ANNUAL MEETING OF THE SECRETARIES

What was probably the largest gathering of class and association secretaries that has ever visited Hanover met on April 25 and 26. Fifty- eight class representatives and twelve representatives of associations and clubs were present during the session. The roll of the class secretaries was particularly impressive, representing as it did an almost continuous series of Dartmouth men from 1870 to with several in attendance previous to 1870.

The delegates met first in the reception rooms of the Administration Building for an informal reunion and light refreshments before starting the more formal business of the sessions.

The first meeting was called to order by the president, Dr. David N. Blakely 'B9, in the Faculty Room of Parkhurst Hall. Aside from those present, communications were received from Leander M. Nute '54 and Whitney H. Eastman 'lO and a brief word of greeting from President Hopkins, at that time returning from Europe, and from Dr. Tucker.

The chairman then appointed the following committees:

On resolutions : N. W. Emerson 'OO, S. W. Adriance '73, R. Thompson 'O6. On nominations: A. M. Strong '92, G. W. Elderkin 'O2, E. B. Luitwieler 'l2.

The president then referred to the five members of the Association who had died since the last meeting,—General J. N. Patterson '6O, Rev. C. H. Merrill '67, C. P. Chase '69, L. Bell 'B4, and H. H. Blunt '97. The meeting stood in silence for a moment in memory of these men.

Seven new secretaries had also assumed office since the last meeting and it was the privilege of the chairman to welcome them. His words of welcome follow:

During the past year seven Dartmouth men have been signally honored by their classmates. They have been choseij to serve as class secretaries. This choice makes them automatically members of this Association and today we welcome them most cordially to all the privileges and all the responsibilities of membership. In a broader way we welcome them also to all toils, trials, tribulations and, particuarly, to all the joys which the secretaryship involves. These seven men are: Frederic Gregory Mather, '67. James McEwen Drake, '69. Josiah French Hill, 'B4 (Sec. pro tem.) Morton Chase Tuttle, '97. Frederick William Cassebeer, 'lB. Allan Miles Cate, '2O. James Shirley Austin, '24.

Gentlemen, seven, in behalf of the Dartmouth Secretaries' Association I bid you welcome.

So many and so varied are the duties of a class secretary that it would be impossible even to enumerate them this afternoon, much less discuss them in detail.

It is obvious that the work of different secretaries must vary enormously. Contrast, if you will, what is expected of the secretary of the class of 1924 with what is expected of the secretary of the class of 1867.

If I were to attempt to describe in a single sentence the duties of a class secretary, I think I should put it thus: "To stimulate and make more effective that intangible which we know as 'The Dartmouth Spirit.' " As has been said again and again, the College consists not merely in the physical plant here in Hanover, with the large faculty and 2000 undergraduates, plus the trustees, plus the history and traditions of one hundred and fifty-five years, it includes also all the alumni, scattered here and there over the world.

I like to think of the secretary as the interpreter of the College to his classmates. He is not only to pass on information, gleaned from one source and another, although this part of his work is of very great importance, he is to explain to his classmates individually and as a group the meaning of the events which make up the college year. He must keep himself posted as to what is going on, why certain changes of policy are made, what the trustees and faculty desire and expect from the alumni body. To do this he needs something of the prophet's vision to appreciate today's happenings and tomorrow's possibilities. He needs also the journalist's practical skill to enable him to pass on to others what he himself knows and feels.

It is no easy task to persuade the average alumnus that his four years in Hanover with an infrequent visit to the old town and occasional attendance at alumni dinners and athletic contests should be but the foundation stones of his real and permanent contacts with the college.

It is a "difficult task to persuade the average alumnus that he has a definite financial obligation to the College, measured only by his financial resources and continuous throughout his life.

