The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-04-15
.ALDERMAN'S TALK
ON FOUNDERS DAY.
Tells OF Growth of University in
Point Of Numbers and
in Welfare.
WANTS A GRADUAL INCREASE
Will Next Build Up Law School
and Strengthen Force Of
Lecturers.
WANTS A GRADUAL INCREASE

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA, April IA.
I'm his usual Founders Day state
nent, President Alderman, OF tho
University of Virginia, gave some
facts of interest to the students of
education. The enrolment for tho
present year reaches a total of 7S5, |
an increase of 60 over last year The
attendance III distributed as follows:
colleg, 2S9; department. of graduate
studies, Al; law, 225; medicine 1874; |
engineering, 12a. Forty one States and
Territories are represented, and Brazil,
China, Ecuador, Porto Rico and Tur-
hey, but 10 per cent of the enrolment |
comes from the South Atlantic division
of the United States. Ffty-tWo per |
cent. of the attendance is from Vir |
ginia. distributed as .follows: academic
department, S1G0; law, Ia: medical, "a; |
engineering, Ca The States, excepting
Virginia, that are represented by / j |
or more. are: Kentucky, 3S; Tennessee,
"a; Maryland, 81; Alabama, 30; West
Virginia, q; Mississippi, 90; North
South Carolina, 10. Thirty three per
cent. of the students in the law de-
partment hold collegiate degrees, and
II per cent. in the medical, and per
cent. in the engineering department.
Sixty-twO per cent. of the student body
are members Of the church, ana near
ly 81 per cent. are affiliated with some
religious denomination Nv ent y-one4
per cent Of the students are sons of
farmers, IS per cent sons of lawyers,
ing is per cent. scattering. The aver
age age of the student body is q
years, months.
Thirty-three Virginia counties are UNI
represented in the student body. It is
| significant that twcnty-six OF these cOun-f
| ties have no public high school. The.
| total Increase Of Virginia students this
year is forty.
A Gradual Growth.
In regard to the increase in attendance,
Dr. Alderman said that it was not his
prayer that it should be sudden or very
large. If the increase should be 200, he
feared that it would tend to destroy some
thing of the characteristic life Of the in
stitution, which he thought should be
preserved at all hazards. A steady and
moderate increase would allow OF as
similation. He said the faculty had
| spent such leisure as 1t had had for
Legislation for the past year iii con-
I sidcrng what student should know be-
| fore he should be permitted to enter, the
/, adjustment OF what the university had to
| offer him to this required preparation, and
what should be required OF him before he
| should be permitted to leave the inshtn-.
| ton with any of its honors. This problem
! it's hoped, would be wisely decided, but
however decided, the rigidity Of the stand
| ard and examinations and the high char
acter OF the work of the institution would
| be maintained unfalteringly.
Build Up Law School.
/ After statement of growth and expan-
! sion, the president said the next depart
| ment to receive special attention would be
that Of law, and with it the library, which
he wanted to see made the intellectual
storehouse of the institution.
He also declared that the time has
1 come when it is more importane to
strengthen and dignity thu profession
4 Of the teacher than to buiid many
labora tories and athletic fields, when
4 it is more vital to tho State co make
! the place Of the teacher attractive to
men of the best Of ability, Of the
a greatest initiative, and Of the highest
/ social standing, than to make the
/ highest enrolment Of students or the
4 largest staff of Instructors.
l In reference to the effect of college
! life on youth, DR.. Alderman said that
the ordinary objections. excessive
j athletics, dissipation, carelessness,
4 idleness are due either to eXaggeration
OF exceptional cases, orlt he unwarranted
expectation that large aggregatlons OF
1 YOUTH VIII COIluuCIt IleulSclSGS Will
! tho decoram that is becoming where
two or three mature saints are gath
i cred together for conference or
prayer. With all it's incidental follies
+ and excuses, college character is
4 more earnest and upright than are the
i Judgment, conduct and character of
. youth of the same ago in factories,
! Offices and stores, or on farms or on
shipboarc. AS far rs these matters go,
college is physically, mentally and
morally the safest place in the world
for a young man.