This academic year of 2014-15 marks the 75^th anniversary of that mainstay of so many academic years at Old Nassau, Princeton Annual Giving. With much of the world in flames and with war clouds impinging upon the United States, 1940-41 may not have seemed an auspicious juncture to launch such a bold and optimistic new undertaking. As President Harold Dodds *14 admitted, "the uncertain state of world affairs created a temptation to mark time, but . . . Princeton could afford to follow no such policy." He applauded the efforts of "enthusiastic Class representatives who quickly developed effective and comprehensive methods of procedure and then went to work."

The first Princeton University Fund Chair was Albridge Smith of the Class of 1903, a prominent New York attorney. In his keynote report he astutely noted: "I think I am safe in saying that nowhere in the world is interest in an institution, its program and its growth more widespread among its alumni than at Princeton." He continues to be proven right.

The oldest Class participating in the inaugural year of Annual Giving was the Class of 1865, to which its descendants can raise a toast this June on occasion of the 150^th anniversary of their graduation. Following them in the first-ever AG report are arrayed the Classes of 1869, 1872 through 1874, and 1876 through 1941, as well as alumni of the Graduate College.  Legendary Princeton names are visible among the ranks of the neophyte Class Agents: Hall, Garrett, McGraw, Eno, Dodge, Proctor. Many of the firms and enterprises these alumni worked for have long since vanished or morphed, and many of their lives and certainly the world they knew would change radically and forever by the next academic year. But ever since they started Princeton Annual Giving, the worthy object of their fundraising mission would evolve and grow into today’s significant financial cornerstone of Princeton University.