University of Virginia Library

ANNOUNCEMENTS.

1891-'92.

The University of Virginia is in a picturesque and healthful location
among the foot-hills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It is at the
junction of two great lines of railway—the Chesapeake and Ohio and
the Virginia Midland—and is thus of easy access from every part of
the country. It has a post-office, with numerous daily mails, is in
communication by telephone with the neighboring city of Charlottesville,
and is connected by telegraph with every quarter of the world.
The climate is invigorating and healthful, and at all times free from
malarial conditions.

The Sanitary Arrangements are considered almost perfect. There
is a copious supply of the purest water; the system of drains and
sewers is complete; and the moderate Infirmary fee secures medical
treatment by the Professors of the Medical Department, and in case of
serious illness skilful nursing in a well-equipped Infirmary.

The Session begins on the 1st of October, and continues nine
months without intermission. On Public Day, which is the Wednesday
before the 3d of July, the Visitors, Faculty, Officers and Students
of the University assemble in the Public Hall, whither also the public
are invited. On this occasion the results of the examinations are announced,
degrees are conferred, and the session is formally closed.

The Courses of Instruction are comprised in seven departments,
the Literary, the Scientific, the Law, the Medical, the Pharmaceutical,
the Engineering, and the Agricultural Department. In the various
Departments there are altogether nineteen distinct Schools, each affording
an independent course, under Professors, who are responsible
to the Visitors for the system and methods pursued.

Elective System.—The system of independent Schools assumes
that opportunities for study and instruction are privileges to be sought
voluntarily and eagerly. Students are therefore allowed to elect for
themselves the courses of study to which they are led by their individual
tastes and proposed pursuits in life, so far as the times appointed
for lectures and examinations permit. Nor is it alone to those who
wish to make special attainments in single departments of knowledge
that this freedom of election commends itself. It has serious advantages
also for most of those students who seek the common goal of
liberal education by ways which varying aptitude, varying preparation,
or varying opportunities render of necessity different. The wisdom
of the founder in establishing such a system has been amply
vindicated in the history of this University; and in recent years many
schools of higher education in the United States have adopted methods
involving this principle.

Degrees.—But even here it has been found advantageous to mark
out in the several Departments carefully arranged groups of studies
leading to corresponding Degrees; and it is always best for the student,
in either the Academical or the Professional Schools, to follow
from the outset some definite plan of studies, formed under competent
advice. Such a course will generally lead to one of these Degrees,
although not necessarily limited by the requirements for any one of
them.

Equipment.—The equipment possessed by the University for the
work of instruction both in the Academical and the Professional
Departments, has been much augmented in recent years, and is now
excellent in quality as well as extensive. In scientific studies large
facilities are offered by the Leander McCormick Observatory, the
Physical Laboratory, the Chemical Laboratory and the Museum
of Industrial Chemistry, the Lewis Brooks Museum, and the
Biological Laboratory. Ample opportunities are afforded for the
practical study of Human Anatomy. And the Engineering Department
possesses a newly-equipped Mechanical Laboratory and
Machine Shop. The University Library is common to all the
Departments. Originally selected and arranged by Mr. Jefferson, it
has been since much enlarged by purchases and donations, and now
contains about 50,000 volumes. Students are allowed the use of the
books under the usual restrictions, and the Librarian is present in the
library for six hours daily to attend to their wants.

Preparation.—Some special preparation for the courses taught in the
Schools of Latin, Greek and Mathematics will be found indispensable.
But even for these Schools it is more important that the preliminary
studies should have been careful and accurate in quality than that they
should be extensive. For the other Schools the essentials of a plain
education in the common school branches constitute the only indispensable
preparation. In all the Schools alike, however, the student who
has had the benefit of mental training, and who brings with him good
and well-established habits of study, will derive increased profit from
the University instruction because of these advantages. But it has
never been the policy of the University to reject any student merely
because of deficient preparation in special branches of learning. The
standards of teaching and of examination can be otherwise maintained;
and experience has shown in a multitude of instances that young men
of vigorous mind and earnest purposes of diligence, brought hither by
a laudable ambition to excel, may overcome all disadvantages, and become
conspicuous among their fellows for success in study.

Admission.—To be admitted as a student of the University the applicant
must be at least sixteen years of age; but the Faculty may dispense
with this requirement in favor of one who has a brother of the requisite
age entering at the same time. If the applicant has been a student
at any other incorporated seminary, he must produce a certificate from
such seminary, or other satisfactory evidence of general good conduct.

Conduct.—The laws of the University require from every student
decorous, sober and upright conduct as long as he remains a member of
the University, whether he be within the precincts or not. They strictly
forbid drunkenness, gaming, dissoluteness, swearing, habits of expense,
and the introduction of wine or other intoxicating drinks into the University.
They require a decorous observance of Sunday, and forbid all
outdoor sports on that day. They forbid the use or possession by a
student of pistols or other weapons, and the introduction of them into
the University precincts. They require from the student regular and
diligent application to his studies, and if, in the opinion of the Faculty,
any student be not fulfilling the purposes for which he ought to have
come to the University, and be not likely to fulfill them, either from
habitual delinquency in any of his classes, or from habitual idleness,
or from any other bad habit, the Faculty may require him to withdraw
from the University, after informing him of the objections to his conduct
and affording him an opportunity of explanation and defence.