Repository: UIHistories Project: Book - Overview of University of Illinois for Chicago Alumni (1926) [PAGE 14]

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DIRECTORY OF ILLINOIS MEN

IN CHICAGO AND VICINITY

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HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

By Carl Stephens, '12 Secretary, Alumni Association, and Editor, Illinois Alumni News On June 5, 1873, a small group of graduates headed by C. W. Rolfe, '72, gathered in the old Mechanical Building to organize the University of Illinois Alumni Association. S. A. Reynolds, '72, was elected president, and C. I. Hays, '73, secretary. A constitution was adopted, the preamble of which read: "We, the alumni of the Illinois Industrial University, in order to foster a spirit of fraternal feeling, preserve and perpetuate a profound interest in our Alma Mater, do hereby adopt the following constitution and by-laws for our guidance." The only duty of the members was to report annually to the secretary. Charter members were the twenty graduates of the University up to that time. Not much was really done until 1882, the date of the first decennial reunion, when it was decided to make every tenth year a rallying period. The second decennial in '92 was especially successful; it brought back five hundred old graduates. Thus the Association meandered along until about 1906, when it became obvious that some kind of publication was needed. At the annual meeting of the Association in that year a committee of five alumni was appointed to start an alumni magazine: T. A. Clark, '90, Frank W. Scott, '01, A. N. Talbot, '81, H. L. McCune, '83, Mildred Burrill Stone, '03. This committee had little to count on except the good wishes of the Alumni Association, and the determination to give Illinois alumni, a medium of exchange. Mr. Scott in the preparation of the 1906 Alumni Record had accomplished and filed a large amount of Illini data. With this on hand as a start, the outlines of the proposed journal began to show through the mist, and the editorial problem looked easier. More perplexing was the financial situation. The Alumni Association then was little more than a literary society, meeting once a year to call the roll, read off the marriages and deaths, recommend candidates for University trustee, and listen to an address. These performances called for no heavy budget or bonded treasurer. The financing of such a project as a 60-page quarterly magazine brought one substantial gasp from the Alumni Association, followed by a hasty delegation of all powers to the magazine committee. It came to pass finally that the two members heading the committee—Dean Clark and Mr. Sec! t— made themselves financially responsible for the first number, and E. C. Flanigan, ex-'97, then business manager of the Gazette, did the printing without asking embarrassing questions. The first,issue, published January 15, 1907, comprised 60 pages. In 1913, Fortnightly Notes was started as a supplement to the Quarterly, and the two were continued to July, 1915. Beginning with, October, 1915, they were combined into The Alumni Quarterly and Fortnightly Notes, or "A. Q. F. N.," as it came to be called. This gave the subscriber 20 pages every two weeks and a double number corresponding to the old Quarterly every three months. The first year the Quarterly had a total of 264

pages, exclusive of advertising. The A. Q, F. N. for 1915-16 ran ID 464 pages. In the fall of 1919 the old Quarterly numbers wore discontinued altogether and a fortnightly 16-page magazine was run ten months in the year. The page size was enlarged in 7x10 inches. Beginning with the fall of 1922 the name was • hanged to Illinois Alumni News, and has remained so ever ;.Ince. The magazine was shifted to a monthly, varying from .".2 to 44 pages. [In 1913 the present Editor and Secretary, Carl Stephens, '12, came to the staff of the Alumni Association as assistant secretary and assistant editor to help Mr. Scott carry the; increasing liurden of Association activities. He was elected Editor and Secretary-Treasurer in 1919, and managed the affairs of the Association until the growing responsibilities of the office made I ho task impossible for one man.] In 1921, C. J. Roseberry, '05, was chosen Business Manager and Treasurer, and the editorial • uid secretarial duties were separated from those of a financial ;i.nd promotional nature. The original home of the Quarterly and of the publishers, I he Alumni Association, was in the outer office of Dean Clark in I he Library Building. The equipment which the editor started with was composed of a desk, a card index of the subscribers, • ind the records used in compiling the 1906 Alumni Record. The general mailing room of the University was used. In 190 8 the outfit was moved to the third floor of Engineering Hall; and in August, 1915, the present quarters in the Administration Building were occupied—now consisting of four rooms at the north end of the third floor. In 1913 a new constitution was adopted, ;md the organization was put on a sound foundation. The old association, which had been little more than a literary society, has grown into a strong and influential organization of 5,000 members, with full-time officers in charge.

THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS ALUMNI ASS'N 1926-1927

President, Glenn M. Hobbs, '91. Treasurer and Executive Manager, C....J. Rosebery, '0 5, Administration Bldg., Urbana. Secretary, and Editor of Illinois Alumni News, Carl Stephens, '12, Administration Bldg., Urbana. Executive Committee: George A. Barr, '97; Rodney L. Bell, '09; C. J. Ennis, '14; C. O. Fischer, '12; L. R. Herrick, '92; Glenn M. Hobbs, ' 9 1 ; A. E. Horst, ' 1 1 ; F. H. McKelvey, '07; W. C. Ropiequet, '14; E. A. Sandler, '20; W. J. Wardall, '08. Those in charge of the effort to make the Alumni Association of real power and assistance to the University and to each member invites and urges every former student as well as graduate to join the' Association direct or through the nearest Illini Club. Membership carries with is a subscription to the Illinois Alumni News, the best Alumni Magazine published. The Illini Club of Chicago will have twice as many members when this Cook County list becomes alive to real values.