1965 Fund Pulls Ahead

Dartmouth's 1965 Alumni Fund campaign heads into the final June stretch drive with almost one million dollars raised and $800,000 to go. Fund totals, as of May 25, showed $975,000 in gifts from 12,250 alumni, parents, and friends. This put the drive some $40,000 and 315 donors ahead of last year's 50th Anniversary Campaign on the same date.

Fund Chairman Rupert C. Thompson Jr. '28 cited May results as "the turning point in the campaign." He explained that in April the Fund totals were just about even with 1964, but in May the Fund began to inch ahead and to build up its $40,000 lead. "I thought in April that we'd be lucky to reach $1,700,000 this year," Thompson said. "Now I think we have a fighting chance to achieve the full $1,800,000 goal. Our Class Agents are doing a magnificent job, and many alumni are sending along gratifying increases in their gifts."

The traditional inter-class Green Derby competition is running well with many classes contending for top honors in their groups. The Group I leader is the Class of 1907, followed closely by 1906 and 1905. The Group II leader is the 50-year Class of 1915, followed by 1918 and 1919. In Group 111 the Class of 1925 has edged ahead of 1923, with 1922 in third place. The Class of 1934 currently leads the Group IV competition, but 1935 and 1930 are close behind. The Classes of 1939, 1941 and 1942 rank in that order in Group V, while the Class of 1950 leads Group VI, followed by 1945 and 1947. Among the younger classes 1951 leads Group VII, with 1954 only one point behind and 1955 in third place. The Class of 1960 is first in Group VIII, with 1958 and 1959 following near the top.

A recent analysis shows most classes ahead of their 1964 pace at this time with a few classes doing amazingly well.

The final campaign month of June is customarily the big participation month. Some 3700 Agents will be going all out to contact non-contributors and a special Telephone Campaign will be conducted from Boston and New York in late June.

The Fund Committee's June appeal, which went into the mails on the day this report was written, emphasizes the contribution made by the Alumni Fund to the financial aid program of the College. OS her programs being financed in a major way by the proceeds from this year's Fund include faculty compensation and library resources.