It wasn't until March 20, 1924 that the fund drive Dean Donham called for got underway. However, under the late William Lawrence, Bishop of Massachusetts, the campaign was unexpectedly concluded in little more than a month when the late George F. Baker, chairman of the First National Bank of New York, wrote the University offering $5,000,000 if he could "have the privilege of building the whole school."
Alone Baker gave the School grounds as excellent as those of any other graduate school in the country, for his funds bought every permanent building that now stands across the river, including towered Baker Library. In 1925 he added an extra $1,000,000 to his gift when it appeared the original $5,000,000 was going to run out; and only last year an additional $500,000 was received from Baker's estate to keep facilities up to date.
Case System Built Up
Not waiting for the completion of the buildings, Donham had meanwhile been working on his second, goal, that of "expanding laboratory facilities." By 1927 when the grounds were dedicated, eight intensive years of visiting business plants bad blossomed into almost 6,000 case studies. School researchers have kept the case stocks "active" by constantly watching and visiting business to gain not only new case situations but evidence of outdated situations as well.
By the start of the second world war, degrees-awarded figures, starting with the 33 given out in 1910, had cumulated to a total of 7,757. During the war, however, the School cut out all degree awarding, choosing rather to lend its full experience to the war effort.
From May, 1943 (when the last civilians left the School) until February, 1946, Harvard managed to train over 14,000 army and navy officers in the use of supplies, as well as 500 business was who further crowded the School for War Industry Training and Advanced Management programs. This latter program, a 13-week course for executives, continues today, so popular did it prove during the war.
Dean David
Chief man in the School organization today is influential Dean Donald K. David, who is simultaneously a director of such enterprises as General Electric, R. H. Macy's, and the Boys' Club of America. Dean David succeeded Donham, who in 1942 resigned his deanship at the advice of his physician. Donham is now a professor of Human Relations at Colgate University.
Dean David's main concern these days is raising the full $20,000,000 for "stabilizing and consolidating." The full $20,000,000 would endow another classroom building, a social and eating center, and provide an annual income for research and instruction.
The remaining $3,000,000 would set up something entirely new-a much expanded scholarship program to provide "instruction to the country's best-qualified young men without being limited to those fortunate enough to have been born into high income families."
These funds will be crucial when G.I. aid runs out