Bequest Leaders Meet
THE Bequest Program meeting, held in Hanover October 3 and 4, was attended by 32 alumni representatives of classes from 1889 through 1925. This year's general meeting was the second to be held. A reception in the Hanover Inn Lounge at 5 p.m. on Friday was followed by a general evening session in Sanborn House Library, where Nichol M. Sandoe '19, chairman of the Alumni Council Committee on Bequests, presided. The group was addressed by Justin A. Stanley '33, Vice-President of the College; John F. Meek '33, Treasurer and Vice-President; Ross Gamble, secretary of the Alumni Council Committee on Bequests; and Paul H. Fox '32, tax specialist.
Saturday morning was devoted to two group discussions on the year's activities and methods which have proved successful. Representatives from the classes through 1909 met with Edwin R. Bartlett '04, while G. Kellogg Rose Jr. '15 conducted the discussion group made up of men in the 1910-1926 group.
After a luncheon at the DOC House on Saturday, President Dickey addressed the entire group. The President stressed the importance of the Bequest Program as a principal means by which the requirements of the College may be met in the future. "I have reached the conclusion," he said, "that the work of an independent liberal arts college such as Dartmouth is, more than any other cause, worthy of receiving whatever margin a man may have left over after providing for his family and is willing to put back into influencing the character of human life in the future."
"It seems to me," President Dickey stated, "that an independent liberal arts college is the only institution, at least in American life, which is primarily concerned at the highest level of educational activity with the development of both the will and the capacity of a man to serve the public good regardless of how he serves his own."
In a progress report, Mr. Gamble stated that initial efforts to interest alumni in making contributions to the College in the form of bequests has been encouragingly effective. During the year ending June 30, 1952 the College received a total of $250,000 by bequests, insurance provisions and gifts subject to life income. Some of these were the direct result of the work of class representatives on the Bequest Program and some the result of past efforts of earlier alumni workers.
In the three months since June, the College has received from the same sources approximately $275,000. During the past year there have been a number of agreements reached whereby gifts will be made with life income reserved, and the College has received word of a substantial number of provisions made for its benefit in wills and life insurance, ranging from $ 1,000 to major amounts.
Encouraging gains have also been made in the percentage of members in various classes who are at present known to have made provisions for Dartmouth. These provisions on maturity will appreciably increase the Dartmouth endowment. As an example, it is now estimated that one of the larger classes will eventually contribute not less than $1,000,000 to endowment through estate provisions made for the College by its members. One of the smaller classes has in the past year doubled its percentage of members making estate provisions, from 10 to 20 per cent. The secretary's report brought out the fact that new classes are joining the Bequest Program each year, thus assuring continuing increases in endowment through estate planning.
Members of the Alumni Council Committee on Bequests are: Nichol M. Sandoe '19, chairman; Ross Gamble, secretary; F. William Andres '29, Carleton Blunt '26, John F. Meek '33, Edward Winsor '24.
Those alumni who came to Hanover to attend the Bequest Program meeting were:
Ralph S. Bartlett '89, Prof. Wm. F. Geiger '92, Willard G. Aborn '93, Philip S. Marden '94, Fred C. Cleaveland '95, Thomas C. Ham '96, A. D. Storrs '99, H. Leßaron Sampson '00, Carl M. Owen '01, Davis B. Keniston '02, Edwin R. Bartlett '04, Frederick Chase '05, John R. McLane '07, Warren Currier '08, Arthur B. Rotch '08, L. M. Symmes '08, Robert J. Holmes '09, Leland Powers '10, John C. Sterling '11, John J. Remsen '13, Clarence C. Meleney '13, Martin J. Remsen '14, G. Kellogg Rose Jr. '15, Gilbert N. Swett '17, Richard P. White '18, Roger A. Clark '19, H. Sheridan Baketel Jr. '20, Donald G. Mix '21, Herbert F. West '22, Dr. Colin C. Stewart III '23, John R. Wheatley '24, and Ford H. Whelden '25.
