The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-07-27

the educational history OF New England
here given been peculiar? NO. IL mas oeen
the same in nearly every mldois "ee'ei IL
State Ohio has the same. Wisconsin
the same, Michigan and Minnesota al
the same. for 1t Is the natural evolu-
+iona-v history of America; and In the
South we are simply repeating here To-
day the experience OF New England, d
century ago and the experience Oh liio
Middle West fifty years past.
But who rules this country now! w Aa.
section dominates It? The Middle west!
Yesterday it was Ohio; to-day 1t Is Iowa;
tomorrow further westWard-"hete tl'eS
we're born free The typical American
Of to-day is the western man. ana We
M have to acknowledge 1t.
. East North and South) once do1nl-
mated by Elonarohical rulers and rellS-
ious orders. was slow 10 chanse, tile
Middle West settled by the sons OF those
who won our political liberty, both from
tha North and the South. the sooner
shook off the yoke Of medieval TRADITIONS
and their children Of the Tar west by the
same token, were born free. Ihese I'M
siached free school, people RUE Amer
TWO TYPES.
Rur what is to be the final outcome?
If we can judge anything from the past
there are to be two final types OF hlsher
educational institution in America. flFSt'
the endowed free university. Originally
sectarian. but thoroughly liberallZed
from which the name OF the iouilu ,ei
has disappeared and their SPECIFIC poilcs
lost which type of institution Will stand
as our bulwark Of conservatlsm-a thlns
always needed to prevent 100 rdpiu q
change in public sentiment and TO tro"n
upon us in our periods OF national hys-
terra Such institutions as Harvard.
Yale. Princeton, Hopkins. Leland Stan
tt,oa Chicago.
he needed They will in time turn more
and more to pure scholarship and re-
search, the German type or the LnlVer-
sity The second type will conform 10
the present American State University
which being necessarily more or less I'M
der political control. will be quick TO re-
spond TO public sentiment or feeling.
These institutions always will cultivate
initiative and force in public matters.
They will furnish the State leaders In
public life and in the national arena
After the University of Virginia Ann
Arbor (the University of Mlchgan1, mas
had more of her alumni in Congress than
any of the large eastern institutions.
The University of Michigan, the Univer-
sity Of Wisconsin, the University Of Cali
fornia, and the University of Minnesota
are good examples of this type
THE CAPSTONE..
For a long time the University OF Eir-
ginia stood in doubt as TO which OF these
lines she should follow. Patrouized by
the aristocratic element of the most arts
tccratic section of the South. she. not
Withstanding her origin, leaned strongly
towards the endowed institution. The
name of her founder has been a power
in attracting benefactons But her his
tory and her opportunities for good TO the
people of Virginia all called her towards
the broader path. She has seen that I'M
TOW hat
OF natural strength, the common schools
VT the people, she would fall far short
on her destiny, and she has decided. she
will stand by the public schools. [ am
proud TO remember that uninStructed and
Unadvised, my first act as chairman was
to nail to the masthead OF the University
the declaration that The University Of
Virginia IS the capstone of the public
school system of the State and free to
Nirpinians'' You have all seen II and
most of you have laughed a 1t. Here and
elsewhere throughout the State il was
at one time considered matter for hui
NOR but they do not laugh now. 1t is be-
coming a forceful fact. Twenty public
high schools in this State can now pre-
mare directly for the University. and in
ten wears this number will be nearer q
hundred Year in and year out this dec
laration has appeared in every paper in
the State, and it has created a. sentiment
1t has shown the people Of this State that
the University was the natural end of
public school education. and it has open
ed their eyes to what they possess
SOME ACCOMPLISHMENT
Tn offering the University as a true
nsrt of the common school system of the
State. what can we bring in evidence OF
her capacity? In the long years of her
isolation and struggle. what has she done
for the State? Without any true connec-
tion with the rural districts and rural
schools. the source of most native mental
vigor. she has fought it out from her
ncsition OF isolation it We're, on half
"a tons. but let US see what she has ac-
ccmplished.
TO the churches OF the South she has
given the leaders. No man has here risen
r. the level of leader OF his people who
did not bear the influence of her broad
catholic spirit To the Presbyerians she
gave Robert L. DabneW, the theologian: