Thank you for the enthusiastic responses we are beginning to see to TFoNC’s National Briefing and Call to Action. Your words of encouragement as well as your dollars are pouring in. We hear that our supporters enthusiastically want to sustain the Montgomery lawsuit to its successful conclusion in such comments as this: “When I first learned of Tulane’s closing Newcomb, I didn’t think there was much chance of changing the decision. I’m afraid I underestimated our resourcefulness.”

As donations arrive, new plans are taking shape for fundraising efforts across the country throughout the summer. To reach our fundraising goals, please get involved and do something to help us raise the funds we need — $150,000 by August 31st! All donations are used to support the lawsuit, and you can make your contribution anonymously if that is important to you. (You can still hear the national briefing by clicking the button on the right.)

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Over the summer, we will highlight a number of different fundraising efforts, and we ask you to let us know if you have an idea for fundraising that others might use, as well. Here are three things you can do in the next week that will make a difference.

— WRITE A CHECK in the amount of the year you graduated from Newcomb– you decide where to put the decimal point. (This idea was submitted by Elizabeth Jayes, N ’87, from Atlanta, Georgia.) For example, if you graduated in 1987, you could write a check for $19.87, $198.70 or $1987.00. Of course, the more zeroes the better!

— CHARGE IT! Donate online at our website www.newcomblives.com using your favorite credit card. You can do this once or once a month. If your education at Newcomb was as valuable to you as a new pair of shoes, it will be fun to think about how much you would pay for a new pair of shoes, and charge that amount on your credit card to TFoNC.

— SELL IT ON EBAY TO BENEFIT TFONC. TFoNC Advisory Board Chair, Sue Bentch (‘N 68) notes that in previous decades women who needed to raise money for a special purpose held bake sales, and she refers to our eBay sales as “a virtual bake sale.” It will be the icing on the cake if you clean out your attic and benefit TFoNC at the same time. Post your items for sale with eBay Giving Works and indicate that the proceeds are to go to TFoNC. If you need assistance in posting your item, let us know by sending an email to info@newcomblives.com, and we will help you with instructions.

SEEKING HEARING DATE FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT MOTION

In the Montgomery case, the Civil District Court initially scheduled a hearing on the Motion for Summary Judgment for July 10, 2009 which is a general hearing date when the court may hear a large number of motions. The court has been asked to reschedule the hearing for a “special setting” date when the motion could be heard on a less cluttered calendar. We will alert you when a new date is set.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

We are an all-volunteer organization. Beyond your money, we could also use your time. If you would like to volunteer, please send us a note at news@newcomblives.com to let us know how you would like to help. Someone will contact you.

NEWS & NOTES

Ruth (Ruanne) K. Peters (N ‘68), Sc. D. and Emerita Professor of Preventive Medicine Keck School of Medicine at USC, was lauded last week for 29 years of volunteer service for the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC). At a reception honoring Ruanne, staff and committee members praised her dedication as a member of the Executive Committee of the Pacific Southwest Region as well as years of organizational volunteer activities that were described as “invaluable” and “meticulous.” In recognition of her work, more than 40 people donated to a fund that was given to the AFSC in Ruanne’s honor.

IN MEMORIAM

Lorraine Steidtmann Querens N’48, passed away on May 26, 2009 in New Orleans. TFoNC is appreciative that her family requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to help restore Newcomb College.

We have much to tell you! Please join the TFoNC team on the evening of Tuesday, June 16th, at 8:30 EDT, 7:30 CDT, 6:30 MDT, 5:30 PDT for a National Briefing Conference Call. We will update you on the recent filing of the Motion for Summary Judgment in the Montgomery case, as well as other important information, including next steps.

Hear the briefing by calling in from your home, office or cell phone, or by gathering with friends, fellow alums and supporters at one of several house parties being organized in cities across the country. Gatherings are already planned in Atlanta, Dallas, Austin, Columbus, Ohio, and Washington, D.C., and we hope to have more house parties in additional cities. If you would like to host a National Briefing gathering in your home or office, email us at info@newcomblives.com and give us your phone number. Someone will contact you right away with the information you need to participate or to host a party.

