Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-09-13
HORACE MATHER LlPPiNCoTT
On Services of Alumni to Their Alma
Mater

water
TIME services which a devoted body of
l. alumni can render to it's alma mater
are almost incaculable. if the energies of
this body be directed into the proper chan
nels. is the opinion of Horace Mnther Lip
pincott, secretary Of the alumni of the Uni
versity of Pennsylvania.
THE ideal alumni association said Mr..
Lippincott, lis the one in which the greatest
number of alumni participate. 1t must re-
ceive the support, respect and recognition
of the university authorities. 1t must be
enthused primarily by the spirit of the uni
versity, secondary by the head OF the uni
vcrsity, and. third. by its officers.
such an organization must be founded
on the simplest and brOadest lines, with
ample hcXibility and discretion to meet
changing conditions, requirements and per,
Sonalities. Its management must at all
times preserve a healthy responsiveness to
the needs and the desires OF its members
as consciously reflected by them and as re-
vealed to its secretary by the wide intimacy
he should cultivate.
1T must have courage, force and vigor
and its methods must be calculated to Keep
its members happy. 1t must have an indie
pendent medium of information and leader
ship in the shape of n dignited magazine
beitting an institution of learning.
THE work Of an alumni secretary Is a
peculiarly unique and complex one. 1t com,
bines all the requirements of the selling and
the advertising professions--and nowadays
these are recognized as professions even by
universities.
'One of the objects of the selling and
advertising man is to attract alike the eye
and mind of prospective customer.
Selling the University
'Thp salesman does il by the intimate
contact of Il personality, convincing talk and
perhaps the display of samples: the adver :
tising man does it by clever pictures and
printed matter of his own and in WELL
selected periodicals. In each case the pros
peCt' is in the market or is in need of the
articles offered. The salesman or the ad-
vcrtiser. therefore, starts with an advantage
and has only to convince the mind of the
prospect to achieve success. What he has
TO offer is Il tangible thing needed by the
customer
'"rhc alumni secretary has TO do all the
things that the salesman and the advertiser
do, and he has none of their advantages.
! lie has nothing tangible for sale he is
selling enthusiasm; his prospect does not
| need him or II and is generally too busy to
| think Of the matter until persuaded, urged
or forced to do so. The alumni secretary,
| therefore, has first to gain his attention and
then to sell him something he is not looking
! for and docs not actually need. lie not only
must reach his prospects head, but he
| must certainly reach and stir his heart
"only one in II thousand graduates rec
ognzes that the equipment given him by his
university has produced his livelihood and
| that he owes her something. To nearly all
| of them the connection with alma mater Ia
| one of sentiment.
Dealing in sentiment or selling enthu
| siasm is no easy matter. If salesmanship
| requires reSOurCcfulness, tact and repeated
| visits or suggcstiOn alumni work requires
| all of these and greater skill of producing
them, because they have to be carefully in
troduced to the busy man who is not looking
| for them. They require dignity and cul
turc betitting the object of their service and
u constantly enthusiastic optimism.
| III spend money to make money is a
sound principle in business, then it is still
more sound practice in alumni work, with
| the increased difficulties outlined
Policy Must BE Liberal
! 'ln campaigns to raise money for the
| university. aud IN the constant cndeavOr tC
| retain alumni interest in q wide measure nc
niggardly policy will produce results. Skill
! and Judgment are, of course, needed in the
| administration of university matters. but
too much economy merely produces futil,
| effort and wasted energy, which tire and dis
| courage. 1t is far better for university tc
stress getting more revenue than to cut down
| legitimate expenses.
Keeping after the graduates in an at,
| trartiyr manner and pretty constantly anC
| giving them at least something first class
periodically as bond Of interest and senti
mcnt are absolutely necessary things, ant
40 do them well costs money. Your instru
k9ent must be first class TO pull; In othel