The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-09-22
(Springfeld Republican,

William. L. Wilson's inaugural adj
dress on Wednesday as president of the
Washington and Lee University of Vir-
ginia, contained an interesting line of
thought regarding the higher education
of the the past and that Of the future
in the South. The idea OF founding col
lcges in the young communities of the
new world was not, OF course, peculiar
to New England, although Harvard was
founded as early as 1873. Virginia, with
William and Mary College, founded in
1853, was fl the field even before Yale
WAS established at New Haven, while
Washington and Lee was started ut Lex
ington in 1149, but three years after the
birth Of the institution at Princeton.
Notwithstanding its aristocratic social
organization, based on the negro slavery,
the South down to the civil war,
attended carefully to the education of
its ruling class, and Mr.. Wilson takes
pains to show that it was in reality not
perceptbly behind other sections Of the
country. SIN 1860 the number Of col
leges, of professors in them, of students
in attendance, and of annual expenditure
for their support was about the same in
the two sections of the country, notwith-
sta ading the great inequality of their
| respective white populations" And
among large number of respectable in
situations for that day, the South had,
| in Mr.. Wilson's opinion, several schools,
| like the University Of Virginia, the Uni
versity of North Carolina and South
| Carolina college, which were entitled to
rank with the foremost in the land.
South, Virginia unquestionably stood at
the front. Virginia also blazed the way
| in America for some of the most distinc.
| tive modern educational movements
1T Is not disputed" says Mr.. Wilson
''that Mr.. Jefferson was the first pro-
moter of real university education in
America. The college Of William and
Mary was almost from it's original plant
ing unique seminary Of political educa.
| ton, thus anticipating by nearly 20C
years one Of the best educational move.
ment Of the day. To Col. William
Boiling Of Virginia belongs the credit
OF establishing the first school for deaf
mutes In America, at Cobbes, in Ches-
terfeld county" But IT. was in the spe
cial field OF political science that these
Southern colleges, receiving their in.
spiration from the great minds OF Vir-
ginia, did their most distinctive work
While in New England colleges were
founded to train men for the Christian
ministry, in Virginia, William and Mary
as Mr.. Wilson reminds us, anticipated
by over century our special schools OF
science OF government and constitutions
law in its endeavor to train pnblic ser
wants and political leaders for tho speci
al service of the State. And Mr.. JEFF
ferson was filled with this idea in found
ing the University of Virginia, for hs
estimated as the most important oh
jects of higher education:
First to form statesmen, legislator
and judges, on whom public prosperity
and individual happiness are so much t.
depend; second. to expound the prin
ciples and structure of government, tn,
laws which regulate the intercourse O
nations, and those formed municipnlit,
/. for our own government, and a sount
spirit of legislation, which, banishing al
unnecessary restraint on individual &C
ton, shall leave us free to do whateve
does not violate the equal rights of an
other; third, to harmonic and promot
the interest of agriculture, manufacture
and commerce, and by well-informeC
views of political economy to give FIRE,
scope to the public industry"
Fifty years ago, we are told, the Soutl
was still far in advance OF the North il
4 the study Of political science. At tina
time there was nowhere else in tn,
country any institution in history eaua
to That given by Professor Dew of tn,
University OF Virginia, or any in history
and political science comparable to tina
syhlch Prof 3sor9s ieber had been givin.