Report of Twenty-Fifth Alumni Fund
PRESIDENT HOPKINS last year referred to the Alumni Fund as "a thermometer indicative of Dartmouth's health." Any doubts as to the College's health, if they existed, must have been dispelled by the results of the Silver Anniversary Fund, in which more alumni than ever before demonstrated their loyalty to and appreciation of their Alma Mater. To the men who brought this about, givers and workers alike, go the Committee's sincere thanks.
NUMBER OF GIFTS
The 1939 Fund numbered 9,453 contributors, a gain of 671 over the previous high record of 1938. The proportion of contributors to living graduates was 79%, as against the previous record of 76% made in 1938. If the contributors are taken in proportion to all living alumni including everyone who ever matriculated, the figure is 54%, which is higher than the comparable results of any other educational institution known to your Committee. A breakdown of the above percentages shows 69% of contributors among living graduates and 22% of contributors among living nongraduates. All of these figures are newhighs and all are highly pleasing.
DOLLARS AND THEIR ALLOCATION The total amount of contributions received amounted to $114,709.64, an increase over the previous year of approximately $6,000, and the highest amount received since 1930. The year's objective was $110,000. This is the first time since 1928 that the Fund has exceeded its objective.
After deducting the campaign expenses and adding the income from the permanent General Fund established by the Alumni Fund in its early years, the net amount available for appropriation was $108,052.94.
After conferring with officers of the College the Committee, in accordance with the authorization voted by the Alumni Council at its Commencement meeting, made the following allocation of the available funds: To current expenses of the College | 81,271.23 To the Dartmouth Hall Reconstruction Account . . . . 24,009.47 To the Thayer School 2,400.00 To the 1914 Memorial Fund 372.24 $108,052.94
The contribution to prevent a College deficit is, of course, the main purpose of the Fund. In addition, the alumni are delighted to have been instrumental in rebuilding Dartmouth Hall, with a new in- terior ideally designed for attractiveness and usefulness, in materials considered indestructible by fire. Over the past five years the Alumni Fund has contributed a total of $95,333.74 toward this cost, leaving $27,078.27 unpaid, which we hope to be able to meet from the 1940 Fund.
The contribution to the Thayer School is made in accordance with our agreement with the Fletcher Fund under which they abandoned a separate campaign. This agreement will be continued in 1940.
As in the previous year, the twenty-five year class at Commencement established a permanent Memorial Fund, and in accordance with the agreement made by the Alumni Council, the amount of the Class of 1914 Alumni Fund contribution in excess of its objective was credited to this Memorial Fund. It is planned that these funds will be increased by special gifts and bequests. Their future income will be credited annually to the Alumni Fund.
The proportion of expense to the amount raised was about the same as in previous campaigns and was the lowest in many years per contributor. The cost is well down in the lower ranges as compared with similar funds of other colleges.
DARTMOUTH REGULARS
A recent study of Fund records shows that 2,177 Dartmouth men have contributed in every one of the last ten consecutive years, or, in the case of the classes from six to ten years out of College, every year since graduation. These are outstanding cases of consistent individual generosity, and on these men your Committee is delighted to bestow the title of "Dartmouth Regulars." Among this number there are many who deserve an extra star. There are 92 who have given every year since the Fund took its present form in 1915. Among the classes who graduated since that date, there are 375 men who are ten or more years out of College who have given every year since they graduated. We wish we had something more tangible than a title with which to reward such faithfulness.
OUTSTANDING CLASS ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Lack of space prohibits a complete list of the most praiseworthy class achievements. No report would be complete, however, without devoting some special attention to outstanding class results.
Nine classes, '79, '01 '98, '00, '78, 'si, '18, '92 and '26, had the distinction of turning in at least as many contributors as they have living graduates. The last three are new in this group. Praise is due to thirtythree classes, of which six (the classes of 1896, 1899, 1905, 1917, 1918 and 1925) were new for the group, who equalled or exceeded 100% of their dollar objectives.
The Green Derby winners, based on a combined per cent of contributors and of objective, were:
In Group A—l9ol where Harry B. Gilmore
won for the fourth consecutive year; In Group B—1918 where Robert Fish in his first year as class agent made a spectacular improvement;
In Group C—1926 where Albert E. M.
Louer won for the third consecutive year. The runners-up were respectively 1898, 1911 and 1930.
Mr. Louer in '26 had the unusual distinction of leading all classes in the amount of money contributed, $4,308.05, and also in the largest number of contributors, 400. Too much praise cannot be given for such outstanding results. Second place in contributions went to 1911 with $4,293.50 and in number of contributors to 1930 with 385.
On the basis of improvement over the preceding year in percentages of both contributors and objective two classes are tied —1918 led by Robert Fish and 1933 by Robert P. Booth. Close behind followed 1888, led by Eleazar Cate, and 1934 by James T. White.
Once again the "baby class," in this case 1938, led by Ewart G. Walls Jr. turned in a magnificent first year achievement, recording 70% of contributors and 91% of objective. This even exceeded the excellent record made the previous year by 1937 and is the best record for a first-year class in the recent history of the Fund.
The grand old Class of '79 still leads all others in the amount contributed since the organization of the Fund. Its total now is $82,947.86. This record is closely followed by 1911 with $80,649.11. Third place goes to 1910.
The above represent only the more spectacular achievements. Many other classes are really entitled to a palm branch. These results have been brought about by the class agents and their assistants whose long hours and consistent devotion to Dartmouth deserve the sincere appreciation of every Dartmouth man. Your Committee gives them one and all its unstinted praise.
HAIL AND FAREWELL The Fund has suffered two severe losses in the deaths during the year of Edward W. Knight 'B7 and George H. Evans '99.
Mr. Knight has been class agent for seventeen years during which the class gave amounts ranging from 129% to 448% of its objectives and during ten of which recorded at least 100% of contributors. Under his leadership 1887 was always one of the leading classes. He acted as Chairman of the Fund Committee in 1919 and 1920 and has been both a trustee of the College and was one of the organizers of the Alumni Council. His loss will be keenly felt both by '87 and by the entire alumni body.
Mr. Evans had just completed a five year term as agent for 1899. His 1939 results showed the best percentage of contributors in the history of the class, and the best percentage of objective for a decade.
THE FUTURE In common with all other funds made up of free will gifts, the Dartmouth Alumni Fund has suffered from decreased prosperity and increased taxes. Because of the steadily increasing loyalty of Dartmouth men, we have, however, received far more contributions, many of the new ones necessarily being in the lower brackets. Because of both factors, the average amount given has shown a rather steady decrease from $21.66 in 1926 to a new low of $12.07 in 1939, although if computed on a per alumnus basis, the figure has since 1933 shown a slight increase.
The Alumni Fund has a dual purpose. It gives Dartmouth men an opportunity to express tangibly their loyalty to the College. By contributing they become a part of it. Its other aim is to help provide the means to enable the College to fulfill its great purpose. We therefore seek both a large number of contributors and a large number of dollars. In future campaigns we hope that every Dartmouth man will join in making a contribution and that every contributor will consider carefully the amount of his contribution, will increase it as his own economic position allows so that it really expresses his debt to the College. Knowing that Dartmouth men will do both, your Committee has confidence for 1940 as well as gratitude for 1939. The Fund thermometer will continue to show that Dartmouth's health is vigorous.
The Alumni Fund Committee of theAlumni Council:
FLETCHER R. ANDREWS '16 WHITNEY H. EASTMAN '10 EDWARD K. ROBINSON '04 LEON B. RICHARDSON '00 ALBERT I. DICKERSON '30
Executive Secretary.
Last Year's Results Set New Records, Thanks to Agents And Assistants, Showing High Promise for 1940
