1926 Gives Record Fund
ONE of the developing characteristics of the Class Memorial Fund program is that no class holds the record very long. Three years ago, the Class of 1923 went over the $ 100,000 mark for the first time and set a new level of giving with a 25th reunion gift of $107,000. This record lasted only until 1925 came along with its class gift of $112,000 last year. At its 25th reunion last month, 1926 went to the fore as the memorial fund record-holder with a magnificent gift of $126,000, raised by the class while it was also meeting its 1951 Alumni Fund objective of more than $15,000.
The 1926 Class Memorial Fund was presented to President Dickey at the banquet climaxing 1926's 25th reunion on the commencement weekend of June 15-17. Robert M. Stopford of New York and Albert E. Louer of Chicago, co-chairmen of the campaign which produced a joint fund of $141,000, made the presentation on behalf of the class. Carleton Blunt of Chicago, 1926 toastmaster and this year president of the General Association of Dartmouth Alumni, received a rising vote of thanks for his individual efforts in the memorial fund campaign; and in appreciation of special fund-raising work done by Donald B. Hopkins of Upper Montclair, N. J., the class presented him with one of the 1926 gold keys that were a feature of the campaign.
The "Gold Key Men" of 1926 are all those who made individual contributions of $l,OOO or more to the class fund. Although gold keys, contributed by a member of the class, were bestowed upon some 40 men, the 1926 memorial fund record was the combined achievement of 370 different members of the class, representing 67 per cent of 1926's total membership.
The addition of the record-breaking $126,000 from 1926 raised to more than $750,000 the grand total of class memorial funds given since their inception in 1938. These funds function as endowment, with annual income credited to the respective classes in the Alumni Fund campaign each year.
THE GOLD KEY PRESENTED TO PRESIDENT DICKEY by 1926 at its reunion banquet was something he could keep. The class fund of $126,000 turned over to him was added to College endowment as a new high mark in the Class Memorial Fund program. Left to right are Albert E. Louer '26 and Robert M. Stop- ford 26, co-chairmen of the joint fund campaign; President Dickey; Carleton Blunt '26, a leading worker in the 1926 achievement; and Nichol M. Sandoe Jr. '45, executive head of the 25-Year Gift program.
