The Alumni Fund
With a goal of $130,000 before June 30 the fifteenth campaign of the Alumni Fund on the Tucker Foundation got under way March 9 when the President's Message was mailed from Hanover. There will be six additional mailing pieces. This makes a total of seven for the entire campaign which is a reduction of two mailings over the 1928 drive and three less than in 1927. This year's campaign did not start until four weeks later than last year. It is believed by the committee that the adoption of a shorter campaign period will not result in any loss of effectiveness. Advantages of the shortened period are a greater concentration of continued effort than has previously been possible, a reduction in operating expense, and less demand on the time of class agents.
The committee of the Alumni Council in charge of the Fund is composed of Frederick H. Leggett '98, chairman, Sidney C. Hayward '26, executive secretary, Philip S. Marden '94, William W. Grant, Jr. '03, William J. Minsch '07, and Allan L. Priddy '15. One of the main objectives of the committee this year is to reduce the ratio of operating expense to the amount collected to an even lower figure than this has been in other campaigns. The greatest aid in achieving this end is an early reply on the part of contributors. Promptness in sending in contributions is also the best possible help alumni can give their class agents, and this is especially true in the younger classes.
Pledging, or the indication of a future contribution during the campaign, has been eliminated partly because of the shorter campaign this year but largely because it was not used to any great extent and the ratio of realization on the pledges to the expense of administering the system discouraged its
further retention. Through the creation of an attractively printed envelope which also incorporates postage saving features, the committee is effecting a considerable saving in mailing expense.
Several of these features of the present Fund drive are innovations in Fund procedure, not only at Dartmouth, but among all colleges. This fact together with the increased quota this year makes the 1929 campaign the most interesting of any in the history of the Fund drives since the first in 1914. The quota of $130,000 represents an actual increase of nearly $10,000 over last year when the goal was $115,000 and this was substantially over-subscribed. Total collections in 1928 were $120,591.44.
One of the innovations of the Alumni Fund campaign this year is a mailing piece which will be sent on May 4 to all alumni, whether or not they have contributed at that time. This piece will include the names of all contributors, listed by classes, whose gifts are received in Hanover up to and including April 30. There will also be a statement of class standings and mention of successful class agents. The form of the appeal will be that of a rotogravure section. The Louis Orr etchings will be reproduced in it and there will be other photographs of interest to Dartmouth men. A similar rotogravure-tabloid containing the names of all contributors up to June 12 will go in the mails June 17 as the final appeal of the campaign which ends June 30.
