Patricia Curtis Petty was editor of Mines Magazine between 1978-1988 and was awarded an honorary membership in CSMAA in 1983.

Through her years of service with CSMAA, Petty was immersed in the Mines community, and became friends with many faculty, alumni and students.

The following is based on written historical accounts and her personal recollections of people and events.

Defining the CSM alumnus has been an exercise by educators, recruiters, fund raisers, legislative personnel, and Alumni Association secretaries and directors since the inception of the school.

Bishop George Randall, the school's founder, saw this person as someone skilled in the task of engineering primarily mining engineering.

He voiced his concern that there were not sufficient trained men to carry on industry which was building the economy of the Territory of Colorado.

Often overlooked is the fact that Randall's primary objective was to form a theology school, with the adjunct "school of mining" as a sort of good work added to the mix.

He envisioned men who knew enough to prospect for gold, develop small mines, and see the material thus extracted delivered to a proper facility for milling and sale.

Classes in Drawing, German and French

His school, in its very early days, encouraged many people to attend classes in drawing, German and French

Early illustrations of Jarvis Hall, the theological seminary, flanked by the smaller School of Mines, show women strolling about the campus, some with parasols and portfolios. These budding artists were attending classes in drawing, not to master geological maps and underground design but for their own amusement.

In the beginning, there were potential alumni who were not studying with the intent of becoming part of the mining industry. In later years, grandsons or granddaughters of these students would appear to state that a grandparent was a "graduate" of the School of Mines-and they had a certificate to prove it! 

It was indeed a certificate for German, French, Spanish or drawing, but not a diploma for the entire course of study.

For example, there were 12 "special" women students in drawing in 1881 and 32 in 1882.

The first "alumni" were not, then, entitled to membership in what has become a tight group of people who were indeed qualified to call themselves engineers and alumni.

By 1892, all categories of "special" classes were eliminated so that graduates from that day forward were regarded as legitimate alumni of the school.

The school was not officially recognized by the Colorado Territorial Legislature until February 10, 1870. Upon this recognition, some funding was made available for hiring of personnel, development of curriculum and the process of recruiting "suitable" young men to enroll in the fledgling institution.

Once this had been accomplished, in 1873, the process of forming the first CSM alumni had begun.

When the "University Schools at Golden, Colorado" opened on September 3. 1873, control of the complex was still vested in the Episcopal Church.

In 1874, this control passed to the Territorial Legislature, regarded as the official establishment of the Colorado School of Mines. The school became an entity of the state of Colorado on August 1, 1876.

Early Mines Alumni

Although history tells us that two men received "diplomas" in 1876, Charles Berdell of Loveland and Mr. Hendrick of Morrison, no official record of these people exists. The first official diploma granted, an honorary degree, was given to Dr. Milton Moss, the third person to serve as "professor in charge" of the school in 1882.

In 1883, the school awarded diplomas to two men, Walter H. Wiley and William B. Middleton. Wiley completed all of his class work at Mines, but Middleton was a transfer student, and is sometimes not listed as one of the first graduates. Mines numerical records, however, show two graduates for that year.

The growth of the student body was very slow and in 1894 numbered only six students. In 1895 an explosion took place in the student population and 24 men graduated. This brought the total graduate number up to 61and someone said, "Time to start an alumni club!"

The Alumni Association is Founded

Robert S. Stockton, E. M. 1895, Medalist 1959, urged that the graduating class form an Alumni Association, and that it include all future graduates from the school. The purpose of the original association seems to have been mainly social and would remain that way for some time.

The modem concept of alumni organized for their personal benefit as well as for the benefit of the institution was not yet in vogue.

The idea of an alumni club as a separate entity was one which would find little favor, even as alumni groups proliferated. The general course of organization was through the patent school or university with funding from that organ, and control remaining within the university structure.

CSMAA did not follow this accepted format for reasons unknown.

There are few records of the meetings or deliberations of this body, which apparently met for the purpose of exchanging reminiscences at commencement or for discussing the courses of study at Mines and prospective 9 student recruitment.

It is interesting to note that Robert Stockton, while urging the formation of the Alumni Association, did not serve as its president until 1906. The first president of the association was Middleton, who thus added another first to his records.

Mines Magazine Established

The Colorado School of Mines Magazine, later to be known as the Mines Magazine, was established on October 1, 1910.

Alumni who were interested in the course of instruction, the student body and the direction of the school thus had, for the first time, an organized venue for information, their comments and complaints.

Jay P. Lonergan, E.M. '05, the first editor, assumed the office of alumni secretary in October of 1910, and held it for only a brief time until January of 1911.

