University of Virginia Library

Moral Values

"Learning can be imparted by
lecturers and libraries; but manners,
which in this context mean
more than deportment, for they
mean moral values, and that
whole complex of standards by
which a man judges himself and
himself in relation to other men,
must be acquired.

"They must be acquired
through association, and, in the
context of collegiate education,
association requires residence."

Mr. Perkins spoke from his
experience with the House system
at Harvard, where he had
been a House Master.

The report defines the term
"residential college" as "a variety
of living-learning systems.
These systems begin with the
literal 'college' that involves student
residences, faculty residences,
classrooms, its own faculty
and curriculum, and that awards
its own degree (while still being
a part of a larger university).

"At the other end of the scale
is the college that is purely residential
involving student residences
and related facilities but
little or no faculty participation.

"These may be just very adequate
dormitories in the strictest
sense. In light of existing trends
and developments at Virginia,
this proposal is for a residential
college that would fall between
the two extremes.