Twenty Five Year Survey Indicates a Five Fold Growth For Cooperative--Business Has Been Doubled Since 1923

An increase in sales from $289,218 to $1,297,801 in the last 25 years is the record of the Harvard Cooperative Society from 1903 to 1928, This increase, reflected in the amounts of dividends paid to members, which grew from $12,426 in 1903 to $86,500 in 1928, is shown by a study of the Society's record during this period of years.

Another significant factor brought out by the records of the last 25 years is that since 1913 although the total of sales and the number of members has tripled, the amount of dividends paid to members has increased fivefold. This fact, shows that members are realizing more on their investment each year.

The membership of the Society, while steadily increasing from less than 2,000 in 1903 to 9,286 in 1928, (excluding membership in the Technology Branch), shows an interesting rise in the last five years, almost doubling in number. Several factors contribute to this growth, one of the chief ones being the remodeling of the old store into the modern place of business in which the Society is now housed. The inclusion of graduate members was also begun during this period. These number 1,366 in the 1928 report.

In the report of the Society for the year 1927-1928, the dividends paid to the 9,286 Harvard members, averaged about nine-dollars. The highest sum paid was slightly over, 80 dollars, and the lowest, five cents.

Figures taken from an older report than that of the year 1902-1903, which are not included in the 25 year survey, show even more clearly the growth of the Society, which is now in its forty-sixth year of business. The total sales as recorded that year were $170,477, with the dividends paid at a 6 percent rate totaling $6,000.