The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-04-13
FOUNDERS DAY
At UNIVERSITY
tcont,nusd from First pageo

about forty years in the public ser
vice And, in spite of some reverses
and some failures, he had been pre-
cminentiy the child OF good fortune.
He retired, says n critical biographer.
with a reputation and popularity
hardly inferior to that of Washing
ton II his personal prestige had
been diminished by his embargo pol
Icy ii was still immense. Probably
three quarters OF the nation believed
him the greatest wisest and most viz
tuous OF living statesmen
The University Of Virginia was
uniquely and aifsa,sst ffairaes4aa&}y for
tunate in having a founder al such
unrhaifenEed merit ana such world
embracing fame.
II is clear from a letter which he
wrote to Dr. Priestiy IN 1890. that the
outlines of the scheme were then fully
drawn in his mind. He did not forget
the matter during his presidency,
when he awaited himself Of opportuni-
ties 10 get further information. After
his retirement, the war Of 1872. in
tcrpesed an inSup.rasle oeSts Gle 20 the
prosecution Of the design. hut from
the peace OF 1915. to the close. Of his
life" says Parton. The University Of
Virginia was the chief subject of his
thoughts. and The chief object az his
iabors-"
Jefferson. apart altogether from his
fame. was worthy Ia he the founder Of
university, a deyotee OF knowledge
he welcomed uew ideas with srdor
ard enthusiasm. Ignorance and su-
perstitian tie deeply felt to he the
haue uf mankind. And the University
he set W. bears tee marks OF this
ratiousiiztng spirit. 1t was & secular.
not denoInlna tioBai university.
Ever after THE experience of hun
bred years, during which university
education in America has been revo-
lutionized. what programme better
than Jeffersons could you o-day
adopt? Earnest students, thrown on
their own sense ot honor and right
pursuing the studies they need or de-
sire, professors distinguished by their
abilities and attachments, and honored
for their devotion to the intellectual
life. courses Of study embracing all
branches Of human knowledge and ad
1usted II the demands of the differ
ent pursuits and vacations Of life;
and. finally. halls Of instruction and
houses Of residence as substantial and
beautiful as the sk;u OF mechanics
and the art Of architects can make
them. g. once things OF use and beauty
TO facilitate the life and form the
mind and taste Of successive genera =
tions OF students and public rnonu =
ments to report our age to the ages
that shall be as to US the architecture
oi Oxford and Cambridge enshrines
the spirit OF many centuries Of English
history For my own part, / should
be ready TO accept with very little
adaptation or modification Jefferson :
conception of a university iii its en-
tirety. and in all It's applications hu-
man, educational. and architectural
JefIerson's Faith and Trust in the
Has Jetfersop's political philosoph,
stood the test Of time as well as hi
educational philosophy?
/ cannot undertake here and nov
to answer this question exhaustive
~
The central point In Jefferson's po
nticai philosophy WAS his trust in tin
masses of the people and his devotion
to their interests. In this respect h
was IA born Democrat. His enemies
indeed. called him q demagogue, bu
the title was undeserved, for jefferson
was a most sincere friend Of the com
mon people. He not only served then
as other politicians have done befor
and since, but he respected them, h
believed in them, he shared their view
and ideals. and he was convince
they would make "A wise Use of thei
power and influence in the republis
~ JEFFERSON had been "a time servin