The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-08-07
THE UNITf RSITi.
The Remedy is Nota New Constitution and
New superior Officer.
Editor Of The Times:

Editor OF The Times
Sr,-A clearer notion OF what distin-
cuisines a university from the interme-
date school or college would perhaps
nave a healthful influence on the inter-
est recently aroused relative to our state
University. A university proposes 10
carry the libeyal or the professional edu-
cation Of a well-prepared and somewhat
mature student into broader and higher
ground. and tends to specialization. STU
dents of this class are attracted not so
much by the general reputation of the
institution. as by the opportunity Of
sitting at the feet of this or that pro-
lessor who has attained a wide and high
reputation as a savant and teacher III
his special department
1t is so in Germany. Students to-day
go to Heidelberg 10 hear Fischer; 10
Berlin to hear Paulsen. In earlier times
they went 10 Gottingen 10 hear LOtze
and Gauss, and Herbart; 10 Berlin 10
hear Helmholtz and Ranke and HegeL
The reputation Of a German university
and its attendance. rapidly rises or fails
with the changes i'm its professional stan.
And tins is true OF all real universities
foreign and home. IL Is the particular
professor that brings the special student
who reasonably cares very little for the
institution at large, its pompous adVer-
tisements and the glorihcation OF its
friends. He wants to hear this or that
man. and he is right. for the higher edu-
cation Is not the work Of a drill MASTER
but of a skilled strategist. commanding
ON the open field: ii is best obtained by
personal intercourse with thinker ana
investigator who has proved his power.
= fp ri
staff of our University. but we may refer
10 some who have passed away Mature
students. who wished to pursue advanced
classical or physical studies, came IN
years gone by to our University 10 hear
Gessner Harrison, or William b. Rogers.
Others came for their anatomy and
physiology to hear Or. J. S. Davis and
DIR. ]. l.. Cabell. Others-how many
came for their law 10 sit at the feet OF
John Il. Minor And so il should ever
be Without the presence OF such lndl-
vidual men. standing out from and above
any prescribed system, even our UniNer-
sitv would be a university only IN name.
This was clearly Mr.. Jenerson's notion.
Whoever reads his letters and documents
respecting the constitution of his Uni
versity will see how solicitous he was 10
secure for every chair men learned. skill
full. earnest, and Of high scholarly repu-
tation. 1t was upon a staff Of this sort
that he hoped 10 establish true uni
versity. and not upon buildings. appara-
tus. endowments. fellowships, ana de-
cress. all these being merely aux
iliary 10 the eminent men he would
call and settle on his cherished founda-
ton each in a thoroughly Independent
school. lie was well aware that such
men needed no overseer, and that no man
could be found competent 10 oversee such
men. II to-day presiding officer Is need
ed. it is manifest that the University has
fallen below the grade Of ten, twenty
fifty years ago, and below the concep-
ton of its nlustrious founder. Is THIS
true If so, the remedy is not new CON
stitution and new superior officer but
a wiser administration 10y the Board oil
Control a TAlhO-'