Black death Quote by Laurie R. King
““THE OXFORD UNIVERSITY I came up to in 1917 was a shadow of her normal, self-assured self, its population a tenth of that in 1914 before the war, a number lower even than in the years following the Black Death.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie R. King, 1994
The university was severely diminished during WWI, losing students and confidence, resembling a weakened version of its former self.
In simple terms: War drained the university’s size and confidence.
Key Takeaway
Recognize how crises can erode institutions.
Themes
history
war
education
decline
resilience
Mood
somber
reflective
Type
historical
analytical
When to use this quote
- World War I
- campus planning
- post‑war recovery
- public health crises
Key Concepts
Institutional decay
demographic impact
psychological effect
Questions to Reflect On
- How did the war reshape academic life?
- What can modern institutions learn from this decline?
A Different Perspective
Recovery may be slow and uneven after such loss.
![“We are all bound thither; we are hastening to the same common goal. Black death calls all things under the sway of its laws. [Lat., Tendimus huc omnes; metam properamus ad unam. Omnia sub leges mors vocat atra suas.]” quote by Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/de9/ovid-276_ads_we-are-all-bound-thither-we-are-hastenin_207246.jpg)
![“[According to 1348 theorists, poisoning of Christian water by Jews was the cause of Black Death.] Even the poison used to contaminate the Christian water supply was described in meticulous detail. It was "about the size of an egg," except when it was the "size of a nut" or a "large nut," "a fist"…” quote by John Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/60b/john-kelly-70258_christianity_according-to-1348-theorists-poisoning-of_206584.jpg)
