At Randolph-Macon College, Dodd soon found himself in trouble after publishing a controversial article in 1902. In this piece, he criticized the Grand Camp of Confederate Veterans for their campaign to prohibit a history textbook that they considered disrespectful to Southern honor. Dodd contended that the Veterans were promoting a narrow view of history that only supported the South's position during the Civil War.

His stance demonstrated a commitment to a more inclusive understanding of history, challenging the prevailing narrative upheld by those who sought to glorify the South's actions. This conflict not only reflected Dodd's principles but also highlighted the tension between historical perspectives during that era, a theme explored throughout Erik Larson's "In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin."