The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-04-14
UNIVERSITY PAYS
HOMAGE TO FOUNDER

their evaporation at students hazing
others, cheating on examinations. etc.
These deans are beginning to find out
that such problems do not exist for the
dean OF this university. and the burden
OF my correspondence has been serious
Is Increased by the number Of letters
get asking. How do the students ut
Virg nia handle this problem or that
one.
other Deans study System.
You will be interested TO hear that
Snc dean OF a great university more
Than 1000 miles from here visited US
this winter for the purpose of study
ing the spirit and life OF this institu-
ton. Since returning home he has en-
tered into mild conspiracy with va
rious other deans to try to induce the
dean Of this university TO make an eX-
tended tour OF those institutions and
speak on tho subject of Virginia stu
dent spirit.to be. hs he cxpressed IL,
and Virginia student sclf-governnc mt.
II feel that owc II to you. young
sible. that my experience of the last
three sessions has only served to
deepen my already profound apurecia-
ton for the spirit OF the University OF
Virginia"
Dean Page concluded his speech with
Il brief discussion Of numerous improve
nents made and under way to the uni
versity, grounds and buildings. the in
creased State appropriations. and the
esta blishment OF the office Of state
Forester, which Will be closely related
TO the university in a scientific way.
He wound UP with review Of alumni
activities. especially the plans on foot
to make reunions at finals In June of
great interest, size and value
lie then read Il large number OF
messages conveyins good wishes. 10
alumni and alumni chapters all over
the country. from az far West AS the
Pacific Coast. and from Canada to the
Gulf
Address of Mr.. Beck.
MI. Beck said in part:
no contemporary record suggests
admiration and adherence as did
Washington and Hamilton. Nor did
he have the subtle. analytic mind OF
Henry or Adams. y shy. d:ffldent man.
h" hated the morbid rage OF debate.
rarely spoke. and when he did his voice
quickly became husky and inarticulatc.
Although the storm centre OF the po-
Hticai controversies in the beginning OF
the republic. he was neither Il natural
den more than the councils Of the
mighty. and shrank with the dif'dence
OF a woman from personal controversy,
ana get. paradooXical as it may seem.
ne WAS the most aggressive and mill
tant leader Of political party that our
history has known. He was not cum
ming lntriEuer as was Aaron Burr. Ha
Was by temperament and choice a phil
from the maddinS crowd.
oSoPher. ana was most happy when far
How did it, then. come to pass that
inns student By nature and inclina-
tion should have been the master spirit
Ia the bitter controversies OF :. ,nnvt
tumultuous period. leading In the New
World young nation along the un-
broken paths Of a new existence. ana
World the mighty uprising OF the
French people?
.. Idea Of Failure Iresent.
We arc apt to associate with the
scholar in politics the idea OF failure.
especially In democratic Common
wealths whore there is no hereditary
right TO place and where prefcrment
necessarily depends upon AN uneducat-
90 and often capricious public opinion.
which ordinarily prefers a simple and
aggressive type OF man TO the more
complex student OF books The lit
erary faculty has not always. perhaps
not generally. been associated with
the genius FOR practical administration.
II Is common belief that the world
owes more OF its constructive states
lnanship TO the enthusiastically uncdu-
Gated man, like Columbus. Cromwell
Give. Washington. Jackson and Lin
coin. than TO It's learned scholars. such
ss Bacon, Milton. Burke. Lamartinc,
Macauley and Victor Hugo.
This is the fallacy OF too hasty gen
erali;zIation; Tor IT would be easy TO
ing or iliiterate men who have failed
IN public life. and educated men, like
slgnally Successful. The most master
full spirit of contemporary politics is
Theodore Roosevelt. a Harvard grad
uate. while Nirginia's last contribution
10 the chief magistracy, President VIII
son, APPLY illustrates that Il philoso-
pher fresh from the classroom can
guide the fiery steeds OF Democracy
Xix. the most experienced chariuteer
in the political arena"
In conclusion, Mr.. Beck said:
In his last days Lafayette, then
nearly threescorc and ten. visited JEFF
ferson at Monticello. 4 great banquet
was given in l.afayettc's honor III the
was attended by President James Mon
roo and two cN-prcsidents, Madison and
Jefferson. When Jefferson was toasted
he replied In a speech in which. linking