University of Virginia Library

University-Oriented

Success Relies On Focus

students themselves and the system
of instruction.

He says that it is impossible for
students to do any investigative
work because of "the great amount
of work required of them. A small
number have as few as five lectures
a week, but the majority have from
eight to ten."

One wonders whether this
nameless author would still be
disappointed with the investigative
work done at the University if he
were to return today.

The two articles in UVM that
make it relevant are "Would That it
Were" by Bud Ogle, and an
interview with the Reverend Henry
Mitchell.

Mr. Ogle begins his story with a
series of quotes from the late
Martin Luther King's writings. He
then contrasts the often-complex
problems described by Dr. King
with the relatively simple problem
at the University: making it an
attractive place for any student to
attend. I say relatively simple. It
would seem to be a fairly simple to
get more than ½ of one percentage
point of the University's population
to be other than white. It isn't all
that easy.

The little-heralded Human Relations
Council which he describes is
doing more to bring this about than
the combined efforts of the SDS,
SSOC, Student Council, and The
Cavalier Daily. This is a task-oriented
organization, with clear
goals that are being obtained, often
with great difficulty.

Reverend Mitchell has a unique
position from which to view the
University. He is a man deeply
involved with the disadvantaged of
Charlottesville. He says that a
University student cannot isolate
himself from the community.
"Now I mean here we have an
institution," he says, "the University
of Virginia which has had the
image of being for planter's sons,
and the image it conveyed was a
good group of cleanly shaven
coat-and-tie wearing young men
who prided themselves on their
honor system."

He says that the University
student "is missing something if he
cannot look into a class and see
some black brothers there." The
Reverend Mitchell suggests practical
ways students can involve themselves
in the community.

This UVM is by far the best one
put out in recent years. Where
Rapier has tried to go outside the
University on its road to "success,"
the UVM has concentrated on
Charlottesville and its problems.
Only time will tell which method is
the more successful. But if UVM
can stay away from the trap it fell
into last year of running articles on
the uniqueness and many virtues of
the University and continue with its
more realistic approach of analyzing
this place as it exists, they
could, with some of God's help,
come out on top.