PACIFIC COAST ASSOCIATION

On page one of the "Book of Minutes "of the Dartmouth College Alumni Association of the Pacific Coast there is found a printed circular letter dated Nov. 30, 1881, which reads as follows:

"During the recent visit to the coast of Gen. John Eaton, Dartmouth '54, National Commissioner of Education, it was suggested by him, that inasmuch as every prominent college in the country, except Dartmouth, had an organization here, it would be eminently proper to take steps toward forming such an association among the Dartmouth men in California and the neighboring states.

"Acting on this, suggestion, a meeting was called at the Palace Hotel in this city, on Tuesday November 15. At that meeting, about a dozen alumni being present, it was resolved to form a permanent organization, to be known as "The Dartmouth Club of the Pacific Coast," for social purposes, and to foster the interests of our good old College in this section.

"A temporary organization was made, and it was further resolved to call a second meeting, of which the widest possible notice should be given, with the view of permanently organizing.

"There are nearly seventy Dartmouth graduates on the Coast; it is believed that we can form an organization which shall revive pleasant memories, and be an aid to Dartmouth, and a pleasure to Dartmouth men.

"The above meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, December 15, parlor A, Palace Hotel.

"Will not all Dartmouth men try to'be present, and those who cannot attend at least send good wishes by letter ?

Upon another page, among the constitution and by-laws, is found "ART. 2 — OBJECTS: The objects of this Club shall be to promote social intercourse among its members, and to further the interests of Dartmouth College, and of liberal education upon the Pacific Coast."

In another place mention is made of the fact that there shall be an annual dinner on the third Thursday of each year, and that the Executive Committee may extend invitations to distinguished gentlemen and friends of Dartmouth College to attend these dinners as guests of the Club "without tickets." Seventeen of these annual dinners have been held in San Francisco and have certainly fostered to a marked degree the purpose of the Association.

In 1897, the Association gave to the College a flag which waved over old Dartmouth Hall until it was destroyed by fire, and each year since then a collection to the amount of $15 has been taken up as a prize for the-Sophomore who writes the best essay on American Literature.

At the 1904 meeting a goodly sum was subscribed by the members present to help increase the Dartmouth Hall Fund, and a committee was appointed which has done some effective work since then. Two meetings will probably be held during the present scholastic year,-one this fall, when "Bill" Knibbs and "Doc'' Griffin, the Dartmouth coaches at the Univer- sity of California, show the world in the U. C.-Stanford game that the Dartmouth Spirit can reach clear across a continent and bring victory where last year there was defeat. Then the regular annual dinner will be held in the spring, the last of March or the first of April.

The Pacific Coast Alumni Association will continue to welcome the Dartmouth men who may wander to its shores, and be ever ready to give a lift to the old College whenever possible.

Secretary, Selden C. Smith '97, 325 SansomeSt., San Francisco