Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1906-05-09

State Cadets Should Have Equal
Privilege with Others

I -
Privilege with Others
Under the above caption the
Lynchburg News in recent issue
contained the following editorial:
According to the present law,
the State cadets at the Virginia
Military Institute labor under a
discrimination which to our mind
is difficult of justification Section
1852 of the Code requires this Glars
of cadets, after leaving the ihsti-
tute, to teach schoo for two years
and to enter into bond payable
to that institution for q ums
sufficient to cover the amount
expended for their board and
tuition unless the obligation to
teach be observed. If there wac
ever any reason for this provision,
it doubtless lay in the idea that so
limited were the resources Of the
Commonwealth it could i'll afford
the cost incident to free board and
tuition for State cadets-and that
it was hoped through the require
ment mentioned to recoup at least
a portion Of the money thus ex-
pended. That We say is about the
Only excuse upon which the policy
could ever have been defended
but now it is one that has ceased to
exist. Virginia's increased pros
perity in recent years and the con-
stantly charging volume of her
revenues attest that she ls no longer
In position where her educational
bounty must be extended with q
string attached.
The State cadet at the V. NJ. l.
ought to stand in every respect
upon precisely the same footing
with the pay cadet-enjoy Identical
privileges with him and be subject
only to the restrictions which he
is required to observe. He receives
the bounty of the State, to be sure,
does the State cadet. But what of
thatp Do not the other cadets also
receive it? In less degree, perhaps
then he-but they are the ben
fciaries of the States appropria-
tion nevertheless. The Virginia
students Of the University are slso
recipients of the benefits rurchas-
ed or provided by the State. Every
boy and girl and youth attending
our public schools are likewise in
the sans category. The State re.
quires no specific quid proquo or
no special line of duty from them.
Why should it be required from
the State cadets at the V. NJ. ~
The compensation reaped 6y the
government for educational ex-
penditures is undoubtedly sure to
be electromagnetic it flows in
natural logical channels, and is
realized in an educated and an
enlightened citizenship--snd by no
means should it be regarded as
matter of arbitrary statutory pro-
vision. The State cadet, upon first
leaving the institute, may be afford
ed opportunity for employment of
a nature much more lucrative or
much more in line with his tastes
and aspirations than in the role of
teacher. Here is Virginis, how
ever, in practical attitude of dis.
coureging him from following his
own aptitude or adopting line of
tndeayor that is best for his own
pareonal fortunes, by saying in
effect if he does so; if he selects
what appears to him a favorably
alternative in the matter of en-
ployment, he must pay price for
thus deciding-pay hack to her
Golfers tire money that has been
taken therefrom in behalf of HE
education. This policy is out of
accord with the prevailing spirit
of education, and reflects no credit
upon Virginia. while in many
cases it inficts an undeserved
hardship upon cadets. The present
law upon the subject ought to be
repealed, and the next Legislature
Will do we'll should it take such
action.