, the hrst
1 charge to be made was per cent. IN
terest on Hl.5CO bonded debt-$5,yO out OF
| the annuity of $3c. 900 given by the State.
The Board Of Visitors, Of which mad
the privilege of being a member. be-
| sides retaining the old professors with
out any exception, and the election of
| several new ones. devoted their efforts
| TO the physical restoration OF the Uni
versity and its relief from its crushing
| debt by an earnest appeal TO the Legis-
| lature and with the valuable assistance
of the faculty and alumni, had special
appropriations made for sewerage ana
water supply, and an increase OF the
annuity from $4,000 TO $4,000. But even
with this help. the last estimate l made
up. in connection with the chairman of
| the faculty, for the fiscal year. lS8i-@
| Obasing the estimate on the conservative
| number OF 800 students), showed, after
/ orediting the University with all or It's
! resources and charging it with only alb
| solutey necessary expenditures, dehct
| OF 81 1872 and i'm this we were not able
/ To allow for the library much more than
| a man OF wealth would spend on MS
private library. and for the purchase OF
| apparatus and materials for the Chairs
IDhf11gn,.h1s CnapriStrV Ma
! tural History. and Anatomy we could
only allow the small sum Of 500 Know
! ing as 1 did. the large amounts expended
! by the nor. hcrn universities in keeping
abreast With the scientific discoveries OK
the age. it = IS humiliating to me, as
| Eirginian; but / was comforted by the
fact that the professors filling these chairs
had the ability i'm their lectures TO make
I'd for the deficiency in their apparatus.
Tho real want OF the University OF
| Virginia is not a president. but larger
| income Would the election of presi-
dent give that larger income or would
II not rather injure tho reputation OF the
| University. and stop those gifts which
! will naturally flow into its treasury with
| the improved condition of Virginia ana
| the South? And is not n president at
| $500 per annum and a residence an eX-
travagance In the present condition oil
our finances?
Is It expected that n president VIII give
| more students? 1t Is a great mistake 10
| estimate the value and influence OF
seminary Of learning by the mere num-
| Der Of its students, and not by the cha
| racter of it's work. The true success OF
| a university is in the excellence OF its
! scholarship, and not in the number OF
| its students. There is danger In our
university, If II is too eager 10 lncrease
its number Of students, degeneratlng INTO
! a mere hrst-ciass college. rival or the
other institutions in the State, instead OF
being stimulus 10 those institutions
who prepare their students for the higher
education to be obtained within its walls
4 permanent president is unknown IN
most Of the celebrated foreign universe
ties. The rector, who is chosen for year,
serves as chairman in the Senate OF the
German universities.
In selecting our professors at the Uni
versity of Virginia, we have chosen the
ablest and most distinguished men, with
q view to bringing students from all
PARTS of the country. 1t is upon this body
| of men, after all, that the success or
failure Of the institution depends. MI
Jeferson's idea OF having an annually
elected chairman from this body was q
grand one. The mistake has been that
it has not beer carried out with that ro-
| tation which was evidently his intention.
| No professor should be chairman Tor
| more than one year. Each professor
| should feel the equal of the other not
only in the management Of his class, but
in his solicitude for the welfare or the
institution To elect one Of their num-
Der permanent president would dwarf
the influence and authority Of the rest
for II the man were scholar enough 10
overshadow the others it would become
merely big college; II he were eclipsed
by some of those who held chairs he
would be a failure.
After all. the chairman OF the faculty
for one year is nothing more than the
police magistrate Of the college. to look
after the proper discipline of the students,
ana the faithful discharge Of their duties
by the proctor. and other civil otTcsrS
of the institution
What the University Of Virginia needs
more than president Is board or
visitors, such as 1t had I'm the days or
it's eminent rectors-Jefferson Madison
Cabell, ami Chapman JohnsOn---cl who
gave much of their time and thought 10
the success of the institution. We know
from tradition how these men worked
for our University
From thirty years experience on boards
OF visitors of colleges. 1 know that they
are responsible for the condition OF the
!, institution. They choose the faculty ana
civil officers and are supposed TO look
after the financial condition or the instl-
tuition as they would their own personal
affairs; | believe in most institutions
they take an oath TO this effect. They
have opportunities for soliciting pecuhi-