If you would like to join us on the call, reply to this email at news@newcomblives.com and let us know that you plan to call in. We will send you call-in instructions.

AUCTION HALTED, BUT GOLD PIN STILL AVAILABLE

If you were watching the eBay auction of the Newcomb College oak tree gold pin designed by Mignon Faget, you received a notice that the auction was abruptly halted by Tulane’s action.

Claiming that the auction of the pin constituted some undefined infringement on Tulane’s rights, TU’s lawyers demanded that eBay discontinue the auction, and eBay complied-—perhaps thinking that we were selling counterfeit merchandise.

This is a resale of authentic, non-counterfeit goods on eBay, and is not a violation of any intellectual property rights. The seller is prepared to continue the auction of this formerly-owned historic pin to the highest bidder for the benefit of TFoNC and has extended the time for the auction for an additional two days. You can now see and bid on the pin by going to ebay.com.

MRS. NEWCOMB’S OTHER NEWCOMB HALL

Before New Orleans had its Newcomb Hall, or even Newcomb College, Washington & Lee University (W&L) in Virginia received a gift of $20,000 from Josephine Louise Newcomb to endow a library building named in honor of her late husband, Warren Newcomb. The red brick building on W&L’s front campus was completed in 1882. In the early 20th century a white-pillared portico was added, incorporating it into W&L’s iconic Colonnade.

Mrs. Newcomb’s gift to W&L commemorates an earlier donation of $10,000 to Washington College (W&L’s former name) by her husband. In a letter to Robert E. Lee, president of the college in 1866, Mr. Newcomb explains that he is making the donation “to have the pleasure of giving a Schollarship [sic] to the sons of my Old Friends who I knew in affluence and have now been reduced to poverty,” referring to their financial hardship following the Civil War.

Thanks to those of you who called our attention to a recent article in W&L’s alumni magazine, Non Incautus Futuri, announcing a fundraising campaign to restore the buildings on the Colonnade, featuring a photo of Mrs. Newcomb, and telling the story of her founding of Newcomb College as well as of her gift to W&L.

The return of Newcomb College has taken a large step forward! Achieving our goal is in sight. Your support is more critical than ever.

On May 27th the attorneys for the Plaintiff in Montgomery v. Tulane filed a Motion for Summary Judgment. That means they have requested that the judge decide the case based on the previously submitted written information and without going to trial.

Enough Tulane “fact finding”; enough time lost. The facts are the same as from the first: Mrs. Newcomb’s will states that her money was to be used to support Newcomb College. Tulane isn’t abiding by Mrs. Newcomb’s intent. The Motion requests that the court order Tulane to comply with the will by reopening Newcomb College.

The case for reinstating Newcomb has actually strengthened through the legal process:

• The Louisiana Supreme Court ruled that a successor does have the right to bring suit to enforce the terms of a will.
• Mrs. Newcomb’s great great great niece is a lawful plaintiff filing the suit.
• And we’re back before the original judge, the one who ruled that “A clear reading of Mrs. Newcomb’s will shows that she intended for Tulane…to use the balance of her estate to maintain a women’s higher education college.”

Though Tulane engages multiple law firms to fight our efforts, continually distorts the facts, and adopts aggressive tactics, we are within reach of bringing Newcomb home.

From the beginning and with the contributions of supporters, The Future of Newcomb College, Inc. has funded the efforts to save Newcomb. We’re at a crucial juncture and must not lose momentum. We need your dollars to go the distance. Please!

Donate.
Donate generously.
Donate immediately.

Make your tax-deductible check to The Future of Newcomb College, Inc. Send checks to:
TFoNC c/o Paige Gold, Secretary, 3016 Waverly Drive, #214, Los Angeles, CA 90039-4114;
or
Click the “Donate” on the right to donate via PayPal.

Thank you from TFoNC and from donors to every organization, institution, and charity who specify how and where their money is to be used with the expectation that their intent will be honored.

