For: President Wilson [pb] ALUMNI COEDUCATLON CORRESPONDENCE Between May 17, 1984, and July 11, 1984, 41 first-time opinion letters were received. Brief resumes of those letters follow the count of all 429 letters received on the issue of coeducation. The results of all 429 letters received have been totalled by decades and include a subjective count of "pros", "cons", and "middle". DECADES PRO CON MIDDLE Teens: 5(1%) 5 5 20's: 33(8%) 4 25 4 30's: 67(16%) 7 55 5 40's: 48(11%) 7 39 2 50's: 74(17%) 26 37 11 60's: 77(18%) 23 38 16 70's: 92(21%) 33 52 7 80's: 33(8%) 8 22 3 429 108(25%) 273(64%) 48(11%) These 429 letters represent 2.7% of our approximately 16,000 alumni. J. D. Farrar 7/11/84 JDF:czf [pb] Anderson, David T., '76BA, Richmond, VA (6/18/84) (1½pp) P Opposes coed. Feels it short-sighted to make a radical change on the ten-year demographics projection. "I am staunchly opposed to coed unless the level of academic excellence suffers in the long run not merely in the next five years or so." Baird, Jerry M, '78BA, MBA, Ft. Worth, TX (5/15/84) (1p) P "I am opposed to coeducation at W&L. As chairman of AAP Committe in Ft. Worth, I do not find W&L's single-sex status to hurt my recruiting at all." Barrett, Arthur E. W. Jr., '55BA, JD, Houston, TX (6/12/84) (1p) D Does not feel honor system would be viable with coed. "Women, by their very nature, are liars and cheats! It goes with the territory!" Urges retention of all-male. After concluding, adds postscript - "P.S. My secretary just quit." Baucum, Ralph W., Jr., 58 BS, MD, Shreveport, LA (5/18/84) (1p) P No real stand on issue, but writes that "my own position has been moderated considerably by your responsible and thoughtful approach. Do not get too depressed by the question or its resolution. True friends of the University will remain loyal regardless, and those on the losing side should appreciate the quality of thought to which it has been subjected." Bruch, John L., III, '78BA, Charlotte, NC (6/4/84) (1p) P "I am totally opposed to W&L going coed." He's skeptical of demographics. Feels faculty who want it should go elsewhere. Coed would ruin our unique traits. Corbett, James S., '62 BA, Duxbury, MA (5/14/84) (1p) AB No position expressed. "I want you to know that whatever the outcome, you have my continued support." Crosland, Lucien B., '69 BA, Dallas, TX (5/14/84) (1p) A "I hope that W&L will survive the discussion of this issue and retain its all-male character." Davis, Mark B., Jr., '56 BA, '58JD, Louisville, KY (5/25/84) (1p) BT Strongly supports coeducation. "Academic excellence should continue to be our primary goal. Obtaining top students is becoming more difficult and the single sex atmosphere is one of the things making it more difficult. Please get us back in step with the academic institutions with whom we compete." Dorman, Jay F., '70 BA, Danville, VA (6/18/84) (2pp) P Opposes coed. Need to reemphasize our strengths, traditions and increase student financial aid. Need more technical curricula. Fears size increase and potential threat to the honor system. Dougherty, David R., '68 BA, MA, Alexandria, VA (6/21/84) (1½pp) P "I admire your courage in tackling the sensitive and controversial matter of coeducation. I have come to realize that W&L would be best served by the admission of girls to the student body. Students here at Episcopal simply do not want to go there anymore." [pb] Flowers, U. Grey, '43BA, JD, Edwards, MS (3/26/84) (2pp) AB Agrees with everything Jack Warner recommended in his December, 1983, letter. "I feel W&L should remain as it is." Frackelton, R. Leigh, Jr., '74BA, JD, Fredericksburg, VA (6/11/84) (2pp) BT Opposes coed. Should not lose our fraternal spirit. Coed will not solve our social ills. Let's remain an alternative for those who want all-male school. France, William M., '58BA, Lancaster, OH (6/84) (1 line) BT "I strongly oppose W&L converting to a coed system." Gibson, Frank G., Jr., '55BA, M Divinity, NYC, NY (6/26/84) (1p) BT A letter to Alumni Magazine with copy to Rector Ballengee. Supports coed- ucation. Applauds Pres. Wilson's "spirited examination" of the issue. "Into a world which is struggling to be born as an assembly of equals, why does not W&L graduate people whose campus life has taught them a generous respect for the other sex's fitness and competence as professionals and animators of decision in any field?" Goodman, Robert U., '50BA, Shreveport, LA (5/17/84) (1½pp) P Believes the Board "should require the administration to abandon its efforts to make Washington and Lee coeducational." Feels it should not abandon a 200-year tradition. Holt, Joel H., '73BA, JD, Virgin Islands (6/20/84) (1p) D "I have made it very clear I would not make any contributions unless the school goes coed. I'd never consider sending my children there unless it did go coed. I think W&L could be an