The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-12-25
Tribute to DR.. BarrinGcr.

The Observer learns from The Danvilc
Register that Dr. Paul Is. BarrinGer has
sent TO the Board Of Visitors of the Uui-
verSity of Virginia his resignation as
chairman of the faculty. The reason is
that ne cannot properly attend TO the ar
duous duties devolving upon the head of
this great institution OF learning and at
the same time occupy his chair of ply
Siology and matcrt medca He, therefore,
resigns the chuirmanShp but retains his
professOrship.
The University Of Virginia, we believe,
is the only institution of learning in the
country which mas Il chairman Of the fac
ulty." The duties Of this official are the
same as those performed by the pres-
dents OF other universities and colleges.
Davidson College, in this State, has twice
had chairman of the faculty. Once the
office was held by the late Professor Jno.
X. Blake, y. NJ, and again by the late
Colonel w. J. Martin, NJ. y. LII. D. The
idea we have no doubt. was borrowed
from the University of Virginia, and the
office was created by the trustees when
they believed a member of the faculty
could serve the interests of the Institution
better than any outsider who could be
chosen. Why these two able men at Dav-
idson should not have been officially called
president we do not know. unless 1t
was in the old days that no head of the
a preacher Davidson, however has got
ten beyond that idea for Rev. DR.. j.
B. Shearer, the retiring president, IS to
be succeeded next year and next century
by a member of the faculty, DR.. Henry
Louis Smith, a laynnan, who is to be
known as president Of the college
The reason, however, that the University
of Virginia has never had a president Is
out of respect to tne idea of democratic
simplicity" which always dominated its
founder. Thomas Jefferson, and which de-
termined him in making the head OF his
beloved University merely the chairman
Of the faculty" Custom has put the
cincher the practice at charlottesville,
and no such revolutionary plan as abolish
ing the craftsmanship for presidency is
once to be thought of. The head OF the
University of Virginia, we suppose, must
always be 4; member OF the faculty, ana
have teaching work in the institution. And
yet there are reasons why this method
should be abandoned. In the staid, quiet
old stage coach times of Thomas letter
sen, ESD students sought the Univer-
sity and its management was not Intense
ly complex and did not make burdenSome
drafts on a mans time and gray mat
ter. Il was not imposing too much upon
{; professor to make him chairman. But in
these locomotive days, when colleges and
universities have enormously multiplied,
to d greater or less extent the university
must seek the students, it must put its
claims before the public, it must be on the
qui vve to watch the improved new edu
cational methods at ot.ier universities
abroad and at home, and, in short, the
mana cement of great college may well
take all of one energetic mans time and
give him plenty to do at that 1t is killing
to have to be president and professor at
the same time Of q university like Vir-
ginias. We do not wonder that DR.. Bar
ringer-and as he is a native North
Carolinan we nave always watched mis-
brilliant career with the greatest interest
is compelled to give up one thing or the
other-chairmanship or professorshiD. But
we are confident that the University of
Virginia will never find man whose
executive abilities and good judgment sur
pass that OF DIR. Barrinser's. While we
would like to see aim continue at the head
of the University. nevertheless We do not
forget that he will always enjoy the
honor of being an eS-chai:man of the
faculty of this great school of the South.
Charlotte On. c. Observer.