PLEASE, FORWARD THIS MESSAGE TO ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES WHO SUPPORT NEWCOMB OR CARE ABOUT DONOR INTENT. LET THEM KNOW THAT WE ARE IN THE HOME STRETCH AND NEED THEIR HELP.

Save the Date: National Telephone Briefing on JUNE 16TH! Details will follow in the next DaisyChain.

Motion Declares that University Must “Acknowledge, Honor and Implement Mrs. Newcomb’s Donor Intent”

NEW ORLEANS, May 27 – Susan Henderson Montgomery, a successor of Josephine Louise Newcomb, who endowed Tulane University’s H. Sophie Newcomb Memorial College through a bequest and earlier series of gifts, petitioned the Civil District Court for Orleans Parish today to grant summary judgment on key issues in the case and order Tulane to reopen the college, which it closed after nearly 120 years of operation.

The court filing states that Mrs. Newcomb’s bequest to the Tulane Board of Administrators was subject to a charge, or a performance obligation, which the Tulane Board acknowledged, assumed and executed for 119 years. That obligation was to develop and maintain in perpetuity a coordinate women’s college at Tulane.

“As the motion points out, the fact that Tulane accepted and honored this obligation for more than a century clearly establishes the fact that such an obligation exists,” said Renee Seblatnigg, President of The Future of Newcomb College (TFoNC), an organization of donors and supporters dedicated to preserving the popular school.

The district court already acknowledged as much in an earlier lawsuit, Howard v. Tulane, in which the court found that: “A clear reading of Mrs. Newcomb’s will shows that she intended for Tulane, as universal legatee, to use the balance of her estate to maintain a women’s higher education college.”

In requesting “summary judgment” in Montgomery v. Administrators of the Tulane Educational Fund – meaning that no contested facts exist, and Mrs. Montgomery is entitled to judgment as a matter of law — Mrs. Montgomery asks the court to:

1) reaffirm “its determination of Mrs. Newcomb’s testamentary intent in the Howard case;” [p. 20]

2) find that Tulane assumed a “charge,” or performance obligation, when it accepted Mrs. Newcomb’s designated gifts; [p. 21]

3) find that Tulane “understood and accepted” that Mrs. Newcomb’s donations were subject to “the specific charge that the Tulane Board establish and maintain Newcomb College; [p. 27] and

4) find that Tulane “acknowledged, assumed and executed” this obligation for 119 years. [p. 25]

“It is an undisputed fact of this case … that for 119 years the Tulane Board developed, operated and maintained Newcomb College as a separate coordinate college for women within Tulane University. Plaintiff maintains that the fact of the Tulane Board’s lengthy performance clearly gives rise to a presumption that Mrs. Newcomb’s donations were, in fact, subject to a charge … and that the Tulane Board acknowledged, assumed and executed” this obligation. [p. 26]

The plaintiff’s attorneys told the court that Mrs. Montgomery “is clearly entitled to judgment against the Tulane Board to enforce the conditions which accompanied Mrs. Newcomb’s donations and bequest.” They reminded the court that Mrs. Montgomery is seeking no money or property, but “only to have the Tulane Board acknowledge, honor and implement Mrs. Newcomb’s donor intent.”

Accordingly, they ask the court to “order the Tulane Board to reopen Newcomb College and maintain it as Tulane University’s separate coordinate college for women.”

It is no exaggeration to say that TFoNC exists in cyberspace and survives because those who support the reinstitution of Newcomb College are connected by way of the Internet. From the beginning, we have succeeded because we use communications technology to extend our reach and to bring us together to accomplish our mission.

We are excited to tell you about our presence on both eBay and Facebook, and we hope you will join us there to help raise much-needed funds to continue our work, to connect with the TFoNC Community, and to reconnect with your friends and classmates from your Newcomb days.

eBay – BOTH A BUYER AND A SELLER BE!

TFoNC is registered with eBay Giving Works, which enables us to be a seller of special items and to be the beneficiary of your contributions when you sell items on eBay.

We are launching a 10-day auction on eBay of the pictured gold pin, previously featured on our website and in the newsletter. We hope you will become a buyer and a seller for TFoNC’s benefit. For more information, to bid on the pin or to sell your own items to benefit TFoNC, please visit TFoNC’s eBay Giving Works webpage. For a direct link to the eBay auction for the pin, please click here.

