Top Club President

You, sir, are a very wise man. We say this because we have seen evidence from the famous Dartmouth Club of New York Case 1957-58.

After your election as President of that renowned organization in June 1957, you found that the club had been losing money for the past six years and that its treasury had ebbed to a new low. And just to make your job a little more lively, the landlord decided on a 60% rent increase. You took the following action: (1) You raised the dues — this should have further decreased your membership, but it didn't. (2) You spent $30,000 on improvements — this should have completely wiped out the treasury, but it didn't — not quite. (3) With a graciousness that shattered tradition, you opened the club s doors to the lad:es. This should have landed you before the House Committee on un-American Activities, but h didn't.

Your program basically called for the application of an old formula: spend money to make money. Of course, the formula only works if the money is spent wisely. You were wise to conduct a thorough survey among 5,000 Dartmouth men to determine the best location for the club. You were wise in fitting out an attractive dining room named for Daniel Webster and manned by Miss Patricia Burger, hostess. You were wise to open up a spacious handsomely decorated Ladies' Cocktail Lounge now serving 150 customers a month. You were wise when you redecorated the Woodrow Wilson Room and the Tavern renaming them the Tower Room and the Eleazar Wheelock Tavern. They are more comfortable, have a more pleasant atmosphere - refreshment sales are up 25%.

In your wisdom you conducted an advertising campaign for the club - even offering graduating seniors run or the place this summer. And you have been ever so wise in choosing talented and dedicated Dartmouth men to assist in the club's transformation.

We are about to rest our case in support of your election as Club President or the Year, Carl. But may we add a further word of congratulations on your success, for, as clubs go in this country, yours is not large — it is a small club and yet, sir, you have proved that there are those who love it.

Carl H. Funke '35, president of the Dartmouth Club of New York, was acclaimed Club President of the Year when the club presidents and secretaries held their annual meeting in Hanover on September 26-27. The following citation was read: