The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1907-03-08
Hampden- Sidney College.

Hampden-S Sidney College.
Mr.. Bryce is now in America and
will probably have an opportunity to
note the astounding growth Of the
Western University he made famous
several years ago, the faculty Of which
at that time, the President cheerfully
admitted. consisted of the President
and the Presidents wife. During the
interval this university may have
waxed exceedingly. through the phi
lanthropy or something Of some bill
lionaire living or dead. Mr.. Bryce's
pleasantly, none the less, was very
apt and may fin 1 material even today,
since we have not changed in our
tendency TO treat matters Of education
as if they were operations in real es-
tate. The phenomenon is encouraging
in a way, as giving proof that our
country is limitlessly as,imilative.
If we do not understand an idea we
at least catch on and push it along
confident that after a time we shall
measure up TO any obligation we may
incur The breezy West supplies i'm
tere,ting news. But infection from
that quarter is different altogether.
Why should we in Virginia, with
our slow growing traditions Of three
hundred years, wish to treat anything
vital after the manner Of the land
agent and the promoter? Naturally,
as a business people we want TO de-
velope our state. But il is to be ex-
pected of us that we shall build con-
ser,auyely. With as the landmark is
TO be preserved and If the landmark
is living institution it is to be pre-
served religiously. 1t is not so many
years since we were an English colony,
an established community Of English
men. The way England handles her
vast commercialism should be an OBJ
iect lesson to us. BE as commercial
as we please, if so we do not forget
that we are not Of yesterday.
The war has caused US to forget too
quickly. The poverty to which we
were reduced after the var has some
how worked a subtle change in our at
titude Of mind. And the success
which is once more ours has made us
Just little tooenthusiasiic. We want
to make the present better than the
past, but we should remember how
very much that entails. We must
know this, that the era Of large Civ
ing has only just begun; that if we
will wait money will come to Us where
we are and from the rich men Of our
own country. II is all very well for
the missionary-millionaire to go into
the wilderness. We are not wilder
ness. Nor are we stand-ollish. We
know that in Virginia we have
the resources to make Of us one Of the
great states Of the modern world, and
that. besides all that, our history and
our institutions are not to be lightly
regarded.
Our colleges with history are doing
well today. Let them remember that
LEST we forget" il an excellent Pro-
cessional. one Of the first trus-
tees Of Hampden-Sidney College
was a Harrow man, one Of Or. Thack-
eray's men. Why take our colleges,
which in the system correspond TO the
great English public schools, and at
TEMPT to make a sort Of Brummagem
university Of them? The idea is
worthy of Thomas Lawson. We have
a university, which if not impo-ingly
ancient, is a university Of unique ira
ditions. Let our colleges remain the
Etons and Rugbys and Harrows and
Winchesters Of Virginia. What bet
ter couli they be particularly when
We consider the importance Of resist
ing Capitalization. send up the best
men to the University Of Virginia,
Mr.. Jenerson's university, the repre-
sentative university ofthe South.
We sre people Of paradoxes. In
our Tercentenary year we breach a
promotion scheme in spirit directly
contrary to all that the jamestown
Exposition stands for, historically.
Near Monticello is found the "Uniyer-
sity Of Henrico." Why proposs such
an exhibit as collection Of the col
leges Of Virginia and by a spreading
Of the hands suavely Transforming
then into an English university?