excellent school if it would go coed. Until then, I am not interested." Jarrett, John T., 34BA, MD, Richmond, VA (5/18/84) (2pp) P Opposed to coed. "I hope non-W&L men will have little influence on the Board - a sociology teacher in particular. I hope W&L will remain the school of George Washington and Robert E. Lee." Also wrote Board on 6/16/84 opposing coeducation. Jones, Hoyle C., '60BA, NYC,NY (6/19/84) (1½pp) P "I was wrong in originally opposing coeducation." Now feels we have slipped in reputation and quality, that we simply are not attracting the caliber of students we used to attract. Envies the position of those who are coed - Yale, Davidson, UVA,Wesleyan, Williams. Strongly urges adoption of coeducation. McMillan, L. Richards, II, '69BS, JD, New Orleans, LA (5/25/84) (3pp) BT Urges tabling issue. Has lost confidence in the impartiality of the Board's deliberations. Believes the survey was insulting and "window dressing". Urges the Board to reject coed and feels that credibility of the administration and the Board is at stake. Marshall, John F., Jr., '65BA, Houston, TX (6/15/84) (1p) D "I am of the firm opinion that to change the essential character of W&L would be a grave error, and I have to say that if we go forward with coeducation, I would find difficulty in making further contributions either to the alumni fund or to future capital requirements." -2- [pb] Merchant, Wilson C., '73BA, MD, Richmond, VA (6/8/84) (1p) P "I should like to express my preference for coeducation at W&L. If coed is defeated, however, I will continue to support my alma mater as in the past." Miller, John E., '70BA, Richmond, VA (6/21/84) (1½pp) P Strongly in favor of coed. "Coeducation tends to upgrade the entire academic program of an educational institution. Nothing that is essential to the spirit of W&L would be lost in coeducation. I regard your presidency with both great admiration and expectancy." Millican, Hansel B., III, '83BA, Arlington, VA (5/31/84) ( 1 line) D "In the event of the University going coed any donations from me will discontinue." Miller, R.L., '28BA,'30JD, Gonzales, TX (6/6/84) (1p) BT Not impressed by demographics. Coed will not promote social excesses. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Not prejudiced against women." I married one of them over fifty years ago, and we have lived in comparative peace ever since." Munsick, D. Roger, Jr., '72BA, Phd, Charlottesville, VA (6/25/84) (2pp) P Is "totally" opposed to coed. Does not feel our spirit can remain as a coed school. "Let us not alter something so decent and so timeless." Nugent, Raymond C., '80BS, Va. Beach, VA (6/18/84) (4pp) P Opposes coed. Does not feel demographics will affect the southeast. Says "don't apologize for all-male policy, promote it." Coed will not solve the social problems, excesses. "W&L should not be trying to remake itself into something it is not and never has been." O'Neal, John C., '72BA, MA, Notre Dame, Ind. (6/27/84) (2pp) P "I strongly support your initiative to enhance W&L's academic reputation by accepting women. The University could well be on the threshold of claiming the national reputation that it deserves." Otey, David W., Jr., '75BA, '79JD, Williamsburg, VA (6/21/84) (1½pp) BT Opposes coed. Not impressed by faculty preference, nor the demographic argument. Wishes to preserve all-male policy - "one of the vital characteristics that makes us different and distinctive." Philpott, Alexander C., '79BS, Englewood, CO (6/22/84) (2pp) D "I am convinced that W&L's uniqueness, Honor Code, and comradence are in jeopardy with the conversion to a coeducational school." Redford, James H., '76BA, JD, Franklin, TN (6/28/84) (2pp) A Opposes coed. Doesn't believe coed must occur to meet the decline in applicant pool. Feels we can do more. Unconvinced that coeducation will improve W&L's academic and social life. Feels coed is "already a 'fact d'accompli'." Reid, Robert R., Jr., '49BA,JD, Birmingham, AL (6/10/84) (2pp) BT Opposes coeducation. Wishes to maintain uniqueness of all-male. Feels women will be a distraction to male students. Feels we can survive being smaller. Asks "do we have too large a faculty now?" -3- [pb] Robinson, Alfred B., Jr., '77BA, JD, Greenville, SC (5/18/84) (4pp) P "I adamantly oppose coeducation." Fears for position of fraternities. Feels demographics are only temporary. Feels faculty who don't like all-maleness should go elsewhere. Alumni will have to give more money and more effort in encouraging men to enroll. Sheild, Conway H., III, '64BS,'67JD, Newport News, VA (6/84) (2pp) AB Wrote the Alumni Board in December expressing no personal preference. Now writes AB again. Feels Jack Warner's 4/20/84 letter expresses the thoughts shared by many alumni with whom he has talked. "I personally am opposed to coed." Feels the questionnaire was biased. Feels the administration