Daily Kennebec journal., 1922-04-17

iA~ SSicH6 SOOPCIdtiOu OF Ine
alumni with the students and teachers
OF Bates College was strongly en-
phasised Saturday evening at a ban
auet of Bates Kennebec Valley Alumni
Association held at the Augusta House.
The feeling of reverence for their alma
mater which all Bates alumni hold was
also clearly shown.
The meeting was devoted to the mill
lion dollar drive which Is being held
and which will provide an endowment
fund Of sufficient size to finance the
college expenses. There were present
at the banquet men and women who
had graduated as early as the class Of
'77 and as late as the class Of '21 and
all were most enthusiastic regarding
the work which has been done and
which is to be done to finance the old
institution.
Among those present were President
Clifton D. Gray Of aBtes College; Miss
Elizabeth D. Chase '02. secretary to
president; Harry w. Rowe ~. burser
Of the college. all OF lewiston; Carl E.
Milliken, 's7; Emma V. Milliken. '97:
c. p. Quimby, $12: Mrs. C. p. Quimby,
Edna Pierce Taber. IA: Dora II. Nor
ton IA. all Of Augusta; Hon. o. b.
Clason' II; Julia 7. Clason. '0T; J. T.
Mosher. 30; Ethel NJ. Fairweather. '21; |;
Edith Lunt Smith, ex-'97; Edith Pea
cocl, Genthner. 's6: Hon. VIII C. At
kins. rs; Alice NJ. Atkins; l.. ". Ger
| rish. 10; Caroline p. Gerrish; and
Philip J. Talbot. 10. all Of Gardiner;
Helen Tracey. 1S. Lewiston; and w.
B. Kendall Of Bowdoinham.
The speakers of the evening were
President Gray and Harry w. Rowe.
burser Of the college. Both men gave
most interesting talks on the drive and
tho manner In which it is to be con-
Quoted as we'll as the necessity of rails
ing the money.
President Gray said that one Of the
big things of the college year was
the completion Of the alumni organ
| izations from the Atlantic to the Pa
cific. He said that there have been
organizations formed in such places
as Denver. Los Angeles. San Francis
co. In Los Angeles there are about 20
members of the association and they
are greatly interested in the college.
Washington has lately formed a club
Of about 40 alumni. President Gray
said that 1t seemed queer that city
like Bangor. right here in our own
State, had waited SO long before or
ganizing. they having but recently or
ganizcd an association.
He told of trip which he had
taken in which he had attended a
meeting in Chicago and had met
prominent alumni throughout the
United States. He mad met with the
Chicago organization four times and
hopes to meet with them again this
coming November. He has noticed q
growing interest in the college among
the alumni of that city. When in San
Francisco he met one of the eradu-
ates Of rs, who had seen but two
other graduates OF the college in the
40 years that he had been In the west.
This man was also greatly interested
in his Alma Mater. In Palo Alto,
President Gray met the only survivor
of the class Of '6S. In his travels he
had a chance to contrast the physl-
cal equipment OF Bates with that OF
oShct SoliSScS VI ltke 6lz6.
He said that Bates was facing a
great crisis, one such as has not con-
fronted the college since the first few
years OF its existence. He said that
the reason was that the expenses OF
running an establishment OF that sort
had gone up like the expenses of
other things. Even with the wage
scale WHICH vas put into effect two
years ago. he said that the salaries Of
the teachers would still average
nearly $1,000 under the salaries paid
n other colleges Of like size.
Another factor has been the cost Of
Keeping the college in repair. Bates
has one of the most beautiful cam
puses Of any college in Maine and he
believes that 1t should be kept up and
that the buildings should be kept In
the best Of repair. This has caused q
dc foit OF $4,000 to $4,000.
He said that in his work for this
campaign he has run up against COL
losal Ignorance as to the needs Of the
college. One man with whom he had
talked said that Bates did not need
money, that he knew OF a place
where he could hire money that be-
longed to the college.
That Bates is one Of the lowest
priced colleges in the New England
states was shown in this speech. He
says that 1t is possible to send q girl
to the college at a saving of from
$3.50 to $500 over the cost at other
colleges.
President Gray said that IL the
campaign failed. and 1t could not and
would not, there would be one thing
that must be done. That would be q
major surgical operation on Ghe
budget" He thought that It would
be necessary to cut the salaries of the
teachers and that in that event It
would mean the loss Of from one
third to one half OF the teaching
force. The remainder Of the force
would probably remain through 10y
atty, even II the cut were az much az
SO percent of their wages.
On the other hand IL the CAM
paign succeeds it will mean the ad.
dition to the revenue Of the college Of
the interest on 100000. or about
go 000 = vAar