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05/1 4 /10 Bound to Last 



THIS VOLUME 
BOUND INCOMPLETE 



Missing- 

v.81 no.2 
September 1977 

v.82 no.2 
September 1978 




August 1977 




Vol. 81, No. 1 



August 1977 



2 Father Scanlon 

The black collar and booming voice, always there when he's 
needed — who else could it be but Father Peter Scanlon? 



4 Reunion 1977 
10 Your Class and Others 

12 Arp 

Alan Pearlman has a winner! 

15 Let's see.... 

Bob Brass, '57 is still playing around. 

20 The DA 

23 Your Class and Others 



Editor: H. Russell Kay 

Alumni Information Editor: Ruth A. Trask 

Publications Committee: Walter B. Dennen, Jr., 
'51, chairman; Donald F. Berth, '57; Leonard 
Brzozowski, 74; Robert C. Gosling, '68; Enfried 
T. Larson, '22; Roger N. Perry, Jr., '45; Rev. 
Edward I. Swanson, 45. 

Design: H. Russell Kay 

Typography: Davis Press, Worcester, 
Massachusetts 

Printing: The House of Offset, Somerville, 
Massachusetts 



Address all correspondence regarding editorial 
content or advertising to the Editor, WPI JOUR- 
NAL, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worces- 
ter, Massachusetts 01609 (phone 617-753- 
1411). 

The WPI JOURNAL is published for the Alumni 
Association by Worcester Polytechnic Institute. 
Copyright a 1977 by Worcester Polytechnic 
Institute; all rights reserved. 

The WPI JOURNAL is published six times a year 
in August, September, October, December, Feb- 
ruary, and April. Second Class postage paid at 
Worcester, Massachusetts. Postmaster- Please 
send Form 3579 to Alumni Association, Worces- 
ter Polytechnic Institute, Massachusetts 01609. 



WPI Alumni Association 

President: William Julian, '49 

Vice Presidents: J. H. McCabe, '68; R. Gelling, 
'63 

Secretary-Treasurer: S. J. Hebert, '66 

Past President: F. S. Harvey, '37 

Executive Committee Members-at-large: W. B. 
Dennen, Jr., '51 ; J. A. Palley, '46; R. A. Davis, 
'53; A. Fyler, '45 

Fund Board: P. H. Horstmann, '55, chairman; 
G.A.Anderson, '51, vice chairman; C.J. 
Lindegren, Jr., '39; L. H. White, '41 ; H. Styskal, 
Jr., '50; H. I. Nelson, '54; E. J. Foley, '57; R. B. 
Kennedy, '65 




Father Seanlon 



"Father Abraham, help me," said the distraught young 
voice into the telephone. "Our flag pole is bent and the 
president is upset. He wants us to fix it. Father Abraham, 
how do you fix a bent flag pole? " 

Within the hour Worcester aerial ladder truck No. 2 
pulled up in front of the old AEPi house. The ladder was 
extended, a fireman climbed it, and in short order the 
listing section of the flag pole was disconnected and 
eventually straightened. The fraternity was happy. The 
president was happy. Father Peter Seanlon, alias Father 
Abraham, had done it again. 

Father Seanlon has the right connections to help solve a 
variety of perplexing problems. (In the AEPi case, the fact 
that he is the official Worcester City fire chaplain was a 
definite plus.) Although the Catholic students at WPI are 
the first ones to learn about the Father's "connections," 
the Protestant students, and also the Jewish students (who 
have dubbed him Father Abraham ) are not far behind. 
The word at WPI is, "if you've got trouble, call Father 
Seanlon." 

The Reverend Peter J. Seanlon arrived on the WPI 
campus as Catholic chaplain in 1961. In 1966 he was 
named the first full-time priest in the Newman division 
serving Worcester State College, Becker Junior College, 
Salter Secretarial School, and WPI. In 1 968 he was assigned 
full time to WPI and Becker Junior. He was appointed 
trustee of Worcester Area Campus Ministry, which is the 
Protestant Campus Ministry, as well as Diocesan Director 
of Campus Ministry in 1969. 



"As Episcopal (or Bishop's) Vicar for College Com- ' 
munities, I am empowered to delegate any priest to 
perform a Catholic or non-Catholic wedding on any 
campus in the diocese," explains Father Seanlon, who has 
held the post since its inception in 1971. "This means that 
the students don't have to return to their home parishes to 
be married." 

Since 1971 some 394 couples in the local diocese have 
been married by various priests and clergymen under this 
unique plan. Variations of the plan, which originated in 
Worcester, are now being copied in other areas of the 
country. 

Father Seanlon is ever the innovator, always looking for 
new ways to help the college students in his diocese. "I see 
my role as a supportive one," he says. "The students 
indicate to me what they want to do, and I try to help 
them." 

When a group of coeds at WPI wanted to form a sorority, 
Father Seanlon served as an advisor during the preliminary 
negotiations. "I had my reservations," he admits, "but 
everything seems to have worked out." 

In May, over 20 WPI women were initiated into Phi 
Sigma Sigma Sorority. The newly-formed group entered 
the Miller Brewing Company's can recycling contest, 
collected discarded beer cans around campus, and left 
them with Father Seanlon at a collection point in the 
religious center on Shussler Road. 

"The beer-can collecting served a two-fold purpose," 
says Father Seanlon. "First, the more cans they collected, 



2 / August 1 977 / WPI Journal 



the more points the girls earned toward prizes. Second, and 
perhaps more importantly, the competition proved a great 
asset in the cleaning up of the campus. Everybody won!" 

Although Father Scanlon is available to advise any 
student, regardless of race, color, or creed, it is usually the 
incoming Catholic students who meet him first. In July he 
sends out letters to all freshmen welcoming them to WPI 
and explaining his role on campus. It is his custom, once 
the freshmen have arrived, to invite the women to dinner 
and the men to lunch. "I tell them they are perfectly 
welcome to bring along their Protestant friends, too," he 
says, smiling. 

On Saturday and Sunday Father Scanlon conducts 
weekly Masses in the Janet Earle Room in the basement of 
Alden. Nearly every weekday he spends some time at the 
religious center. 

"However, most of the time I just go right out on 
campus and talk with the kids wherever they may be," he 
confesses. "Sometimes it's in a dormitory room, down at 
the Pub, or at a ball game. I tell the priests and advisors that 
work with me to do the same. It's the best way to get to 
know the students." 

Father Scanlon appears to have a winning game plan. 
Attendance at Mass has grown steadily each year. "We 
have come out of the rejection of the 60's into an age of 
renewal," he reports. "We have become a parish to the 
students on campus. The future looks very hopeful to 
me." 

As might be expected, there are still some skeptics 
around, but their number is diminishing. "Whenever I run 
into a student who tells me that he or she left the Catholic 
Church when he started high school, I tell him to look at 
today's church with his more mature knowledge," says 
Father Scanlon. "I advise him to learn more about the 
current church. It has changed and so have the students. I 
tell him not to approach today's church with a high school 
mentality." 

Father Scanlon is a living example of how things have 
changed in church social mores of late. He freely mixes 
with students at fraternity parties where drinking is 
permitted. A few years ago, before the drinking age was 
lowered, there was a rush to hide the beer cans as he 
approached. Now, as mentioned earlier, students don't 
hesitate to take their discarded beer cans directly to him — 
for a good cause, of course! 

And, he has unorthodox ways of explaining religion. No 
stuffy lectures for him. Because WPI students are so 
involved with engineering subjects, he draws diagrams 
dealing with religious issues especially for them. "It 
makes it easier for them to understand," he says. 

As for the new breed of students, Father Scanlon finds 
them considerably more concerned with their fellowman 



than some of their predecessors. A growing number of 
them become involved with blood drives, Big Brother 
programs, and United Way Fund efforts. One young 
woman, all on her own, started a program to help the 
elderly by planning special events such as cookouts and 
motor tours. 

Although Father Scanlon carries a full schedule with his 
campus ministry, he still pursues his regular parish duties 
as pastor of Our Lady of Fatima, and as Worcester city fire 
chaplain. 

The latter post has proved to be especially hazardous. 
Several years ago at a bad fire on Green Street, he fell 25 
feet through a tottering second floor porch, landing on his 
feet. "I sustained several injuries," he says. "Nothing too 
serious, however." 

Few people have ever seen him in his finest role . . . the 
tower of strength in a disaster. In the last several years, 
there have been a few instances in which students have 
been seriously injured in accidents. Father Scanlon is 
always among the first on the scene, thanks to the fire 
department radio in his car and in his rectory. 

Often, his primary concern is the grief and shock of the 
family and friends of the victim. His comfort is often of a 
very practical nature. The mother of a fall victim, for 
example, was a guest in his rectory for several days, about a 
block from the hospital, so that she could be as close to her 
son as possible during those critical days. When a student 
died in a dormitory a few years ago, he stayed at the dorm 
almost all night talking with the residents trying to help 
them understand and accept that death takes even the 
young. 

His aid may be the comfort of religion or the cutting of 
official red tape. He's adept at both. 

Nothing, it seems, can keep Father Scanlon from his 
duty, no matter where it may lie. Currently he serves as 
regional director of Region I of Campus Ministry and as a 
member of the National Directors of Campus Ministry. 
He has been reelected to the Becker Junior College Board of 
trustees for three years. 

His numerous activities have not gone unnoticed out- 
side of his immediate diocese. He was listed in the first 
edition (1975-76) of Who's Who in American Religion as 
well as in last year's edition of the Dictionary of Interna- 
tional Biographies, Volume 13. Previously he had won the 
"For God and For Youth Award." 

He's a Catholic priest, a student advisor, a city fire 
chaplain. His laugh is hearty; his stature, commanding. He 
is Father Peter J. Scanlon — a man of many parts. 



WPI Journal / August 1 977 / 3 



m 




WORCESTER 

POLYTECHNIC 
.i INSTITUTE 





4 / August 1 977 / WPI Journal 




CLASS OF 1952 — 25th 
REUNION 

Despite some of the worst June 
weather imaginable, 37 members of 
the Class of '52 returned to Boynton 
Hill for our 25th Runion. The wind 
and rain failed to dampen our en- 
thusiasm and all activities went on as 
scheduled. 

An optimistic foursome of Dick 
Bennett, George Borski, Mike Essex, 
and Ed VanCott started things on 
Friday as they teed off just after noon 
at Pleasant Valley C. C. under 
threatening skies. The weatherman 
kept his promise and after 1 1 holes 
the soggy group was forced to call it 
quits. Meanwhile, back at the school, 
activity picked up in the afternoon as 
others signed in and spent their time 
touring the campus or visiting with 
classmates at our hospitality room in 
Ellsworth. 

On Friday evening a group of about 
25 made its way down to Lincoln 
Square and Worcester's newest res- 
taurant, Maxwell Silverman's Tool 
House, where Jack Tracy had made 
arrangements for a private dining 
room. The good food, liquid refresh- 
ment, and steady conversation was 
enjoyed by all so much that it wasn't 
until three hours later that we re- 
turned to Morgan Hall for the all- 
classes "Good Old Days" get- 



together. Here activity had all but 
ended, but the Class of '52 quickly 
picked up the tempo by starting a 
singalong, accompanied by the Rag- 
time Rowdies Banjo Band. In between 
sets John Feldsine and Bob Favreau 
relived their experiences as officers 
and gentlemen in the service of the 
U.S. Navy. 

On Saturday, the expected clearing 
failed to materialize and the Reunion 
picnic was moved indoors to Morgan 
Hall, where Dick Boutiette presented 
to the school our class gift of just 
under $25,000. After the luncheon, 
we adjourned to the hospitality room 
where it was voted that we wished 
our gift be applied to the renovation 
of Boynton Hall and that Harry Al- 
then's approval of its specific applica- 
tion would be necessary before the 
money was spent. 

Saturday evening, joined by our 
faculty guests for the occasion, the 
Pritchards, Grogans, and Kranichs, 
we gathered at the home of President 
and Mrs. Hazzard who were our 
gracious hosts for a marvelous 
cocktail party. Upon leaving the Haz- 
zard home we moved across Park 
Avenue to the impressive Higgins 
House where our Reunion banquet 
was held. Manny Pappas and his new 
bride were last-second arrivals as we 
assembled for our class picture before 
sitting down to dinner. A word of 



praise should be given to the Ladies of 
the Class of '52 who, dressed in their 
finest for the occasion, stood amiably 
outside in the heavy mist while the 
photographer set up the group and 
took his picture. 

Thirty-six alumni with thirty-two 
wives and invited guests then sat 
down to a delicious roast beef dinner. 
A short and very informal business 
meeting followed with Harry Althen, 
Dick Boutiette, Mike Essex, Reunion 
chairman, and Steve Hebert of the 
Alumni office extending greetings. A 
telegram from Dan Stoughton was 
read wishing all a happy reunion. 

Following the meeting, the rest of 
the evening was spent dancing, tour- 
ing the upstairs of the beautiful man- 
sion, and just plain talking with 
friends. It was a truly magnificent 
setting for what all agreed was a suc- 
cessful conclusion to our Reunion 
weekend. 

All who were present are looking 
forward to our next reunion. To those 
who were unable to attend this year, 
please join us for the thirtieth in 
1982. 

A final note of thanks is extended 
to the school and especially to the 
people in the Alumni Office who did 
an outstanding job helping to make 
our reunion a tremendous success. 



WPI Journal / August 1977/5 




CLASS OF 1937 — 40th REUNION 



The 40th Reunion of the Class of 
1 937 this past June turned out to be a 
very successful affair in just about 
every possible way. 

First and foremost, we feel that we 
can say, without reservation, that 
everyone in attendance had a great 
time. From the first official event — 
the informal reception at the Presi- 
dent's home Friday evening — until 
the last goodbyes Saturday evening 
and or Sunday, we all enjoyed the 
opportunity to renew acquaintances, 
reminisce, and in general, enjoy each 
other's company. In addition to the 
special events for the class and other 
alumni at school, we had a hospital- 
ity room at the nearby Sheraton Lin- 
coln Hotel; this was a popular gather- 
ing spot, not only for the out-of- 
towners who were staying there, but 
for many of the local folks who 
dropped by. 

The Reunion was also very suc- 
cessful for WPI because we surpassed 
the goal for our Class Gift, and 
Chairman Mort Fine, in behalf of the 
class, presented the school with a 
check in the amount of $50,019.37, 
which, we understand, is the second 
largest class gift in Tech's history. 

From an attendance standpoint, we 
also did quite well. Out of a current 
total class membership of less than 
100, 36 were on hand for the Reun- 
ion, 34 with their wives plus one 



daughter. In fact, we had such a good 
turnout that we were the recipients of 
the Attendance Trophy (best per- 
centage attendance), an honor that 
customarily is won by the 50th Reun- 
ion Class. 

Friday evening was certainly very 
special — first the social hour at 1 
Drury Lane where (President) George 
and Jean Hazzard made us all feel so 
much at home, and then an excellent 
roast beef dinner (sponsored by the 
Alumni Association) at the Higgins 
House, an elegant recent addition to 
the WPI campus. 

Although we very much enjoyed 
that evening, as well as other events 
on campus, the climax of the 
weekend was, of course, the Class 
Banquet at the Sheraton-Lincoln 
Hotel Saturday evening, preceded — 
with a certain amount of confusion 

— by our class photograph (which, 
incidentally, we think came out quite 
well). The meal was very good, the 
surroundings first-class, and with the 
exception of one item of business, it 
was truly an evening of good fellow- 
ship. In the spirit of the occasion, we 
had several "fun" awards for mem- 
bers of the class, which provoked 
some good laughs, particularly from 
those that were not "honored." 

The only real negative aspect of the 
Reunion Weekend was the weather 

— it rained most of the time. How- 



ever, with the exception of the Satur- 
day luncheon, which had to be re- 
scheduled indoors, the weather had 
very little effect on our activities and 
even the luncheon turned out to be 
quite a big event for the Class of '37. 
Not only did we win the competition 
for the Attendance Cup and receive 
commendations for our sizeable 
Class Gift, but as President of the 
Alumni Association, Fran Harvey 
conducted much of the luncheon 
program, and Gordon Crowther was 
one of two winners of this year's 
Herbert Taylor Award "for distin- 
guished service to WPI." Certainly 
everyone knew that the Class of 1937 
was back on campus celebrating its 
"Fortieth." 

Making up this group were the 
following: 

Erving Arundale, Phil Atwood, 
John Balsavage, Allen Benjamin, Bill 
Bushell, Bill Carew, Harold Cox, 
Gordon Crowther, Chapin Cutler, 
Mort Fine, Bill Frawley, Larry 
Granger, Herb Grundstrom, Caleb 
Hammond, Fran Harvey, Dan Hast- 
ings, Wes Holbrook, Ralph Holmes, 
Harris Howland, A. Hallier Johnson, 
Vin Johnson, Carl Larson, Ray 
Linsley, Dick Lyman, Sam Mencow, 
Charlie Michel, Maxwell Marshall, 
Jim Moore, Foster Powers, Bob Pow- 
ers, Ray Schuh, Art Schumer, Morri- 
son Smith, Paul Stone, John Willard 
and Bill Worthley. 



WPI Journal August 1 977 / 7 



A) President Hazzard accepts a check from E. Carl Hoglund after it was announced 
that gifts from the Class of 1927, including a special gift of over $100,000. totalled 
$123,318 on the occasion of their 50th reunion. 

B) Award recipients, from left to right, were Gordon L. Crowther, '37 (Taylor), 
Julia Graham, accepting a Taylor Award for her husband, the late Thomas B. 
Graham, '38, O. Vincent Gustafson, '29 (Goddard), Norman Feldman, '47 (God- 
dard), and Paris Fletcher, who received the second WPI Award, given occasionally 
to non-alumni who have rendered exceptional service to WPI. 

C) Outgoing president Fran Harvey, '37, accepts the thanks of the Association as his 
successor, William A. Julian, '49, presents him with a memento. Edwin B. Coghlin, 
Jr., '56, is in the foreground. 

D) Prof. Emeritus Kenneth G. Merriam is congratulated by Prof. Donald Zwiep and 
Prof. Emeritus Albert Schwieger, on the announcement of the Kenneth G. Merriam 
Professorship in Mechanical Engineering. 





THE FAMILYCAR 



Even with a set of license plates, it's not the kind of 
wheels you could take for a leisurely Sunday drive. 

Not with the turbocharged Cosworth Ford DFX, 
8 cylinder twin overhead camshaft engine producing 800 
horsepower at 9000 RPM that sends this Penske-prepared 
McLaren M24 down the chute. 

But the Norton Spirit does serve as a proud symbol of the 
professional skills and quality craftsmanship that have won 
world-wide recognition for the Norton "family" of dedicated 
people and fine products. 

As a multinational manufacturer with more than 23,000 
employees at over 100 plant locations in 24 countries, 
Norton has a hand in the design, manufacture and distribution 
of thousands of products in all shapes, sizes and materials. 



You find, for example, that virtually every component on 
a high-speed racing machine like The Spirit— as well as your 
own family car— is shaped, smoothed and finished by Norton 
abrasive products. 

Yet Norton is more than the world's largest producer of 
abrasives. The Company is also pacing the field in the develop- 
ment and manufacture of ceramics, plastics, sealants, 
chemical process products, diamond drilling and coring bits, 
and industrial safety equipment. 

It's in these important areas— as well as on the USAC 
racing circuit — that you can look to Norton and its experi- 
enced distributors for a winning performance. Norton 
Company, World Headquarters: 
Worcester, Massachusetts 01606. 



NORTON 




1902 

Over the years, the Rev. Winthrop G. Hall and 
the late Mrs. Hall opened their home to some 25 
live-in foreign students at nearby Clark Univer- 
sity. In recognition of this important role that the 
Halls played at Clark, the university recently 
honored them by establishing the Madeline T. 
and Winthrop G. Hall International Fellowship. 
The income from a permanent endowment fund 
will be used to provide a Clark fellowship for a 
foreign student of good character and high 
scholastic ability deserving of financial aid. The 
first of the annual fellowships will be awarded for 
the 1977-78 academic year. 

1915 

Frederick Church is a proud grandfather of six: 
one at McMasters in Hamilton, Ontario; one 
entering music education at Western Ontario 
University in London, Ont; oneatMt. St. Joseph 
Academy, also in London; one attending Banff 
School of Fine Arts this summer; and another 
preparing for a medical degree. The Churches 
have been married for 47 years. 

1916 

Wellen Colburn writes that his doctor reports 
that he is "disgustingly healthy." He remains 
active raising his apples, working for the Red 
Cross Bloodmobile, and serving as moderator of 
his church, where he is also with the choir. Other 
interests include the YMCA, World Service, and 
Shirley Historical Society. 

1919 

Edwin Bemis has moved to a new house in the 
Greenbriar development in Brick Town, N.J. His 
current address is: 10 Dryden Rd., Brick Town, 
N.J. 08723 



1920 

In December Mr. and Mrs. John Q. Holmes 
spent Christmas with their son in California. On 
Dec. 28 they sailed on the S. S. Fairseas for an 
eleven-day cruise to Acapulco, Mexico, return- 
ing to Los Angeles for the flight home. In May 
they attended Mrs. Holmes' 55th class reunion 
at Smith College in Northampton, Mass. 

1921 

Recently Mr. and Mrs. Edward Rose celebrated 
their 55th wedding aniversary. 

1925 

Mr. and Mrs. Hyman Friedman celebrated their 
fiftieth wedding anniversary at Beth Israel 
Synagogue in Worcester. The recent party was 
hosted by their children. The Friedmans have 13 
grandchildren and one great grandson. Mr. 
Friedman was employed by Morgan Construc- 
tion Co. prior to his retirement. . . . Leonard 
Sanborn has been appointed clerk of works for 
the construction of the new middle school for 
the Sanborn Regional School District in Kings- 
ton, N.H. He is a registered professional engineer 
in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Formerly 
with Fay, Spofford and Thorndike, Inc. of Bos- 
ton, Sanborn is now retired. He has specialized in 
construction layout, supervision, materials test- 
ing, specifications and estimates. A state repre- 
sentative, he has also served as Kingston Town 
and School District moderator and as a member 
of the planning board. Currently he does part- 
time civil engineering work for Hamilton En- 
gineering Associates, Inc. in Nashua, where he 
serves as director. 

1926 

The A. H. Wendins spent the winter in their 
travel trailer in an "active" park in Mesa, 
Arizona, "where everyone is so busy that you 
have to schedule loafing time." This summer 
they hope to travel to San Diego. 

1928 

Over 300 friends of retired Holyoke (Mass.) Gas 
& Electric Department manager Francis King 
attended a cocktail party given in his honor in 
May. King, who had served as department man- 
ager since 1945, was presented with a lamp and 
portrait. During his career he received many 
awards including the American Public Power 
Association's (APPA) 1967 Distinguished Service 
Award and a number of civic awards. He has 
served as president of APPA and the Mas- 
sachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Co. He 
has also been affiliated with IEEE, Society of 
Military Engineers, International Committee on 
Large Dams, American Society for Public Admin- 
istration, Municipal Finance Officers Association 
and American Public Works Association. Last 
year he was the program speaker for the 
Holyoke Memorial Day observance. In 1970 he 
was marshal for the St. Patrick's Day Parade. 



1929 

Wayne Berry currently writes an educational 
column for the Independent Press of Brooksville, 
Fla. He and his wife reside in Spring Hill. "We like 
it here," he writes, "and I think it is easier living 
here than most other places in the U.S." . . . 
Stephen Donahue, known as "Worcester's first 
public relations man," was honored at the an- 
nual meeting in May of the Worcester County 
Public Relations Association for the high stan- 
dards he set and maintained in working with the 
news media. A retired city editor of the Worces- 
ter Evening Gazette, he continues as manager of 
the WPI News Bureau, a post he initiated 39 
years ago. Formerly, he also served as a colonel 
in the Air Force Reserve, where he was a public 
information specialist. 

1932 

Emanuel Athanas retired last January after 30 
years of service with the U.S. Information 
Agency as commentator and radio program 
director for the Voice of America. Previously he 
had retired as president of Elviana (Hellenic 
Industrial Development) Enterprises. He and his 
wife plan to "commute" between his summer 
home in his native island of Rhodes, Greece and 
his permanent home in Virginia during his re- 
tirement years. 

