Ripon College - Crimson Yearbook (Ripon, WI)

Page 21 text:

Ripon Recruiting Student recruiting can be discussed under the following heads: ( 1) adver- tising: (2) field work: (3) competitive examinations: (4) American Legion scholarships: (5) friendship days: (6) student help. The entire problem has changed very much in the last six years. Up to 1929 or 30. the problem was comparatively simple. Every es- tablished college and university had its more or less definite clientele, based on its geographical position, its reputation as a seat of learning, as a cultural cen- ter. as a great athletic institution, or in other ways. Students applied for ad- mission. and in many cases had to ap- ply a long time before the opening of the school year. Many times, such students were refused because their ac- ademic standing in high school was not sufficiently high, and with the general prosperity up to 1929. many schools showed a steady gain in enrollment. An important fact in the development of colleges and universities during this boom period was the building program which in many cases was necessary to take care of increased numbers. After 1929. the picture changed very rapidly, and in a very startling manner In hundreds of homes parents c ould no longer afford to pay the expenses of a college education, no matter how much they desired it for their children. As a consequence of these and other facts, college enrollments began to drop, and those colleges which had carried on an expensive program of expansion were very much embarrassed. This situation had a very serious ef- fect on all the small liberal arts col- leges. The colleges now were faced with the problem of organizing a high- powered sales force, and selling to high school graduates the idea that a par- ticular college was the one to attend. The principal difficulty encountered lies in the fact that the high school student 'o rahonaiisituj, please. 'ow, why weren't you at { Ice dub rehearsal now can leisurely listen to the different college representatives, finally deciding on the college that most appeals to him. 1. Advertising. Every college real- izes that very much depends upon the variety, the novelty, the fresh appeal of its view books, catalogs, and bulle- tins of all kinds. Many colleges are hiring professional advertising men and professional photographers to super- vise this department of their work. The issue of the bulletins should be planned carefully for a year in advance, so that there would he more continuity and a logical follow-up in the different issues. Skipper Chamberlain

Page 20 text:

News Service Lueck The Ripon College News Bureau was organized by Theodore Bra me Id '26, and Rein hold Gehncr 30 for the purpose of making the citizens of Wis- consin and the middle-west Ripon Conscious ' It endeavors to keep the entire state of Wisconsin informed as to what is going on at Ripon College: to make prospective students interest- ed in Ripon College: and to cooperate with state newspapers in the role of a clearing house for college informaton. All questions of policy are decided by an informal committee composed of President Evans representing the trus- tees. Carl 11. Doehling representing the faculty, and myself representing the news bureaus ' stated Clemens E. Lueck when questioned concerning the officials of the bureau. Margaret So- berg. Pi Delta Omega, holds the posi- tion of assistant to Mr. Lueck, acting as a reporter of all news events on the campus. 'Pile bureau is supported by a fund voted for that purpose by the trustees. Miss Soberg in her contact with both the student body activities and with the news bureau has been able to ob tain and send to the leading newspa- pers throughout the state stories of lo cal interest. Respective Wisconsin papers are informed when a boy or girl from their towns are outstanding in some field or are selected to an office. Elections and achievements of major importance are sent to the metropoli- tan papers of Milwaukee and Chicago as well as the smaller publications in the state. Because of their great ad- vertising value, pictures of the Prom King and Queen, cadet officers, and other individuals who are particularly outstanding in their field are sent to the Milwaukee and Chicago papers. The news bureau also follows facul- ty members and the debate and orato- rical contestants in their trips in Wis- consin. On the coming of a speaker from the college to a town, the local paper is furnished with his picture and a short resume of his life and achieve- ments. This preparation for the speech to follow has done much to advertise Ripon College. In addition to these various services the bureau maintains a large athletic- program. At least once a week one general story is sent to 80 state papers. This story contains a summary of the previous game and a forecast for the following Saturday. Three or four times a week a larger story is sent to Milwaukee and Chicago. Associated Press, and United News Service. At each game an effort is made to bring a reporter from a large paper to report the game. These reporters are assist- ed by Mr. Lueck who. in the absence of a reporter, writes up the game not only for Chicago and Milwaukee pa- pers. but for the Associated Press and the LInited News Service. One of the most important functions of the Ripon College News Bureau is to serve as a clearing house for infor- mation. Editors do not take just any article, so different styles of writing must be used in the articles sent to the various papers. A constant service is furnished to editors seeking informa- tion concerning activities of the stu- dents from their towns who are at col- lege. Much information is sent to the society editor of the Milwaukee Journal pertaining to social activities of the Milwaukee and suburban students.

Page 22 text:

There is room for great improvement in this field. 2. Field Work: We have one man, Dr. Henderson, in the field all the time, whereas Grinnell. for instance, has three full time people, and Law- rence has three or four spending almost all of their time in this work. The field work naturally divides itself into three parts. First, contacts with high school superintendents and principals which are of the utmost importance because friendly contacts with high school offi cials can not be built up immediately and when they are secured are proba bly of more actual value than anything else. The second division of this field work would be the work of the alumni, both in groups and individually. This work is very loosely organized at pres- ent. simply for lack of time, and much work could be done in this way. The third division would be the endless work of direct calling on high school seniors. This phase is connected with the work with high school officials for the obvious reason that if the high school officials arc friendly they can save the college representative a great deal of time and energy by directing his attention to those students who are most likely to go to school. Lacking this very necessary information, a col- lege representative is almost hopelessly handicapped. 3. Competitive Examinations: This is a division of the work which I person- ally feel has very great possibilities. It is an attempt to get the better high school student to come to Ripon and win a scholarship. This competitive examination gives the college a much more dignified position, and I feel that it could be greatly developed. It would recommend that next year two competitive examinations be held, one in the fall and one in the spring. 4. American Legion Scholarships: This plan was inaugurated last year, and it has possibilities. It will take at least two or three years more to have the Legion in the state thoroughly aware of our position and to have them and the Legion Auxiliary push our scholarship plan. This year we have tried to secure publicity through the A 11 ami college files. — IS-