The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-05-24
PRESIDENT ALDERMAN
ISSUES STATEMENT
Declares That Duty OF Men Under
Military Age Il to attend
College

Special 70 The Richmond Tirgsn,an)
charlottesville. Va. May cav hen
asked about the attendance and work
Of the University OF Virginia Tor the
coming year. President Alderman is
sued the following statement;
You ask me as TO my prediction
bout the Tniversity's attendance and
its work for the coming year. NO
man can predict Just what Will be the
effect OF this war upon student attend
ance at this University or in American
colleges. Cnquestionably there Will
be consdera Bile loss OF students in
al, departments--in law and the Grad
uate School particularly. Just what
ms number VIII be one can only
guess. and ! am not disposed to reg
lister a mere guess. Let one thing be
thoroughly understood. The tniver-
sity OF Virginia VIII open on Septem-
Der "a with a working staff and WHY
run throughout The year II there
should be a serious falling OFF. there
would have to be a corresponding re-
duction in the stan. / do not appre-
bend that there will be a tremendous
reduction, In all events, the Cniver-
sity will remain open. the college bells
VIII ring. and the work Will go on.
we sinai ldNt d ibNs Nv
felt, of course. and hard work and
rigid economy must be the rule of
life here but trusting in the patriot
ism OF the state TO care for its insu-
tutions. We shall reduce expenses to a
minimum and go forward in our task.
The primary duty of all men at
this time, of course, /. to the nation.
Under this impulsion. men over
twenty-o ne years of age must decide
for themselves where duty lies. The
nation needs them-wili call them and
use them according to their merits
and abilities. Under twenty-one years
it Is my Judgment that the highest pa
triotic duty of properly trained
young boy lies in coming to colleges
and universities. in order that the
great processes OF teaching and learn.
ing may remain vital Such processes
are as vital as preparation for war,
indeed is preparation for war. we
all recall how young men in the Civil
England has had tragic experience.
War lost all chance of proper train
Ing and opportunity for leadership.
because out of her universities young
men have poured. regardless OF the
fact that science and learning must
live jim a nation. We cannot incur
the risk of losing intellectual leaders
is a scientific war. and before il ends,
We shall need, as other nations have
found. to continue unremittingly at
the task of research. study. and prep
aration. l can think Of no higher
form of patriotism than the patriot
ism OF the man who Sacrifices to send
his young son. between seventeen and
twenty years of age. to colleges and
universities this fall. No circum-
stances can justify the strangling of
scientific and educational training and
the killing Of the educational prepare
ton OF youth. Every effort. therefore.
that patriotism. self-sacrifice, and
common sense can make, will be made
to keep this University vital and
ready to teach young men who come
to us for instruction next year. All
this is perfectly consistent with the
high ideal OF national service that has
animated our men and has been mani
Tested by their entering eagerly every
form Of military and Industrial SER