1933 

Having retired from Raytheon Co., Harry Clarke 
says he is now working hard to become a golfer 
as a second career. . . . John Henrickson has 
purchased a retirement home in Sun City Center, 
Fla. "on the 18th fairway of a golf course." His 
new address is: 1406 Fox Hills Drive, Sun City 
Center, Fla., 33570. ... In spite of the cold 
Florida winter, H. Edward Perkins and his wife 
made itto the golf courseatotal of 195 times! . . . 
James Rafter writes that he has "retired from the 
steel business and love every lazy moment of it. " 

1934 

Kenneth Bennett's daughter, Fredricka, a 
magna cum laude graduate of Drew University, 
has a fellowship and is studying for her doctorate 
in mathematics at the University of Mas- 
sachusetts in Amherst. . . . Everett Sellew retired 
May 1st from DuPont Co., Wilmington, Dela- 
ware, where he was in inventory management. 
He finds retirement great but busy. . . . George 
Stevens retired last year as field manager for the 
Pittsburgh territory of Industrial Risk Insurers. 

1935 

^■Married: Frederick Swan to Carolyn Miller on 
November 27, 1976. 

Since retiring from the Bureau of Reclamation 
in Denver, Colo., Maurice Day has been en- 
gaged in foreign consulting work on dams, 
water conveyance structures and navigation 
locks. He has worked in Lebanon and Manila and 
leaves shortly for South Korea. . . . Last year 
Phillip Dean retired from Northeast Utilities 
Service Co. He was with the firm nearly 41 years. 
He keeps busy with sailing in the summer, skiing 
in the winter, and church activities. . . . Sam 
Hakam is currently active in product liability 
corrective legislation. He spoke at a seminar in 
Palo Alto, Calif, in March which was sponsored 
by New Jersey Institute of Technology. . . . 



10 /August 1977 /WPI Journal 



Kenneth Linell, who has been taking courses 
at the Tuck Graduate School of Business Admin- 
istration at Dartmouth writes: "I notice that WPI 
graduates enrolled there do very well in competi- 
tion with their classmates from all over the 
country and are highly regarded." . . . Howard 
Nordlund is in his fourth year of retirement and is 
"happily settled in the beautiful Northwest," 
Seattle, "ratherthan in the east, my birthplace." 
He writes that in retrospect he has been the 
recipient of more than his share of good fortune. 
For many years he was manager of the engineer- 
ing department at Safeco Insurance Co. of 
America. 

George Makela has returned from a trip along 
the Alcan Highway to Fairbanks, Alaska. He 
visited Pt. Barrow and the Kenai. "Wonderful 
scenery and fishing," he reports. . . . Homer 
Morrison says he is "sloughing off the big 
mantle of being general manager of an $8 
million collection of corporate service groups to 
become director of special projects." Morrison, 
who expects to retire soon, explains that his new 
post at Union Carbide is like being editor-in- 
chief of ten Peddlers simultaneously. 

1937 

W. Robert Powers has been elected one of the 
first two fellows of the Society of Fire Protection 
Engineers. Election as a fellow is made "in 
recognition of significant accomplishment and 
stature in engineering." During his 30 years as a 
fire protection engineer, Powers has been as- 
sociated with Industrial Risk Insurers, U.S. Air 
Force, Air Reduction Research Corporation, and 
the Furriers' Customers Reinsurance Syndicate. 
Among his extensive published fire reports is one 
on the World Trade Center in New York, a 
version of which appeared in the August 1975 
Journal. He helped found the New York chap- 
ter of SFPE and was elected first president. He is 
also active with NFPA and serves as chairman of 
the board of governors of the Advisory Engineer- 
ing Council, American Insurance Association. 
Currently he is superintendent of the Bureau of 
Fire Prevention and Public Relations for the New 
York Board of Fire Underwriters. 



1940 

Albert Howell is convalescing from open heart 
surgery performed in March. . . . Benedict 
Kaveckas is employed by Gould, Inc., New- 
buryport, Mass., where he is with the circuit 
protection division. . . . Judson Lowd, president 
of C-E Natco Company, has been appointed to 
the board of trustees at the University of Tulsa in 
Oklahoma. He also serves as a director of the 
Metropolitan Tulsa Chamber of Commerce and 
the Tulsa Area United Way. . . . Sumner Meisel- 
man does consulting relative to all aspects and 
types of motor vehicles. His work ranges from 
concern with causes of accidents to defects in 
design, manufacturing and operation, to con- 
cern with fuel economy. Previously he was direc- 
tor of engineering and technology for the Amer- 
ican Automobile Association and was also in- 
volved with government work. 



Lawrence Neale, former professor of hydrau- 
lic engineering and director of the Alden Re- 
search Labs at WPI, has joined the staff of Chas. 
T. Main, Inc., Boston, as a flow specialist. His 
background includes flow measurement and 
fluid machinery related to power generation and 
industrial processes. He has written over thirty 
publications on flow design and testing of struc- 
tures and machinery. Currently an adjunct pro- 
fessor at WPI, Neale is a registered professional 
engineer in Massachusetts. He is a fellow of 
ASCE and ASME, a member of the Boston 
Society of Civil Engineers and the International 
Association of Hydraulic Research. He also be- 
longs to Sigma Xi, PiTau Sigma, and Chi Epsilon. 

1941 

Bob Dean's daughter Julie has completed her 
Peace Corps tour in the Philippines and is now on 
her way home via Southeast Asia, India, Greece, 
and Israel. Bob owns Dean Machinery Corp., 
Framingham, Mass. 

1942 

Harold Crane, who is completing his 35th year at 
NASA Langley Research Center as a flight re- 
search engineer, is currently working with a 
modified Piper twin engine Seneca. 

1943 

Henry Durick tried to retire from FMC Corpora- 
tion four years ago. He planned to relax with his 
sailboat, his motor boat, and his wife at their 
home in the Florida Keys. Somehow things 
didn't work out. After three months of relaxa- 
tion, FMC asked if he'd supervise the installation 
of a grapefruit packing house in Dominica. "My 
first mistake was saying 'yes'," Durick says. The 
next thing he knew he was managing the 
grapefruit plant through its first working season 
"at the request of the Dominican government." 

Meanwhile, FMC invited him to supervise the 
installation of a grapefruit juice cannery in 
Dominica, "because I was so familiar with 
Dominican suppliers, etc." Of course he didn't 
refuse. Next, he could not refuse FMC when it 
asked him to manage the installation of a can- 
nery in Cyprus. 

As soon as he returned from Cyprus, the 
Minister of Economic Affairs in Suriname 
phoned (at FMC's suggestion) asking that he 
help reactivate an old tropical fruit juice cannery 
in his country. So, currently, Durick is working in 
Suriname under a two-year contract. His wife 
and he have rented out their Florida home and 
sold their boats. 

"There goes our retirement," he writes. "We 
do find living and working in the developing 
nations very rewarding in many ways, how- 
ever." The Duricks enjoy meeting the local 
people as well as working with engineers from 
many other nations who are also in the area on 
short-term contracts. 

Glennon Hill holds the pest of regional sales 
manager for Garlock Inc., a division of Colt 
Industries. Daughter Kim is a junior at Ohio 
State. 



1945 

Dr. Carl Clark and his wife Betty recently re- 
turned from a trip to England where they visited 
their son, Austin, who is completing his second 
year at Oxford on a Marshall Fellowship. Clark 
serves as director of the Community Health 
Resources Project and as principal investigator of 
the Health Satellite project for Monsour 
Medicine Foundation, Baltimore, Md. Some of 
the objectives of the project are to enrich 
emergency medical technicians in Appalachia 
through refresher courses given via satellite 
video broadcasts; to inform the public about 
developments in emergency medical services; 
and to gain experience in satellite broadcasting 
in health and medical education. 

William Densmore retired from the Mas- 
sachusetts Board of Education in March follow- 
ing seven years of service. During his years as a 
board member, his service was characterized by 
a concern for education on the state and local 
levels, support for increased citizen involvement 
in the operation of the schools, and by a com- 
mitment to the implementation of Chapter 766, 
the special education law. In June he received 
the Worcester Public Schools Administrators' 
Association annual civic award in recognition of 
his contributions to education. He now intends 
to concentrate on his duties as vice president 
(and general manager of the grinding wheel 
division) at Norton Co. and continue his in- 
volvement with the Citizen Resource Center and 
Career Education Consortium. 

Densmore is a member of the board of ad- 
visors for the department of management at 
WPI. He served as chairman of the Organiza- 
tional Study Commission of the WPI Alumni 
Association and was responsible for the far- 
reaching report, which has come to be known as 
the Densmore Report, which has led to an 
increased level of alumni involvement and inter- 
action. Last year he received WPI's Schwieger 
Award for professional achievement. 

William Howard, vice president of the Abra- 
sives Marketing Group at Norton Co., Worces- 
ter, has been elected a member of the executive 
committee of the American Supply and Ma- 
chinery Manufacturers' Association, Inc. He par- 
ticipated in the Advanced Management Pro- 
gram at Harvard Business School and has been 
associated with numerous technical and civic 
programs. Recently he has been a member of the 
ASMMA board of directors. The association has 
525 members which are manufacturers of a wide 
variety of products used in industry and which 
are located throughout the U.S. 

Formerly manager of the engineering research 
laboratories, Charles Oickle, Jr. is now assistant 
director of research for division coordination at 
United Technologies Research Center in East 
Hartford, Conn. He is responsible for directing 
and coordinating research programs involving 
the corporation's divisions and subsidiaries. 
Oickle has been with the Research Center since 
1946. 



1944 

John Underhill has been with Exxon for thirty 
years. Presently he is nurturing the scheme of 
having 50,000 barrels of petroleum products in 
the right places at the right times throughout the 
six westernmost states. He is located in Southern 
California. 



WPI Journal / August 1 977 / 1 1 



ARP 



The next time you listen to the 
Rolling Stones, Dave Brubeck, or Joni 
Mitchell and hear what you consider 
to be a conventional orchestra in the 
background, you could be wrong. 
Dead wrong. Chances are the "or- 
chestra," or at least part of it, is an 
ARP music synthesizer. 

Rock and pop celebrities such as 
the Stones and Joni Mitchell, and 
many "average" musicians too, are 
snapping up the synthesizers like hot 
cakes. ARP Instruments, Inc. in 
Lexington, Massachusetts, can barely 
keep up with the orders. All of this 
makes Alan Pearlman, '48, very 
happy. And well it might. Last year 
his company cornered 40 percent of 
the $13 million U.S. manufacturers' 
sales of synthesizers to domestic 
dealers and foreign distributors. 

Why all the fuss about Al Pearlman 
and ARP Synthesizers? Well, from 
the point of view of historical fact, it 
all started in the year 1948 at WPI 
when Al Pearlman was a senior E.E. 
student working on an undergraduate 
project. His experiments in elec- 
tronic music led him to present a 
paper entitled, "A New Approach to 
Electronic Musical Instruments" at a 
Northeast District Meeting of the 
aiee (now merged with ieee). Al- 
though his interest in musical in- 
struments continued, Al Pearlman 
worked for a number of years in the 
field of industrial electronics and 
founded an earlier company, NEXUS 
Research Labs, which was sub- 
sequently sold to a large conglomer- 
ate. 

During the 21 years between 
graduating from WPI and founding 
ARP Instruments, Inc., Pearlman 
maintained a strong interest in 
music, and kept an eye open for op- 
portunities to work in the field as a 
technological entrepreneur. 

By 1969 there were a number of 
small companies making advanced 
electronic systems called "synthesiz- 
ers," which were used by experi- 
menters and avant-garde composers 



to create unusual music on recording 
tape. Feeling that synthesizers could 
be improved to the point where they 
could be used as "live" performance 
instruments by average musicians, 
Al talked his ideas up with a number 
of technical, musical, legal, and fi- 
nancial associates, and started a 
small company in Newton, Mas- 
sachusetts, to develop, manufacture, 
and market improved music syn- 
thesizers. 

Al Pearlman and a number of 
talented engineers, including co- 
founder David Friend (and Executive 
Vice President) first developed a large 
modular synthesizer to compete with 
the earlier Buchla and Moog Syn- 
thesizers of the 1960's. By mid- 1970 
they began to manufacture and mar- 
ket their own first "magnificent 
music monster." The Model 2500 
system had a main console two feet 
high by five feet long by one foot deep, 
not including optional half-size 
"wing cabinets" for housing extra 
modules and stackable keyboards. 
The cost of the deluxe version with 
"all the extras" was a whopping 
$20,000. 

The Pearlman/Friend synthesizer, 
however, had some vastly improved 
features compared to earlier units. 
For example, through "human en- 
gineering" the instrument was de- 
signed for musicians to play, instead 
of a laboratory machine for avant- 
garde composers to experiment with. 
The controls were arranged logically 
so that functions were readily appar- 
ent at a glance. In contrast, earlier 
competitive units were a "patchcord 
jungle" in which interconnections 
and control settings were lost to 
sight. 

