University of Virginia Library

Sheep Paths

Last year, it will be remembered, this
newspaper ran a series of photographs and
editorials designed to cut down on the
number of students and faculty alike who
chose to wear paths in the Southern portion
of the Lawn, in front of Cabell Hall, instead
of taking the minute or two required to use
the walks. Now we realize how infantile it is
to keep harping on this subject and we
sincerely hope that the individuals we saw
strolling blissfully past Homer yesterday were
merely first-year students who didn't know
any better.

We understand, of course, that there are
occasions when a student can be excused for
walking on the Lawn. When one is late, for
example, for a midterm. Or when Cabell Hall
catches on fire and students congregate on the
Lawn to view the burning. But these are
unusual events which do not occur that often.

One editor, writing in our predecessor,
College Topics, in 1933 on this same topic
pointed out that only sheep wear paths. We
think it would be entirely appropriate if
students taking the shortcut were reminded of
this. The next time you see someone cutting
diagonally across the South portion of the
Lawn yell at him or her. It may seem futile at
first because of the hordes involved but there
is no other way. Those small fences put up
from time to time by the Buildings and
Grounds department are too easy to step
over.

We shall, if necessary, begin libelling again
those individuals who do not get the message.
But we hope that this will not be necessary. It
is a small thing to use the walks to help
preserve what this University has - and it has
a great deal - in the realm of natural beauty.
We trust that concessions to utility will not
mean concrete diagonals across the South
Lawn. Thirty-seven generations of students
have seen fit to respect the beauty of the
University. And while there is a lot about the
current generation that is delightfully novel,
this tradition of making paths is one which we
can easily do without.