University of Virginia Library

a - Cause of Comparative Failure

Many untoward causes militated against the complete success
of the Campaign, The most obvious of these was the universal
economic depression all over the Country. Even men of large

means, suffering from acute comparative psychological poverty,
either refused to give or gave nominal sums.

The most discouraging feature of the Campaign was alumni
apathy. The younger men, whose contact with the University is
recent, were in the main energetic and generous. As a class,
the older alumni did rather poorly.

There were also many other contributing causes to weaken
the loyalty of the alumni, of whom we seem to have a great
many, whose loyalty to the University seems to depend upon
affairs being regulated at the University, absolutely according
to their opinions. Dissatisfaction with athletic policies,
co-education at the University, and the prospect of removing
the medical school to Richmond, all had a bad effect on the
Campaign.