After reading the article by Mr.
Lewis on the Honor System, I
reached the conclusion that either
he or I had reached the wrong
understanding of the system. I got
the impression that, as far as Mr.
Lewis' proposals are concerned, lying
would be all right if one did not
swear that he was telling the truth.
Cheating would be all right, as long
as it was not concerned with the
University credit work. And as for
stealing, well, that would be all right
too, as long as it was not in
Albemarle County. As I understand
it, Honor is supposed to be Honor
wherever one is. Lying is lying,
whether in Walla Walla, Wash., or
Charlottesville, Va. Cheating is
cheating whether in Tasmania or in
Virginia, and stealing is stealing
whether here, there, or anywhere.
As I understand it, the Honor system
is not here in Virginia only to
protect the University community.
Its main aim is to instill in the
student a sense of Honor that pervades
his whole environment. Maybe
I'm wrong, and have missed the
point. Mr. Lewis seems to see
Honor as a code of laws to follow. I
see it as a spirit of honesty that one
feels and lives. If I have missed the
point of Honor at Virginia, I invite
Mr. Lewis to explain to me, and
others who have also been mislead,
just where we missed the boat.
