Campbell Hall was the gift of the Class of 1877, a strong competitor with 1879 for first place among the outstanding classes graduated during the McCosh presidency or, for that matter, during the entire nineteenth century. The building was named for John A. Campbell (1856-1938), a banker and a leading citizen of Trenton, who was president of the class all four years in college and for fifty years thereafter. It took the class less than an hour to raise most of the funds for the dormitory -- a unique instance in the long history of alumni generosity. The necessary pledges poured forth in a spontaneous outburst during a high-spirited dinner at their thirtieth reunion in 1907. Woodrow Wilson's friend and classmate, Cleveland H. Dodge 1879, who was present as a guest, said it was the greatest show he had ever attended -- a judgment supported by the verbatim report of the proceedings preserved in 1877's class history, put out at its fiftieth reunion. The leading actors in the performance were John Campbell, M. Taylor Pyne, George Allison Armour, J. Howard Ford, and Frank S. Layng. The last three were known as "the three shortstops" -- not because they had played baseball but because they had stopped short of graduation.

Pyne, a trustee of the University, precipitated the outburst when, speaking of the University's need for more dormitories, he reminded his classmates that 1879 had given Seventy-Nine Hall and ten other classes had each given an entry in Patton, and asked whether 1877 couldn't be counted on for an entry in one of the other new dormitories.

"No, no!" Armour called out, "Let's give the whole dormitory." Someone else shouted, "Three cheers for Princeton," and Layng said, "We've got to give more than three cheers, we've got to give our money, our good money."

As Pyne continued speaking, Armour passed his calling card up to President Campbell, who followed Pyne's speech, by reading this cryptic message: "3 shortstops $15,000." Armour got up and explained that he and Ford and Layng wanted to start the ball rolling because they were so grateful for having spent one year at Princeton. After Armour observed that "those who have been here four years will probably want to do a good bit more than that," Pyne said, "Put me down for $10,000," Henry Fairfield Osborn followed with, "I'll bring it up to $30,000, John," and Layng added "this short-stop makes it $35,000." Someone called for three cheers for Frank Layng, and they were given.

"If he had graduated," President Campbell reflected, "I believe he would have given us an entire dormitory, completely furnished."

Someone asked how much the dormitory would cost; Campbell said he assumed at least $100,000. A half-dozen men called out pledges from $500 to $5,000. Campbell held up another of Armour's cards. This one pledged $5,000 in memory of a classmate who had recently died. Men from other classes who were guests at the dinner got caught up in the excitement and soon there were pledges from '74, '75, '76, '78, and'79.

There was a flurry of $500 pledges -- most of them $100 a year for five years. One was from a man who was attending his first reunion. "We're mighty glad to see him here," Campbell said, "He's a fine-looking fellow and we're proud of him." Campbell then announced that Henry B. Thompson, another trustee, had doubled the contribution he had previously made.

VOICE: Good for Harry.

SECOND VOICE: Give him another bottle of wine.

PRESIDENT: We now have $56,000, we ought to work up to $77,000 tonight.

More contributions followed, small and moderate. President Campbell hoped no one would be too modest about speaking out. Layng advised, "Send out for three more bottles and we'll get the rest." A minute later Campbell announced an additional $10,000 from Pyne and another calling card from Armour with $5,000 in memory of still another recently deceased classmate. Then, according to the verbatim report:

FORD [the third shortstop]: I understand that I'm down for $1,000. I'd like to increase that to $5,000.

Campbell announced that contributions were now well over $77,000 and that he was appointing a committee of seven to carry the project to completion. This unplanned part of the Class's dinner program then ended as follows:

PYNE: When I spoke earlier, I thought that, with great effort, the Class might raise $17,000 for an entry in a dormitory. The Class of '79 had to work a year before they got as much as we've raised tonight. I never felt so proud of our class, as I do at this moment.

LAYNG: Take another drink from that cup, Armour.

ARMOUR: Not on your life. I would give forty then.

PRESIDENT CAMPBELL: I think we ought to stand up and sing Whoop 'Er Up for '77.

SONG: Oh, we'll whoop er up for '77.

The Class soon raised the balance needed, Cram, Goodhue, and Ferguson drew up the plans, and Campbell Hall was ready for occupancy in the fall of 1909.

Source: Leitch p. 73 ff

More information on Campbell Hall

Campbell Hall in Evolution of the Campus