Alumni Organizations/Development. University of Maine. Alumni Association Records

Record Group

Identifier: UA RG 0013-001

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The records mainly contain textual information created by the University of Maine Alumni Association (also known as the General Alumni Association), but there are also photographic material.

The record series Alumni Association Publications contains various University of Maine Alumni Association Publications, including newsletters and the University of Maine Bulletin. The records do not contain complete runs of the publications. Copies of the publications are also stored in Special Collections (See Related Materials note).

The record series "Alumni Association Administrative Records" contains the Articles of Incorporation for the Alumni Association, minutes from meetings of the Association, its Advisory Council, and other committees, annual reports, financial records, alumni statistics, and items related to the 1961 proposed reorganization of the Association.

The record series "Alumni Association Event Records" contains items regarding various Alumni Association and University of Maine events, particularly programs from class reunions. Photographs of reunions and commencements are also in the record series "Alumni Subject Records".

The record series "Alumni Subject Records" contains records on a range of subjects that were related to the activities of the Alumni Association includes: correspondence, reference material, press releases, and photographic slides taken at the University of Maine.

The record series "Regional Alumni Association Records" contains correspondence, membership information, and meeting and event material regarding various regional University of Maine alumni associations.

The record series "Alumni Fund Raising Records" contains reports, correspondence, publicity material, and photographic slides regarding Alumni Association and M Club fund raising activities, particularly for the Arthur A. Hauck Auditorium and Memorial Union.

The record series "Biographical & Historical Records" contains papers regarding specific University of Maine alumni and miscellaneous items that were curated to illustrate the history of the Alumni Association and University of Maine including meeting material, newspaper clippings, and notes by Elmer Wilson Class of 1907 donated to Don V. Traverner the Alumni Association Secretary. Information illustrating the history of the Alumni Association can also be found in the other record series, particularly the meeting minutes in “Alumni Association Administrative Records".

The record series "University Of Maine Music Files" contain copies of songbooks featuring University of Maine songs, correspondence with Thornton W. Allen Company regarding the publishing of the University of Maine songs, copies of music lyrics, information regarding the Inter-Fraternity Singing Contest, and University Of Maine Song Book Committee meeting material.

Dates

Creation: 1872-1993

Creator

University of Maine Alumni Association (Organization)
Pratt, Bert (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Kept at Fogler Library's offsite storage facility. One week's notice required for retrieval. Personal identifiable and legally protected information will be redacted before release.

Conditions Governing Use

Information on literary rights available in the Raymond H. Fogler Library Special Collections Department.

Biographical / Historical

The Maine State College of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts (becoming the University of Maine in 1897) Alumni Association was formed by College graduates at a meeting on August 5th, 1875 in the reception rooms of Maine Hall. The chairman of the meeting was G.O. Weston and R.W. Eaton was Secretary. E.J. Haskell, J.M. Oak, W. Balentine, and G.W. Shaw were appointed to nominate officers for a temporary organization for the ensuing year and a committee on a constitution. The following general officers were reported and accepted: President—G. H. Hamlin, Secretary and Treasurer—W.A. Allen, Constitution Secretary—A.M. Goodale and Committee on Constitution—G.H. Hamlin, W.A. Allen, and J.M. Oak.

The Association’s Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws were adopted at its second annual meeting on August 1st, 1876. The Articles of Association included the article that the Association was to be known as the Alumni Association of the Maine State College and that the “object of this Association is to promote the prosperity of the College and to foster among the graduates a sentiment of regard for each other and attachment to their alma mater.”

The Alumni Association is an independent, not-for-profit, organization dedicated to advancing the best interests of the University of Maine and its former, current, and future students by encouraging relationships and mobilizing resources in ways that enhance the value of a UMaine degree. The Association’s efforts focus on:

• providing information, programs, and events that serve our members’ personal and career interests; and • advocating for policies and assets that strengthen UMaine’s quality, reputation, and appeal.

Anyone who attended the University of Maine for at least two semesters is automatically a member of the Alumni Association. The Association is administered by a Board of Directors whose members are University of Maine graduates.

The Association: • Publishes monthly newsletters (the titles of which have changed over time), the periodical the Maine Alumni Magazine, and the Alumni Directory. • Holds events across the U.S. and Europe, often in conjunction with regional chapters and affinity groups. The M Club is one such group and was founded in 1932. All former student-athlete letter winners from the University of Maine are invited to be contributing members, as are those inducted into honorary membership. • Gives out several awards that recognize individuals who have performed distinguished service on behalf of their professions, communities, and alma mater. • Participates in organizing Homecoming weekends, class reunions, and other alumni events both on and off campus. • Conducts fund raising activities including for the Robert D. Buchanan Alumni House which opened on campus in 2002.

Extent

5 boxes

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Arrangement

The Records Group is broken down intellectually into subseries: 1. Alumni Association Publication, 2. Alumni Association Administrative Records, 3. Alumni Association Event Records 4. Alumni Association Subject Records, 5. Regional Alumni Association Records, 6. Alumni Fund Raising Records, 7. Biographical & Historical Records, and 8. University Of Maine Music Files.

Physically the records are arranged by subject.

Some file names were changed to make them more meaningful and to correct errors. Material was separated and divided into multiple sub-folders where necessary. Material were rehoused into archival quality storage where necessary.

Some box numbers have changed:

Old Box #627 (New Box 1)
Old Box #628 (New Box 2)
Old Box #629 (New Box 3)
Old Box #630 (New Box 4)
Old Box #631 (New Box 5)

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Box, 1 Folder and most of the M-Club Newsletters in Box 4, Folder 6 were donated to Special Collections by Beverly C. Pratt on August 22, 2022 as Accession #2022-0822. The newsletters were curated by her late husband Bert Pratt, who as well being the newsletter editor, was also president of the M Club from 1982-1983.

Box 5, Folder 6 "History Of The Alumni Association" contains a note indicating the items in the folder were donated by Elmer Wilson (UMaine Class of 1907) to Don V. Traverner the Alumni Association Secretary in 1957.

Accruals

Accurals from the University of Maine Alumni Association are anticipated.

Related Materials

University of Maine Alumni Association Directories, UPUB 13.1-6 ALUM.

Maine Alumni Magazine

Maine Bulletin, UPub 1.2-4 MB

Mainely People, UPub 13.1-4 MAIP

Office Of the President records, UA RG 0004 includes records on the Alumni Association.

University of Maine Knox County Alumni Association Minutes, SpC MS 1120 sc.

University of Maine Stein Song Collection, SpC MS 1580.

University of Maine Class Memorabilia and Photograph Collection, SpC MS 1454.

Bibliography

"UMaine Alumni Association", University of Maine, http://www.umainealumni.com/ (accessed October 2016).

Processing Information

Processed by Matthew Revitt, October 2016, Raymond H. Fogler Library Special Collections Department. Processing involved a collection survey and intellectual arrangement into series and the creation of this finding aid. Material still needs to be rehoused in appropriate archival folders (where needed) and the boxes and folders numbered and titled added using information from ArchivesSpace.