Getting involved is easy! To buy or sell items for the benefit of TFoNC, simply sign in with your eBay account number, or, if you do not have an account, register to become a buyer and a seller. To register, go to http://www.ebay.com, click on “REGISTER” and follow the instructions.

The auction of the pin will run May 18th – 27th.

If you would like to get more information right away, get in touch at info@newcomblives.com.

Facebook – WE INVITE YOU TO JOIN FRIENDS!

The Future of Newcomb College invites you to join our network of friends on Facebook. In the past several weeks, membership in the Save Newcomb College Group has tripled, demonstrating that our cause is well supported by many.

What is Facebook?

Facebook is an Internet networking tool for millions of people around the world. The site offers a forum for reconnecting with old friends through wall posts, photos, and live chat windows.

How Can You Participate?

Join the Save Newcomb College Group on Facebook and invite your friends to join too, so we can spread the word about our cause and generate more support. Use the Save Newcomb College Group page to post photos and comments and to invite your friends!

Getting Started is Easy!

To join the Facebook community, simply visit Facebook and create a user account. Once you have established your username and password, please visit the Save Newcomb College Group. You can find the group by typing “Save Newcomb” in the search window at the top right of your home page, then clicking on the icon for Save Newcomb College (once the results window appears).

For further assistance, please send an email to info@newcomblives.com. We will send you an invitation to join Facebook with a convenient link to the site.

Once you join the Save Newcomb College Group, you will be connected immediately with alumnae and supporters from across the US and around the world. You can catch up with old friends and make new ones while supporting the greater Newcomb community. Please help our efforts to restore Newcomb by participating in our expansive network of supporters.

TFONC NEWS & NOTES

JUDITH SWEET, a former Newcomb faculty member, will be inducted into the State of Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in November. A native of Milwaukee and 1969 graduate of the University of Wisconsin, she began her career as a teacher and a coach at Newcomb College. She went on to earn two Masters degrees and to blaze a trail of firsts for women in athletics, including becoming the first woman to head a combined men’s and women’s intercollegiate athletic program when she became the Director of Athletics for the University of California – San Diego, where she served from 1975 through 1999.

In a note to TFoNC, Ms. Sweet writes:

“I was at Newcomb right after my graduation from UW, 1969-70. Election to the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame is truly an honor and I am humbled to be among the men and women who have contributed so much to the athletics landscape locally and nationally. My time at Newcomb was the first step in my professional journey. It set the stage for my commitment to work for equal opportunity for girls and women in all educational fields. I feel fortunate to have had the professional opportunities that previously had not been available to women. I have always stated that while being the first is an honor and responsibility, most important is not being the last.”

Congratulations, Judy!

LET US HEAR FROM YOU

What is new with you? Send your news and notes to info@newcomblives.com.

Mother’s Day has ancient origins as a Greek celebration of the mother of the gods, Rhea, but since a proclamation by Woodrow Wilson in 1914, the second Sunday in May has been recognized as Mother’s Day in the United States. We wish a Happy Mother’s Day to all of our readers who are mothers, themselves, and we honor and remember all mothers everywhere for being the important people they are in the lives of their children and families.

Those of us who attended Newcomb College know that our Alma Mater was almost as important as our mothers in shaping us into the women we have become. Josephine Louise Newcomb must be one of history’s most tenacious mothers. Having lost her beloved daughter, Sophie, when Sophie was only 15, Mrs. Newcomb deliberated for another 15 years before settling upon the establishment of the H. Sophie Newcomb Memorial College as the perfect memorial to her daughter and symbol of her devoted love for her. That often-told story has always been inherent in the tradition of Newcomb, a college dedicated to the education of young women inspired by a mother’s undying love for her daughter who died too young. Our Alma Mater is Newcomb College, but the mother of our Alma Mater was Mrs. Newcomb.

Mother’s Day is the perfect day not only to remember and honor our own mothers and to enjoy being celebrated as mothers and grandmothers, ourselves, but also to remember our Alma Mater and the story of Mrs. Newcomb and Sophie, which is at the heart of our mission to reinstate the college. Many of our readers have honored or remembered their mothers through a donation to TFONC. If you would like to do so, we will be pleased to include your and your mother’s names among those honored on our website. For more information, contact us at info@newcomblives.com.

LAST CLASS ADMITTED TO NEWCOMB COLLEGE TO GRADUATE

May 15th is Graduation Day. The Class of 2009 entered Newcomb College in August 2005, just weeks before Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans. When Tulane adopted the Renewal Plan and dissolved Newcomb College, it determined that this class would be the last class that would be entitled to graduate with Newcomb College diplomas. Even as we are determined that future classes will graduate from Newcomb College again, we congratulate these Newcomb graduates for their achievements and perseverance to accomplish their dreams in the wake of the Storm. We also congratulate the members of the Class of 1959, who are celebrating their 50th Reunion this year in concert with graduation. Newcomb Lives!

ANNA RAIMER JOINS TFoNC BOARD AND BECOMES TREASURER

We are pleased to announce that we have a new Board member, Anna E. Raimer (N ’00), who is also our new Treasurer. Anna is an attorney with Jones, Day in Los Angeles. She graduated Newcomb Phi Beta Kappa, cum laude, and obtained her law degree from the University of Texas in 2004. Anna focuses her practice in the area of patent, trademark and copyright.

LET US HEAR FROM YOU

What is new with you? Send your news and notes to info@newcomblives.com.

The Future of Newcomb College, Inc. was incorporated on March 13, 2006, with the sole mission of saving Newcomb College. For the last three years, the organization has worked tirelessly to accomplish this mission. TFoNC is determined not to rest until it has succeeded in reinstituting the college within Tulane University in keeping with Mrs. Newcomb’s clear donor intent. We have funded two lawsuits - Howard v. Tulane and Montgomery v. Tulane - to this end. Our progress could not have been achieved without the hundreds of supporters who have funded the organization with hundreds of thousands of dollars.

We encourage all those who are concerned about the future of Newcomb College to send sustaining anniversary gifts of $30, $300, or $3000 to celebrate each one of these three momentous years. Your continuing support will be vital as we take crucial steps in the months ahead to restore Newcomb College.

TFoNC WELCOMES ITS NEW ADVISORY BOARD

At the end of 2008, the TFoNC Board decided to establish an Advisory Board to assist us in extending our outreach among supporters and to advise us on achieving our mission. We are proud to announce that the TFoNC Advisory Board has been formed with 35 inaugural members. Sue Bentch (N’68) is serving as Chair.

We encourage all TFoNC supporters to communicate your support and ideas for success to the members of the Advisory Board as well as to the Board of Directors, by e-mailing us. Please join us in welcoming Dr. Joan Bennett, Highland Park, NJ; Sue Todd Bentch, Fredericksburg, TX; Veronica Kastrin Callaghan, El Paso, TX; Dr. Emily Watts Card, Laredo, TX; Dr. Linda Carroll, New Orleans, LA; Carol Gene Waldman Cohen, Dallas, TX; Jean S. Cooper, Tucson, AZ; Dr. Jean Danielson, New Orleans, LA; Karen Deener Depp, Baton Rouge, LA; Cynthia Miller Farber, Atlanta, GA; Dr. Stuart Farber, Atlanta, GA ; Regan Alford Forrester, New Orleans, LA; Dr. Naomi A. Gardberg, Port Washington, NY; Doris Lee Harris Goldstein, Atlanta, GA; Babs Bartlett Haddad, Lookout Mountain, TN; Mr. Lee D. Hoffman, Hartford, CT; Parma Howard, Greenville, NC; Sally Balch Hurme, Alexandria, VA; Art Balch Hurme, Alexandria, VA ; James Lamantia, New Orleans, LA; Juliette L. Landphair, Richmond, VA; Mimi Marx Levy, Atlanta, GA; Ferd Levy, Atlanta, GA ; Fergie Gonzales Lewis, New Orleans, LA; Carter Stevens Molony, New Orleans, LA; Muffie Moroney, Houston, TX; Karen Peeler, Columbus, OH; Heather Pelofsky Rittenberg, Metairie, LA; Mariam Salari, New York, NY; Jane Matthis Smith, Columbia, SC; Anita Rea Toler, Daphne, AL; Beryl Robertson Trawick, Mobile, AL; Christine Turner, New York, NY; Page Williamson, Memphis, TN; and Cynthia Roosth Wolf, Beaumont, TX.

