blished by private corporations, as was the _Alumnus_ at first. In
thus creating an officer whose sole responsibility was to the alumni
body and in maintaining an official alumni publication, Michigan became
a pioneer among Western universities, and was only preceded in the East
by Pennsylvania, whose alumni organization had established her _Alumni
Register_ and appointed an alumni secretary in 1895.

The plan of organization of the Alumni Association at Michigan is very
simple. The entire responsibility for the affairs of the Association
rests with a board of seven directors (originally but five), who elect
the officers of the Association from among their own number. Two
directors are ordinarily elected every year at the annual alumni
meeting, held during the Commencement season, at which any alumnus is
entitled to a vote. The income of the Association, except for a grant of
$600 a year from the University for advertising, arises entirely from
the _Alumnus_, which at present has a list of over 7,000 subscribers,
who are considered as constituting the official membership of the
Association. This membership is in two forms, annual members and some
1,500 life members, whose thirty-five dollar fees have resulted in an
endowment fund at present amounting to over $38,000, the income from
which is used for current expenses.

Since its establishment the _Alumnus_ has grown steadily in influence,
and may now be regarded, in some measure at least, as the official
University publication. Limited as it is by the necessity of pleasing a
constituency widely varied in age and interests, it nevertheless makes
it possible for a large proportion of Michigan's graduates to maintain
an effective and intelligent interest in the University.

But the work of the Association and its officers has not stopped with
the _Alumnus_. The local alumni bodies and the class organizations form
important links between the graduate and his alma mater, and the
sentimental ties, as well as the altruistic spirit engendered by these
associations have a vital significance for the individual graduate and
for the University. Practically every class that leaves the University
is organized for the purpose of perpetuating its college associations
and many of the classes, particularly the earlier ones, have published
extensive class-books and directories. Every effort is made to return to
the University for reunions at stated periods, especially on the
twenty-five