has been unjust in obtaining opinions. Slay, James M., '65BA,'71JD, Easton, MD (6/26/84) (4pp) BT and P Strongly urges maintenance of all-male. Finds demographics as a reason to change "fallacious and insulting." As chairman of successful Delmarva AAP, he feels we can get the top students. Was shocked at President Wilson's quoted remarks in W. Post commencement story. Feels that coed bias was misleading from earlier comments. Smith, Marquis M., Jr., '57BA, Greensburg, PA (6/29/84) (1p) BT Opposes coed. Will kill a tradition that has existed since 1749. Admissions office seeks students from east and south only. Should seek public relations advice to attract more good students. Spaulding, George M., ('30-'32) Chase City, VA (6/24/84) (1p) D Opposes coed. We will lose our special value. Building costs would hurt us more than drop in enrollment. Feels there will always be students who want W&L. Stephenson, Roscoe B., '43BA,'47JD, Covington, VA (5/16/84) (1p) BT Opposes coeducation. "I see no need for this change. 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it'." Stover, Edward E., '37JD, Washington, NJ (3/27/84) (2pp) AB "After deliberating these many months, I confirm everything that Jack Warner has said in his letter of December 7, 1983." Sweet, Charles A., '36BA, Bristol, CT (6/20/84) (2pp) BT Opposes coed. "Our priceless individuality will be lost. Should coed come to pass, I shall lose all interest in the school and review my financial support." Young, Frank M., III, '63BA,JD,LLM, Birmingham, AL (6/13/84) (1p) D "I would like to add my voice in opposition to changing our long standing tradition of remaining an all-male school. My enthusiasm for W&L will be substantially diminished in the event this tradition is changed." Young, M. Neely, '39-'41, Richmond, VA (6/84) A Opposes coed. Cannot contribute to Annual Fund with a clear conscience. Feels administration is behind pro-coed forces and does not realize the impact this drastic change will have on the feelings of the average alumnus. -4- [pb] ADDENDUM Boatwright, J.G.P., Jr., '81BA, Charlottesville, VA (7/5/84) (1p) BT Opposes coed. Feels that smallness, unique atmosphere , comaraderie and traditions "would be severely damaged becoming coeducational." Cadaver Society, (7/3/84) (½p) BT "The consensus of our membership is that as a general proposition, it would be in the best interests of W&L to remain all-male." DeVaney, Robert C., '65BA, Houston, TX (6/27/84) (2pp) BT Opposes coed. "W&L established itself as a unique institution - its age, prestige, quality and being all-male. Why, after 235 years, change a successful formula?" Leonard Lester C., Jr., '50BA, JD, Centreville, MD (7/7/84) (2pp) P Opposes coed. Felt the Choate School made a mistake in coeducating, and he points to their failings. "I would suggest that W&L continue as an all male institution." McConnell, Lawrence L., '71BA, Montgomery, AL (7/3/84) (1p) P Opposes coed. "W&L is unique because it offers something different." Despite demographics, he feels "there will always be a market for W&L as an all-male school." Murphy, Thomas H., '77BA, Shreveport, LA (7/2/84) (2pp) BT Opposes coed. "The issue involved here concerns the continuing strength of a unique and small institution which needs to maintain all of its strengths." Upset that faculty supports coeducation. "Their voice is only one of many to be heard." Powell, Russell C., '74BA,JD, Chevy Chase, MD (7/6/84) (2pp) BT Supports coeducation. The question is a moral one. Refers to Breck Ingle's crude comments in W. Post coed article of July 1, 1984. The switch to coed is long overdue. "What is significant is the moral fact of W&L's policy of sexual discrimination. The wrong doer has suffered more grievously than his apparent victim." Swann, Benjamin B., '78BA, Boston, MA (7/1/84) (1p) BT "I am in heavy favor of the University's accepting women just as soon as it can. It's going to remain a third-rate institution if it remains all-male." [pb] Turrell, Richard, '59BS, Millburn, NJ (6/28/84) (5pp) P Opposes coed. Hoped various constituencies would have equal weight in making decision. Feels it was erroneous to harbor that feeling. Feels President should have had more time to be acclimated to the University before presiding on this issue. Feels we should continue to offer option of all-male education. Concerned about expenses of coed and loss of alumni support. We are not "marketing" properly. Recommends a two-year study of coed by the Board, a committee chaired by Mrs. Lewis. Young, William A., '37BS,'39JD, Lexington, KY (7/6/84) (1p) BT Opposed to coed. "The all male tradition at W&L is inseparable from its mission. For that reason we strongly oppose co-education. We urge you to vote against co-education." This letter is signed jointly by Young; Brown, K.M., '74JD; Perkins, Samuel L., '80BS, '83JD. -2-