THE PERFECT NOTE

TFoNC’s new note cards make the perfect way for you to communicate your support of Newcomb College to your family and friends. These beautiful cards bear an image of the columns of Newcomb Hall that appear at the top of our homepage. The original artwork was created in support of TFoNC’s efforts.

Each set includes 25 cards (5×5.75-inch folded) with matching envelopes for $25.00 - shipping included. Printed on high-quality stock, the cards feature an image of the painting “Newcomb Hall, the Dawning of a New Day” by artist Sara Jane Reynolds, the mother of two Newcomb graduates. These notes send the clear message that the future of Newcomb is bright! Please send a check with mailing information to The Future of Newcomb College, Inc., c/o Notecard Fulfillment, 401 Metairie Road, #513, Metairie, LA 70005

News and Notes

PAMELA WATSON BAIN (N ’69) is beautifully pictured on the cover of this month’s San Antonio Woman magazine. Pam is the CEO of the San Antonio civil engineering firm, Bain Medina Bain, Inc., which is a family business with more than sixty employees.

In 2008, the San Antonio Business Journal recognized BMB as one of the Best Places to Work in San Antonio in 2008, based upon anonymous employee surveys from more than 200 San Antonio companies. Pam, who is largely credited for the kudos, graduated from Newcomb with a degree in English. She then became a school principal before meeting her second husband, changing careers, and joining his engineering firm, where she has worked since the 1980’s. When her husband Henry became seriously ill, Pam became the CEO. She has led the company through years of growth and success while her husband and stepson continue to provide the technical engineering expertise.

Congratulations, Pam! Thank you for reminding us of just how valuable a Newcomb education is in preparing us for whatever opportunities Life might bring our way.

LET US HEAR FROM YOU

What is new with you? Send your news and notes to us.

JOB 1: MONTGOMERY V. TULANE

No one ever said that re-establishing Newcomb College following its unnecessary dissolution would be quick or easy. Litigation takes time, money, and patience. Although there is no breaking news in the case at this time, rest assured that TFoNC continues to work every day to prepare for the next steps in this legal battle to regain our college. Winning this case remains our primary focus, just as reinstating Newcomb College remains our primary objective. With your continued support, we will not be distracted or deterred from this effort. As always, donors’ contributions to TFoNC are used ONLY in support of the lawsuit to reinstate Newcomb College.

RAVE REVIEWS FOR TFoNC’S NEWCOMB HALL NOTE CARDS

Those who have received their orders of TFoNC’s new note cards are ecstatic! These beautiful cards bear a reproduction of an original artwork created in support of TFoNC’s efforts. The cards are displayed and available for purchase on our website at www.newcomblives.com. Each set includes 25 cards (5×5.75-inch folded) with matching envelopes for $25.00 - shipping included. Printed on high-quality stock, the cards feature an image of the painting “Newcomb Hall, the Dawning of a New Day” by artist Sara Jane Reynolds, the mother of two Newcomb graduates. Supplies are limited, so order your note cards today!

STATUS OF TULANE’S DEMAND TO CEASE & DESIST

As reported in our last newsletter (The DaisyChain, February 3, 2009), Tulane recently demanded that TFoNC cease and desist selling NewcombLives jewelry, tee shirts and tote bags, alleging infringement on certain trademarks that Tulane claims to own. Many supporters responded with expressions of indignation, and we appreciate the additional donations that accompanied these correspondences. Allen M. Johnson, Jr. covered this turn of events in the Baton Rouge Advocate on February 4, 2009 (http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/38986749.html).

