Deerfield Academy

Deerfield Academy: Bruce Barton’s fundraising letters from 1960, letter 22

by SOFII

It has been a pleasure and a privilege to bring you all these letters from that master of direct mail letter-writing, Bruce Barton. But, as the infamous ‘they’ say, ‘all good things must come to an end’. Yes, this is the last SOFII has. But, of course, as they also say, ‘the glass is half full’, so maybe there are more out there that will find their way to SOFII.

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Deerfield Academy: Bruce Barton’s fundraising letters from 1957 and 1958, letters 20 and 21

by SOFII

Bruce Barton’s letters are all about the donors’ achievements, so are welcome news packed with flattery and tales of selflessness and fine motives.

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Deerfield Academy: Bruce Barton’s fundraising letters from 1956 and 1957, letters 18 and 19

by SOFII

There’s no trickery in these letters, no artifice, no phoney PSs. Just direct, honest talking put in such an endearing and charming way as to become irresistible for those recipients who share the writer’s enthusiasm for Deerfield Academy and his passionate belief that it should give the best education possible to its students.

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Deerfield Academy: Bruce Barton’s fundraising letters from 1955 and 1956, letters 16 and 17

The Bruce Barton Letters

by SOFII

A four-year gap between Bruce Barton's letters for Deerfield Academy in no way diminished his exceptional capacity for penning a powerful appeal. Read, reflect and recycle, for there is real treasure here.

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Deerfield Academy: Bruce Barton’s fundraising letters from 1951, letter 15

by SOFII

With all the usual captivation and craftsmanship of a classic Bruce Barton letter, this provides a very valuable lesson in donor care from 60 years ago that is just as relevant today.

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Deerfield Academy: Bruce Barton’s fundraising letters from the turn of the 1950s, letters 12, 13 and 14

by SOFII

It's a delight now to add letters 12, 13 and 14 to this growing SOFII series featuring legendary writer Bruce Barton's brilliantly conversational direct mail letters for Deerfield Academy.

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Deerfield Academy: Bruce Barton’s fundraising letters for letters 9, 10 and 11, from 1948 and 1949

by SOFII

Reporting back, storytelling and irresistible offers – more fundraising gems from Bruce Barton.

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Deerfield Academy: Bruce Barton’s fundraising letters from 1946/47, letters 6, 7 and 8

by SOFII

Featured here are letters six, seven and eight from the 21 letters in this SOFII series, three more fine examples of the fundraising letter-writer's art from an age gone by.

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Deerfield Academy: Bruce Barton’s fundraising letters from 1945, letters 3, 4 and 5

by SOFII

These letters are masterful examples of wrapping up serious information in easy conversational style. Find letters three, four and five here.

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Deerfield Academy: Bruce Barton’s fundraising letters from the 1940s, letters 1 and 2

The Bruce Barton Letters

by SOFII

Written between 1944 and 1960, the 22 letters in this series reputedly raised over US$2 million. Serious direct mail copywriters will study these letters carefully and will profit accordingly.

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