The most memorable of the reunions was the All-Alumni Reunion in June 1947. Not since 1919 when the University held its first post-war Reunion in connection with the Centennial, had anything like it been undertaken. Every graduate was urged to return and some 2000, representing 58 classes, did. In spite of frequent showers, the “Rally in the Valley”, which some said should have been called the “Romp in the Swamp,” was a heart-warming experience and a source of encouragement for graduates, faculty and staff.
Mr. Case concluded his two decades at Colgate on July 1st, 1962 to assume the presidency of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. Though the University’s remarkable advancement in this period was the work of many hands his role was critical. He was especially successful in bringing it through the war years by securing the national defense training programs and it was under his aegis that a reinvigorated curriculum took shape. The physical plant was greatly enlarged and other resources expended despite unprecedented rising costs. His leadership justified pride of accomplishment and the basis for future progress.
