Obviously this sentence calls attention to the Native American population that lived on the land before white men were ever deciding to live there or not, but I find a similar attitude today among some of my classmates. Many have a sense of boastfulness about their intelligence because they attend the University of Virginia. They look down upon others because of where they come from, who their parents are, what their major is, the clothes they might wear, etc. This kind of behavior stems for men like Jefferson's egos that manage to control the world around them again and again. I have encountered many uppity people like this who ask me if I own a tractor when I tell them I'm from Southwest, Virginia near Blacksburg. We value education sure, and that's important for the further development of our society, but we must not lose our humble attitudes. We are so fortunate to be here, and instead of isolating people by encouraging traditions like "guys in ties, girls in pearls" because what if you can't afford pearls, we should make everyone feel inclusive. We have made so much progress since this time of characterizing Native Americans as savages, but the University of Virginia has long produced pretentious individuals that mock their neighbors for their lack of opportunity, or their choice of school. Our rivalry with Virginia Tech for example should not focus on the people that attend that school, or where they come from, (I should not have to be asked why I have all my teeth but other people from my hometown don't), but should be a friendly rivalry between two extremely adequate schools. We should focus on being more inclusive, that's what I learned from the Rockfish Gap Report.

I find it incredibly interesting that the deciding factor for the placement of the University had to do with race. The authors did cite the healthiness of the location and other natural attributes, but this sentence really reinforces that these men were incredibly old fashioned and racist considering this was the final reasoning. I have been to Lexington and Staunton, and I find it a little ironic that they considered Albemarle County more white since now it's way more diverse than those two places.

Although this document is riddled with racist and outdated ideals, it's clear the writing is well thought out and detailed. The metaphor of the tree and the fruit it produces works on so many level. The use of the word uncultivated allows us to see a tree without cultivation, but also a man without an education. The stock the tree produces probably means the words the person produces. The words and knowledge are either native or savage. But white people aren't native to this land?

The fact that this document uses the term "individual effort"to describe receiving an education really angers me. Although this part is stating some of the case against creating a public University, the report fails to include that even with effort, the majority of the people were unable to enroll on the basis of race and/or gender. It has nothing to do with effort for some because they don't have a say in the matter. While this University would reflect an establishment, the enrollment would still not just be based on individual effort. Maybe some had the privilege of being judged on their effort, whether it be a public or private institution, but others were left out completely.