A major improvement over earlier 
synthesizers was the stability of the 
voltage controlled oscillators, which 
had to be able to be swept, if desired, 
over the entire range of audio fre- 
quencies, and yet had to be stable 
enough to stay in tune within a frac- 
tion of a musical semitone for long 



12 /August 1977 /WPI Journal 



- ■■■■' '""■"'""" 




periods of time. Earlier synthesizers 
drifted so badly that they could only 
be used for making short sections of 
tape recordings lasting a few minutes. 

To further "humanize" their crea- 
tion, Al Pearlman and Dave Friend 
decided to change its name. Model 
2500 sounded too cold. ARP 2500 
was better. The letters ARP stand for 
Alan Robert Pearlman. They also 
sound like "harp." 

Dave Friend, who has valuable 
contacts in the upper strata of the 
music world, carted the first ARP 
down to New York where he in- 
stalled it in a plush suite at the posh 
St. Moritz Hotel. All sorts of big 
names dropped by. An Italian film 
producer bought the first unit, a 
stripped down, economy version, for 
$10,000. 

Proceeds from the sales of the first 
Model 2500 units went into the de- 
velopment of the second product, the 
ARP 2600. Proceeds from the 2600 
sales went toward the development 
of the third product, the ARP Odys- 
sey. Before long, the tiny outfit, then 
headquartered in Newton, was sell- 
ing ARP Synthesizers about as fast as 
it could make them. Currently, the 
company, now headquartered in a 
modem, 50,000 square foot building 
in Lexington, Massachusetts, makes 
five relatively compact keyboard 
model synthesizers which are avail- 
able in prices ranging from a modest 



$995 to $3195 for the top-of-the-line 
2600 model. 

Recently, ARP Instruments, Inc. 
has come out with an entirely new 
kind of synthesizer which may have 
an even greater impact on the musi- 
cal instrument industry than the pres- 
ent line of keyboard-operated syn- 
thesizers. At a recent trade convention, 
ARP unveiled the "Avatar, " which is a 
synthesizer played from a guitar rather 
than from a keyboard. With it, a 
guitarist can sound like a flute or 
clarinet or trumpet player or a "way- 
out" instrument unlike any other, or 
(of course) a fine guitar. 

When you ask Al Pearlman about 
the "guitar synthesizer," he usually 
says, "In all honesty, I didn't have 
anything to do with developing it . . . 
but it's great! ! ! Since Dave Friend and 
the other ARP engineers conceived of 
it and developed it on their own 
without any inputs from me, I feel 
more like a proud grandfather than 
like a father." 

Where is this all leading? If you ask 
Al Pearlman he might say, 
"Technology has always played an 
important role in the fine arts. Music 
is no exception. Many 'traditional' 
instruments such as brass wind in- 
struments, pianos, and organs de- 
pended on relatively advanced me- 
chanical technology such as metal- 
lurgy, metal-fabrication techniques, 
etc. Sophisticated electronic instru- 



© Barbara Alber, 1977 

ments are evolutionary in the sense 
that they are outgrowths of both 
acoustical instrument technology 
and audio communications and re- 
cording technologies. In a way, how- 
ever, sophisticated electronic musi- 
cal instruments are revolutionary 
when we consider that for the first 
time in the history of music we can 
have instruments played by different 
techniques which can make the same 
sounds. In other words, we find that 
we can make musical instrument 
controllers, some of which are played 
with a keyboard, some of which are 
played by plucking a string, and 
others which are played by blowing 
into a mouthpiece; all of which can 
be designed to make a wide range of 
timbres (sound qualities), indepen- 
dent of the type of instrument con- 
troller used. This allows a musician 
who develops one kind of skill (say 
keyboard or wind instrument or 
string instrument) to play a musical 
part written for another kind of in- 
strument and to sound like that 
other instrument. All of this will 
make musicians change their ways of 
thinking about instruments, but will 
not, in any way, make musicians 
obsolete." 



WPI Journal / August 1977 / 1 3 



1946 

Walt Bank has been elected first vice president 
and member of the board of directors of the 
National Energy Resources Organization 

(NERO), headquartered in Washington, D.C 

Walter Muller was recently promoted to re- 
gional plant manager in charge of four Chevrolet 
manufacturing facilities in New York, Indiana, 
and Ohio. Formerly he was product program 
manager on Chevrolet's Central Office Man- 
ufacturing staff, a post he's held since 1975. In 
his new position he is responsible for the opera- 
tions of the Massena (NY) aluminum die casting 
plant, the Parma (Ohio) transmission and prop 
shaft plant, and the transmission plants at Mun- 
cie, Ind. and Toledo, Ohio. He joined the firm in 
1949 at the Toledo transmission plant. 

1947 

Leo Geary's three older daughters have each 
presented him with a grandson. Son Kevin is a 
junior in college. Son Sean is with Future Farmers 
of America. Only two children now live at home. 
. . . Vincent Zike is now manager of controls 
engineering at KHC Industries, Inc., in Bloom- 
field, Conn. He assumed his new position in 
February. 

1948 

Paul Anderson holds the post of southeast re- 
gional environmental engineer in the Mas- 
sachusetts Department of Environmental Qual- 
ity Engineering, Lakeville Malcolm Hinckley 

recently received his professional engineer's 
license for the state of Connecticut. He has been 
a registered land surveyor since 1959. 



1949 

Paul Beaudry and his wife are enjoying life in the 
Texas "hill country," where he is now the IBM 
project manager for new construction in Austin. 
The Beaudrys have four grandchildren. . . . 
Russell Bradlaw is currently in Karachi, Pakistan 
supervising the construction of a 670-bed hospi- 
tal and medical center for the Turner Company. 
On a recent visit to Norwich, Conn., he reported 
that although Pakistan's political crisis has forced 
the imposition of martial law in some cities, the 
hospital project is moving ahead with a 
minimum of difficulty. . . . Arthur Dinsmoor, 
who is district superintendent for Marshall R. 
Young Oil Co., Midland, Texas, was on campus 
June 9th and visited Prof. Donald Zwiep, head of 
the department of mechanical engineering. Mr. 
Dinsmoor was interested in a follow-up of the 
1970 Clean Air Car Race in which WPI partici- 
pated. 

Harold Gruen has been named general man- 
ager of the California-based Felker Operations 
of Bay State Abrasives. He joined the company in 
1955 and most recently was chief engineer. 
Gruen, who is also a graduate of WPI's School of 
Industrial Management, belongs to the National 
Society of Professional Engineers and the En- 
vironmental & Safety Committee of the Grinding 
Wheel Institute. He is a past vice president of the 
Massachusetts Society of Professional En- 
gineers John Saunier is with CEA Associates, 

consultants and executive recruiters, and Clarke 
Employment Agency, Inc. in Metuchen, N.J. 
CEA deals mainly with executive engineering 
and scientific personnel for the chemical phar- 
maceutical specialties industries. Clarke serves 



local industry at all levels. Mrs. Saunier is an 
employment counselor with Snelling & Snelling 
in Plainfield. . . . Donald Weikman's correct 
position is vice president of customer relations 
and marketing for Tennessee Gas Transmission 
Co., not president, as previously reported. The 
company is a subsidiary corporation in the 
Pipeline Division of Tenneco, Inc. in Houston, 
Texas. 

1950 

Henry Styskal's son Gary will be a freshman at 

WPI this fall Presently Joseph Toegemann is 

a member of the development department of 
Goodyear Tire & Rubber in New Bedford, Mass., 
where he works in the polymer chemistry field. 

1951 

Vung-Kwan (Victor) Chun has written and pub- 
lished a book titled American PT Boats in World 
War II, a comprehensive documentary volume 
on U.S. PT boat operations. The story is told 
through 100 excellent photos and many fold- 
out scale drawings of deck plans and profiles. 
The material was recently declassified for the 
author. The book may be obtained by writing: 
Victor Chun, 2584 Wellesley Ave., Los Angeles, 
CA 90064. . . . Carl Johansson, who had been 
with Pfizer, Inc. for 24 years, is currently a staff 
specialist for A. G. McKee & Co., Chicago, III. He 
and his wife Nilla have two daughters and two 
sons. One daughter is studying mathematics at 
Stanford. 



1952 

Prof. Robert Goff has been appointed acting 
dean of the University of Rhode Island College of 
Engineering. He has been with the department 
of mechanical engineering at URI since 1958 and 
was named associate dean of the college in 
1 975. Earlier he had taught at Cornell University. 
. . . Stuart Hettinger is now deputy manager of 
the fire control systems program office at Ray- 
theon Company's equipment division in Way- 
land, Mass. He will be responsible for assisting 
the fire control systems program office manager 
in directing and controlling of Tartar-C,Tartar-D 
and other related programs. Since joining the 
firm in 1966, Hettinger has managed Tartar-C, 
signal data converter, and Tartar- D programs. 
He is a graduate of Raytheon's advanced 
management program. 

Chester Inman, Jr. has been named manager 
of facilities in the Kodak office, Rochester, N.Y. 
He joined the company in 1955 as an industrial 
engineer at Kodak Park. He is the son of Chet 
Inman, Sr., '14. . . . LeeTuomenoksa, who is with 
Bell Laboratories, Naperville, III., was recently 
appointed director of No. 4 ESS Switching Sys- 
tem Laboratory. Following graduation from WPI 
and MIT, Tuomenoksa started at Bell Labs in the 
development of the Morris Experimental Elec- 
tronic Switching System. In 1974 he was named 
assistant director of No. 4 ESS Switching System 
Laboratory. He says that the present No. 4 ESS 
system uses time division switching and required 
2500 man years and cost $400 million through 
the first installation. About one half the cost was 
for the development of manufacturing for new 
technology. System enhancement and addi- 
tional features will continue through complete 
conversion to No. 4 ESS scheduled for 1990. 



1953 

Richard Davis, president of the Thermos Divi- 
sion of King-Seeley Thermos Co., Norwich, 
Conn., has been named a co-chairman of the 
Major Firms Corporate Division of the 1977 
United Way Campaign. Currently a member of 
U.W. 's executive committee and board of direc- 
tors, Davis also serves on the board of directors 
of the Norwich Area Chamber of Commerce and 
as vice president of WPI's Alumni Association. 
. . . Prof. Robert Fitzgerald of the civil engineer- 
ing department at WPI conducted a five-day 
seminar covering new engineering methods for 
evaluating building fire safety at Gordon Library 
in March. Twenty-five industrial and govern- 
ment fire safety and fire protection specialists 
attended the seminar, which was devised to help 
participants develop skills in fire safety analysis 
and design. 

1954 

Astilleros Espanoles, S.A. (AESA) with headquar- 
ters in Madrid, Spain, has announced the ap- 
pointment of Wesley Wheeler, president of 
Wesley D. Wheeler Associates, Ltd., Interna- 
tional Maritime Consultants, as its exclusive U.S. 
representative for ship construction and repair. 
AESA is the largest shipbuilder and fourth largest 
employer in Spain. It has 16 separate divisions, 
including eight shipyards and eight other 
facilities which include a slow-speed diesel man- 
ufacturer and producers of steam turbines and 
forgings. Wheeler, who lived in Spain for nearly 
four years, has had a relationship with Astilleros 
dating back to 1961 . His firm is located in New 
York City. His son Wesley is a senior at WPI. Son 
Jonathan is an incoming freshman. 

1955 

Alan Ede continues as associate professor of 
industrial education at Oregon State. He says he 
"moonlights" as president of Dirigo Electronics 
Engineering and "starlights" as banjo, guitar, 
and mandolin instructor for the Corvallis Parks 
and Recreation Department. . . . Recently Robert 
Holden was reelected to the Democratic county 
central committee in the 77th assembly district 
coming in first in a field of nine candidates. A 
professor at Grossmont College, Holden resides 
in San Diego, Calif. 

Tarek Shawaf, who ten years ago set up the 
first local consulting engineering firm in Saudi 
Arabia (Saudconsult) was in Seattle, Washington 
in May seeking American business investors for 
his country. Shawaf, visiting Seattle at his gov- 
ernment's request, is "almost" the only Saudi 
delegation member from the private sector. He 
was asked to join the group because he does 
consulting engineering business with many 
American firms and because he graduated from 
WPI. Shawaf 's company employs more than 200 
people, including 75 graduate engineers, and 
designs and supervises projects such as roads, 
hospitals, dams, bridges, sewerage and water 
systems, and irrigation and drainage systems 
that run into billions of dollars. 

