Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-01-26
FOR THE UNIVERSITY
IT'S CLAIMS ABLY PRESENTED BE
roan the SPECIAL COMMITTEES.
pRS. BARRISGER AND MALLET SPEAK.
They Explain the Condition or the
Institution, show the Grene Work
n t. Doing, and Ask That Its APP
propriation he Continued.

Several members OF the faculty and OF
the Board OF Visitors OF the University
of Virginia appeared before the special
Joint Committee on Expenditures al State
institutions last night, and made state
ments regarding affairs AT the University
land the manner in which the appropria-
ton from the state Treasury is expended.
= The session was held in the room OF
the chairman. Mr. Barksdale. at the Lex
ington Hotel. DR.. Paul b. Barringer,
chairman Of the faculty Of the Univer-
sity: Professor j. w. Mallet and w. r.
Peters. and Colonel Thomas II. Carter,
Proctor and superintendent, were pres
cnt, as were also Messrs. Joseph Bryan;
a. c. Gordon, of Staunton; and r.. r..
Irvine. Of Big stone Gap. members Of the
Board OF Visitors.
Dr. Barringer and Professor Mallet both
made statements OF the condition OF af-
fairs. the former going into figures and
other details quite extensively. The
latters statement referred TO the writ
ten reply TO the numerous questions re-
Gently sent TO the faculty. the same as
those submitted to the heads of all state
institutions.
The addresses OF DR.. Barringer and
Professor Mallet seemed to impress the
committee deeply, and there were repeat
ed disclaimers on the part of the latter
OF hostility towards the University.
ADDRESS OF DIR. BARRINGER.
Dr. Barringer said he wished to make
a brief statement in the interest Of the
University and went into a somewhat ex-
tended explanation of his report sent TO
the committee in response TO the circular
letter sent out. He said he wished the
committee TO understand that the Uni
versity was a state institution, and owing
10 the great amount of State funds in
vested there, it could never be used for
anything else than an institution of the
State He showed that the University
buildings and other improvements were
worth a little over 100000 This in
cluded the new buildings. not yet com
pleted. but did not include the medical
halls. nor the ass acres Of land surround
ing the institution.
At the University said Dr. Barringer,
the State has in plant and endowment
funds, and in residuary legacies sl.792 600,
OF which not over $4,000 came from he
State, the remainder being derived from
residuary legacies from individuals out
side Virginia. The University had al
ways been regarded by Mr.. Jefferson as
the capstone of the public-school sys-
TEN, and recent efforts had been in the
direction Of bringing IL closer TO the pub
lie schools. In response TO questions, DR..
Barringer stated that many of the grad
yates of the University were now teach
ing in the public schools Of the State.
He thought it would be very bad policy
for the State TO cut off in any way
whatever the support allowed the Univer-
sity just at the time when ii was re-
covering from the effects of a great fire.
The University had greatly Influenced
the institutions surrounding IT. DIR. Bar
ringer presented figures TO show that a
large per cent. of the faculties at the va
rious colleges in Virginia were graduates
of the University.
AS TO RELIGIOUS TRAINING.
The charge had been made that no at
tention was paid to religious training at |
the University, but DR.. Barringer cited |
the fact that the first college Young !
Mems Christian Association in the United |
States was established there. and that |
the leading men of many of the chief |
sects Of America were University Of Vir- |
ginia graduates He did not believe that |
the University any more competed with |
sectarian schools than that different re-
ligious sects competed with, or hurt one |
another in the salvation of men.
Regarding the charge that the Univer- |
sity was a school for the better classes, |
DR.. BarTinger stated that there was free |
tuition provided for academic students |
from Virginia, who could take even the |
degree Of Doctor of Philosophy without |
any cost whatever for tuition.
In response TO questions. DR.. Barringer
explained recent changes in the payment |
of fees at the University, which was a
of the various charges !
formerly made, and more equitably adj
justed.
Mr.. Withrow rather objected to the |
statement made by DR.. Barringer, saying |
that it was not what the committee
wanted. but he appeared a most inte-
rested listener while it was being made
In response to a question from the
chairman. DR.. Barringer stated that there
were now l49 academic students from
Virginia in the University, receiving in
free tuition about tl3, 4l0.
MUCH MONEY SPENT HERE.
DR.. J. w. Mallet. Professor Of Chemis-
try at the University, said there was
nothing he could say which would add
anything TO the value or what had been
said by DR.. Barringer. He dwelt upon
the point that students coming into the
State annually expended within her bor-
ders large amounts. 1t would this year
amount to probably 100000
The question with the committee was
said Dr. Mallet, could the State reduce /
the income of the University without Sc
riously embarrassing its work? He
thought not The character Of the work
done at the University was distinctly SUI
periOr to that Of almost any other insti-
tuition in the country, and he alluded to
the statement of DR.. Barringer that in
some respects the University was better
than any other institution of the
kind In the country, excepting only the
Of Chicago.
Dr. Mallet went on to add to the state
ment of DR.. Barringer that many fine |
professors at the University had been
to other institutions by larger
salaries, saying that any dimnution of
the income would certainly reduce sala-
ries of professors, causing further loss
Of men, The salaries at other southern
of learning had steadily in
creased ever since the war, while those
81 the University had not advanced and
In many cases her men were more poorly