The College

The $3.75-million ice arena and auditorium to be constructed at Dartmouth will be named in memory of the late Rupert C. Thompson Jr. '28 of Providence, R.I., a former Life Trustee of the College, prominent business executive, and alumni leader.

At the time of his death in June 1970, Mr. Thompson, retired chairman of the board of Textron, Inc., was national chairman of Dartmouth's Third Century Fund drive, which raised more than $53 million in capital and initiative funds for the College. His own lifetime gifts to Dartmouth totaled over $1 million.

In announcing the decision of the Board of Trustees to name the new facility the "Rupert C. Thompson Arena," President Kemeny recalled that "as a Trustee of the College and national chairman of Dartmouth's Third Century Fund, "Rupe' Thompson provided inspired leadership which brought the College to its 200th anniversary with renewed strength and vision."

President Kemeny said that Mr. Thompson, a varsity soccer player during his undergraduate years at Dartmouth and an eloquent advocate of the "whole man" approach to higher education, had frequently expressed keen interest in a modern, multi-purpose ice arena for the College. Dartmouth's only current skating facility is the 44-year-old Davis Rink, which for several years has been too small and crowded to meet the skating needs of the College and its traditionally strong hockey team.

"It seemed to the board that there could be no more appropriate way to recognize Mr. Thompson's many important contributions to Dartmouth - in leadership and loyalty, as well as financial support - than to name this fine projected facility in his memory," Mr. Kemeny said.

He said he was also pleased to announce that Mr. Thompson's widow, Mrs. Doris C. Thompson, and his two sons, Peter C. Thompson '55, of Westwood, Mass., and David G. Thompson '57 of Locust Valley, N.Y., concurred with the recommendation of the Board.

Construction of the arena, which President Kemeny has described as "promising to be one of the finest collegiate multipurpose rinks in the country," will start in the spring. The building is scheduled to be ready for use by the spring of 1975. Designed by the Italian architect-engineer Pier Luigi Nervi, it will be located on Chase Athletic Field, opposite the Leverone Field House, also designed by Nervi.