Cornell University - Cornellian Yearbook (Ithaca, NY)

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CHARLES REEVE VANNEMAN FOSTER M. COFFIN THE CORNELL ALUMNI CORPORATION Cornell supports several alumni organizations, largely independent in their fields of action although naturally interlocking to a degree. The Cornell Alumni Corporation is the general alumni association. The Cornellian Council, de- scribed on the opposite page, is the official fund-raising agency. The Cornell Alumni News, published weekly except during the summer when it appears monthly, is the official alumni magazine. The Federation of Cornell Women's Clubs and the Cornell Association of Class Secretaries have titles which are self-explanatory. At a meeting in 1872, representatives of the classes then graduated founded the organization known as the Associate Alumni of Cornell University. As the alumni increased in number and formed local clubs and organizations, the need arose for a more competent and central organization. The Associate Alumni became a corporation in 1903. ln l923 the name of the association was changed to the Cornell Alumni Corporation. All persons who have attended Cornell University as students, whether graduated or not, are members. More than a hundred alumni clubs, in all parts of the world, form the main structure of the organization, and the Corporation derives its financial support mainly from assessments levied on these clubs. Besides the annual meeting in Ithaca just before Commencement, the Cor- poration holds biennial conventions, generally in the autumn. Until l930 these conventions were scheduled annually: in the future, conventions will be held in the fall of each even-numbered year. Fifteen alumni comprise the Board of Directors of the Corporation. Twelve are district directors, elected from twelve districts into which the world has been divided, and three are directors-at-large. The personnel of the Board this year includes the following district direc- tors: Central New York, William I. Thorne, 'lly Metropolitan New York, Francis O. Affeld, Ir., '97, Eastern New York, C. Reeve Vanneman, '03, Western New York, Herbert R. Iohnston, 'l7g New England, Chester T. Reed, '03g Middle Atlantic, W. Mitchell Price, 'l lg Keystone, Karl W. Gass, 'l2y Southern, Creed W. Fulton, '09, Great Lakes, Russell N. Chase, '22y Central, Alfred W. Mellowes, '06g Western, Theodore A. Eggman, '27g Pacific, Nathaniel I. Goldsmith, '14, The three directors-at-large are: Mrs. Iulia M. Emery, '04, Dr. Floyd S. Winslow, '067 Ioseph B. Campbell, 'l l. The officers are: President, Mr. Vannemany Vice-Presidents, Mr. Fulton and Mr. Chasey Treasurer, Archie C. Burnett, '90p Secretary, Foster M. Coffin, 'l2. The central office of the alumni is that of the Alumni Representative. This office was created in l920, by the Board of Trustees of the University, at the request of the alumni organizations. The Alumni Representative is responsible to a committee composed of representatives of the Alumni Corpora- tion, the Association of Class Secretaries, and the Cornellian Council, together with two members of the University Board of Trustees. His primary duty is the development of the relations between the University and its alumni, with responsibility for the maintenance of alumni records, for the activities of the local clubs, for all alumni activities except those associated with fund-raising. Foster M. Coffin, 'l2, has been Alumni Representative since the office was created in 1920. Associated with the office since l930 has been Ray S. Ash- bery, '25, Alumni Field Secretary, one of whose principal functions is to visit the local clubs. ln the last four years Mr. Ashbery has met with clubs in all parts of the country. His special responsibilities include also Cornell Day, the annual visitation to the campus on a Week-end in May, of selected students from the secondary schools. The Alumni Corporation and the Office of the Alumni Representative have functions in common, with Mr. Coffin and Mr. Ashbery serving as the executive staff of the Corporation. One of the most active alumni organizations is the Corporation's committee on relations with secondary schools, of which Mr, Thorne is chairman. Three of the four alumni members of the special committee appointed this year to study the athletic situation are directors of the Alumni Corporation: Messrs. Vanneman, Thorne, and Winslow. The other alumni member, Andrew I. Whinery, '10, is a recent vice-president of the Alumni Corporation. 24