The first alumni secretaries apparently functioned on a part-time basis, with their primary responsibility being editor of the magazine. A small board of directors was also functioning at this time as unelected volunteers.

Following Lonergan's tenure, there was a hiatus of seven years, until the office was held by Orville Harrington, E.M. '98. Again, this incumbent held the office for only a few months, from March until December 1918.

Following in quick succession were Harvey Mathews, E. M. '13, one month; K.G. Link, E.M. '08,  March 1919 through January 1922; and Theodore Marvin, E.M. '22, MSc. '23 from February 1922 to August 1923.

Marvin illustrated the close link between the student body and alumni, as he was still a student when serving as association secretary. The same would apply to the next secretary/editor.

According to Montgomery R. Budd, P.E. '24, secretary/editor of Mines Magazine, and to Edward I.  Brook, E.M. '23, Medalist '51, the functions of an executive were largely carried out by the president of the Alumni Association, with some assistance from the board.

With little business to transact and competent editors of the magazine, this proved to be a satisfactory arrangement. Many presidents served more than once, and worked diligently to preserve and improve the association.

By the time that Regis Chauvenet and Charles Palmer served as presidents of the school, strained relationships between faculty and the student body had become the norm. Palmer, who took office as president in September 1902, was especially unfortunate in this on-going battle, for his entire faculty resigned in April 1903.

This resulted in his decision to make them responsible for school discipline. By the end of June of that year, the board of trustees dismissed all of the faculty and the president and began a search for someone new to bring order to campus.

Victor C. Alderson, who emerged as the winning candidate, would become one of the most controversial presidents of the school, and would eventually face personal lawsuits from disgruntled alumni and others.

Alderson took the helm in 1903 and lasted until 1913, forcing a return to a harsher disciplinary system, and personal involvement in every phase of CSM.

When Alderson left, William G. Haldane, William Battle Phillips, and Howard Parmalee all served short terms, with Parmalee beginning his stint in August 1916. Alderson was installed as president, once again, on October 19, 1917.

Alumni Association Offices Padlocked

By late 1920, the tensions between the Alumni Association and Dr. Alderson had reached a perilous state.

Most of the discussion centered, not on Alderson's actions as president, but on his off-campus activities, which included participation in oil shale development on the western slope of Colorado.

An important piece of evidence used against the president was a paper written on the oil shale development by a Mines student, Gaston C. Bastanchury E.M. '07.

The alumni, some of whom may have been in competition with the president, felt that he should be excluded from commercial ventures while serving as president of the school. This posture was reflected in the Mines Magazine, which printed material deemed to be defamatory to the president.

On January 21, 1921, the board of trustees had the offices of the Alumni Association padlocked (then a small house on campus).

Too late! The association leadership, aware of such an eventuality, had quickly removed all the records of the association and of the Mines Magazine and subsequently took offices in downtown Denver.

The old Cooper building would become the home of the association for many years afterward. There was only a brief period of disorganization following this. Mines Magazine was suspended for six months, but everything soon was back to normal except that the Alumni Association was banned from campus.

Montgomery Budd, editor of Mines Magazine during this era, would go on to serve as secretary of the association for four years from September 1923 until January 1928. In later years, he often told of the dramatic events which led to the midnight removal of the records. He was a staunch advocate of separation between the school and the association, mainly because of the administration's position on student "pranks".

Some of these "pranks", perpetrated by the rough and ready group of students, were firing pistols while driving around Denver and various infamous dynamite blasts, especially the blowing up of the steps of a building at Denver University, which led to the epithet "Dynamiters" being applied to the students and athletes from Mines.

The newspapers in Denver used this term for two or three years following this period and cartoons often appeared of disheveled, evil looking students brandishing pistols and beer bottles.

The Alumni Association's move from campus to the city would have many effects on both the alumni and the school.

From the time that this move was made, until 1960, all alumni events would be held off campus generally at the Brown Palace Hotel. When events were held, such as homecoming and commencement, professors and other campus figures were often invited to speak. However, the association steadfastly refused to return to campus and indeed, for many years was not invited.

In the absence of Mines Magazine, which served as a general campus publication prior to the break with the administration, the student body began publication of the Oredigger in December 1921.

This paper, characterized as "The Voice of the World's Foremost School of Mining Engineering," is still a strong influence on campus and many alumni subscribe to get a student's view.

It was determined that Mines Magazine would reflect the views of the association members and most importantly, the industries which were employing the alumni of CSM.

A second decision grew out of the general failure of the economy in the early 1930s. This was to institute a service to alumni which would help them obtain employment.

The association also became an active recruiting force for the school, working closely with the state of Colorado on the development of the interstate scholarships which were generally handled by alumni in the various states.

