The People's Voice

CAMPUS CO-OPS
COAST STATES
HOLD CONFERENCE

Plan Program of Joint Buying at Pacific Coast Conference;
Nine Colleges Represented as Coast Students Tackle Problems.

By HAROLD NORTON
Secretary, Pacific Coast League of Student Co-operatives

PULLMAN, Wash.—The third annual conference of the Pacific Coast Student Co-operative League June 16-20 drew together representatives of campus co-operatives from nine schools: University of Washington, Montana State College, University of Idaho, University of Oregon, San Jose State College, University of California at L. A., Stanford University, University of California and Washington State College, the latter acting as host on its home campus here. Although many of the delegates had to travel great distances—in some cases almost 3,000 miles round trip, fifty were present to take a vital part in the discussion groups centering around the administration and operation of student Co-ops and also in planning League affairs for the coming year.

The program of the conference included panels and discussion groups on administration, finance, membership responsibility, and education and meetings of the administrative officers of the various Co-ops. Ray Davis of the Farm Security Administration in one of the few conference speeches told how the FSA is adopting co-operative techniques in the agricultural areas under its jurisdiction. The over-tone of his words revealed to the conclave the remarkable potentialities of the co-operative movement, and consequently impressed the gathering with its timeliness.

The administrative officers of the individual Co-ops met at intervals during the convention to discuss the possibilities of inaugurating a mutual and beneficial buying program among the member units. The proposal was enthusiastically received and the secretary of the league instructed to contact all sources of supply to obtain information towards establishing such a buying program. Machinery has been set up to carry out the plans wherever possible.

Among the matters discussed at the business meetings were the problems of pre-conference planning, adequate programs, issuance of the reports and the publication of a League handbook. An official League pin was adopted.

Those elected to the board of directors for the coming year are: Leo C. Poole, chairman, University of Calif.; Ernest Conrad, University of Washington; Vernon Ravenscroft, University of Idaho; Willard Mitchell, Stanford University; and Eugene Olsen, Montana State College. The alternates chosen to fill any occurring vacancies are: Richard Ross, Washington State College; Edward Dissosway, UCLA, and Joyce Addis, University of Oregon. The elected representative to the National Committee of Student Co-operatives is Lee C. Poole. The appointed secretary of the league is Harold C. Norton, University of California.

A full report was presented by the secretary of the affiliation of the PCSCL with The Co-operative League of the U. S. A. and a resume made of the potentialities implied by this affiliation, particularly in the educational fields. Announcements were made of the opportunities offered in the vocational field by the Rochdale Institute and the various institutes to be held during the year throughout the country.

On a social plane the week was highly enjoyable, many features having been planned by the host school, among which was a trip to the student co-operatives at the University of Idaho, which is situated a short distance from Pullman. After an inspection of the co-operatives and a tour of the campus, the group finished out the afternoon with a round of golf on the University golf links. A picnic supper brought the day to a close. The climax of the week's social events was the final evening's banquet followed by a dance and program of entertainment. During the ceremonies the group bade farewell to Bill Ingham, manager of the Co-op at Washington State College and resigning member of the board. Mr. Ingham has been largely instrumental in the formation of the league and his loss will be keenly felt.

The final action of the group was the selection of the place for the next annual meeting and the invitation of the Montana State College Student Co-operative Association, Bozeman, Montana was accepted.