University of Virginia Library

Hampton Offers Student Experience

By Steve Johnson
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

"Talking won't do the job; you've got
to have the experience. What I've seen
here is superficial and sickening. If people
were really concerned they'd go the
Hampton," argued Rosalind J. Russell, a
third-year English major here at the
University and an interested exchange
student from Hampton Institute.

Hampton Institute is a predominantly
black college in Hampton, Virginia that is
participating with the University in an
exchange program funded by the federal
government. Four students are here this
semester on exchange from Hampton to 'gain the experience of attending a large,
predominantly white university and to learn
about themselves." Not one student from the
University is participating in the exchange.

As Ronald D. Perry, a second-year
Architecture student, stated, 'It's been an
opportunity to be on the other side of the
fence. You learn that people are people; you
don't see color," but all four students
questioned the value of the education received
by those students at the University who have
never wandered beyond the steps of the library.

When asked for their reasons for coming to
the University, Miss Russell replied jokingly,
"I'd say I came for the experience, but I
haven't had one yet." R. Meade Walker, a
History major, said that he wanted "to broaden
his perspectives." He called the exchange "an
education outside the classroom in race
relations."

Alice Y. Turner, also a third-year English
major, offered the opinion that "the quality of
education here is no better than that at
Hampton," but that "the variety of choices
among courses and the diversity of student
backgrounds represented here make it the
experience that it is."

"I like the Honor System and what it
stands for," stated Mr. Perry; "It's a free
atmosphere for the serious student."

"It seems a little optimistic to me," mused
Miss Russell. "When you get down to it, it's just
another name for rules and regulations. Those
who get caught are just the ones unfortunate
enough to be called down.

Though most of the dissatisfaction dealt
with black-white relations, likes and dislikes
ranged from the "greater academic freedom
found at the University" to the impersonal
relationships developed between the students
and faculty.

Mr. Perry noted that "at Hampton there
were two instructors for every 17 architects but
here there are 70 students in my drawing class
and only two professors." None of the
exchange students liked the idea of graders,
saying that rarely did they have the
opportunity to speak with them and that
seldom did they ever see a grader in the
classroom. Miss Russell added, "I was lost when
I came here; you feel like a number in the
office files."