The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-07-03
colleges are merely common schools, Jef-
fersor,'s educational idea Is still the de-

colleges. are merely common schools. = e1-
fersor,'s educational idea is still the de-
mocratic-republican ideal. mot yet reach
ed In Virginia, I am sure; perhaps not
yet realized IN any other State.
4 There will always be advocates, q
course, Of church-d schools, coll
leges and universities. OF founder-dom1-
mated and endowment schools. colleges
and universities, but 1t Is safe now s.
say that the great heart OF aInerlcA. !i
right or wrong. Is on the side OF Ipeo-
po's schools whether common. cole.
rinte or university. There will also
be those who advocate the esta blishm n
of q great National University. Cen
eral Washington was one OF them. I .ll
is room enough and work enough torS =!
true university Of the very highest char ~ !.
acter In eacn State. No one university
could be national. If by that It Is meant
to supply the national needs ior !. uni nj
yersitv . education. Our country IS 100
largeSforY that. E !, n.
Jefferson was a great tlckle or FOR ua !,
ityS of opportunity" N education = as .r,a =.
This idea further than any other lnstl-.
tuition in the world that 7 know Or, sc: SO
far that except for certain students,
who receive cvertaln considerations ~
return, there Is no general entrances eH a.
animation required, save OF course, ~
English which is indispensable as foun-
dalton OF all study
one OF the sentences Of counsel given
by Mr., Jefferson was this: Avoid mover
reuding and seek the compan!onshlp 9,
good Books "Companionship" is goou
in that connection. There were no as-
cent novels when Jefferson wrote ina :;
/ believe no novels were eyer possessed
by the old University OF Virginia library,
which was destroyed In tho grent
fire. AT any rate l never saw one On w
shelves. believe my com panlon!s, ashers2
read better books and more 'goon l noohs
than my student companions at Heldel-
brr did, or my congressional compan-
ions In washington do, ana came hea n,Ia
making '.companons"s Of them, Wniles
undoubtedly they read fewer pao OF EN- y
ty books.
Ii must he remembered that Mr., Jetfer.
son was really carrying on a sort o.
university before that Or yrsr y, ro mt'
erected. Young men and the paTel..n
of Young men for them, from 9 l,.ov Z
the Union, wele writing to him to know
what to study, how and where 70 sesu.e
education to best advantage, hna Illui y,
young men had actually taken rooms y ~
with him, using the books IN his a9lontl.
cello Library and having the benefit OF
his comments on them. IL, i.
Yet must confess that, while "o y,
there Is the most thorough L Wltnln ~, ~
bounds, of any graduate or postgladuhts
1rr =
much ground as Is covered at Harvard,
Yale, Columbia or Chicago, y - !. n 10y
| the fault Of the spirit Of the lnstl,ullon
!, nor of Its faculty, however. Us alu I'M
are from the agricultural, rather than
from the industrial parts Of the country
few Of them have been rich. almost none ms,
l5millionalres. Its main support IS based
/, mon tuition fees paid by those students
who are not from Virginia. and the taxa,
'tlon Of, people not too able % stana
I, taxation, having for yeurs borne lakes
upon their industries for the uppulldin6
| OF other peoples industries, located maln-
| Is elsewhere, and having lost the apcninn'
.lations Of generations Of toll w y, rev w
years of disastrous War and twice as
many years OF still more disastrous Nm
rest, disturbance ana reconstruction us
| patrons. blessed by peace and frateff
Unity, are rapidly recovering hoWeyef;
| some of its alumni have already added
| generously of their means TO the annual
donation of the State.
The entire annual income.of the Uni