Many distinguished athletes and alumni were recruited in California, Wyoming, Texas and wherever a CSM alumnus would spot special talent.

Mines Magazine Expands and Succeeds

The expansion of Mines Magazine began during the stewardship of Bud and became very successful. The magazine enjoyed a prestigious place in the technical literature of' the day, with articles written by acknowledged experts in any field having to do with resource development and an enviable advertising section in every issue. A.R. Wilfley and Sons, makers of pumps, advertised for over seventy years in the magazine, for example, and there are many other long-time advertisers.

Articles written for the magazine were cited in other technical publications and its readership was worldwide. The Mines Alumni Directory, which also had its beginning during these years, was, and remains a valuable reference book for alumni, professors and other interested persons.

Revenue from the advertising supported many of the activities of the association. Dues were another source of income, but for many years were deliberately kept very low in order to encourage the new graduates to become members. For many years a new graduate received a copy of Mines Magazine gratis for one year.

The association remained off campus from 1921 until 1960.

During that time, C. Lorimer Colburn '07, served as secretary for nine years, followed by a one-year stint held by Russell H. Volk '26, of athletic fame.

Frank C. Bowman '01, held sway for nearly 20 years, acting as secretary, placement service head and executive publisher of Mines Magazine, plus all the corollary duties. He was assisted by his sister, who took care of the books and office duties.

Many stories are told of Bowman, who was an autocrat and frequently became irate when his perception of an alumnus' behavior was not in line with the "Mines image."

Bowman's office has been described as a typically untidy engineer's office, with a giant roll-top desk spilling papers from various cubby-holes, and Mines Magazines all over available seating.

He was a most dedicated partisan of the Mines alumnus, and went to great lengths to help each one. Bowman was active in assessing the role of the Colorado School of Mines Alumni Trust Fund, set up for the maintenance of the association. His tenure lasted from January 1939 until retirement in February 1958.

Following Bowman was George H. Roll '19, who served as secretary from March 1958 until February 1960. Roll was temperamental, according to legend, and would sometimes request that an annoying visitor leave. He was much given to communicating by memorandum, preferring this to face-to-face conversation, even issuing instructions to staff by memo.

CSMAA Comes Home

With the employment of World War II hero Wendell W. Fertig in 1960, a number of new programs went into effect. Col. Fertig, who had distinguished himself in the Philippines, brought some of his ideas and discipline into the office.

ROTC had been at Mines since 1919, when it became one of the first four colleges in the United States to be offered this opportunity. Colonel Fertig had been assigned to the program in the early 1950s. After his return to CSM as alumni association secretary, he lost no time in offering assistance and cooperation to the program's officers and began a relationship of mutual assistance that continues until today.

He felt strongly that the association could not function properly so far removed from the campus. The board of directors of the association agreed with him, and with the cooperation of the then President John W. Vanderwilt, the association was welcomed back.

Fertig traveled widely during his 15-year tenure to meet with alumni in many areas.

He significantly altered some of the ideas of the "men-only" adherents and was able to change the practice of stag alumni events. He had a strong connection with the students and it was during this time that the Alumni Association office began a long association with the Blue Key national honor fraternity.

Together with his secretary, Betty Decker, Fertig sponsored Blue Key activities from association funds. E-Day was not complete for many years without an association presence and always functioned partly on association loans or gifts.

Fertig began the practice of small, emergency loans, working with a loan committee from the board of directors.

Students were able to apply for money for a variety of small necessities not covered by school funding. This loan fund has grown into a significant sum of money, based on specific donations from alumni and administered by the board of directors of the association. The fund has made it possible for many students to complete their education at Mines.

Fertig's illness and death in 1975 led to the assumption of the office on an interim basis by David Cole, E.M. '52. He served in this capacity for just a few months until the hiring of George Mitchell, E.M. '53, who came to the association in February 1976 and remained there until 1980.

The board of directors created a new title for him, Executive Director of the Association, which is still in use.

Significant Accomplishments

Mitchell's most significant accomplishments came in raising the profile of the Alumni Association on campus and in strengthening relationships between the association and the CSM Foundation.

He brought in new people to assume the role of records clerks (Betty Myers and Corlee Rutherford). He added an advertising salesperson and another secretary, Kathy Barbour.

He brought the long-time editor of Mines Magazine, Carter Kaanta, to campus after more than thirty years. Kaanta, son of Henry W. Kaanta, E.M. '15, and father of two CSM alumni, Carter Kaanta, Jr. Met. E. '70 and Henry W. Kaanta, H, BSc. Met. '70, had chosen not to follow his distinguished father to Mines.

