Indiana University - Arbutus Yearbook (Bloomington, IN)

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W. A. Alexander The signal for the launching of actual solicitation on the campus was a mammoth All-University Mass Meeting held on the morning of March 7 in the Men ' s Gymnasium. Governor Warren T. McCray headed a long list of impressive faculty, student and alumni speakers. James S. Adams, ' 23, of Brazil, acted as chairman of the meeting. One hour after the close of the meeting actual solicitation among the students began. Teams of men and women canvassed every section of the city for student pledges. By midnight of March 7 the total had mounted to the $200,000 mark, and by midnight the following night, March 8, the goal of $400,000 was reached. The grand total was $413,000 with an average per contributor of $167. The record thess contributors and solicitors made stands unique in the annals of American colleges. Never were such scenes witnessed at Indiana as when the fund soared over the quota of $400,000. Near midnight on the night of March 8 tension was at a high pitch in the temporary headquarters in the Union rooms. Directors checked and rechecked figures. Interested students packed every corner of the room. Solicitors hurried in and out. At 11 :50 the first notes of Gloriana sounded out clear and strong from the chimes in the Student Build- ing tower — the signal that the fund had gone over. Immediately the campus was alive with students. Gathered around the signboard Indiana men and women heard the joyous tidings of the great victory. In the clear stillness of the night, with bared head, President Bryan faced his students, gathered in thousands in a mighty semi-circle. He spoke from the heart. His speech ended: I thank God I was born to work with these boys and girls at Indiana. The first chap- ter in the great book of the Memorial had been written in undying letters that spelled Sacrifice, Love and Success. About a month after the termination of the first campus campaign, a com- mittee of student leaders, chosen for their work in the movement, made a swing around the circuit, visiting all the large cities in the east to carry the message of the student campaign to the alumni living there. Those who made the trip were Noble But- ler, John Hastings, James S. Adams, Elisabeth Johnston, Helen Coblentz, W. A. Alexander and President and Mrs. William Lowe Bryan. The group was given the appellation of the Flying Squadron. While in Washington they called upon President Harding at the White House, where they were cor- [ P AGE 11]

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Proposed Memorial Stadmm ganized, arts, benefits and convocations were formed from the membership of the two general committees. For purposes of solicitation the two large committees were subdivided into divisions, headed by a division leader, and teams, led by team captains. George H. Neff, ' 22, of Newcastle, was chosen by Mr. Butler to be assistant men ' s student director and to have complete charge of the men ' s team organization and management. Blanche Davidson, ' 22, was named to serve in the same capacity for the women by Miss Johnston. A campus goal of $400,000 was set as the mark for workers to shoot at in one of the first meet- ings of the two general committees. A five-year payment plan of pledges was approved, and made the standard for student pledges. Events moved at a fast and furious pace after the middle of February, 1921. The general publicity for the movement was accelerated and a campus-wide in- terest was aroused in the project. A signboard to depict the story of the Me- morial was erected on the corner across from the library and was the object of universal attention. By February 25 the fund had reached a total of $140,000 from unsolicited campus sources, chiefly faculty and organization donations. Tues- day, March 7, was set as the date for the opening of actual solicitation among the student body. Everything was in readiness for the firing of the opening gun. On the eve- ning of March 6 the Men ' s and Women ' s All-Campus committees met for dinner in the University cafeteria where the pledges of the members of the two commit- tees were taken. Their pledges totalled $42,775, an average of $197 for each so- licitor. With a record like that they could approach the prospective givers among the student body with an assurance of complete success. [Page 10]

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Elisabeth Johnston Women ' s Director Xobte C. Butler Men ' s Director dially received and photographed with the nation ' s chief executive on the grounds of the executive mansion. Mr. Harding wished them the best of luck in their campaign. Their trip attracted unusual interest in the daily press and was the means of arousing a new intei-est in the University in the minds of the alumni in the eastern part of the United States. e---.- The Flying Squadron [ Page 12 ]