It is a still more difficult task to persuade the average alumnus that he has a moral obligation, extending to undergraduates and to fellow alumni of all ages, always to live up to the best traditions of his alma mater and to strengthen the hands of those who are trying to raise ever higher the standards of the College. During the past few weeks utterances along these lines from two well known alumni have come to my attention. They seem especially appropriate at this time. The first is a single phrase from an after-dinner speech at an alumni dinner by one who has a well deserved reputation as a humorist, but who has sound sense back of his humor. It is this: "For our Mother is judged by our conduct when we are among, others". The second is a sentence from a personal letter from one whose loyalty and service to the College are conspicuous. "I join with you in hoping that the alumni will remember that about the only way you can sell an idea to the undergraduates in relation to Dartmouth. College is to offer proof in the shape of living alumni, their habits, actions and support of the College".

Need any man seek a higher position than that of class secretary ? Does it not offer a field for every kind of talent a man possesses? Is there any limit to the time he can spend and the good he can accomplish? Is it not significant that two of the twelve Dartmouth trustees are class secretaries?

Many of the practical (and a few of the impractical) duties of a class secretary have been discussed in greater or lesser detail at the annual meetings of this Association during the past twenty years. I wish that abstracts of all the discussions were available. Fortunately, the ALUMNI MAGAZINE is printing; year by year fuller accounts of our meetings. If we make our discussions better, the editor will give more space.

Let me say in closing that I know no work that on the whole is so rewarding or gives deeper satisfaction for time and effort spent than that of a Dartmouth class secretary. Whatever we may give to our classmates we receive more, much more, ourselves.

Let us all then, new secretaries and old, give the best that is in us to advance the interests of the College we love.

ALUMNI MAGAZINE—E. F. Clark 'Ol, H. R. Wellman 'O7.

For the ALUMNI MAGAZINE Mr. Clark spoke in appreciation of the work of the associate editors who carry so much of the burden, of publication. He also enlarged on the material which was coming in from contributors for publication in the MAGAZINE and told the secretaries of some of the special articles which would appear in the MAGAZINE in the near future.

Mr. Wellman discussed the financial situation. The accumulated deficit of $2,988.00 has been paid by the College. This will be repaid ultimately by the MAGAZINE by crediting the account with the cost of faculty subscriptions, by receiving regular rates from the College for advertising space and in the event of any cash surplus applying a reasonable amount of this to the deficit. The collections were reported in excellent condition and a total of 3,042 subscriptions, with only ISO cancellations for the year. The MAGAZINE being still in the cycle of increasing costs, it will be found necessary to adjust the subscription rate charged to classes which come in as a unit to meet the actual cost of production.

Considerable discussion ensued on the value of using the ALUMNI, a medium for class notes. Those classes like 'll and 'l6 which had tried it intensively were strongly in favor of the project. At the request of the Business Manager it was moved and Voted: That a committee be appointed to work with the. management in formulating a plan for class subscriptions as a unit. Pursuant to this motion the chair appointed

X. W. BURLEIGH 'll, A. M. STRONG '92, H. C. BEAN 'l6.

Report from the Alumni Council—W. D. Parkinson '7B.

After expressing his gratification at the privilege of serving as the representative of the Secretaries Association on the Alumni Council Mr. Parkinson outlined the various activities which the Council dealt. He dwelt at some length on the work done in connection with the nomination of trustees, the collection of an Alumni Fund, and the ability of the Council to keep in touch with the affairs of the College, showing how- such activities as athletics, student affairs, undergraduate thought, the development of the selective process and alumni projects in general, come before and are discussed by the Council in regular session. By thus informing the sectional representatives, large areas of the country are also informed.

Alumni Fund—R. R. Larmon 'l9.

In the fall of the year the Alumni Fund Committee endeavored to secure some indication of intention from the 2,000 graduates who did not contribute to the Alumni Fund last year or who did not answ-er any letters of the Committee or of the agents. As the result of a series of letters prepared by the chairman, Clarence McDavitt, 1316 of the 2000 replied and indicated their intentions for this year. 752 said they would contribute or sent contributions with their reply; 564 said they would not contribute. The results of this should have appeared more definitely than they have so far. At this time collections are $2,000 behind • those of this date last year and there are 117 less contributors. It is hoped that an increase will be show7n by the end of the year.

