Brenda and I just returned from a very successful 60th Reunion of the Class of ’52, and I am glad to have had the opportunity this late in life to meet again with 18 other classmates and their spouses and companions. Kudos to the alumni association for giving the event a full agenda, loads of good instructions, and coordinating a broad range of successful activities.

For our 40th Reunion class gift to Mines, our class agent, Bill Watts, collaborated with classmate Bob Pozzo, who promised matching funds if we raised $100,000 to set up an endowed scholarship fund. Our classmates more than met the challenge, and the Class of ’52 Scholarship Fund came into being. Over the past 20 years, our classmates have focused their contributions toward this fund, thanks to Bill’s continual urging. Today the fund, along with two other ’52 scholarship funds, totals well over $1.5 million. More than several dozen students have been helped by the income from these funds, which are administered by the Colorado School of Mines Foundation. Descendants of the Class of ’52 have first preference, and our classmates, both living and passed, have long been rightfully proud of the measurable good that our fund has provided.

I have been told that at many other colleges and universities the establishment of similar class-denominated scholarship funds is a common practice. Given the continual increase in tuition rates, I would hope that other classes at Mines might consider establishing similar scholarship-oriented gifts when it comes time to promote a class gift for significant reunions. Thanks to Bill, Bob and other major contributors over the years, such as Chuck Champion, Chuck Diver and John Lockridge, to name a few. Having that fund has worked out extremely well, providing an uncommon dignity felt by the Class of ’52, and an increasing number of deserving recipients.

Weldon G. Frost ’52