The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-10-01
MORE THAN THOUSAND
STUDENTS At VARSITY
Great Virginia Institution Shows
Greatest Gain This Year
in Its History.
ALDERMAN'S
Declares America Is Coming Into PO-
stuon Of Peculiar Responsibility
Owing TO Great European Con-
f1agratiOn.

Especial to The Richmond virginian)
Charlottesville, Va. Sept. 30.-At
the annual convocation exercises of
the University of Virginia, held at
noon today in Cabell Hall, President
alderman stated that there would un-
doubtedly be an. increase of 100 in
the registration of the university this
session.
At this time last session there were
S67 students enrolled Now the total
is 972. but every year at least seventy
five students enter between October
l and the close of the year, SO 1t is
reasonably certain that the total en-
roliment will be over 1.040. Last ses-
sion the total was 946. Even at this
day, last years figure has been ex-
ceeded by twenty-six According to
the registrars records, the geographic
cal distribution IL as follows:
Northern United States. A.; South
-eEn,r49si Western, 80; Southwestern,
20, and foreign countries, s.
The orator of the morning was
Poultney Bigelow, of New York, who
is well known for hts writings on
Germany. and particularly his book
on The History of the German Strug-
gle For Liberty" Mr.. Bigelow dis
cussed in an interesting fashion some
"
Frightened hts talk with personal ex-
periences during long stay In Ger
many as travelling student and per-
sonal friend OF the Kaiser
President Alderman took occasion
to present four new members OF the
faculty. They are: LvasA foreman
Lewis, professor OF biology; Ralph
Chaplin Jones, associate professor OF
forestry; Lindsay Rogers, adjunct
professor Of political science, and
Leonidas Rutledge Whipped, adjunct
professor OF journalism.
President Alderman's Speech.
President Alderman said:
We enter today formally upon the
ninety-first continuous year Of the life
OF the University of Virginia. 1t Ia
fitting and proper that all the elements
OF this life should assemble together
for better knowledge and understand
ing OF each other--the teacher and
the taught--the young and the old. the
beginner and the graduate students,
the collegian Ind the professional
man.
Ihe total statistical facts thus far
available for this year are as follows:
According to the Bursar's figures, the
total number Of students in attendance
at this time Is 972. and at the CORE.
spending period last year the total
was only S67.
You will see that compared with
other American universities of equal
dignity and power. our growth has
not been rapid. though the total in
crease this year ls greater than in
any one year in some decades. Our
policy has been to increase require
ments for admission and graduation
80 as to keep articulation with the
feeding schools, but to advance along
the whole line constantly and steadi-
iy- l attribute this unusual growth
to the development Of preparatory
school--public and private-in the
South. and especially in Virginia, and
to the fact that certain of our de-
partments after years Of rigid expan-
sion are just now coming into their
own. 1t is gratifying to note that we
will continue to be in very real
sense a national university, for our
enrolment touches every corner of the
republic, and 1t is especially gratifying
that the attendance from Virginia Is
larger, in a marked degree, than ever
before. / congratulate you as an
older, but as a fellow student, upon
the opportunity and the time which
fate has allotted to you to undergo
intellectual and spiritual discipline.
There has never been a time when
the world was charged with more
deep and tragic meaning than at this
time. The world that we knew brief
year ago has passed. never to return.
Society Is being born again amid the
travail Of battle and death. Our de-
scendants who will gathere here will
look back to these years. 1914-1915,
investing them with the same atmo-
sphere Of deep reality and romance
and world rebirth that we look back
to pivotal years like 1876, 1898. 1916
and 1861. Long-held conceptions OF
life and conduct are being stripped
naked and submitted to critical re-
examination. The democracies of to-
day stand before the world and them
selves on trial. Is self-government
the direct and only road to good gov
eminent, or Is self-direction to be
sunk in some high and grandiose ideal
OF external direction?
THE most venerable and powerful
of all republics is about to come into
a position of peculiar responsibility,
which will place 1t In the very center
of the worlds regard. Already the
standard Of economic value has passed
to these shores, and the American dol
lar has become the worlds standard
of value in the processes OF barter
and trade. The intellect and youth.
the genius and aspiration OF the Old
World. arc being ground up In the
grist of war and other standards of
values besides tho material will be
sought here--the disciplined will. the
clear brain, the well-stored mind. the
steadfaat purpose. the Astounding en-
ergy the classifying genius. Shall we
meet the worlds need? The answer
will come out of such spots as this II
we are great enough to grow great in
spite Of peace and prosperity.
Suffering and self-sacrifice are put
ting a new soul and lifting ever higher
the head Of the Frenchman, the Bel
eian. the German. the Englishman and
the Russian az these same experiences
had power to inform the Southerner's
soul half century ago.
my friends. youth IL youth. and
deserves its radiant joys. and / pray
you to be very happy here, but ven
ture to express the hope that you will
meet this most serious year in the
life OF the modern world with a high
seriousness Of your own. You are
here primarily to undergo discipline
to the end that you will be able to
react forcefully and ,helptully. to the
intellectual social issues Of your time.
speak for my colleagues, your teach
ers. as we'll as FOR myself, when bid
you welcome to the university and ex-
press the hope that you will meet this