YALE CONVERTS 200 ACRES OF MEMORIAL TRACT INTO GAME AND NATURE PRESERVE

New Haven, Conn., October 12.--Dean H. S. Graves of the Yale Forestry School has announced that the Yale Corporation, with the approval of the Athletic Association, has set aside 200 acres of the Ray Tompkins Memorial tract near the new Yale golf course as a preserve for the native plant and wild life of this region.

This vast memorial includes 700 acres. It was presented to Yale University as a memorial by Mrs. Ray Tompkins to her deceased husband, one of Yale's greatest-early athletes and captain of the 1884 football team. Formerly, the tract was the property of John Milton Greist, who devoted it for more than two decades as a preserve for deer, elk, and other big game.

On this land, a superb 18-hole golf course has been under construction for the past two years. The perfection of the course was insured by placing the entire 700 acres at the disposal of the golf architect, M. S. J. Raynor. Play has just begun this fall on the new course.

Henceforth, 200 acres of the total estate will be used as a santuary, for animals and plants and will also be used for field studies and instruction by the departments of botany, zoology and forestry. For a long time this extensive tract of forest has been under excellent protection and care. Around a portion of it is still found the high woven wire fence which confined the deer and elk when its former owner, Mr. Griest of New Haven, used the land as a deer park.

In commenting upon the project Dean Graves said:

"Characterized by a great variety of trees, shrubs, and wild flowers, already a refuge for birds and animal life of interest to the zoologist, and within easy reach of the university, the preserve offers an unusual opportunity for research and for class work in the field."

The establishment of the preserve was proposed by the board of Athletic Control, which found that the western portion of the estate was not needed for athletics. This committee, which is in charge of the administration of the property is headed by G. T. Adee '95, of New York.

In making the gift of her estate to Yale, it was the wish of Mrs. Tompkins to further the cause of the "athletics for all" policy which has been maintained at Yale in recent years. As much of the property as could ever be used for athletics has been set aside. The residue of 200 acres has been asigned to a committee composed of Dean Graves, Professor G. E. Nichols of the department of botany, and Professor R. G. Harrison of the department of Zoology.

Several graduates and friends of Yale have already interested themselves in the undertaking, and have contributed funds to begin the work of improvement. These include Starling W. Childs '91, of New York, who has taken a leading part in the project; Edward S. Harkness '97, of New York; Frederic C. Walcott '91 of Norfolk, Conn.; Robert W. Pomeroy '91, of Buffalo; Dr. Frank R. Oastler '91 of New York; Mrs. Henry S. Graves, of New Haven.