This idea that fear cannot effectively regulate behavior after a certain time is founded on basic social psychological principles. There is a concept of internal versus external justification. With an external justification, such as fear, one does something only because they know they have to, which leads to only a temporary change. Internal justifications, such as belief in a system of governance or code of ethics, leads to a permanent change because one does it because they believe it is right.

Thomas Jefferson had an appreciation for French language, as can be seen in his words to Dugald Stewart, "the French language is unquestionably an important object of education." Jefferson had been in France during the first portion of the French Revolution and when serving as U.S. Secretary of State became the leader of the pro-French Democratic-Republican Party. https://history.state.gov/milestones/1784-1800/french-rev https://www.monticello.org/site/research-and-collections/french-language

By January 1819, the General Assembly formally approves Central College in Charlottesville as the site for the UVA. The Board of Visitors also meets for the first time and Thomas Jefferson is appointed Rector of the University of Virginia.

The proximity of the pavilions to the dorms was to encourage the establishment of a "living-learning community," as Jefferson envisioned. He wanted to promote purposeful collaboration and encourage a working relationship between professors and students. Each pavilion was meant to house a specific discipline and the the professor for that discipline was meant to live in the upper level of the pavilion where that class was located. Now, only one pavilion is used as a classroom. https://www.monticello.org/site/research-and-collections/establishment-university-virginia