An Open Letter to Alumni and Former Students of Ursinus College Who Have Not Subscribed to the Library Fund
Dublin Core
Title
An Open Letter to Alumni and Former Students of Ursinus College Who Have Not Subscribed to the Library Fund
Description
Fellow Alumnus:
When the Central Committee of Alumni started this fund to create a memorial for our soldier dead, it believed that it had the back of every alumnus. We still believe it. But your backing means nothing, unless it is backed by funds. Early in the campaign, we made it plain--That, we believed Ursinus men and women would not let these boys die unhonored. That, we could not build a fitting memorial for less than $50,000. That, every alumnus must assist to make it possible. That, unless every alumnus gave and sacrificed, we could not complete the project. The response of 300 alumni and nearly one hundred non-graduate students have been splendid. They have raised almost half of the fund unaided. Now, what shall the committee do? We cannot go backward, and say "We cannot build this library because 358 alumni have failed to do their part. We return you generous subscription to you with thanks and regrets." We have heard no objection to the memorial fund. None of the 358 has told the committee that it should not plan a memorial. You did not tell us in advance that you would not support the project. Now the committee must know what you are going to do. You are either for this alumni project, or against it. Save us the postage of a personal letter to you as one of the 358, and fill out one or the other of the blanks below.
Subscription
I VOTE YES:
I hereby subscribe
$50--$75--$100--$150--$200--$250--$500--$1000--$2000--$5000
to the fund for the erection of a Library Building at Ursinus College by the alumni and former students of the College, Academy, and Seminary, as a memorial to the service and sacrifice of the Ursinus alumni and students in the Great War.
Payments to be made:
One payment--immediately
Four payments: January 1, April 1, July 1, October 1, 1920
Eight payments: January 1, April 1, July 1, October 1, 1920 and 1921.
I VOTE NO:
Since I am unable to support the Alumni Library Fund with a subscription, and since it is evident that I and 357 others must do our part to make the library possible, as a former student I hereby recommend that the Alumni of the college abandon their plans for the erection of a memorial to the service and sacrifice of the Ursinus men who gave their lives for all I hold dead.
Send one or the other to your class representative today.
When the Central Committee of Alumni started this fund to create a memorial for our soldier dead, it believed that it had the back of every alumnus. We still believe it. But your backing means nothing, unless it is backed by funds. Early in the campaign, we made it plain--That, we believed Ursinus men and women would not let these boys die unhonored. That, we could not build a fitting memorial for less than $50,000. That, every alumnus must assist to make it possible. That, unless every alumnus gave and sacrificed, we could not complete the project. The response of 300 alumni and nearly one hundred non-graduate students have been splendid. They have raised almost half of the fund unaided. Now, what shall the committee do? We cannot go backward, and say "We cannot build this library because 358 alumni have failed to do their part. We return you generous subscription to you with thanks and regrets." We have heard no objection to the memorial fund. None of the 358 has told the committee that it should not plan a memorial. You did not tell us in advance that you would not support the project. Now the committee must know what you are going to do. You are either for this alumni project, or against it. Save us the postage of a personal letter to you as one of the 358, and fill out one or the other of the blanks below.
Subscription
I VOTE YES:
I hereby subscribe
$50--$75--$100--$150--$200--$250--$500--$1000--$2000--$5000
to the fund for the erection of a Library Building at Ursinus College by the alumni and former students of the College, Academy, and Seminary, as a memorial to the service and sacrifice of the Ursinus alumni and students in the Great War.
Payments to be made:
One payment--immediately
Four payments: January 1, April 1, July 1, October 1, 1920
Eight payments: January 1, April 1, July 1, October 1, 1920 and 1921.
I VOTE NO:
Since I am unable to support the Alumni Library Fund with a subscription, and since it is evident that I and 357 others must do our part to make the library possible, as a former student I hereby recommend that the Alumni of the college abandon their plans for the erection of a memorial to the service and sacrifice of the Ursinus men who gave their lives for all I hold dead.
Send one or the other to your class representative today.
Date
Dec. 15, 1919
Files
Collection
Citation
“An Open Letter to Alumni and Former Students of Ursinus College Who Have Not Subscribed to the Library Fund,” Omeka - Digital History at Ursinus, accessed November 22, 2024, https://omeka.ursinus.edu/items/show/223.