While living in Russia, where his father was associated with an Armand Hammer venture into that country, young Carter was stricken with mastoiditis, which robbed him of hearing in one ear.

Fearing that he would not make a "good engineer" because of this, he opted to attend Denver University. He edited the magazine from his office at a Denver publishing company, but in 1976, came to campus, where he remained until his retirement two years later.

His was a major contribution to the success of this publication during the Bowman-Roll-Fertig years.

The board of directors encouraged Mitchell to set up a full-time placement service with a director for this activity. He integrated the counseling segment of this service with the CSM Student Affairs office and helped to organize student job workshops, as well as those for alumni.

Following Mitchell's resignation in 1980 to return to private industry, Colonel William E. Leckie, MSc. Min. '49, became interim director for six months, until David M. Crawford, E.M. '51, was hired. Leckie had many contacts in the mining industry and had been at Mines for several years in Continuing Education.

Crawford, who served from May 1981 until October 1983, worked to further build bridges between the association and foundation. He initiated an ambitious travel program by visiting alumni sections and by setting up an association presence at national conventions.

It was During Crawford's stint that the Undergraduate Alumni Association was revived from a long-ago era.

During Crawford's tenure, the board of directors voted to expand the number of members of that body. Regions were designed and directors from each of these regions were elected to staggered terms.

Upon Crawford's resignation. Dr. William M. Mueller, Met. E. '40, served an interim term. Dr. Mueller's wide acquaintance among the alumni and his years of teaching and administrative service on campus stood the association in good stead. He was widely respected and created an atmosphere of stability in the association which was vital to its progress.

Norman R. Zehr, E.M. '52, who assumed the executive director's post in April 1984, and served until May 1995, came to the association from an industry background of many years, both in the United States and abroad.

He created new programs for financial accountability within the association, while working closely with the various fund-raising activities of the foundation and the Office of Institutional Advancement. He oversaw the transfer of the offices from Chauvenet Hall to the Twin Towers which were later renamed  Weaver Towers. In June 1995, new Executive Director Roger Nielson, BSc. Min. '75, oversaw another move from Weaver Towers to the former Jefferson County Sheriff's offices. In September 1996 Dan Witkowsky '66 was appointed Executive Director and made great strides in increasing membership. During his tenure, Alumni Association office staff each added their own rock to CSM's "M" on Mount Zion before toasting the letter afterward with champagne. Upon his resignation in June 1997 Mary Jo Giddings became Acting Executive Director, having been the Executive Director's right hand man since 1986.

In April 1998 Michael Watson was appointed as the Executive Director of the Alumni Association. He attended many section activities in the United States and Canada, accompanying the Mines presidents to many of these events. Watson was also active in the effort to get a written history of Mines. The book will be published the summer of 2004.

The Association fell on hard times with increased programming needs, a static membership base and the stock market plunge. In May 2003 Mr. Watson was laid off. At this time Kathy (Barbour) Breit became Interim Executive Director. She has been with the Association for 25 years both full and part time and knows the business of the Association.

The boards of directors who have served for much of the Association's existence have been men and women of integrity and sometimes long suffering patience.

Oftentimes, however, board members have been called into action to take over in cases of illness or death and have performed admirably. As the demographics of the graduates have changed, with more and more young people tilting the balance of the "old" grads and the new, the complexion of the boards has changed also.

For those people who have watched and dealt with various boards over a period of time, it seems clear that there is less emotion and more hard-headed business in a meeting.

There is a tremendous amount of time involved in serving on the board, with many hours of meeting time and preparation required. It is the board members -- who will recognize themselves and their attributes in these paragraphs -- who have ensured the survival and the success of the Colorado School of Mines Alumni Association.

The Association has changed dramatically since 1895 but still serves Mines with the same dedication that it always has.


History of Alumni Associations in General

1. 1636 - First college in America - Harvard.

2. 1792 - First to organize alumni by class year - Yale University.

3. 1821 - First Alumni Association in America - Williams College.

4. 1850 - First Alumni Hall built entirely from alumni funds - Williams College.

5. 1876 - First diplomas awarded at Mines.

6. 1895 - Mines Alumni Association founded.

7. 1955 - General Electric started the first matching gift program.

The early American Universities were modeled after the British system (Cambridge and Oxford).

After 1800, a more egalitarian approach took place and more colleges became church -related. Charity students became scholarship recipients.

Oberlin College was the first co-ed college in America, granting equal access to degrees.

After 1865, the German model took hold and research became more important than students. A rise in land grant institutions.

The 20th century saw the rise of 2-year colleges, the GI bill made college possible for the middle class, and after 1957 Sputnik created a rise of federal funds and grants to colleges for research and other needs.