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I 1 .in 1 1 1 1 RATICN .1 CHARLES D. BOSTWICK. e Comptroller, supervises Cornell's 'enty-eight million dollar endowment fnd. Mr. Bostwick, a native lthacan, 1 1 1 31: his A.B. here in 1892 and his law fgree two years later, practiced law 7 tour years, and then entered the rvice of the University as Legal As- :tant to the Treasurer before becoming nmptroller. ' WOODFORD PATTERSON, io graduated from Cornell in 1895, as on the Widow Board while an tdergraduate and is a member of Phi imma Delta. He received his train- g in publicity work on the New York ening Sun, and later was editor of Cornell Alumni News, before ing appointed University Secretary 97 io graduated in 1908, has served as lperintendent of Buildings and ounds since 1931. He had become ominent among the construction en- ieers ot Cleveland and was president the Cleveland Builders Exchange and o a former president of the Alumni :rporation before assuming his duties Cornell. aduated from Cornell in 1910, becom- 3 assistant to Mrs. Gertrude Martin, anager of the University's first resi- ntial hall. Upon the death ot Thomas e the manager at the time, she be- rne Manager of Residential Halls, pervising the work carried on by ed persons and those working for nm and board. Manager of Purchases, directs the Dcuretnent ot all supplies and makes nstant research tor determination of .a1itY. Mr. Frank Graduated from wrnell in 1911, with the degree of Civil qineer, and is a member of Tau Beta He has been employed by Cornell ice September, 1921. 9 ll 11. f 3 Q C , 711 , 11 it 1 CONANT VAN BLARCOM, MRS. ANNA FIELDEN GRACE GEORGE S. FRANK, C. D. BOSTWICK W. PATTERSON C. VAN BLARCOM A. F. GRACE G. S. FRANK

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THE CORNELLIAN COUNCIL The Cornellian Council is the official agency, established by the alumni and recognized by the trustees of the University, through which alumni, former students, and other friends of Cornell make their contributions to the financial support of the University. The Council grew out of a meeting called in Novem- ber, 1908, by a group of alumni who felt that the time had come to work out a plan for the systematic financial support of the institution which they loved. During the twenty-five years ending in lune, 1934, gifts totaling 36,197,251 had been made through the Council by alumni and friends of Cornell. Last year, despite prevailing economic conditions and the pressure of other demands, they contributed 5133533 to the support of the University. President Farrand has repeatedly emphasized the fact that the annual gifts from the alumni, through the Cornellian Council, have been an indispensable part of the University's income, and that without this assistance the work of the University would be severely handicapped. The fundamental purpose of the Council, which is to promote the system- atic financial support of Cornell University by the alumni, is accomplished through annual contributions to the Alumni Fund. ln order to eliminate indis- criminate and merely occasional solicitation of alumni, the Council was estab- lished as an authoritative body which would limit the number of appeals made to alumni and would at the same time keep them advised of the most urgent needs of the University. ,' Subscriptions to the Alumni Fund are, for the most part, made on the basis of annual recurring pledges. The Class of 1909 in its senior year was the first class to establish its memorial to the University in the form of such subscrip- tions. Every class since has followed the example of 1909, and earlier classes have joined enthusiastically in the plan. Most of the gifts made through the Council, including contributions to the '35 Class Memorial, are unrestricted as to use. The Council also raises special funds to meet definite needs. Money so raised generally takes the form of memorials, endowed professorships, scholarships, and research funds. Such imposing gifts as Myron Taylor Hall and the War Memorial have also been made through the Council. Another important activity of the Council is that which is being developed through its Committee on Bequests, headed by Edward Cornell, '89, Through the efforts of this committee there has been created, among Cornell alumni and other friends of the University, a very definite bequest consciousness. During the last ten years nearly six million dollars have been bequeathed to Cornell. ln addition the Council's Committee on Bequests has been advised of wills written by persons still living which contain gifts to the University of at least six million more. The membership of the Cornellian Council consists of all alumni, former students, and other friends of Cornell who have contributed accepted gifts to the University during the twelve months preceding the annual meeting of the board of directors of the Council which is held at Commencement time. The board of directors consists of nearly four hundred class and geographical representatives. The general management of the affairs of the Council is vested in its execu- tive committee, which this year is composed of I. DuPratt White, '90, Bobert T. Mickle, '92, Neal Dow Becker, '05, Paul A. Schoellkopf, '06, Bobert E. Treman, '09, Waldemar H. Fries, '10, William I. Thorne,'1l, Harold E. Irish, '16, and Walter W. Buckley, '26. x V Neal Dow Becker, '05, president of the lntertype Corporation of Brooklyn, was elected president of the Council last lune, succeeding Paul A. Schoellkopf, '06, of Niagara Falls, who for the previous three years had headed the organ- ization. The vice-presidents are I. DuPratt White, '90, Allan C. Balch, '69, Frank G. Gardner, '91, and Walter C. Teagle, '00. A headquarters office is maintained at the University, at' 32 Morrill Hall. Archie M. Palmer, '18, is the executive secretary of the Council and is respon- sible for the conduct of its affairs under the direction of the executive committee. Other members of the headquarters staff are Sara B. Sailor, '09, assistant secre- l5l'Y, Louis C. Boochever, '12, director of publicity, and a secretarial force of 1oYal workers, 25 NEAL DOW BECKER ARCHIE M. PALMER