(>reat enthusiasm concerning the Alumni Fund was shown at the Pow Wow in Chicago. One result of definite good occurred. A group of Chicago men have organized effectively for educating the alumni in the Chicago district as to the desirability of supporting the College through the Alumni Fund and for actually securing contributions from these same men. The Association of Holyoke, Massachusetts, has furnished the laudable example of securing contributions or promises to contribute from every one of the forty members of the Association.

The speaker indicated that a very real investigation is being made and will continue to be made of the effectiveness of the present Fund organization and of possible changes in the organization which would be of benefit. He also stated his belief .that some provision must definitely be made for alumni groups in different geographical centers taking the responsibility for interviewing Dartmouth men in their districts who are not answering the letters of their class agents.

Budget Plan for Class Finances—Ralph Sanborn 'l7.

The class of 1917 as a war class was faced with the problem of disorganization. First the class had to be located, and not until this was done could a plan be devised for making it possible for the men to meet their class obligations. Finally the following plan was suggested and adopted: No definite obligation was placed on any man but members of the class were given to understand that a minimum assessment of $l5 had been arrived at and that if one man failed to meet this obligation someone else would have to make it up. Two questions were asked of each man; first, whether or not he would adopt the plan of the class, and second, if so how much would he pledge to it per annum ?

The fund received from this source is divided in four ways: (1) Alumni Fund: (2) Fixed class expenses; (3) Alumni Magazine; (4) a sinking fund to be used only for unforseen emergencies. In determining to use the ALUMNI MAGAZINE as its news medium the class has discontinued "The Seventeen Sentry" in its present form. Hereafter it is to be printed on one sheet, the rest of the class news appearing in the ALUMNI MAGAZINE. The plan installed itself automatically when 115 men had made pledges which were payable quarterly, semi-annually, or annually. For the collection of these pledges statements are sent out by forty-one assistants and at the first of each month a" reminder is sent to those who are delinquent. The assistants turn in their collections to the class treasurer. To date the class reports 255 active members of whom 164 men, 65% of the class, have pledged $2,810.72.

Considerable discussion followed this paper. H. C. Bean 'l6 described the method in operation in his class of dividing the country into districts with a district head who worked in cooperation with the secretary, treasurer and president. This organization had brought in a considerable number of men as contributors for the first time and the secretary was in touch with 85% of the men who entered with the class in 1912.

J. W. Worthen 'O9 related the experiences of his class in the operation of a similar budget system. At the end of the first year of the opening of the plan three times as much money was raised for the Alumni Fund as had been procured in any previous year. He expressed it as his opinion that the plan evoked an increased moral support which would continue to grow with the years. The value of a class publication, as well as the notes in the ALUMNI MAGAZINE, was presented by A. N. Cate '2O, and L. M. Folan 'l5.

Mr. Sanborn offered the suggestion that the class bulletin be reserved, for such matter as could not be used in the ALUMNI MAGAZINE and the members of the class be notified that the MAGAZINE will contain those notes in which they are particularly interested. The desirability of appointing a class editor to co-operate with the secretary was also advocated by several.

Following the discussion of the question of class finances Mr. Clark spoke of the desire of the class of 1923 to enlarge and repair the Senior Fence. The meeting expressed its appreciation of the offer of this class.

There was also further discussion on the college seal and the correct interpretation of its Hebrew inscription by Messrs. Tuttle. Emerson, Little and Chandler.

J. W. Newton 'B6 described in an interesting way his efforts to determine the proper colors for the official college flag which he presented a number of years ago to the College. The resuit of his researches were at that time filed with the College for future reference.

These discussions concluded the afternoon session and the meeting was then adjourned to reassemble in College Hall for the annual dinner.

At the Twentieth Annual Meeting of Secretaries in April