Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-03-12
University Sites

University Sites
Concerning the site for the
northern branch of the Uni
versity Of Virginia, the dis
lance of the Bowman loca-
ton from the center of popu-
lation is said to be too far.
However. during most Of the
life of the college conditions
will be very different.
The population trend in
Northern Virginia is west
ward, toward the Bowman
site. OF more immediate i'm
portance are the impending
changes in the highway net
work. To serve the Chantilly
airport there will be con-
structed an express highway
from Washington which will
of necessity pass through or
adjacent to the most heavily
populated part of the North
ern Virginia area, and lead
close past the college site.
This expressway will cross
the inner circumferential
highway. whose construction
is about to begin. BY the
time the colleD can be built
a large part of the 10th dis
trict will be much closer, in
point Of time and road dis
tances, than at present.
Within "a decade or two
"a short time in the life Of
a college) the other new high
ways now firmly planned will
bring over 80 per cent of
the people of the 10th dis
trict within 20 to Is minutes
of the college site. Much of
Northern Virginia outside of
the 10th district will find the
Bowman location highly con-
venient. because the outer
circumferential highway and
one Cor probably two) major
interstate highways will pass
close to it. And by 1880 LOU
doun and Prince William
counties alone will have more
than 100000 poulation.
At the moment the Bow
man site is somewhat UNI
favorable for committing
from the Alexandria and
Mount Vernon areas. In the
future it will be good with
respect to these two areas,
and excellent for a great ma
jority of the people of North
ern Virginia.
Louis b. Ely.
4 X y
Those in favor of establish
ment of the University of
Virginia'S branch in Hern-
don are evidently giving con-
sideration only to a proposed
enrolment of day students.
Students from Arlington,
Alexandria and Falls Church
could do better to live in DOR
mitories than to commute to
Herndon since the cost Of
transportation would more
than Offset the cost of board
in dormitories.
In fact, the question of the
cost OF such a site is inmate
rial in view Of the cost in
time and money which would
burden even o part of the
student body every day if
they tried to commute from
the centers of present popu-
lation in Northern Virginia.
Viewed in that light, if it
is to serve only a resident
student body. it matters lit
tie where such a school is To-
Gated, and Herndon is not
much different from Char
lottesville. In fact, if it is
merely another resident uni
versity, why bother to estab-
lish it up here anyway?
Present needs of this Sec
ton, however, are for a COL
lege that can be attended
evenings as well as days, and
a school a student can at
tend even though employed
at a regular occupation. In
this. Herndon can offer little.
Further. the present school
enrolment at the college
classes in Arlington - some
1000 students-has demon
strated that those who attend
evenings can afford to pay
a larger share Of the costs
Of their schooling than day
students. ] am informed that
the present courses at Arling-
ton are practically self-sup-
porting.
This community needs a
university within easy reach
of our present population.
But further, with the grow
ing interest in scientific sub
jects, and the large popula-
ton Of scientists who have
recently come into our area
1t would seem that there
would be an excellent oppor-
tunity for a college offering
engineering or science
courses rather than liberal
arts or law. Virginian.