Smith interview [Begin Tape 1, Side 2] Smith: I mean, there was no doubt about that. So that’s why it was so civil, because everybody that was in that group of twenty-four people, all loved the school, probably equally as much. Warren: After you went around with the vote, how did your heart feel when you knew? Smith: Well, you felt maybe a little bit depressed, but it’s just sort of like General Lee said, “If you fight the good fight and you get beat, you get up the next morning and go on.” Everybody was interested, I think, in getting back together again and going on for the good of the school. We had some lawyers and some very good professional people that joined up and said, “Let’s make it happen the best way we can and make it go for the good of the institution.” I think the unity of spirit, because of the love for this school, made it much easier than it otherwise would have been. I don’t think there was much bitterness at all, or resentment. Warren: Now, from what I understand, you had quite a bit of media waiting for you when you walked out the door. Smith: Oh, yeah. Warren: What was that like? Smith: We elected a spokesman for our group, and our spokesman was Chris Compton. He was a judge and a very articulate guy, so we elected Chris to represent our group. So I didn’t participate in all that. Warren: Were you there? Did you watch it? Smith: I don’t think I did. I don’t think I went to that media part. Warren: Did your group retire and go and— 19 Smith: Pout? No, no. We just might have gone somewhere and had a stiff bourbon and water. Warren: Well, I would expect you probably did. Smith: Yeah. But I think everybody ate together that night, that evening. I don’t think anybody got in their car and drove home early. I think we finished up with a dinner and handshakes. Warren: Was there a real sense that history had been made that day? Smith: Oh, no doubt about that. It was a tremendous impact on everybody there. Two hundred and thirty-five years of all male had been changed, and what would happen the next twenty years? Would we keep the same people coming here? Would our sons be able to get in? Would our football go even further down? What would happen to the community? I think all our fears were there, but I think they’ve proven to the contrary. The quality of life in Lexington has improved immensely. Whether they’re going to have the same giving patterns, I don’t know about that. That’s going to take a while, probably. Warren: Tell me what your sense is now and over those ten years. How has your opinion evolved over the last ten years? Smith: The ladies, the women of Washington and Lee have been very, very well selected and picked, and the quality there is probably even greater than we anticipated, I would say, the graduates. Now, whether they’re going to go back and run the United Ways and the Community Chest and the funds for the arts, and whether they’re going to go back and just make money or whether they’re going to get back into the public sector and private sector with service, time will tell. It’s too early for that. I think that was part of the W&L experience was that you not only got a good education, but you felt a commitment to serve when you left this institution, to go back and make life a little better for your children and your grandchildren than it was for 20 you, and you did that through public service, not just making a living, but making your community a better place in which to live. You learned that over here, that public— Warren: How did you learn that? Smith: I think General Lee’s influence, yeah, service, service before self. That was the Rotarian motto, too, of course, but you learned over here, that public service was part of your commitment when you graduated. Yeah, I think the quality of the admissions here and the admissions department, the quality that they’ve maintained over the last twelve years, has made the coed experience much easier for everybody, and the quality of the graduates and the female graduates. The men, I think, are adjusting to it more and more all the time. I had a son here during that period. Warren: Did you? Smith: Yeah. I had a son graduate in ‘93. He came here in ‘89. He said, “All I can say, Dad, they sure are smart.” But I think it’s worked out fine. I think it’s worked out fine. I was watching it pretty closely, too. Warren: I bet you were. Smith: Very closely, and I can’t say anything negative about that experience, and that Washington and Lee is a better institution today than it was twenty years ago. There’s no doubt about that. The faculty, and students both. The quality of life here and the quality of the faculty and the student body has been tremendous and has increased substantially. I’m not going to give in yet, or the jury might still be out on the eleemosynary side, the philanthropic side, but that’s natural. It’s only ten years. But when you see an endowment of $300 million, and when I was here the endowment was $20 million, that’s progress, tremendous progress. It beats the heck out of inflation, too. All of that’s part of that experience. If there was that much bad feeling, we wouldn’t have a $300 million endowment. We would not. 21 So I can’t say anything about it that’s negative, except just keep it going, keep that spirit going, and remember that service is part of the education at Washington and Lee, as well as academic prowess. Warren: Well, Ike, you haven’t disappointed me. I knew you would be a good spokesman for your point of view, your contingent. When I met you that today, I said, “I want that man on tape.” Smith: Well, I’m not as articulate as I should be. Warren: Oh, yes, you are. Smith: But I’ve enjoyed it very much. Thank you. Warren: Was there anything more you’d like to say? Smith: No, that’s all I’ve got. Just keep it going, keep that great institution going the way it’s going now, and keep it as the Athens of the Shenandoah Valley. Warren: At least. Smith: At least, and we can’t go wrong. Warren: Thank you. Smith: Thank you. [End of Interview] 22