1956 

Richard Hajec serves as development engineer 
at Spencer Turbine Co. in Windsor, Conn. . . . 
Lawrence Horrigan, Jr. has been promoted to 
construction manager with Ebasco Services, Inc. 
He will relocate to the firm's regional office in 
Houston, Texas. 



14 /August 1977 /WPI Journal 



— .^~...*.i...».k 



Let's see . . . you put 
tab A into slot B . . . 
no, wait a minute 

To most people a bottle stopper is a 
bottle stopper. To Bob Brass, '57 
however, the common rubber stopper 
has become a springboard to a cre- 
ative new construction toy which is 
expected to become a big seller this 
Christmas. 

"It all started four years ago when I 
was having a cold drink on a hot day, " 
he says. "I was fiddling with one of 
those plunger stoppers that you use to 
cap half-empty soda bottles, when I 
got an idea. Why not make a con- 
struction set with plunger-type rub- 
ber rivets for kids?" 

When Brass gets an idea, he doesn't 
daydream about it. He does some- 
thing about it. Over a period of eigh- 
teen months he worked in his home 
studio developing a plastic construc- 
tion system utilizing a revolutionary 
new reusable joining mechanism — a 
hollow rubber rivet which expands 
and contracts like a bottle stopper. 

"The system is practically guaran- 
teed not to frustrate kids who are all 
thumbs," he reports. "It's a lot easier 
to manage than the conventional 
metal nuts and bolts sets. Also, parts 
may be assembled and taken apart 
quickly." 

Parker Brothers, famous for games 
[Monopoly) and Nerf products, was 
equally enthusiastic about the new 
toy when Brass demonstrated the 
prototype to company officials. They 
had been looking for a different item 
to expand their line, and Brass and his 
construction set came along at just 
the right time. They were especially 
impressed with the set because it 
uses a nutless, boltless building pro- 
cess consisting of a hand-powered 
tool which fastens multicolored plas- 
tic parts with small, reusable, rubber 
rivets. Three months after the dem- 
onstration, the firm contracted with 
the inventor to produce the set by 
1977 under the name riviton. 




Leaving nothing to chance, Parker 
play-tested several versions of the set 
with 125 Boston boys and girls, with a 
tally of some 5,000 children and 
adults ultimately being involved in 
home and/or laboratory testing situa- 
tions. Problems such as a tempera- 
mental riveting tool and click lock 
were soon discovered and corrected. 
Both Parker Brothers and Brass were 
encouraged by the play-testing sur- 
vey. 

"We found out that many of the 
kids didn't even have to read the 
instruction book," says Brass. "They 
made whatever they wanted without 
having to follow directions of any 
kind." He smiles. "And the parents, 
well, they thought that Riviton was a 
great babysitter." 

A Parker Brothers spokesman paid 
the part-time inventor (he's a full- 
time executive in a multinational 
corporation) the supreme compli- 
ment when discussing the commer- 
cial possibilities of his creation. "We 
feel Riviton will capture a significant 
share of the construction toy busi- 
ness," he said. "And that's a $100 
million-a-year market." 



Brass, who as a free-lancer cur- 
rently has about 30 popular toys, 
games, and magic sets licensed for 
production and sale at various com- 
panies throughout the world, is con- 
siderably buoyed up by Parker 
Brothers' enthusiasm. In fact, every- 
one associated with Riviton is hoping 
that another Monopoly-style success 
story is in the making. 



WPI Journal / August 1 977 / 1 5 



1957 

Dr. Robert Crane wrote "Ionospheric Scintilla- 
tion" which appeared in a recent issue of Pro- 
ceedings of the IEEE. He currently serves as 
manager of the Atmospheric Sciences Section of 
the Earth Resources and Atmospheric Physics 
Division of Environmental Research and 
Technology, Inc., Concord, Mass. He was 
elected vice chairman of the U.S. Commission F 
Wave Phenomena in Nonionized Media, Inter- 
national Union of Radio Science. . . . Ronald 
Samiljan and his family have returned from West 
Germany after an eight-month stay. Samiljan 
represented Scientific Design, which together 
with a West German firm, is building a plant in 
the U.S.S.R. He served as a consultant on the 
project. . . . Formerly a vice president at Bundy 
Corporation, Richard Silven has now been ap- 
pointed vice president of corporate planning and 
development at Harvey Hubbell, Incorporated, 
Orange, Conn. He will be responsible for the 
company's acquisition and corporate develop- 
ment activities. From 1957 to 1966 he was with 
Texas Instruments in various positions. Hubbell 
is a major manufacturer of quality electrical 
products for commercial, industrial, and utility 
markets in the U.S. and abroad. 

1958 

Dr. Frank DeFalco has been named Outstanding 
Teacher for 1977 atWPI. He is associate profes- 
sor of civil engineering. . . . Bradley McKenzie is 
now general manager of Masoneilan Regulator 
Co., Norwood, Mass. . . . Fred Rossi, SIM, has 
been appointed production superintendent at 
Bay State Abrasives, a division of Dresser Indus- 
tries, Inc. Previously he had been general fore- 
man of the truing and bushing area at the plant. 
Starting at Bay State in 1935, he was later 
promoted to foreman, then to general foreman 
in 1954. . . . Stu Staples helped to put on the 
Tucson Open golf tournament. He owns Staples 
Building and Development, Inc. 

GE's Gas Turbine Marketing Department re- 
cently announced the appointment of Douglas 
Todd as manager of STAG market development. 
Todd will have multi-divisional responsibilities 
for developing the STAG business on a world- 
wide basis. He joined GE as a sales manager in 
the heat transfer products department in South 
Portland, Me. in 1966. Later he was with GE in 
Lynn, Mass. before going to Schenectady. 

. . . Dick Wiinikainen, coordinator of plastics 
flammability activities at Foster Grant Co., 
Leominster, Mass., serves as the chairman of the 
sections committee tor Plastics Engineering. The 
committee monitors section intercommunica- 
tion and policies with a view toward achieving 
uniformity. He is also the present chairman of 
the engineering properties and structures divi- 
sion and has been named president of the 
Pioneer Valley section, as well as the section's 
councilman. He is technical committee chairman 
of SPI's furniture division. 



1959 

Commander Robert Allen was scheduled to 
become the commanding officer of VAW-1 23 in 
April. VAW-1 23 is an Airborne Early Warning 
Squadron flying the Grumman built E-2C i 
"Hawkeyes" and is assigned to the airwing 
aboard the carrier USS Saratoga. ... Dr. Joseph 
Bronzino, director of the joint biomedical en- 
gineering program of Trinity College and the 
Hartford (Conn.) Graduate Center, has been 
named the first incumbent of the Roosa Chair at 
Trinity. A professor of electrical engineering, 
Bronzino also serves as codirector of the Clinical 
Engineering Internship Program at the Hartford 
and St. Francis Hospitals and is a clinical associate 
at the University of Connecticut Health Center. 
He is a research associate at the Institute of 
Living and a licensed professional engineer. Dr. 
Vernon D. Roosa, the noted inventor and indus- 
trial designer who established the professorial 
chair of applied science, is an adjunct professor 
at Trinity and holds over 300 patents. 

V. James Cinquina serves as executive vice 
president of Gary S. Bell Associates, executive 
search consultants in the health care/life sciences 
field. . . . David Daubney holds a new post as 
manager of mechanical engineering at Astra 
Pharmaceutical Products, Inc. in Worcester. . . . 
Home & Land Co., Realtors, has announced the 
appointment of Anthony Engstrom of Terra 
Linda, Calif, as the firm's new vice president of 
marketing. Engstrom belongs to the Marin 
County Board of Realtors Million Dollar Club. 
Formerly he was manager of Fox & Carskadon's 
San Rafael office. . . . William Shumway, SIM, 
was recently elected vice president of Woodbury 
& Co., Inc., Worcester. Woodbury is the largest 
U.S. company devoted exclusively to the custom 
design and production of engraved and litho- 
graphed commercial stationery. ... Ed 
Wysocki's son Ed, Jr. will be entering WPI this 
fall. Ed is an assistant design project engineer at 
Pratt & Whitney Aircraft. 

1960 

John Czertak is a project engineer with Delia 
Construction (highway) in Enfield, Conn. . . . 
Frank Droms is president of F. A. Droms As- 
sociates, Dallas, Texas. . . . John Haavisto serves 
as a teaching fellow in the physics department at 
Boston University. He is completing research in 
theoretical physics and expects to receive his 

Ph.D. in December LTC Robert Mulholland, 

Jr., USA, has been reassigned to the U.S. — 
European Command in Stuttgart, Germany. . . . 
Dave Reilly, all 6'3" and 384 pounds of him 
(including equipment), became the world's 
champion heavyweight skier in his fourth com- 
petition at Sugarloaf Mountain, Carrabassett 
Valley, Maine, last winter. He ran the 35-second 
course in 37.5 seconds. Reilly is an instructor 
with the Skip Barber School of Performance 
Driving in Boxboro, Mass., where he teaches 
anti-terrorist and anti-kidnapping driving tech- 
niques to chauffeurs of corporation executives. 
. . . George Schoen has been advanced to section 
head of miniature and instrument product en- 
gineering at the Barden Corp., Danbury, Conn. 
. . . Thomas Waage is president of Waage 
Electric Inc., Kenilworth, N.J. He is interested in 
ocean racing and sailboats and writes: "We are 
doing well." 



1961 

David Baker has been elected a director of the 
Foxboro (Mass.) Federal Savings & Loan Associ- 
ation. He is employed by the Foxboro Company, 
where he is responsible for industry and applica- 
tion sales, power sales, education and marketing 
services and inter-area sales development. A 
member of the Instrument Society of America, 
he also has served on the Foxboro Advisory 
Committee and Personnel Wage Board. . . . 
Roger Borden, associate professor of mechanical 
engineering at WPI, has completed a seven-year 
part-time program of study and has received a 
"certificate of completion" forordained ministry 
from the Methodist Department of Education, 
Board of Ordained Ministry at Nashville. This 
current status qualifies him for ministerial mem- 
bership in full connection with the Southern New 
England Conference of the United Methodist 
Church. 

John Buckley, president of Buckley & Co., a 
management consulting firm in Wellesley Hills, 
Mass., spoke on "New Products: The Promise 
and the Pitfalls" at the April meeting of the 

Rhode Island Chapter of SBANE Ronald 

Dufries has transferred to the wire machinery 
department as sales engineer at Morgan Con- 
struction Co., Worcester. . . . Major Norman 
Ginsburg has left Germany for an assignment at 
Ft. Monmouth, N.J. Along the way he'll be 
attending a five-month course at the Defense 
Systems Management College at Ft. Belvoir. . . . 
Continuing with Bristol Meyers as director of 
business planning, international division, Svend 
Pelch still manages to take some time off for one 
of his favorite pastimes, sailing. He is located in 
Westport, Conn. 

Richard Taylor holds the post of New England 
manager for Colorado Video, Inc., a company 
that manufactures video products for research 
and development, education and manufactur- 
ing, and narrow band video. . . . David Youden 
was recently promoted to quality control man- 
ager at Cone-Blanchard Machine Co. in 
Windsor, Vt. In 1973 he joined the firm as a 
product development engineer. Formerly he was 
employed for twelve years at Heald Machine 
Co., Worcester. He had also worked for two 
years with Ocean Systems in Reston, Va. 



Four WPI alumni were elected to head the 
Worcester Engineering Society at the an- 
nual meeting held last spring in Leominster. 
Richard Leonard, '37, manager of the pro- 
posal engineering department at Riley 
Stoker Corp., was elected president. Other 
officers elected were: Lawrence Neale, '40 
(currently a flow specialist for Chas. T. 
Main), first vice president; Francis S. Har- 
vey, '37 (president of Harvey & Tracy 
Associates, Inc.), second vice president; 
and Anthony Ruksnaitis, '53 (WPI college 
engineer), treasurer. 

The Worcester Engineering Society is 
composed of members of eight profes- 
sional engineering societies with a total 
membership of about 2,000 members. 



