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VOICE ONE:

THE MAKING OF A NATION -- a program in Special English.

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Thomas Jefferson left the White House in March, Eighteen-Hundredand Nine. His secretary of state, James Madison, had been electedpresident. And Jefferson believed the nation was in good hands.

He returned to his country home in Virginia and never went backto Washington again. Jefferson and the new president exchangedletters often. Jefferson offered his advice on a number of problemsfaced by Madison.

There were many visitors to Jefferson's home. All of them werewelcome. But Jefferson was happiest with the young men who came tosee him. They discussed books, government, and developments inscience. Jefferson answered their questions and proposed studies toimprove their education.

VOICE TWO:

Jefferson believed firmly in the value of education. His wholeidea of government depended on the ability of citizens to makeintelligent decisions. He spent the final years of his life buildinga better educational system for Virginia.

Jefferson had been interested in education for most of his life.He had developed many ideas about the best way to educate thepeople. He believed that every citizen had the right to aneducation. But he understood that all people do not have the sameability to learn.

Jefferson divided the people into two groups: those who labor andthose who use their minds. He thought both should start with thesame simple education -- learning to read and write and count. Afterthese things were learned, he believed the two groups should betaught separately.

Those in the labor group, he thought, should learn how to bebetter farmers or how to make things with their hands. The othergroup should study science, or medicine, or law.

VOICE ONE:

Jefferson did not wait long to begin working to improve educationin Virginia. A group of men decided to build a college atCharlottesville, near Jefferson's home. Jefferson immediatelyoffered to take a leading part in starting the school. He said hewould plan the buildings and also plan what the students wouldstudy. He wrote to many of his friends -- experts in education. Heasked for their advice.

One of the experts told Jefferson he should not include religionamong the studies. Jefferson agreed. But he understood that leavingout religious studies would cause problems. He explained it thisway:

"We cannot always do what is absolutely best. Those with whom weact have different ideas. They have the right and power to act ontheir ideas. We make progress only one step at a time. To do ourfellow men the most good, we must lead where we can, follow where wecannot. But we must still go with them, watching always for themoment we can help them move forward another step."

VOICE TWO:

Jefferson began by planning aprogram of studies for the Charlottesville College. But he did notstop there. Before he finished, he had completed plans for acomplete education system for Virginia. He proposed a school systemof three steps.

The first step would be elementary schools, where all childrencould learn reading, writing, arithmetic, and geography. Theseschools would be built in all areas of the state and would be paidfor by the people living in each area.

The second step would be colleges...equal to the high schools oftoday. He proposed that nine of these schools be built in the state.Students would begin the study of science, or would studyagriculture, or how to use their hands to make things. These schoolswould be paid for by the state.

The third step would be a state university, where students ofgreat ability could go to get the best of educations. The universitywould produce the lawyers, doctors, professors, scientists, andgovernment leaders. Young men whose families had money would pay fortheir own educations. The state would pay the costs of a smallnumber of bright students from poor families.

Jefferson also proposed that the University of Virginia be builtat Charlottesville. He already had begun work on the college thereand offered to give it to the university.

VOICE ONE:

His education program was offered to the Virginia legislature.Many law-makers thought it was excellent. But many others opposedit. They did not want to raise taxes for the large amount of moneysuch a system would cost.

The legislature, however, agreed to part of the plan. It approveda bill to help pay the cost of educating poor children. And itagreed to spend fifteen-thousand dollars each year for a university.There was much debate about where the university should be built.Several other towns wanted the school. Finally, Charlottesville waschosen.

VOICE TWO:

By this time, Jefferson had completed plans for the universitybuildings. He borrowed many of his ideas from the beautifulbuildings of ancient Greece and Rome. The buildings were so wellplanned that one-hundred years later, when the university was to putup a new building, the builder could find no reason to change theplans drawn by Jefferson.

Work began on the university immediately. But it was six yearsbefore the school was open to students.

Jefferson was there almost every day, watching the workmen. Hewas quick to criticize any mistake or work that was not done well.When he was sick and not able to go down to the university, he wouldwatch the work through a telescope from a window of his home.

The cost of the university kept growing. And Jefferson had tostruggle to get the legislature to pay for it. He also worked hardto get the best possible professors to teach at the university. Hesent men throughout the United States to find good teachers. He evensent a man to Europe for this purpose. Finally, in March,Eighteen-Hundred Twenty-Five, the University of Virginia opened.

VOICE ONE:

Jefferson's health had suffered during his years of work for theuniversity. He was eighty-two years old and feeling his age. Hesuffered from rheumatism and diabetes, and was so weak he could walkonly short distances. Jefferson also found his memory was failing.

He knew he did not have much longer to live. He told a friend oneday: "When I look back over the ranks of those with whom I havelived and loved, it is like looking over a field of battle. Allfallen."

As his health grew worse, Jefferson turned his thoughts to death.He wrote how he wished to be buried. He wanted a simple grave on themountainside below his house. He drew a picture of the kind ofmemorial he wanted put at his grave.

On this stone he wanted the statement: "Here was buried ThomasJefferson -- author of the Declaration of American Independence, ofthe Virginia Law for Religious Freedom, and Father of the Universityof Virginia."

He did not choose his work as governor of Virginia, secretary ofstate, or president. There was not a word about his purchase of theLouisiana Territory from France, which added so greatly to theUnited States. Jefferson did not explain why he chose theDeclaration of Independence, the law for religious freedom, and theuniversity as his greatest works.

VOICE TWO:

Writer Nathan Schachner, in his book on Jefferson, offers thisexplanation:

"He chose those points in his life when he performed some servicein the unending struggle to free the human mind. Freedom frompolitical tyranny, freedom from religious tyranny, and finally,freedom through education -- from all the tyrannies that have everclouded and held back the human spirit."

On the Fourth of July, Eighteen-Twenty-Six, the nation began itscelebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the Declaration ofIndependence. Then, from Boston, came news that former presidentJohn Adams had died. His last words were: "Thomas Jefferson stilllives."

VOICE ONE:

But Adams was wrong. At ten minutes before ten in the morning, onthat same Fourth of July, his friend, Thomas Jefferson, had died.

As the news of the deaths of the two great men spread across thecountry, the celebrations turned to mourning and sorrow. Jeffersonwas buried the next day, as he had ordered, in a simple grave on thequiet mountainside. But his spirit still lives in the Declaration ofIndependence, the American tradition of religious freedom, and athis beloved University of Virginia.

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VOICE TWO: