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May 27, 1944

Mr. W. R. Enyart, President
National Aeronautic Association, 
Washington, D.C. 

Dear Mr. Enyart: 

Your letters of May 4th and 23rd are on a matter which I consider important.  My tardy answer to them is due not to lack of interest but to lack of ability as a correspondent. 

In so far as I know there is not and never has been a "Collier Trophy."  The trophy which now goes under that name was founded by Robert J. Collier in 1912, and the first award was made for the year of 1911.  The deed of gift reads as follows: 

[indent] "Board of Governors of the Aero Club of America: 
Dear Sirs: I have the pleasure of presenting to the Aero Club of America a bronze trophy to be known as the "Aero Club of America Trophy", which is to be awarded annual by the Club for the greatest achievement in aviation in America, the value of which has been thoroughly demonstrated by use during he preceding year. 

Robert J. Collier."[[indent]]

You will note that the name was "Aero Club of America Trophy."  It was still Aero Club of America Trophy at the time the Aero Club disbanded and the N.A.A. took over the representation of the F.A.I in America.  Whether any formal action was ever taken by the N.A.A. to change the name from Aero Club of America Trophy to Collier Trophy I do not know.  I never knew of any such action. 

To have a real understanding of the donor's object in establishing the trophy an understanding of his character and some knowledge of his many contributions to aviation would be necessary.  These are not easily found in print. Mr. Collier was a very modest man, and was not given to self-advertisement.  He was one of the finest men I have ever known -- one of the mildest in appearance and manner, but one of the finest in standing for what he believed and thought was right.  He was a true sportsman who never mixed sport and business.  Though he was the founder and owner of it, Collier's Weekly never had any connection with the trophy during his lifetime.  The gift of the trophy was purely a personal one.  Before offering the trophy Mr. Collier had consultations with Wilbur and me.

I have noticed in later years, after Mr. Collier's death, the business interests which took over the publication of Collier's Weekly, have used the trophy, which was established by Mr. Collier personally, as though that publication had some moral or property rights in it. 

The trophy was founded primarily to encourage and reward invention, as the language of the Deed or Gift indicates.  I do not think, however, that he intended it to be confined strictly to that. The early awards of the trophy were to individuals, as Mr. Collier had intended, and continued so until the formation of the N.A.A.  But an examination of the list of recipients since that time will reveal that after the N.A.A. came into possession of it the