25th Anniversary Campaign Set New Records
Outstanding Work of Class Agents Led Many Classes to Highest Achievements
AS WAS SAID DURING THE ERNEST MARTIN HOPKINS 25TH ANNIVERSARY CAMPAIGN OF THE ALUMNI FUND, this campaign was built around two "naturals"—Dartmouth College and President Hopkins.
Naturally, therefore, it was a great success.
But the 1940-1941 Alumni Fund Committee is not un- mindful of the fact that over a considerable period Dart- mouth Fund campaigns have almost invariably been out- standingly successful, particularly as viewed in comparison with other college campaigns. It thoroughly appreciates the advantage that Dartmouth has in its corps of enthusiastic and extremely capable class agents and an alumni body that seems really eager to express each year in a tangible way something of its real devotion to its College.
Although the amount per contributor was not as high as it was in the war year, 1918, alumni joined in our 1940-1941 Fund to the number of 10,615—a new high record,—and established a new high proportion of contributors to living graduates, 82%.
In addition, 215 undergraduates, parents of Dartmouth men and other friends of the College joined in this anniversary tribute to President Hopkins with contributions totaling $18,292. The grand total of the campaign, therefore, was $196,159.97 of which amount alumni contributed $177,867.97.
The new alumni participation figure of 82% was the fourth successive new high record established in the past four years. The Dartmouth curve of alumni support for liberal education measured by number of contributors and total dollars continues to ever new heights, unequaled in regard to participation by any other educational institution of which we know.
If the number of alumni contributors is divided by the number of all living alumni, including everyone who ever matriculated, the resulting figure for 1941 would be 57%. Breakdowns indicate that 72% of living graduates and 25% of living non-graduates contributed. All of these are new high records. While there is no differentiation in the Dartmouth family between those who graduated and those who for one reason or another did not get their degrees at Hanover, it is noteworthy among the latter group, many of whom received their degrees at other institutions, that 25% joined in support of the Alumni Fund, a performance which so far as we know also remains unique.
ALLOCATION OF FUNDS RECEIVED
The Anniversary Campaign was conducted on the basis that the gift was to be turned over to the President for his use on behalf of the College as he should deem best. The ALUMNI MAGAZINE of last October contained the letter of transmittal from Sigurd S. Larmon '14, President of the Alumni Council, to President Hopkins with the President's acknowledgment in which he described his intentions with regard to the allocation of the funds received of which $79, 000 were appropriated as customary to prevent an operat- ing deficit for the year.
One unusual need this year which President Hopkins has been able to meet from his Anniversary Reserve Fund, as a result of the special fund, is a modest bonus to instructors at lower salary levels so that they can meet their extra living costs. Another use which he is considering is additional scholarship aid for students who now will not be able to work in the summer due to attending the extra summer term at Hanover.
OUTSTANDING CLASS ACCOMPLISHMENTS
It is perfectly obvious that an accomplishment like the Anniversary Campaign could be achieved only through a great number of splendid accomplishments in the individual classes. This fact, though-readily apparent, was demonstrated with a measure of magnificence.
The individual accomplishments which made this gratifying total result are too numerous for recapitulation. Every class back to and including the class of 1886 increased its contribution over the year before. Fifty-five out of 65 active classes exceeded the objectives of the 1940 campaign, which were used in calculating the various competitions.
The 32 classes which exceeded the 82% of contributors of the Fund as a whole would constitute a noteworthy honor roll for the Anniversary Campaign. Seventeen classes, as compared with 11 the year before, showed at least as many contributors as living graduates, with percentages, according to our traditional methods of calculation, from 100% to 357%
In such an embarrassment of riches as we have in the class records for the 1941 Alumni Fund, only the highest high spots can be touched in a summary report such as this. More extensive enumerations are contained elsewhere in this report, particularly in a tabulation of groups of nine classes which excelled in various aspects of Fund achievement.
In per cent of contributors it is familiar to find the class of 1879 at the head of the roster, led by Class Agent Clifford H. Smith and followed by the class of 1886, J. W. Newton, agent; and 1900, C. G. McDavitt, agent.
