Radcliffe Fund Raises $1500; Merger Unlikely

Radcliffe senior class gifts-solicited this year for the first time-have surpassed $1500 with three weeks of the drive still left.

The drive was organized in January following an appeal by Susan S. Lyman, acting director of the Radcliffe College Fund, for aid in bolstering the beleaguered Fund.

The $1500 collected so far represents contributions from 20 per cent of the class. The solicitation committee, headed by Margot R. Hornblower '71, Radcliffe class treasurer, decided to ask for cash gifts-unlike Harvard, which takes pledges over a three-year period.

A Special Gifts Committee was formed to make requests of Radcliffe seniors whom the Committee thought could contribute more than $50. Most of the $1500 has come from special gifts, Hornblower said, but no gift totaled more than $75.

The Radcliffe Fund, which functions autonomously from its Harvard counterpart, has suffered several financial setbacks in recent years.

The Fund's lack of money meant Radcliffe was unable to offer $250,000 in scholarships to the entering class of '75, Lyman said.

Hornblower has suggested to Harvard fund officials that Harvard and Radcliffe combine their senior drives next year.

Rufus W. Pebbles Jr. '61, associate director of the Harvard Fund, said last Friday, "I don't foresee any problems in coordinating the two drives next year." Dean Dunlop said, however, that the next move is up to Radcliffe.

"Harvard has a well-worked-out system of alumni giving. Radcliffe's is nowhere as highly developed," Dunlop said.

Hornblower and Lyman indicated that Harvard is not exactly willing to help in that development. Although the recent merger agreement stipulates that Harvard will assume partial financial responsibility for Radcliffe, Radcliffe must still contribute some $250.000 to the Harvard budget. And the Radcliffe Fund must provide some of this money.

According to most observers, the possibility of combining the two funds seems remote. Even with Radcliffe's need to raise $250.000, Harvard has made no move to help the Radcliffe Fund. "There is no reason to consolidate the two funds if it won't mean additional money for the Harvard Fund," Dunlop said.