The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-01-30

DunaoCMA1Ixx THE UNIVERSITY.
TIE osa~si Assembly Of this ysas - tws
great oepsstsnitsss with respect t. Ne stass's
sducasfonAl system
On Of them y akin 70 that which was for
ear lost OVER thirty years ago. ewhsa IL vis-
sinia PelytscAnic Institute vas established -
an iadepsndsns college At Blaoksburg. instead
Of q Q coordinate department Of the Uni-
versity Of virginia. At Charlottesville
When It was proposed to anlia&s with the
University the sons Of farmers and worknsn
bent upon . technical education. the tradition
Of . disrupted aristocraey held up holy hands
Of horror at the idea Of "ovsralls at the Unit
atty Of Js6erson." forgetting that Jefferson en-
Bodied In his own teachings the very soul Of
Democracy.
Az the years have passed. the irretrievabls
mistake Of that General Assembly has beon
more and moro bitterly repentsd. Al v. p. l.
has grown and prospsred and won to useful
ness, the necessities Of modern conditions have
emphasized the economic value Of the skilled
mechanic. the scientific engineer. the specialist
among farmers, the entire state has come to
IN aftersisht Of the folly that placed the insti-
tuition devoted To these ends away from what
should b the head and center Of the general
sdusAtiooal system Of the Commonwealth Could
II call back the past, the University Of Viz
giniA and all who honor its history and pres
uge. would gladly repair the blunder which
ajxss~i Of thirty years ago.
Strangely enough. . similar. but more Inn
portant, decision rests with the General Assem-
bly, now In session. Will It by defeating the
bill establishing in theory and principle 4 Co
ordinate college for women at the University.
repeat tn mistake Of generation ago. to 70.
pent Of It 1t leisure even moro bitteriy7 Will
1t, BY listening to tho hastily considered ad-
vice Of - local alSsssl present and ~ proxies,
again lend itself to the prejudices Of the mo-
msnt against the interests Of . plainly evident
futuTsf
The Virginia Polytechnic Institute was
founded to take care Of = class; the Coordinate
woman's College contemplates the higher edu-
cation Of . half Of the population: for that
the state will como TO the point Of granting
women the justice Of equal rights with men edu-
cationaily. no one can deny.
This II the hrst specific. plain. and unde-
niable opportunity which the opposition to this
measure would unthoughtsdly throw away; this
Il the error which unthinking prejudice and
soolhardy adherence to the old regime would
fatuousiy repeat
The second opportunity referred to IL . hun
drsd times broader and deeper. 1t 10 the chance
Of Accomplishing At once and by one act, what
has bean the dream Of moro than q century.
only partially fxIf1led. II u the opportunity
Of de~socyutistmg the Un4vevstty OF VaroiaIa.
Jefferson founded the University upon the
idea that It should represent virginias ideal
Of free and full opportunity OF higher education.
Its charter and it, protestation through the
years % contend. But the theory has. In part.
failed in practice and in fact Influenced BY
Whatever causes, II IL the truth that the mass Of
SAS bOVRso AovS NV DSSA AZ OAAsAO oyAposAS
with the great University whose creator intend
Cd It specifically for them. What this has cost
in endowment and, more. in possibility for use
fuiness. who can sayf
When the co-ordinass college for women wsa
capitalized tn bill. there was spontaneous
evidences that this sentiment was wearing out
The measure has the hearty support Of the
$4,000 members Of organised labor In Virginia.
evidenced through the action Of their execu.
tive committee That It has the support Of
the Farmers Alliance would seem apparent
through the fact thst it, state organizer and
the editor Of tn organ spoke and argued In
IT. favor. These and other influential classes
Of the population. including Thousands Of earn
e.. women. are On ths+roiat- Of aiming pre-
judice and distrust to tho making Of . greater.
broader more representative institution. Can
not the least imaginative Of legislators realize
the chilling effect which reputation OF these
long sought advances would have. whether they
wete spurned by defeat Of the bill. or its de-
lay?
Tho Coordinate college u favored BY the
President ana Board Of visitors Of the Uni.
vsrsity. II 10 favored unanimously BY the House
Committee Il II In limo with the modern and