16 /August 1977 /WPI Journal 



"""""" 




1962 

Dr. Michael Davis is assistant professor of 
radiology at Harvard Medical School and clinical 
associate professor of medicinal chemistry and 
pharmacology at Northeastern College of Phar- 
macy and Allied Health Professions. Also, he is 
director of Harvard Medical School's joint pro- 
gram in nuclear medicine central radiopharmacy 
supplying six Harvard affiliated hospitals with all 
their daily needs in radiodiagnostic drugs. . . . M. 
Philip DeCaprio has been promoted to staff 
engineer in the system engineering department 
of Northeast Utilities, Berlin, Conn. He had been 
a senior engineer in the system engineering and 
construction department since 1973. He serves 
as chairman of the Charter Revision Commission 
in Hamden. . . . Major Jay Hochstaine is cur- 
rently reassigned to Ft. Huachuca, Arizona. 

William Krein has been named manager of 
the newly established finance and division sup- 
port operation in GE's Installation and Service 
Engineering Division (l&SE). He will be responsi- 
ble for managing the financial operations of l&SE 
and the division's projects engineering opera- 
tions. Also, he will manage support activities 
including contract administration, marketing 
communications, training, quality and safety 
assurance, and management information sys- 
tems. Krein joined GE in 1966 and later had 
assignments in the steam turbine-generator de- 
partment, power circuit breaker section, and the 
corporate audit staff. In 1972 he was appointed 
manager of financial operations analysis in the 
group finance operation of the power genera- 
tion business group. Prior to his promotion he 
was manager of the finance operation at l&SE. 

John Matson was promoted to the post of 
district sales manager in the machinery and 
systems division of Carrier Air Conditioning, Falls 
Church, Va. Previously he was branch manager 

for Carrier Air Conditioning in Syracuse, N.Y 

Stephen Winer has assumed the post of man- 
ager of market development for fine and indus- 
trial chemicals at J. T. Baker Chemical Co., 
Phillipsburg, N.J. Formerly he was manager of 
product development for the chemical division 
of Mallinckrodt, Inc. and was responsible for 
several product lines with the Food Products 
Division. At Baker Chemical he will help develop 
major new business emphasing proprietary 
products and/or processes in growth markets. He 
belongs to the Institute of Food Technologists 
and the Chemical Marketing Research Associa- 
tion. 

1963 

Ralph Gelling has just joined Avco Corporation 
as patent counsel to several divisions. He is 
headquartered in Wilmington, Mass. . . . Charles 
Goddard continues as associate sanitary en- 
gineer with the New York State Department of 
Environmental Conservation. He, his wife Karen, 
and three boys work hard keeping up their "old" 
house. . . . Bob Gowdy serves as assistant 
professor at the University of Maryland in the 
theoretical general relativity group of the physics 
department. He was a Sloan fellow from 1974 to 
1 976 and spent six months at the Mathematical 
Institute of Oxford University two years ago. . . . 
Edward Kalinowski recently took a new position 
with Eli Lilly International Corp. as manager of 
personnel for the United Kingdom and Scan- 
dinavia. Earlier he was manager of European 
requirements for Elizabeth Arden Corp., a sub- 
sidiary of Lilly Co. The Kalinowskis have lived in 
London since 1973. 



Robert Mellor was recently promoted to dis- 
trict superintendent at Massachusetts Electric. 
Formerly he was assistant superintendent at the 
Hopedale office. He is now working out of the 
Attleboro base of the company. He is a profes- 
sional engineer in Massachusetts. ... Ed 
Polewarczyk currently holds the post of presi- 
dent of materials management for the space 
division of Rockwell International, Downey, 
Calif, and is stationed at Hamilton Standard. He 
is involved with environmental systems for the 
space shuttle orbiter .... David Woodman of 
Wayland, Mass. operates his own consulting 
business. He is concerned with pollution and 
energy saving work. 

1964 

^■Married: Ralph F. Bedford and Elaine C. Ward 
on February 19, 1977 in Colorado Springs, Col- 
orado. The groom is a loan officer for School 
District II Federal Credit Union in Colorado 
Springs. . . . Larry Hull to Miss Irena L. Voigt of 
Greenbelt, Maryland on April 2, 1977. Hull is 
with the Goddard Space Flight Center in 
Greenbelt. 

Harry Cunningham, SIM, has been promoted 
to vice president of manufacturing at Bay State 
Abrasives Division of Dresser Industries in 
Westboro, Mass. He began work at the firm in 
1956 and has been production superintendent 
since 1965. 

While vacationing in Honolulu, Joe LaCava, 
got in touch with Ken West, "who is enjoying his 
island paradise by coaching schoolboy soccer 
and entering a few marathons." West works for 
Hawaiian Electric Co. LaCava, who is with Bell 
Labs in Reynoldsburg, Ohio, says that he is 
trying to convince his colleagues that good 
man/machine interfaces are more important 
than development schedules. Sometimes he 
considers it a trying task because the payoff is 
not immediately measurable. 

Thomas McGee and his partner have built a 
new plant for their firm, Petroleum Meter & 
Pump Co., in Avon, Conn. McGee, who is vice 
president writes: "Our business has been doing 
very well." 

1965 

Recently Marvin Berger became product man- 
ager at American Used Computer Corporation in 

Boston Henry Schneck serves as a senior civil 

engineer in charge of highway and bridge con- 
struction projects for the Suffolk County De- 
partment of Public Works. He resides in Hol- 
brook, Long Island, N.Y. 



1966 

>Born: to Dr. and Mrs. Donald Foley a son Tom 
on Father's Day 1976. "Dad assisted," Foley 
writes. The Foleys now have three children. 
Foley's company, Pattern Analysis & Recogni- 
tion, has grown from 6 to 1 12 personnel. He 
serves as vice president for research and devel- 
opment. ... to Mr. and Mrs. Brendan Geelan a 
son, Matthew, on February 6, 1977. Matthew 
has a sister, Christa, 5. Geelan is a research 
engineer for Uniroyal Chemical in Naugatuck, 

Conn to Mr. and Mrs. Paul Malnati their first 

child a son, Brian Paul, on March 16, 1977. 
Malnati, who lives in Delran, N.J., is a self- 
employed consultant involved with computer 

systems and peripheral hardware to Mr. and 

Mrs. Earl Sparks III their third child, a daughter, 
on November 30, 1976. Sparks is a project 
manager for IMC Chemical Group and will be in 
Boston this fall to handle a multi-million dollar 
project for the company. 

Edward Bilzerian, SIM, has been named as a 
member of the Worcester Airport Commission 
for a three-year term. A division controller at Bay 
State Abrasives in Westboro, Mass., he has 
served as national director and recent past presi- 
dent of the Worcester chapter of the American 
Society of Management. He has been president 
of the Interfraternity Foundation at Clark Uni- 
versity, past director of the Jesse Burkett Little 
League, and incorporator of Boy Scout Troop 48. 

Dr. Thomas Curry is the current science ad- 
visor to Rear Admiral Charles H. Griffiths, com- 
mander of the submarine force in the Pacific. A 
supervisory electronics engineer at the Naval 
Underwater System Center (NUSC), he was 
selected for the post because of his broad expe- 
rience with submarine sensors. He is also an 
expert in total weapon system procurement and 
development process. In his new position, Curry 
will serve as the prime interface between the 
fleet command, NUSC, and the Naval 
Laboratories on science advisory programs and 
command research, development, test, and 
evaluation. He, his wife, and three daughters will 
reside in Hawaii for approximately a year. 

Dr. Fred Erskine III, visiting assistant professor 
of astronomy at Villanova University, received 
his Ph.D. in physics from the University of Iowa 
last December. . . . John Sherrick was recently 
promoted to professor in the department of 
mathematics, science and technology at 
Schenectady (N.Y.) County Community Col- 
lege. He had been associate professor. Prior to 
joining SCCC in 1970, Sherrick had taught at 
State University Agricultural and Technical Col- 
lege at Alfred and at WPI. He is a former vice 
president of the Schenectady Professional En- 
gineering Society and belongs to IEEE, ASEE, 
New York State Society of Professional En- 
gineers, New York State Engineering Technol- 
ogy Association, and the National Society of 
Professional Engineers. He is also a member of 
Tau Beta Pi, Etta Kappa Nu, Pi Delta Epsilon, and 

Sigma Xi Ronald Swers works as an industrial 

applications engineer at GE in Lynn, Mass. He, 
his wife, Gwen, and two sons live in Salem. 



WPI Journal /August 1977/17 



1967 

^■Married: James C. Lefevre and Miss Patricia E. 
Currie on May 7, 1977 in Dalton, New Hamp- 
shire. The bride graduated from Bryant & Strat- 
ton College, Boston, and is employed at Littleton 
Stamp & Coin Co., Inc. The bridegroom is a 
self-employed civil engineer. 

>Born: to Mr. and Mrs. Bradford A. Johnson a 
daughter, Melissa Ann, on September 22, 1976. 
Johnson has been transferred to Cincinnati as an 
attorney with the regional counsel's office of the 
Internal Revenue Service. ... to Mr. and Mrs. 
Robert Shen a daughter, Olivia, on November 5, 
1976. Shen works for National Cash Register in 
Ithaca, N.Y. 

Earl Berry, SIM, was recently named treasurer 
of Woodbury & Co., Inc. in Worcester. . . . 
Robert Dashner is now a senior systems analyst 
for Amdahl Corp. in Sunnyvale, Calif — Joseph 
Ferrantino has been promoted to process en- 
gineering specialist at Monsanto Co., Birchem 
Bend plant, where he is in charge of pilot plant 
operations. Also, he has been elected to a five- 
year term on the planning board of Ware, Mass., 
and reelected president of Beaver Lake Club 
Corporation. . . . Carl Gilmore presently holds 
the post of city engineer in Pinellas Park, Fla. . . . 
Lawrence Gooch serves as assistant sales man- 
ager in the process engineering department at 
Farrel Co., Ansonia, Conn. The Gooches have a 
son James, 3V2, and a daughter Jennifer, 1 . 

Ron Gordon, who was a staff instructor for 
IBM in Los Angeles, has moved to New York 
where he is now in charge of education devel- 
opment in operating systems for future systems. 
. . . Paul Granquist, SIM, has been appointed 
vice president at Thomas Smith Co., Worcester. 
He was named assistant treasurer and vice presi- 
dent of administration. Formerly he was control- 
ler. In his new post he will be responsible for 
accounting, office management and personnel. 
He joined the firm, which makes metal stamp- 
ings and industrial fasteners, in 1959. . . . 
Currently Robert McAndrew III is with the nu- 
clear service department at Babcock & Wilcox. 

1968 

^■Married: John Colognesi to Patricia M. Roy of 
Southbridge, Massachusetts last June. The bride, 
a graduate of Anna Maria, is a special education 
teacher in Southbridge. The groom is now vice 
president of Southbridge Sheet Metal Works, 
Inc. The company builds weldments, machine 
parts and turnpike toll booths. 

>Born: to Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Battle a son, 
Hans Paul, recently. The family is enjoying life in 
Belgium where Battle is a senior engineer for 
Monsanto. ... to Mr. and Mrs. David A. 
Swercewski their third child, a son, Michael, 
recently. Michael has a sister, Katherine, 7Vi and 
a brother Robert, 6. David is with Electric Boat in 
Groton, Conn. ... to Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth 
Turnbull a daughter, Kelly Lee, on July 31 , 1 976. 
Turnbull is with Texaco, Inc. in Beacon, N.Y. 

George Bazinet has been promoted to man- 
ager of systems programming at United Nuclear 
Corporation. . . . Paul Beaudet continues with J. 
A. Jones Construction Co. and is now working at 
ERDA's Hanford Reservation. He is in construc- 
tion management of various projects. . . . Kurt 
Benson has joined his uncle, Henry Anderson, in 
the general practice of law at 390 Main St. in 
Worcester. . . . Bob Demers is now a research/ 
teaching assistant in the division of pulmonary 



medicine at Rhode Island Hospital in Providence. 
. . .Leif Erickson recently received a Ph. D. in 
chemistry from the University of Massachusetts. 
He did his dissertation on the molecular structure 
of the human erythrocyte membrane. Presently 
a captain in the USAR program, Erickson has 
served with the 173rd Medical Group at Wes- 
tover AFB for the last five years. He has also been 
active in counselling and in directing programs 
for mentally retarded individuals and senior citi- 
zens at Camp Grotonwood in Groton, Mass. 

Charles Konopka has received his Ph. D from 
the University of Connecticut. He holds a master 
of science degree in electrical engineering- 
computer science from U Conn and an MS in 
mathematics from WPI. . . . William Krikorian is 
now principal civil engineer for the Mas- 
sachusetts Bureau of Building Construction, Bos- 
ton George Landauer is president of G.D.C. 

