University of Virginia - Corks and Curls Yearbook (Charlottesville, VA)

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COBKS AND CLIRLS OF NINETEEN HUNDRED AND THIRTY-FOUR regulations of the Board of Visitors. Before the nineteenth century ended, however, it was felt by many that the University should have a president, who could better cope with the more intricate problems of administration and act as a representative of the institution than could any chairman, elected annually from the faculty body. After much discussion for and against the idea of a University president, the legislature empowered the Board of Visitors to elect such an officer, and in June of 1904, Edwin A. Alderman, a native of North Carolina and an important figure in the educational development of the South, was elected. Dr. Alderman brought to the University a mind which was in perfect accord with the lines of modern progress and, fortunately, an innate dignity and respect for traditions which made it possible for him to maintain a happy balance between the two. In fact, he paid more respect to the traditions, of the University than its student body deserved, after their recent discarding of the traditional silver and crimson colors, representing a blood-stained Confederate uniform, and their replacing them in a chance fashion with orange and blue, signifying nothing. The innovations he made in the field of student life were, in fact, only along the lines of strengthening the dignity and the intrinsic meanings of the traditions. At the same time, he attacked the old system of administration with its many intricacies and taboos, and developed a smooth-running, well-integrated administrative machinery. That his service in representing the University was valuable is best shown by the many donations which the school received under his regime and the cumulative increases in registration which in 1915 reached the magic number of one thousand. The reaction of the University to the World War was marked by enthusiasm and patriotism on the part of both students and faculty. That there was some opinion on the side of pacifism is indicated by the fact that a professor at the University was severely reprimanded and ultimately dismissed for delivering a speech of pacifistic tendencies to the students of Sweet Briar College. It is interesting, in this day of education against war, to conjecture as to the fate of a man in the same situation to-day. In those times there was little argument about the matter, and what opinion there might have been in favor of the culprit was quickly dispelled by the vigorous and outspoken condemnation which came from the pen of President Alderman. Shortly before war was declared, an R. O. T. C. unit was formed at the University and both students and professors were drilled and instructed in preparation for duty. Immediately after the oHicial declaration, many of the students volunteered, and it is estimated that over twenty-seven hundred men who received education at the University were in the service of the government during the War. R'Iembers of the faculty were immediately instructed to devote most of their energies toward L231

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CORKS l- ND CLIFLS OF NINETEEPQ HUPQDREEDPWQD THIRTY-FOUR Nevertheless, a young woman made application to the faculty for permission to take a course of study and attempt examinations in some schools. At that time, the faculty met and passed a regulation to the effect that women could take examinations in the various courses and some private instructions, but would not be allowed to attend classes. N 0 degree was given to a woman but she was allowed to receive certificates of proficiency in individual courses. In the next year, however, the faculty began to worry about the matter and finally passed a new regulation restricting admission entirely to males. They gave as a reason for their action the fear that women, if admitted, would be certain to grow boisterous, familiar, and bold in manners, and perhaps even rudely aggressive. Nothing daunted, the women carried the battle to the legislature and after a long siege in which they demanded a co-educational or at the least a co-ordinate system at the University, they succeeded in gaining admission in 1920. At the present time, there are over one hundred of these co-eds at the University and opinions vary as to whether or not the prophecy of the faculty has been fulfilled. In the past few years, with the advent of younger and more attractive co-eds, student objections have become less and less audible. In 1895, a catastrophe occurred, which, like so many catastrophes, was destined to be a great influence for the Universityls progress. Early one Sunday morning a thin wreath of smoke was observed to come from the Rotunda and, upon examination, it was found that a serious Fire had started. Although nothing could be done to stop the conllagration, students and professors laid to with a will and began to carry out the books, statues, and other valuables. Many of the important and priceless articles were saved, but the entire building was burned down and with it were destroyed innumerable books, periodicals, and journals which were irreplaceable. Again it was the faculty who stepped into the breach and made what might have been a serious detriment, a chance for expansion. Stanford White, a noted architect from New York, was engaged, and he submitted a plan for reconstruction which included not only the re-building of the Rotunda-fortunately without the abortive Northern Annex which had been erected in 1853-but the adding of three new buildings which are now Cabell Hall, the Physical Laboratory, and the Mechanical Laboratory. These plans were approved and the buildings were completed by 1899 at a cost of approximately four hundred thousand dollars. The construction of new buildings gave a decided impetus to registration which jumped from 504 in 1896 to 613 in 1903. During all of the first seventy-nine years of the University's history, the authority of administration remained in the hands of the faculty, subject of course, to the I221

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COBKS AND CHELS OF NINETEEN HUNDRED AND THIRTY-FOUR finding ways in which the laboratories, classes, and professors could further the fighting power of the United States. In this modern day, with the enrollment standing over two thousand, many new buildings and departments, and the strong influence of modern thought and indus- trialism, it is surprising that the University has managed to retain as many of its old characteristics as it has. Still do activities find themselves choked by the indifference manifested by the students; still is the University criticised for snobbishness and unsociable conduct except in its own cliche's. The faculty, as cautious and conservative as ever when student publications or discussion groups get in a critical or radical frame of mind, as recently as 193I forbid inot entirely without reasonl a student magazineis publication. It is not only faults, if the above are faults, that have been perpetuated. The University has managed to maintain the amateur standings of its teams and the spirit of sportsmanship in its games, despite the ever-encroaching professionalism in the athletics of other schools. The Honor System stands triumphantly as strong as ever and as jealously guarded by the students, evidenced by the storm of protest which arose this year when needless, if well meant, changes were suggested. More important than all of these, is the fact that, somehow, the University is different from other schools. Virginians have never followed other universities into exaggerated collegiateism, and dignified reserve remains the password. Strangely enough and quite impossible to explain, is the fact that the term Virginia gentlemen still means something. Individually, the students are, very probably, little diHerent from their predecessors. Perhaps not quite as lusty, they write letters to College Topics instead of rioting, and confine their parties to fraternity houses and private rooms instead of singing songs and blowing horns along the Ranges. But the Lawn still stands in all the beauty that Jefferson visioned and there is as little place for the liar or cheat within its walls as he would have wished. If it is different from the dream of Jefferson, it is still, in no small way, lVIr. JeHerson's University. Virginia is Virginia. This is the most we can say of it and the least. A not too stickily glorious history stands behind it and a present which is certainly not too perfect is here to remind students and faculty alike that much is to be done. And if the students are indifferent and the football teams lose games and nobody goes to classes during Easter Week, there are those who consider this conduct a not too unhappy compromise with fate-a passable escape from the evils of the college factories and the great god rah-rah. It is not entirely improbable that among those who so believe, would stand hir. Jefferson. t24l