I had no idea what vegetable pharmacy was until I did a little research. According to this website, vegetable pharmacy is essentially just the study of nutrition. The website explains that “vegetable pharmacy” is essentially prescribing vegetable cocktails to assist overweight children at risk for type 2 diabetes and heart disease. While learning this was helpful, I am a little confused as to why it was important in the nineteenth century, since these first world diseases were not common back then. Why was vegetable pharmacy and botany important enough to the authors to explicitly include it in the University’s founding document? http://voicesforahealthysouthcoast.org/fruit-and-vegetable-prescription-programtm-fvrxtm/

The authors insist that the location of UVA will be chosen based off quality alone and will not be sold to the highest bidder, which I find symbolic and slightly ironic. I think this principle is a symbol of the democracy the founding fathers wanted to actualize. The founding fathers, including Jefferson, wanted to create a system of government for America in which money did not hinder political equality, and here, this same principle is being implemented in the founding of UVA. While money is ideally not supposed to influence the success of an individual in politics or at UVA, in reality, it is far easier for wealthier individuals to succeed in both the broader sphere of American democracy and within the university setting. While the University certainly values merit, like these authors did in choosing the location, money will always be a factor in the success of a student.

Why was the current centrality of the white population such an important factor? At the time, only white males were admitted to the University so it was necessary to be in a convenient location for them, but were the founders not thinking about the future? Perhaps they were not considering the far off social inclusion of African Americans and women, but even just the future demographic changes within the white male population of Virginia should have been evaluated. I thought since the goal of the university was to produce “statesmen, legislators & judges”, they would have wanted to be closer to D.C.

This assertion reveals the authors’ opinions on the purpose of education. Today, most people get an education to help facilitate their success in their career or field. In 1818 when this document was written, the authors thought the purpose of education was mainly to produce thoughtful citizens and contributing members of society. The text implies that it is the civic duty of the citizen to maximize their potential to benefit the greater populous, though since then this idea has shifted to the benefit of the individual.