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Thomas Jefferson’s Serpentine Walls and the Twisted Mind of the Left
(Sixth in the "Shining City" Series)
by Robert L. Pyles, MD
March 2024
Another very recent assertion at the University of Virginia by the Progressive Left has been that Thomas Jefferson constructed the Serpentine Walls with the purpose of concealing slavery and slaves from public view. This is a very good illustration of the absurdity of some of the fantasies of the far Left and the extent to which Leftists are willing to go to replace reality with their own belief system.
There would have been no possible reason for Jefferson to conceal slaves or the system of slavery at that time, as it was completely open to the public eye. Even the most cursory look at the position of the serpentine walls, how they were used, and where they were placed, make the purpose quite clear. Obviously, the walls were designed to create private yards and gardens for the professors in the two story buildings. The larger structures where the professors and teachers lived and taught, have walls surrounding a private backyard and garden that would enable them to have privacy for themselves and their families, shielded from the activities of the students.
The other very important point is that the design of the walls is yet another one of the works of the architectural genius of Thomas Jefferson. In order to construct a wall which would withstand frost heaves and not topple over, it would be necessary to make the wall very wide, using many layers of brick. Instead, by designing the serpentine wall, Jefferson not only created a beautiful architectural design, but enabled a wide base, using only a single layer of brick. Thus, Jefferson created a result which was both architecturally pleasing and economical in terms of construction and materials.
However, the Radical Left has apparently succeeded in bringing enough pressure on the Administration that they have removed the Serpentine Wall symbol from the handle of the crossed sabers in the classic U.Va. logo. This is a regrettable decision that has no rational basis, and should be immediately reversed.
See Also
__________________________
Among other credits, Dr. Pyles served as President of the American Psychoanalytic Association and was awarded the honor of “Distinguished Life Fellow” of the American Psychiatric Association.
(Sixth in the "Shining City" Series)
by Robert L. Pyles, MD
March 2024
Another very recent assertion at the University of Virginia by the Progressive Left has been that Thomas Jefferson constructed the Serpentine Walls with the purpose of concealing slavery and slaves from public view. This is a very good illustration of the absurdity of some of the fantasies of the far Left and the extent to which Leftists are willing to go to replace reality with their own belief system.
There would have been no possible reason for Jefferson to conceal slaves or the system of slavery at that time, as it was completely open to the public eye. Even the most cursory look at the position of the serpentine walls, how they were used, and where they were placed, make the purpose quite clear. Obviously, the walls were designed to create private yards and gardens for the professors in the two story buildings. The larger structures where the professors and teachers lived and taught, have walls surrounding a private backyard and garden that would enable them to have privacy for themselves and their families, shielded from the activities of the students.
The other very important point is that the design of the walls is yet another one of the works of the architectural genius of Thomas Jefferson. In order to construct a wall which would withstand frost heaves and not topple over, it would be necessary to make the wall very wide, using many layers of brick. Instead, by designing the serpentine wall, Jefferson not only created a beautiful architectural design, but enabled a wide base, using only a single layer of brick. Thus, Jefferson created a result which was both architecturally pleasing and economical in terms of construction and materials.
However, the Radical Left has apparently succeeded in bringing enough pressure on the Administration that they have removed the Serpentine Wall symbol from the handle of the crossed sabers in the classic U.Va. logo. This is a regrettable decision that has no rational basis, and should be immediately reversed.
See Also
__________________________
Among other credits, Dr. Pyles served as President of the American Psychoanalytic Association and was awarded the honor of “Distinguished Life Fellow” of the American Psychiatric Association.