Summer Times is the Journal of the Old Scarborians Association

letter from the Committee seeking funds to
enable us to continue to support the web site
and two issues of Summer Times each year
for the immediate future. Please consider this
appeal seriously and respond positively if at
all possible. As the numbers of new members
joining us diminishes, so does our income,
as our main source is from one‐off life mem‐
bership fees of £10.
I am wont to say that the older you get the
faster the time passes. I took over the Secre‐
taryship at the AGM in November 1999 and
the time has gone very quickly since then; a
blur of dinners and meetings, though the
Centenary year in 2002 still stands out as
something special.
I am also wont to believe that that you get
the best work out of an individual during his
first five years in a job and I am going to
follow my own dictum and resign my re‐
sponsibilities as Secretary at the next AGM.
This will hopefully allow a younger, brighter
and livelier talent to drive the Association
forward for the next five years.
I have enjoyed my work as your Secretary
and have particularly enjoyed corresponding
with many of you. I further look forward to
seeing you at lunches and dinners for many
years to come.
Peter Robson (1945-53)
Secretary
TREASURIAL
As always expected, our
financial situation has
gone into reverse and we
can expect continuing
significant excesses of
expenditure over income
to arise if we continue to
run the Association as
we are doing. This will reduce our assets to
nil within two or three years. The cost of the
website is higher this year, as previously the
cost has been donated and also this year we
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changed our domain and our hosting com‐
pany. New subscriptions have slowed sub‐
stantially and, although our events were all
run at a profit, this alone does not keep us
afloat financially.
On the November issue of Summer Times we
inserted a cover price of £1.50 to draw our
members’ attention to the approximate cost.
At the AGM we considered various options
in some detail including,
a) Charging for the magazine. This had some
appeal as members could then opt in or out.
However, it would complicate our database
and would add to the Secretarial and Mem‐
bership Secretary’s duties.
b) Increasing the cost of our dinners and
other activities to factor in a reasonable profit
margin. This would be equitable in that those
who are able to take part in our activities
would underwrite most of the costs of the
Association. However, on the other hand for
instance, overseas postage costs are much
greater than inland rates, and it was queried
whether it was fair for members supporting
events to subsidise other members who did
not choose, or were unable, to attend.
c) Appealing to members for donations. This
was felt to be a simple solution and, depend‐
ing on the response, should cover our imme‐
diate problems.
d) Asking members for a further subscrip‐
tion, possibly payable on a 3 or 5 yearly
basis. This had attractions, but we could get
refusals from members who have paid a Life
Subscription. Also the Treasurer’s duties
would increase substantially.
At the AGM the Committee decided to adopt
option c) – To appeal to members for dona‐
tions, and an Appeal form is enclosed with
this edition.
Chris Found (1951-59)
Treasurer