The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-10-24
THE UNIVERSITY.

A Prominent New England Educa.
tors Opinion OF West VirglniR's
Chief Scat Of Learning.
Editorial Correspondence in journal
Of Education, Boston. October 20; Few
Invitations have given more satlsfac-
ton than that to deliver the quarterly
couvocatlon address at the West vir-
/ gInia University on October g Incl
dentally, 1t gave the opportunity to see
New York and Washington in their
Dewey adornment, but the chief attrac-
ton was the privilege Of studying the
record breaking institution Of the south
at Its first quarterly commencement
season.
on more than one occasion the Jour
nal has called attention to the strides
made by this college In the past four
years, but no figures can mean 50 much
as the view had Of affairs on the OPEN
ing day. For thirty years the unlVer-
slty has been conservative to the limit
A small faculty Of local men, home
trained, had taught Greek and Latin,
mathematics and the sciences In the
| time. honored fashion to few students,
taking creditable rank among the COLI
leges OF the south. Only once In thirty
years did the enrolment reach 2SS.
How changed It all Is now! In the
late afternoon Of the opening day, when
| tried TO ''beg- your-pardon" a way
through the crowd into President Je-
rome II. Raymond's private office, ]
found the waiting room and passage
way filled with people who had already
passed Prof. Patterson's committee on
admittance, and were seeking audience
with the president. A year ago the
term opened with $50 students, ana the
enrolment by the end Of the spring
quarter was SIS. This year the term
opens with 7O0 which must carry the
ultimate enrolment above 1000. In 1895
the total number Of students was 2S3;
in 1896, 1855; In 1897. GA; In 1898, SIS, and
In 1899 promises to reach 1000.
No other American college better II"
illustrates the spirit OF the day which
brings to the front new men and meas
ures, new university ideals and equip
ment. II Stamford and Chicago uni
! VerSitles have in ten years become
larger than the rejuvenated West Vir-
ginIa University in four years OF new
growth, we must remember that they
have had fabulous endOwments, have
bought presidents and eminent profess
sors at high figures, and have gathered
their students from far and near, most"
ly from those who would have gone
to other colleges. This southern uni"
versity is largely local, its studentA are
mostly from the state, young men ana
young women who would have never
gone to college but for this university
near ut hand, and the president and
faculty, though trained specialists, arc
young, with their honors TO win.
How Is this growth to be accounted
for? Largely from the fact that II mas
been transformed from a quiet, old"
time country college Into thoroughly
modern institution, equipping itself
with the best talent and dealing hero
Ically with every problem as 1t is pre-
sented. 1t gives no honorary degrees.
grants no doctorntes, holds It's a. M. at
| q high premium, so that Its scholar"
shin is as high as that Of most OF the
leading universities. President Ray
mond has proved that there is room ut
the top for any university.
Morgantown and West Virginia may
well be proud OF having ranged them
selves beside Cornell and Stanford in
all the leading features OF those gre
institutions, and beside Chicago uni.
verslty in her most Important depart
ure OF a continuous session. The uni
Verslty has four terms Of twelve weeks
each, with regular opening and n con-
January, April and July, each being
also n commencement season, with the
awarding Of diplomas and granting Of
! degrees Students who choose can save
year by continuous attendance ard
| teachers can use the summer quarter
when they are not In service for regu-
lar college work, so that in time their
summer studies will secure n we'll
earned college degree. To this is added
the possibilities of study through cor
reSpondence courses, to which each PIT
lessor devotes himself with prdor.
No state Is doing so much for the cd
ucation Of Its aspiring youth as West
Virginia. In this institution no tuition
fee Is charged, and there are ten fellow
ships Of $500 each for the most worthy
and brilliant scholars.
In adapting itself to the needs OF the
young people Of the state 1t nbandOns
the requirements Of Latin and Greek
from candidates for the degree Of Bach.
elor Of Arts. All academic courses lead
| to this degree, whether they contain the
| classic languages or not. and the de-
grees OF B. s.. Phi, B. and B. L. have
| been dropped. The elective system ls
now perfected, and the degree OF A. b.
will be conferred upon any student who
satisfies all entrance requirements and
satisfactorily completes forty-two Tull
courses, OF which nine are in some one
study, selected by tho student as his
major subject or speciality, To meet the
requirements for admission to the
| freshman class candidates are offered
n choice Of seventy-two courses In
| twenty-seven subjects. A course repre-
sents the amount OF work done In five
class exercises week for twelve weeks.
| The entrance subjects are reduced to
the unit OF course and pinced ON exact
equality. Thlrty-nine courses are re-
qulred for admission in full standing.
| This means 2,340 class periods OF sec"
ondary school work, slxtysthree
month for nine months during four
years, or sixteen week. tritie more
| than three day.
All honor TO West Virginia. CongTat"
ulations to Morgantown! All praise to
President Raymond, to his ardent So
cinl, scholastic and professional COM
panion, and TO his assistant, Mailman
| Barrie, who has fAmillarized the youth
| Of tho state with the privileges await"
| ing them at the university.
ALBERT L. WINSHtP.
Morgantown, W. Va, Oct. 3, 1893,
Due to ApoplcXy.