TFoNC will continue to take all necessary steps to defend itself against Tulane’s bogus allegations. Further updates will be posted periodically on the TFoNC website, www.newcomblives.com.

NEWCOMB GOLD PIN AND MEMORABILIA FOR SALE TO BENEFIT TFoNC

MARJORIE (Mimi) MARX LEVY (N ‘55) and her husband, Ferdinand (Ferd) LEVY (T ‘ 50), are stalwart supporters of TFoNC. Recently, Mimi and Ferd presented us a generous gift, which will afford us a wonderful fundraising opportunity. A classmate of Ferd’s at Tulane offered Mimi his mother’s Mignon Faget Newcomb pin which she had purchased in 1983. Since Mimi’s children had just given her a Newcomb pin, Mimi asked for and received permission to donate the pin to TFoNC to be sold for its benefit. The pin is pictured on our website at www.newcomblives.com/. The pin will be auctioned to the highest bidder, and details on how to participate in the auction will be highlighted in our next newsletter.

The pin belonged to Edna Riseman Kurtz, N ‘23, a native of Opelousas, Louisiana, who passed away approximately ten years ago.

The dimensions of the pin are 1″ width and .75″ height. According to one of Ms. Faget’s assistants, the pin was molded and formed by the so-called “Lost Wax Process” developed in Benin, Africa (now part of Nigeria) known to European explorers as dating from as far back as the fifteenth century. The pin is 14-carat heavy yellow gold and is marked 14K on the back. The initials of the designer, Mignon Faget, also appear on the backside. The pin has a safety catch on the back and also has two gold loops on the back, so that is can be strung on and worn with a necklace. It is truly a collector’s item.

Mimi also has the Newcomb graduation program from 1923 and a program of the 50-year reunion of that class in 1973, which she can provide with the pin to add to its value.

THANKS, MIMI AND FERD, FOR THIS GENEROUS GIFT, AND MANY THANKS TO YOUR FRIEND, AS WELL!

TFONC NEWS & NOTES

ELIZABETH MONK DALEY (N ’65), Dean of the Film School at University of Southern California, Los Angeles, was prominently featured in a The New York Times article by Michael Cieply on February 8, 2009, http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/09/movies/09film.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=daley&st=cse. Elizabeth (”Betsy,” as she was known to us at Newcomb,) worked with George Lucas, a U.S.C. graduate, to implement the first phase of a new School of Cinematic Arts, funded and designed by Mr. Lucas. The new school will be formally unveiled on March 29th. Congratulations, Elizabeth!

LET US HEAR FROM YOU

What is new with you? Send your news and notes to info@newcomblives.com.

TFoNC is pleased to offer notecards to help you support our efforts to restore Newcomb College, while connecting with friends! The 5×5.75-inch folded notecards feature an image of the original painting by Sara Jane Reynolds, “Newcomb Hall, the Dawning of a New Day.” The cards are printed on high-quality stock, and come in sets of 25 folded notes with matching envelopes for $25, shipping included. Supplies are limited, so place your order today!

A series of recent actions by Tulane University has led the TFoNC board to ask the following question: What do well-heeled defendants do when they realize they’re going to lose a case they do not want to lose?

In our case – and in countless others where defendants have the advantage of deep pockets –their last resort is to attempt to bankrupt the Plaintiffs. Read more »

Now, in the early days of a new year, we can cheer ourselves by reviewing what we have accomplished together in the last twelve months and taking measure of the road ahead. And, while life is full of uncertainty, The Future of Newcomb College, Inc. continues to be confident of success in 2009.

Through your support and diligence we have helped make new law in Louisiana on the issue of donor intent, broadened our reach to many more thousands of supporters, and set the stage for the final chapter in the initiative to restore Newcomb College.

This time last year, plaintiffs in Howard v. Tulane were applying to the Louisiana Supreme Court, asking it to review the case. In opposition, Tulane argued that no would-be heirs had a right to enforce the terms of a decedent’s gift or will. Even more remarkably, in legal briefs, Tulane claimed that only Tulane could seek to enforce the terms of Mrs. Newcomb’s will (which brings to mind the fox guarding the hen house!).
Read more »