The Farmville herald. (Farmville, Va.) 1957-current, 1958-03-25

founded college, they took pains
to locate II as far as possible from
the colleges OF other sects So there
was no federation Of colleges. In
which the students OF each college
enjoyed one large library and com
mon laboratories. and the faculty
members of one college profited by
association with those Of another
In recent years the difficulties
arising from isolation have been
recognized. and steps taken TO be-
gin system of cooperation by the
establishing Of the Richmond Area
University Center The able Ad
mnistrator. Colonel Herbert w X !
Fitzroy from the Ellen Glasgow
H on G in Richmond has inaugu-
rated a program that has been
most helpful to the institutions in
cluded in the Center, and promises
even more for the future IT has
brought in visiting scholars. aided
research. established cooperative
professorships, set up a joint film
library. made survey of humani-
ties courses in the various colleges
and universities. encouraged edu
cational tclevision. etc
During the entire colonial period
the control Of education by religious
bodies was unqnestioned. So 1t was
a revolutionary move when Thomas
jefferson suggested that education
should serve the interests OF de-
mocracy rather than those Of the
Churches Jefferson believed that
the only good government was
government resting upon the will OF
the people II the people were
ignorant, if they did not know how
to govern themselves. they would
be enslaNcd BY dictators and dc
magogues The state and the nation
needs 1.-THE highest degree Of
genius. and all degrees Of it, so
much as may enable them to read
and understand what is going on in
the world. and To keep their part
Of il gong on in the world.
and 10 keep their part Of il
4 ing on right for nothing
can keep II right but their own
vigilant and distrnstful supcrintend
ance.
Jefferson's Leadership
Jefferson was the father Of the
public school system. not only Of
Virginia. but Of tho United States (
After he had written the Dcclara
ton 81 Independence Ne returned
to Virginia in order to introduce in
the Legislature remarkable series
of reform bills Among them was
bill to establish a public school
system The state was to be divided
into districts five OF six miles
square, in each Of them To be cs-
tablishcd an elementary school for
nstructng young children In read
ing. writing. and arithmetic From
these schools the ablest pupils were
to 90 on 70 a grammar school or
academy. There were to be twenty
OF these one In each area Of twenty
four districts each Here the stu
dents were to remain for four
years. to study Greek. Latin,
geography. etc Then those who
showed especial aptitude were to
enter tho College of william and
Mary. which was to be made into
a state university
II think BY far the most i'm
portant bill in our whole code is
that for the diffusion Of knowledge
among the people," jefferson said
mo other sure foundation can be
devised for the preservation of
freedom and happiness The tax
which will be paid for this purpose
is not more than the thousandth
part Of what will be paid to kings
priests, and mobiles"
How well it would have been had
Virginia followed the leadership Of
her farsighted son in this matter
But the dlsscnters took alarm be-
cause they thought that to make
william and Mary the capstone Of
the system would make the schools
Anglican. The rich objected to be-
ing taxed to educate the children of
the poor. So the bill was defeated.
and public education in Virginia
had to wait for many decades
No one will deny that the cdu-
cational system Of Virginia today is
10 that OF the colonial
period The little, one-room school
house has been replaced by large.
m dern buildings: the ignorant
master By well trained teachers; the
slate and pencil by costly equip
ment. Yet in one respect it may be
questioned whether the schools and
colleges are even holding their own.
Arc they turning out men OF the
stature OF the group Of Virginians
who took the lead in resisting the
assaults on American liberty in the
years from 1865 to IT'S? There
must have been merit in a system
which gave us a Wythe. Pendle-
ton, a Madison. Richard Henry
Lee. Ipeyton Randolph Thomas
Jefferson was critical of colonial