Issue link: http://latinschool.uberflip.com/i/96437
I have been a member of the Latin community ever since I entered the first grade in 1939. My sons, Neil '87 and Todd '91, are also Latin graduates. As a student, parent and alumnus, I have watched Latin grow, diversify, maintain its excellence and expand its leadership in education, and I have been proud to be an active member of the Latin community. Like many alumni, I drifted away from Latin, but then Harry Stern '48 invited me to join the board of the alumni association, the inducement being, "There isn't much to do, we just meet a couple times a year." Well, that was then, as the more recent members of the board well know. About 25 years ago, I was chairperson of the annual fund committee at the time of the evaluation of the school by the credentialing group that accredits private schools. The school, of course, passed with flying colors, but not the alumni association. Following a breakfast at The Racquet Club, the alumni board was sternly lectured on its poor fundraising performance. Among our peers, we ranked very near the bottom of the list. We had almost flunked out! The head of the evaluating group then told us in great detail what other alumni groups were doing and what fundraising methods had worked best for other schools. Those of us on the alumni board as well as the school's Development Office took this as a challenge. This was our school, our community, and we wanted to make sure the alumni were doing their share in support of future generations of Latin students. A few years later, our alumni giving was on a par with other schools, and it remains so today. The one area where we still fall short is in reunion gifts. My class established a 50th Reunion Fund, but this remains an area that needs work. 2010 reunion classes: Please take note. It has involved a bit of work, but my participation in the Latin School community continues to be a very pleasant and rewarding part of my life. "This was our school, our community, and we wanted to make sure the alumni were doing their share in support of future generations of Latin students." Ivan Strauss contributes his time to an alumni phonathon. Latin School of Chicago 51