Polk Family Papers Box 9 Document 78

POLK letters: September 11, 1860

1860, Sept. 11

A.T. Bledsoe, Richmond, Va., to Bishop Polk, re: evaluation at Bishop Polk's request, the plan for academic and administrative organization of the University; saying that he and Mr. Gabell had consulted on the subject; advising against the election of professors for five years, giving reasons and giving the manner used in his own institution; advises also on the Vice Chancellor's duties; more details and advice. 9 pp.

Richmond Va, Sept. 11th 1860

My dear Bishop,

The most of my time, during our present vacation, has been devoted to a sick friend, supposed to be dying, who stood in great need of my services. Your very kind note reached the University while I was travelling {sic} with him, and by mistake was forwarded to the wrong place with my other letters; otherwise it should have been answered at once.

I exceedingly regret to learn that my former communication, in reply to your enquiries {sic}, has not reached you. It was written, as well as I can recollect, about six weeks before Dr Cabell's on the same subject. Did you receive his? We talked over, on several occasions, the

various points arising out of you communication, and the papers which accompanied it. On each & every point our views were essentially the same. We liked the organization of your University - or rather the contemplated organization, very much, with one or two exceptions, which I will now speak of as I did in my former letter.

It appears to me, that the election or professors for five years only will work badly in some respects - in the most important respects. It will prevent you, if I am not greatly mistaken, from securing the highest order of ability to fill the various chairs of the University. Few persons, who may be worthy of such places, will be willing to accept them for five years, however great may be their confidence in the Board of Trustees, or however capable they may be of filling them, because

they would be subjected to unjust attack from those persons, & their friends, who may be interested in a solution in office. In one word, the feature appears to me to be too democratic for the constitution of a great University, like that which you are about to form. It is certainly more so than in Jefferson's, even with the progress which has been made since his time. I mean no reflection on this progress, for, in truth, the only step which has been taken in this direction in our University - seems to be a wise one. Our professors are now elected, in the first instance, for only one year; an ordeal from which no one should shrink. I should, therefore, very respectfully suggest, that a similar probation of one or two years be substituted for the present plan of our election-every five years. You may then expect the highest talent of

the country to give up permanent situations for the positions you have to offer it.

There is one other suggestion, which I have to submit to the Superior Wisdom of your Board, & that relates to the office of Vice Chancellor, or the Executive of your moment. In most colleges, the office has, in con sequence of a defective consultation, been the source of incalculable mischief, and it is the rock on which every enterprise of the sort most likely to split. I would not require the Vice Chancellor to visit the lecture room of the professor, or in any way to superintend them, but let the professors, for the most part, be directly responsible to the Board. They should, however, make regular re-