- Nov 2017
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engagements2017-18.as.virginia.edu engagements2017-18.as.virginia.edu
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These are the objects of that higher grade of education, the benefits & blessings of which the legislature now propose to provide for the good & ornament of their country the gratification
I like this sentence because it reinforces the notion of a liberal arts education that it is about more than individual, career oriented success. It also sparks the question of how much the state is responsible for the education of its citizens and how much the citizens are responsible for contributing to the state. Public education even at its highest level must be a supplement to one's progression and not the controller of it.
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Pride of character, laudable ambition, & moral dispositions are innate correctives of the indiscretions of that lively age; and when strengthened by habitual appeal & exercise, have a happier effect on future character, than the degrading motive of fear; hardening them to disgrace, to corporal punishments, and servile humiliations, cannot be the best process for producing erect character.
This section is surprising because this is basically the foundation of the Honor Code here, at UVA. It is nice to see that the founders of the university knew how destructive fear could be as a tactic to enforcing good behavior. The fact that they were able to see this speaks to their knowledge and awareness to the young mind. It also shows the importance they weigh on the future of their students. They are aiming for long-term education, not just short-term.
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The considerations which have governed the specification of languages to be taught by the professor of Modern Languages were that the French is the language of general intercourse among nations, and as a depository of human Science is unsurpassed by any other language living or dead: that the Spanish is highly interesting to us, as the language spoken by so great a portion of the inhabitants of our Continents, with whom we shall possibly have great intercourse ere long; and is that also in which is written the greater part of the early history of America.
This section is very interesting because of its similarities and differences to the languages we experience today. French is no longer "the language of general intercourse among nations". Today, English is one of the most communicated languages amongst nations. It is also interesting to see that the founders were interested in teaching Spanish because of the great Spanish population, but they purposely chose a location for the university central to the white population.
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And generally to form them to habits of reflection, and correct action, rendering them examples of virtue to others & of happiness within themselves.
I think this is the overall goal of the New Curriculum. The New Curriculum urges us to be active citizens that challenge things and explore others and ourselves. I also find it pertinent to mention the Making the Invisible Visible class which is based around the idea of reflection, and from this reflection taking correct action. I think that through this class we are pushed to evolve into better members of society and more model examples for society.
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And, in general, to observe with intelligence & faithfulness all the social relations under which he shall be placed.
I think this is interesting because in this context to be logical and use factual concepts is considered to be most acceptable when being placed in social situations. I think this is quite different than what people do in today's soceity. Today, people are more likely to use emotion and personal motivation than "intelligence" when it comes to social relations. I also think it interesting to consider what intelligence might be. Is it having mere knowledge about educational values or is it to have knowledge of one's self?
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- Oct 2017
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engagements2017-18.as.virginia.edu engagements2017-18.as.virginia.edu
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To understand his duties to his neighbours, & country, and to discharge with competence the functions confided to him by either
This is so relevant as we reflect on August 11th and 12th. Our school was founded on the idea that we owe one another certain duties, but the ambiguity of this statement leaves it open as to what duties we have. The white supremacists saw their duty to other white people to expel or terrorize the Jewish and Black students of UVA, but is this lawful? Is this acceptable to those who wrote this document? We aren't sure because they don't say.
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To improve by reading, his morals and faculties.
I think this is extremely interesting because this is still present today in UVA's curriculum. To this day, UVA is sure to include the improvement of mental thought and values in a great bit of their curriculum. This is especially present in the New College curriculum because it forces us to step outside our usual ways of thinking and value and improve the way we think.
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The 1st. duty enjoined on them was to enquire & report a site in some convenient & proper part of the state for an University, to be called the “University of Virginia.”
It's interesting to see that University of Virginia is viewed as a site here, because for all of us it is now very much a place. I say this because in our class Making the Invisible Visible, we discussed what makes a place a place, and we found that a place emerges you in memory. UVA definitely holds many memories and situates you in a point of view or plane of life that we may or may not be fond of. Nonetheless, UVA has a certain character that a site does not possess.
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What, but education, has advanced us beyond the condition of our indigenous neighbours? and what chains them to their present state of barbarism & wretchedness, but a besotted veneration for the supposed supe[r]lative wisdom of their fathers and the preposterous idea that they are to look backward for better things and not forward, longing, as it should seem, to return to the days of eating acorns and roots rather than indulge in the degeneracies of civilization
One of the main goals for this institution is to teach the students morals and values. This quote shows how teaching things like morals and values can be problematic because of its subjectivity. Racist and discriminatory ideas that are shown in this quote show how the morals at this time were very different from morals at UVa today. The values and morals of the institution's administration can have great influence on the morals and values of the people in the institution.
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