In number of contributors, the class of 1930 leads with a roster of 416 contributors obtained by Alex J. McFarland. Paul R. Kruming and the class of 1928 follow with 409 (for 100%) and the class of 1923, led by the Clough-Hilton-Moore triumvirate, is third with 396.
The class of 1913, of which John J. Remsen has been the exceedingly successful agent for the past half decade, was way out in front in dollar total with a gift of $13,691.88. The class of 1926, whose spectacular achievements for the past several years have been achieved under the direction of Albert E. M. Louer, was second with $6,230.
Marked improvement over the previous year remains one of the important criteria of Alumni Fund achievement. In this field the class of 1906 and Nathaniel Leverone, agent, are outstanding. In a 1941 ranking on combined per cent of contributors and per cent of 1940 objectives, as compared with a similar ranking for the previous year, '06 stepped ahead 19 places. The class of 1917, Arthur P. MacIntyre, agent, was second with a 16-place advance.
GREEN DERBY CONTESTS
In the Green Derby contests the class of 1901 led the classes of 1898-1908 for the sixth consecutive year. Among the classes of 1909-19, the class of 1913 re- peats victories won last year and dur- ing one or two previous years of John Remsen's agentship. In the classes of 1920-29, Orton H. Hicks led the class of 1921 to win over 1926 in one of the most magnificent contests of Green Derby history, ending a stretch of four consecutive victories for '26. In the youngest group, 1930-40, the class of 1930 with Alex J. McFarland at the helm for the first year, repeated its vic- tory of last year.
It has with inescapable logic become traditional for Alumni Fund chairmen to emphasize for the sake of an honest record the fact that the accomplishments of the Dartmouth Alumni Fund, which are a source of such justifiable pride to us, are almost in their entirety attributable to that remarkable phenomenon, the Dartmouth Class Agent. Since this tradition is so firmly established it becomes difficult to find new terms that are adequate to the expression of appreciation which is due to the class agents and their assistants, on behalf of the Alumni Council committee which has oversight of the Alumni Fund, and indeed on behalf of Dartmouth College.
THE CLASS AGENTS
It was obvious that these agents approached the 1941 cam- paign with a special enthusiasm and for this reason it was a particularly happy privilege to be associated with them in this undertaking which, thanks to their devotion to Dart- mouth, their imagination and their large quantities of hard work, was such a satisfying success.
SPECIAL ASSISTANCE
The Alumni Fund Committee owes special expressions of appreciation to several individuals who at our request gave service as experts in particular phases of the Anniver- sary Campaign. These included four former chairmen of the Alumni Fund, Clarence G. McDavitt 'oo, Sigurd S. Lar- mon '14, Sumner B. Emerson '17 and John W. Hubbell '21; our '22 class agent, Robert P. Booth, Basil O'Connor '12, Edward S. French '06, and others who contributed sub- stantially to the success of the campaign.
THE FUTURE
It is natural, with a success immediately behind us, to look forward hopefully to the future. This we confidently do, however great the problems created by the war situation may prove to be—and undoubtedly they will be great. The past few years have seen a gradual increase in the size of the average gift received by the Alumni Fund. The 1941 campaign with its special impetus found the average gift naturally at the highest level of the past decade, $16.76. Review of the earlier years of the Fund, however, shows that the average gift for the war year of 1918 was $22.88, higher even than the average for the Anniversary Campaign. This indicates the degree to which the College may count upon the support of its sons when circumstances necessitate support beyond the ordinary.
ALBERT I. DICKERSON '30 Executive secretary of the Alumni Fund•Committee who will manage his tenthcampaign for the Fund this spring. He alsoholds a major administrative position asexecutive assistant to President Hopkins.
CHAIRMAN OF FUND COMMITTEE The 1942 campaign of the Fund will againbe under the leadership of Harvey P. HoodII '18 who heads the Alumni Council's committee on Alumni Fund. Mr. Hood was recently elected an Alumni Trustee.
LEADS '17 UP LADDER Arthur P. MacIntyre '17, class agent whoproduced one of most spectacular improvements in Anniversary Campaign whichshowed increases for 55 out of 65 classes under leadership of class agents.
CHAIRMAN ALUMNI FUND 1940-41