Medical Electronics, a division of Generator De- 
velopment Corp., with headquarters in New 
Hyde Park, N.Y. Branches are located in Edison, 
N.J. and Cornwells Heights, Pa. The company 
services hospital biomedical electronic equip- 
ment. The Landauers are the parents of their first 
child, a son Jay Fredrik, who was born recently. . . 
Cary Palulis received his MBA with concentra- 
tion in management from the University of New 
Haven in June. . . . Jeffrey Semmel has assumed 
responsibility as lead systems programmer at 
Genrad in Concord, Mass. 

1969 

>Born: to Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Fischer a 
daughter, Libby, recently. Fischer serves as man- 
ager of Hewlett-Packard's medical distribution 
center in Waltham, Mass. ... to Mr. and Mrs. 
Richard M. Gross their first child, a daughter 
Lindsay Leyburn, on December 27, 1976. Rick 
was promoted to research specialist at Dow 
Chemical in Midland, Mich. 

Arthur Katsaros has been promoted to prod- 
uct manager of alkylamines business area for Air 
Products & Chemicals in Allentown, Pa. Kat- 
saros, who has two children, Dean, 6, and 
Patricia, 2, received his MBA from Lehigh Uni- 
versity in December. . . . Active with the U.S. 
Navy Civil Engineer Corps, Ronald Lewis serves 
as shops engineer in Newport, R.I., where he is 
responsible for all base maintenance, transporta- 
tion and utilities. . . . Edward Mierzejewski, 
besides working as chief transportation planner 
for Southeastern Virginia Planning District 
Commission (Norfolk), is also a part-time faculty 
member at Old Dominion University teaching 
transportation engineering to civil engineering 
majors. He resides with his wife, Aline, and 
children, Sara and Mark, in Virginia Beach. . . . 
Capt. Douglas Nelson is working for his master's 
degree in aeronautical engineering at the Air 

Force Institute of Technology Steve Selinger 

has just finished his MBA at Wayne State Univer- 
sity. 



1970 

>Born: toMr. and Mrs. Marc Schweig their first 
son, Jonathan David, on January 10, 1977. 
Schweig is with Western Electric Co. in North 
Andover, Mass. ... to Mr. and Mrs. Bohdan 
Sywak a son, Jason Bohdan, on October 28, 
1976. Sywak received his M.B.A. from Temple 
University in January. Presently he is project 
engineer for General Engineering Support for 
small caliber training ammunition for all U.S. 
military forces, with the Department of the Army 
in Philadelphia. 

Robert Cournoyer has received his M.M.T. 
from the University of Lowell. . . . James Ford 
recently moved to Phoenix, Arizona to work for 
the actuarial consulting firm of Charles Bentzin & 
Associates. . . . Alan "Chip" Hassett has been 
promoted from the position of senior project 
engineer at O'Brien & Gere Engineers, Syracuse, 
N.Y., to that of manager of the Dover (Del.) 
office of Justin & Courtney, a division of O'Brien 
and Gere. . . . Presently T. J. Lelek serves as 
Pittsburgh district sales manager for petrochem- 
icals at Gulf Oil Chemicals Co. . . . John Lyons 
continues at Digital Equipment Corp., Maynard, 
Mass., where he is presently a senior 
programmer/analyst. . . . Peter Miner serves as a 
project leader at Naval Underwater Systems 
Center in New London, Conn. 

John Pell i, who is sales manager for Berkshire 
Trane Air Conditioning Co., West Springfield, 
Mass., has received his MBA from Western New 
England College. The Pedis have a two-year old 
daughter, Jennifer. . . . Lenny Polizzotto has 
been working on developing a new instant 8 x 
10 film at Polaroid. He has traveled to Europe to 
work with and give technical advice to European 
photographers, including Gunter Sachs in San 
Tropez. He also demonstrated the product pro- 
totype at Photokina in Cologne, Germany last 
fall. As a result, he appeared in a photo in the 
holiday issue of Popular Photography. . . . For- 
merly an industrial engineer in the corporate 
research and engineering division at Mohasco 
Corp., Amsterdam, N.Y., Erik Roy has now been 
appointed as licensing operations manager of 
carpet operations. He is also an adjunct profes- 
sor in the Institute of Administration and Man- 
agement at Union College. He received his MS in 
industrial administration from Union. . . . Re- 
cently Randolph Sablich was promoted to man- 
ager of pricing, subcontracts at Grumman 
Aerospace Corp., Bethpage, N.Y. ... M. F. 
Sullivan has just been listed in Who's Who and 
Britain 's Dictionary of International Biography 
for his work in chemical recovery systems at 
paper mills. Sullivan serves as manager of the 
recovery unit operation at Aztec Engineering in 
Louisville, Ky. . . . Francis Vernile is now a 
registered professional engineer in the State of 
Connecticut. 



1971 

^■Married: Larry N. Hyman and Sandra S. Kampf 
of Midland, Michigan in East Hartford, Connec- 
ticut on February 20, 1977. The groom works in 
the organic chemicals production department of 
Dow Chemical Co. in Midland, where he is a 
production development engineer. . . . Robert 
R. Tucker to Judith A. Chase in Brewster, Mas- 
sachusetts on May 21, 1977. Mrs. Tucker at- 
tended Assumption College and Worcester State 
and graduated from Worcester City Hospital 
School of Nursing. She is a registered nurse at 
Cape Cod Hospital. Her husband owns Focal- 
point Studio. 



18/ August 1977 /WPI Journal 



„„,.,.,...»...»..» 



>Born: to Mr. and Mrs. Jack B. Creenshields 
their second child, Keith Michael, on March 7, 
1 977. Greenshields was recently promoted to 
regional purchasing manager with procurement 
and stores responsibilities for nine locations 
within Monsanto's fabricated products division. 
He received his MBA from the University of New 
Haven in January. ... to Mr. and Mrs. John G. 
Plonsky a son, John G. Plonsky, Jr., on February 
10, 1977. Plonsky is with Sikorsky Aircraft in 
Stratford, Conn. 

George Bakevich has accepted the post of 
supervisor of nuclear licensing and safety with 
the nuclear fuels manufacturing section of Com- 
bustion Engineering, Inc., Windsor, Conn. He is 
responsible for nuclear criticality safety analyses 
and health physics associated with the manufac- 
ture of nuclear fuel assemblies to be used in 
commercial nuclear power reactors. . . . Glenn 
White has received his MS in atmospheric sci- 
ence from State University of New York at 
Albany. He served as a predoctoral fellow in 
geophysical fluid dynamics at a summer col- 
loquium on global climatology at Woods Hole 
Oceanographic Institute. Currently he is a 
graduate student in atmospheric science at the 
University of Washington. 

1972 

^■Married: Mark G. Andrews and Helen Wiener 
on March 25, 1977. The bridegroom has been 
promoted to the position of vice president of 
operations at C & M Wire Products in Waure- 
gan, Conn. 

>Born: to Mr. and Mrs. Dwight Allen a daugh- 
ter, Rebecca Anne, on April 10, 1977. Dwight is 
chief mechanical engineer at General Scanning, 
Inc., Watertown, Mass. . . . to Mr. and Mrs. 
Joseph G. Harkins a daughter, Kimberly Anne, 
on September 3, 1976. Joe has a new post at 
Norton Company, Worcester, where he is a 

systems programmer to Mr. and Mrs. Glenn 

Yale their second daughter, Kirsten Hadley, in 
March. (Heather is four.) Yale serves as vice 
president of engineering at Charles T. Morgan 
Co., Danvers, Mass. 

Mark Fritz now works as a quality control 
programmer at Wang Labs. . . . Neil Herring is 
chief financial officer at New Hampshire Legal 
Assistance. . . . Kenneth Kolkebeck is employed 
as a sales engineer at Rosemount, Inc. . . . Robert 
Pascucci, project engineer for the Glen Cove 
(N.Y.) Urban Renewal Agency, is in his second 
year as an evening student at St. John's Univer- 
sity School of Law. . . . T. Richard Price has been 
working in Port Arthur, Texas for Stone & Web- 
ster on construction of a Texaco oil refinery. The 

Prices have a daughter, Sheila Richard Sojka 

holds the post of department head of production 
at Clairol in Stamford, Conn. . . . John Wood- 
ward was recently promoted to captain in the 
U.S. Marine Corps. He also received a letter of 
commendation for meritorious service while 
serving as assistant motor transport and opera- 
tions officer at Cherry Point, N.C. Presently he is 
stationed in Okinawa. 



1973 



^Married: Robert H. Newman and Miss Lori R. 
Zitowitz on October 31 , 1976 in Worcester. The 
bride attended Portland (Me.) School of Fine and 
Applied Arts and Dade College of Miami. The 
groom is a software engineer in the missile 
systems division of Raytheon Company in Bed- 
ford, Mass. . . . Gary K. Smolen to Miss Bonnie L. 
Newcomb in Gill, Massachusetts on April 24, 
1977. Mrs. Smolen attended the Ethel Walker 
School of Fine Arts and is employed in the 
business office at Franklin County Public Hospi- 
tal. Her husband is with Stewart's Nursery and 
Garden Center. . . . Edward J. Swierz to Rebecca 
Dvorak recently. The bride, who graduated from 
Grinnell (Iowa) College, is now working on a 
doctorate in Germanic linguistics at the Univer- 
sity of Illinois. The bridegroom is with the U.S. 
Dept. of Commerce in Chicago. . . . Stuart K. 
Wallack and Miss Ann Vivian on February 12, 
1977 in Brookline, Massachusetts. Mrs. Wallack 
graduated from Wesleyan University. Her hus- 
band, who received his master's degree from 
Lehigh University, is a sales trainee with the 
Torrington (Conn.) Company. 

^■Born: to Mr. and Mrs. Edward S. Jamro a son, 
Terry Rock, on February 9, 1977. Jamro is with 
Monsanto in St. Louis, Missouri. ... to Mr. and 
Mrs. Ronald Lak their first child, a son, Jeffrey 
John, on May 18, 1977. Lak works for Uniroyal 
Chemical, Inc. in Naugatuck, Conn. 

Bill Carton is now a design engineer at 
Teradyne, Inc. in Boston. . . . Paul Conti has been 
appointed to the industrial engineering staff at 
Bay State Abrasives in Westboro, Mass. He will 
provide all industrial engineering services for 
second shift manufacturing operations. . . . Tom 
and Kathy (Sawislak) Dagostino are currently 
both employed by Tektronix, Inc., in Beaverton, 
Oregon. Tom is a design engineer in the service 
instrument division and Kathy is a software 
evaluator in the lab instrument division. . . . 
Airman 1/c Jon Franson was slated to move to 
North Carolina in June to provide weather sup- 
port for the U.S. Army tactical units at Fort 
Bragg. He has been attending parachutist school 
to qualify as an airborne weather technician so 
that he can travel anywhere the Army exercises 
call for meteorological support, whether in or 
out of the country. He also plans to pursue his 
master's degree in meteorology. . . . George 
Grunbeck is presently employed as a test en- 
gineer for Terry Steam Turbine in Windsor, 
Conn. His wife, Patrice, is a systems analyst for 
Travelers Insurance. 

Herbert Hedberg serves as a senior product 
engineer for Waters Associates in Milford, Mass. 
He designs microprocessor-based laboratory in- 
strumentation. Last fall he went to Germany for 
a week to train field service personnel. . . . David 
Kay is an applications engineer for Teradyne, 
Inc., Boston. . . . John Lecko is now an electronic 
development engineer for NC machine tool con- 
trols at Pratt & Whitney Machine Tool Co., East 
Hartford, Conn. . . . Joseph Magri works for Bird 
Machine Co., Walpole, Mass. . . . Capt. Edward 
Maher, a bioenvironmental engineer, has been 
awarded the Air Force Commendation Medal at 
Hanscom AFB, Mass. for meritorious service 
performed previously at Brooks AFB, Texas. 
Currently he serves at the U.S. Air Force Clinic at 
Hanscom, a part of the Air Force Systems Com- 
mand. . . . Wallace McKenzie, Jr. presented a 
paper at the Operations Research Society of 
America Conference last November in Miami. 
Presently he is an elected town meeting member 
in Saugus, Mass. and chairperson of a special 
committee investigating the possibility of con- 
solidating the schools in Saugus. 



