The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1911-07-01

highlands OF Albemarle," but this
tract was, of course. added TO as the
requirements of the university de-
manded. The original building thus
auspiciously started is still standing
but having outlived Its usefulness fer
its original function is now utilized as
residence by one of the instructors
at the university This building was
designed By jefferson. who formulated
the whole architectural scheme which
is in itself sufficient TO render the
University of Virginia notable.
Indeed, the circumstance that Thorn
as Jefferson was the architect of the
beautiful home of the University OF
Virginia, as well as the founder of this
seat of learning. renders it particular
ly fitting that it should. in accordance
with his wish. be regarded as his en-
during monument Although the fact
may not be so well known the versa.
tile Thomas Jefferson was as much a
genius in architectural work as he
was in literary expression, as evi.
denced by the Declaration of Indepen.
dence He designed his home, the
mansion Monticello. which remains to
this day a masterpiece Of Colonial ar
chitecture, and his influence had much
to do with the formulation of the plan
for the white house at Washington
a building which embodies some oil
the features found also at Monticello
Always the Leading Spirit.
Like other great men, jefferson die
not always have his own way, ever
with his neighbors and fellow-virgin
ians. He had hard struggle to hav,
his university, which was known a
first simply as Central college, formal
ly accepted as the state university
but he continued his missionary worl
in behalf of this cause for years, an,
finally in 1919 the legislature passe.
a formal act making the new institu
ton state university in name and II
| fact Even after this the undertaken,
proceeded slowly, and it was not unit
the spring of 1925 that the institution
was open to students. At the frs
meeting of the board of the universit,
Mr.. Jefferson was elected rector ant
until the time Of his death In 1926 h,
directed and dominated the university
not only evolving the entire system o
education introduced but actually de
vising to the minutest details ever,
feature OF construction and organiza
ton.
In formulating the plan and polio,
| Of this seat of learning Jefferson dis
played that same rare judgment which
we see reflected in the Declaration o
Independence. AS originally organ
lied, the University of Virginia con
sisted Of eight independent schools
ancient languages. modern languages
mathematics, natural philosophy
chemistry. medicine. law, etc. Yet tn,
system presented an organization o
perfect elasticity. A new realm o
knowledge, opened by the advance 0
thought, could at any time be admitte,
to the academic statehood with a
much ease as new state is admitte,
to the Union. Or. on the other hand
Steady Growth of University.
That this has worked out in prac
tice just as 1t promised in theory 1
evidenced by the fact that the who'll
history of the University of Virgin;
has been continual record of add
ton and expansion until now there ar
more than two dozen schools. groupe
under six different departments.
| There is much of historic interes
on every hand within the universit
grounds. The original office of Thorn
as Jefferson is standing at one sid
OF the court. and not far distant Is tn
room where DR., McGufy wrote Il
| school readers which are SO wei
known to every boy and girl who eve
attended the primary or gramma
grades of our public schools. The Ii
brary building is, as has been men
toned, replica of the Pantheon, one
third the size of its Grecian model
Among the relics of interest in tn,
rotunda Of this Library are autograph
letters of Phillips Brooks and Mad
SON and much of the private CORE
spondence of Jefferson. Among thes
Jefferson letters are some written du
ring the closing years of his life 1,
which he described the monument h
desired to have erected over hi
grave, even to giving the dimension
and specifying the epitaph that was +
be chiseled thereon, and which. by tn
way, enumerate the founding of thi
University of Virginia and the author
ship of the Declaration of Indeper
dence as the public services for whicI
he is commended to the memory o
posterity. The University of Virgins
has been referred to as the child o
Jefferson's old age" but certainly n,
man with the enthusiasm OF yout]
could labor more energetically thai
he did to realize his ideal Of a grea
! democratic institution Of learning.