Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-02-28

/ y
in Romeo ana Juliet" My poverty.
not my Will. consents"
I'm conclusion, even ii the state had
the money to finance the coordinate
college. would il be wise 10 grant il 4
"chartcr now, III view OF the oppnsi-
women"
It is maxim that they who pay
the taxes should lay them. This Lcgis-
laturc may we'll decline TO cnbarrass
its successor Though no appropria-
ton is now asked FOR is il not better
TO permit the Legislature that must
appropriate for that burden is only
postpoucd-to decide for itself tn"
Z. \. GRAVES
University Of Virginia, February &c.
Rcpi, by Murray VI. Mri.mirc.
TO the Editor of The Times Dispatch:
Sir,-May reply to articles by ~ ssrS.
Wyndhan Il Meredith and l.. +. Iham-
b.rlayne in your issue of February
-
First lot me say that the articles
to which they refer We're written with
tho view to showing that the attitude
OF the University of Virginia alumni!
and students in regard to the proposed
co-ordinat" college is Of far Greater
weight than certain people admit, and
that their view that coeduCation will
proposed is we'll founded. and, Further.
that this result Will seriously damage
the usefulness Of the CniversitN Of Viz
Cinia. That such coordinate aollcsc,
as proposed, will result in coed !c1tiou
is sustained by br Eliot OF Harvard.
in his eXplauation that Radcliffe has
- separate existence because its prop-
crty. etc, arc separate, ana ny pr.
Macdonald. Of Brown. in his statement
that at coordinate colleges hy reason
of economy in administration women
get into many classes with men. thus
producing virtual cocducation. by Tho
example OF Wcsthampton College.
which is already reSuming coedu"ation
on small scale. By the inevitable re-
suit Of enforced economy in conduct :
situations both largely dependent upon
the state for support. This view is
enforced by contemplating tho present
financial situation in Virginia.
TIL. alumni who oppose this measure
| claim no right 10 control the policy
Of the university, and. what is more,
they have no big stick They could
not divert tho income of the cndow-
mcnt fund OF q million or more held by
the alumni trustees If they would; hut
tho fact that the endowment fund is
Entrusted to the alumni and much OF il
given on their account indicates the
importance of their position in the eyes
OF the uuivcrsity's bcncfactors
The alumni feel that the university
can hes, serve this State ana IL" an elc-
ncnt for good in the nation by pur-
suing III" career which il has so nobly
followed as Il mans institution, and
that the state can best provide for the
education of women by building for
them "a college separate from the uni.
NcrsiCy for men.
Wesleyan University was cocduca-
tional for many years There was great
friction between those Tor and those
AGAINST the system, the prevailing opin.
ion anon" students and young alumni
h"lhg against it. ana the college was
'n - state az stagnation. Tho system
"''s iiitailN abolished, and tho last class
"i women admitted entered in 1893 In
nv" years the tttcndanc" Of men WAS
Increased 80 per cent. and The cndow-
men, by Sl.""o,oo0. In lgeS-09 the ut.
tendance "i 'ncn was 222. Ia i?l5-l6 il
WIS aus despite steady increase In
{ the requirements for entrance
/ There is no inconsistency in nv sur-
Ecslioh that among the colleges which
VIII ur.tw men from the University of
\ltEihla, with a coordinate. and event
! u;!!E coeducational. womau. college
| are institutions which have coordinate
/ colleges for women now. I mean lust
! what | said---ir :. student must choose
| Il college OF this type. with no pecu-
| mary advantage in its favor to in
I i'ucncc him. why select the University
/ or Virginia, which, in an official pub
! LEGATION this year, claims but nfty-ninc
! professors OF all grades Uhe number
ol assistants is not eiVcn), instead OF
/ choosing Harvard or Columbia, each of
, which has more than 800 in it's faculty
/ ana an endowment more than ten times
. as great as that of the University OF
/ virginia, and each OF which offers
( courses which this university can never
! provide? And lei us remember. too,
! that as Mr. Chambcrlaync says, there
are now powerful rivals IN southern
. states whose cali must he met and
overcome. aud the university cannot
afford to take amy chances with the
4 system which has built IL up
/ Within the last week one alumnus
, OF the university has told me of three
3 OF his coilegc-mates who came 10 the
University OF Virginia from coedura :
/ tional collcgcS--iwo Of them amoug
B the most famous institutions of learn
( ing in Amcrica-and they told him that
they did so because the University of
/ Virginia was a mans college.
/ was aware that war broke out in
/ Europe i'll the summer Of 1914 As Mr.
Meredith informs me. and my state
/ ncntS show that | am quite willing
I to admit that the war WAS among the
/ factors that affected attendance at the
University of Virginia. hut Mr.. Mere
I dith Is wrong in thinking that ali prod
| uCtS OF the southern States deprecated
! in price by reason of the war. Many
/ products OF those States rose in price.
/ If Mr.. Meredith is right in his contcn-
! ton that the collapse OF cotton values
( and other peculiarly Southern products
caused the falling on in attendance