Dr. Louis Nashelsky, professor of electrical 
technology at Queensborough Community Col- 
lege, has just published an updated version of his 
Introduction to Digital Computer Technology, 
which draws on his fifteen years of teaching 
experience. A National Science Foundation fel- 
low in 1971 , Dr. Nashelsky is also the author of 
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory (1972). 
. . . Naran Patel is a structural engineer at Alex 
Tobias Associates in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 
. . . Stephen Saucier has been appointed assistant 
vice president at the Hospital Association of 
Rhode Island in Providence. He had been work- 
ing in financial systems with Texas Instruments. 
He earned his MBA from the University of Rhode 
Island. 

Charles Scopelitis is completing his fourth 
year as a member of the Montville (Conn.) Board 
of Education. He serves as the computer en- 
gineer for Northeast Utilities at the Millstone 
Point Generating Station and conducts a work- 
study program at Millstone for area high school 
students planning to study engineering. . . . 
Richard Socha has been named United States 
research fellow for the U.S. — U.S.S.R. program 
of cooperation in research on chemical catalysis. 
Currently a graduate student at WPI, he will be 
spending six months in the Soviet Union during 
the program. . . . C. Stephen Szlatenyi, Jr. 
received his doctor of medicine degree from 
Albany (N.Y.) Medical College of Union Univer- 
sity in May. He will serve his internship at the 
Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital in Cooperstown, 
N.Y. He plans to go into emergency medicine. 

1974 

^■Married: Firdos N. Khericha and Miss Judith F. 
MacKay in Ashland, Massachusetts on March 
12, 1977. The bride is a physical therapist at St. 
Raphael's Hospital, New Haven, Conn. She 
graduated from the University of Connecticut. 
Her husband is a civil engineer with the Congress 
Building in New Haven. . . . Alan Kirby and 
Pamela Barker in Madison, Connecticut on 
March 26, 1977. The bride is a dental hygienist 
in Greenwich. The groom is with National CSS in 
Stamford. . . . Stephen E. Rubin and Tracy L. 
Garrett on June 18, 1977 in Westfield, New 
Jersey. Mrs. Rubin graduated from Smith Col- 
lege and will teach the first grade at the Bryn 
Mawr School in Baltimore, Md. Her husband, a 
senior systems engineer for EMC-Controls, a 
subsidiary of the Electronic Modules Corpora- 
tion in Cockeysville, Md., is also attending the 
University of Baltimore Law School. 

>Born: to Mr. and Mrs. Michael Kozakiewicz a 
daughter, Emily, on March 14, 1977. 
Kozakiewicz works for Eastman Kodak in 

Rochester, N.Y to Mr. and Mrs. John Martin 

their first child, Steven Joseph, on March 18, 
1977. Martin serves as a project engineer at 
Monsanto. . . . to Mr. and Mrs. Gary Pontbriand 
a daughter on December 29, 1976. Gary is with 
New Jersey Zinc Co., Palmerton, Pa. 



WPI Journal/ August 1977/19 



The DA 




"Because certain constitutional prin- 
ciples properly require that a person 
accused of crime be afforded due pro- 
cess of law, those charged with the 
prosecution and defense of the ac- 
cused must act at all times to pre- 
serve this due process. As an unin- 
tended result, the victims of crime 
are often treated with less concern by 
our criminal justice system then are 
the defendants," says Howard H. 
Shore, '69, who views the system 
from a unique vantage point. He 
serves as a San Diego County (Calif.) 
Deputy District Attorney. 

"Victims are frequently the last to 
know what's happening in their 
cases, and can lose hard-earned in- 
come by having to come to court to 
testify," he continues. "We try to do 
everything we can to ameliorate the 
tragedy that victims of crime suffer, 
especially from acts of violence such 
as robbery, rape, and assault. The 
advent of 'victimology' is an impor- 
tant step forward in the criminal jus- 
tice system." 

Currently concerned with all as- 
pects of criminal justice, just ten 
short years ago Shore was looking 
forward to a career as a mathemati- 
cian. "After receiving my bs in math 
from WPI, however, I decided to be- 
come involved in a more people- 
oriented profession. I also wanted to 
get a taste of the Southern California 
lifestyle," he explains. "All at once I 
found myself living in San Diego and 
attending the University of San Diego 
Law School." 

During his first summer in San 
Diego, the future Deputy D. A. 
worked as a night watchman at a 
hotel construction site from 9 pm to 5 
am and as a waiter from 10 am to 3 
pm. In the fall of 1970, he published a 
book of poetry entitled Let Me Turn 
You On, My Friend, A Collection of 
Poems for the Mindandsoul. The 
book combined his poems that had 
appeared in the Tech News (he was 
editor-in-chief) with new material he 
had composed in California. 



20 /August 1977 /WPI Journal 



"I found the writing project satisfy- 
ing," Shore relates. "The book sold 
well locally and through the mail. 
More importantly, I began receiving 
scores of letters from readers sharing 
their innermost feelings with me, 
apparently in response to my own 
open expression of personal feelings. I 
was intensely moved by many of the 
letters. This communication was a 
perfect palliative for the overwhelm- 
ing pile of legalese that formed the 
basis of my first year of legal educa- 
tion." 

While in law school, Shore became 
involved in the school's clinical pro- 
gram, working one night a week at a 
storefront legal services office. He 
also became involved in numerous 
"moot court" competitions, arguing 
simulated cases to appellate court 
panels. In 1972 the law school fielded 
a team of three, including Shore, for 
the statewide Roger Traynor Califor- 
nia Competition. The team won two 
of three possible awards, with the usd 
trio picking up the honors for Best 
Team Brief, and Shore taking the 
individual trophy for Outstanding 
Advocate. Active as a member of the 
San Diego Law Review, he published 
the first law review article on the 
legal implications of international 
marine archaeological sites. 

Tops in his international law class 
of 75 students, his professor 
suggested that he consider studying 
abroad after obtaining his juris doctor 
degree from usd. Taking his profes- 
sor's advice, Shore attended the mas- 
ter of laws (ll.m.) program at the 
London School of Economics and 
Political Science (lse) from 1972 to 
1973. In London, he pursued various 
aspects of international law, as well 
as comparative criminal law and sen- 
tencing, lse awarded him a scholar- 
ship to attend a summer session of 
the Hague Academy of International 
Law in the Netherlands. 



Shore reports, "After being 
awarded the ll.m. degree, I had 
planned to seek employment with 
the State Department, where I could 
utilize my training in international 
law. But I decided to return to San 
Diego to develop my skills as a trial 
attorney. I arrived in the U.S. in late 
1973, was hired by the San Diego 
County District Attorney's Office, 
and have been there ever since." 

Along with 119 other deputy dis- 
trict attorneys, Shore is responsible 
for the prosecution of felonies and 
misdemeanors covering the entire 
spectrum of criminal violations, 
making the job both stimulating and 
varied. In addition to gaining insight 
into the procedural aspects of the 
criminal justice system, he has been 
involved in a wide range of prosecu- 
tions, including rape, child abuse, 
fraud, burglary, robbery, and criminal 
homicides. He also has become deeply 
concerned about the victims of these 
crimes. 

While in his present office, Shore 
has authored several articles for dis- 
tribution to local law enforcement 
agencies, including articles on "bad 
check" prosecutions and on offenses 
involving disturbances of the peace. 
He has guest lectured at several 
schools and colleges, and anticipates 
becoming more involved in the 
teaching of law. 

"Unquestionably," he says, "my 
greatest stimulation comes from 
battling it out in the 'pits' — my trial 
work." The excitement is generated 
by the many variables involved in 
prosecution: the background and 
attitudes of judges and jurors, the 
constant planning in anticipation of 
possible defenses and testimony of 
witnesses, the impact of cross- 
examination, argument to the jury, 
and sentencing of the convicted. 

"Ironically, legal reasoning itself is 
mathematical, based on synthesis 
and deduction," he explains. "But, of 
course, law also encompasses that 
great unknown: human nature. It is 
this human factor that imbues each 
case with its own unique drama and 
tension, its own peculiar formula for 
what hopefully will be a just verdict." 



During his leisure time Shore in- 
volves himself with writing poetry, 
playing basketball and racquetball (to 
untie the proverbial knots), body surf- 
ing, playing sax, studying Spanish, 
motorcycling San Diego County's 
superb ranch, farm, mountain, and 
desert roads, and just plain "carous- 
ing." "It's easy to be a hedonist 
around here," he says. "I love it." 

Because he enjoys his work, he has 
no plans to leave office. He expects to 
complement his trial work by teach- 
ing law, publishing more poetry, and 
by enjoying whatever opportunities 
and challenges come his way. 

"I'm happy with my present life 
style," Shore asserts. "My house has a 
panoramic view of San Diego's Mis- 
sion Bay. I have a great many friends 
here and in L. A. Most of all, I feel that 
I'm making a positive contribution to 
the American criminal justice sys- 
tem." 



WPI Journal / August 1 977 / 21 



Stuart Daniels has joined Teknor Apex Co. of 
Pawtucket, R.I., where he serves as a rubber and 
plastics chemist. . . . Steven McGrath, who 
recently received his M.B.A. from the Wharton 
School at the University of Pennsylvania, now 
works as a consultant for Booz, Allen and Hamil- 
ton at one of their divisions located in Florham 

Park, N.J Brother James Morabito, MNS, has 

been ordained a deacon of the Salesians of St. 
John Bosco at Christ the King Church in Colum- 
bus, Ohio. Currently he is in his third year of 
theology at the Pontifical College Josephinum in 
Columbus, where he is engaged in CCD work, 
parish recreational programs, and with delin- 
quent youth in the area detention facility. . . . 
Stephen Page is now an associate of Gunster, 
Yoakley, Criser, Stewart and Hersey, a law firm 
in Palm Beach, Fla. He graduated with honor 
from Stetson University College of Law, from 
which he recently received his juris doctor. 

This August Peter Petroski is moving to Boise, 
Idaho, where he will continue to serve as a 
development engineer with Hewlett-Packard in 
the Disc Memory Division. . . . Neil Poulin has 
completed requirements for a MS degree in solid 
state physics from the University of Vermont. His 
major area of research dealt with ternary metal 
alloy systems. He is a thin films process engineer 
for IBM Corp. in Burlington. . . . Arthur 
Quitadamo, SIM, has been promoted from as- 
sistant vice president to vice president at 
Worcester County National Bank. He holds a 
degree from Worcester Junior College and 
joined the bank in 1973 as assistant vice presi- 
dent in the international department. Also, he is 
director and treasurer of the Family Health and 
Social Service Corp. and vice president and 
director of the International Center of Worces- 
ter. . . . Kenneth Szeflinski is a statistician with 
the IRS in Washington, D.C. His wife, Diane 
(Laveglia), an Anna Maria graduate, is a junior 
high school English teacher in Maryland. 

1975 

>Married: William A. Johnson and Miss Nancy 
M. Nesta on June 4, 1977 in Branford, Connec- 
ticut. The bride is a Becker graduate. The groom 
is with Bose Corporation in Framingham, Mass. 
. . . Lt. Ralph F. Miller and Miss Diana L. O'Dell 
on February 1 1 , 1977 in Pirmasens, Germany, 
where both are stationed. Mrs. Miller graduated 
from the University of Oregon and currently 
serves as a recreation specialist for the Army 
Overseas Recreation Program. The bridegroom 
is the maintenance officer in the 546th Mainte- 
nance Company. . . . Miss Judith B. Nitsch to 
Robert H. Donnellan in Southwick, Mas- 
sachusetts on May 28, 1977. Bridesmaids in- 
cluded Jean Reny, 75, and Paula Fragassi De- 
laney, 76. The bride works as a project engineer 
with Schofield Brothers, Inc. of Framingham. Her 
husband, also with Schofield, is a land surveyor. 
He attended Northeastern University and 
Greenfield Community College. . . . Darrell S. 
Trasko to Miss Judith E. Farias in Fall River, 
Massachusetts on June 4, 1977. Mrs. Trasko 
graduated from the University of Mas- 
sachusetts, Amherst. The groom works for Mitre 
Corp., Bedford. 

Karenann Brozowski is a glass forming pro- 
cess engineer at Corning Glass Works, electrical 
products division, in Central Falls, R.I. . . . John 
Gabranski, who is working for his MBA at 
Columbia University, has been awarded a Barr 

Fellowship Jay Gainsboro has moved back to 

the Boston area, where he is currently national 
sales manager for Opus, Inc. . . . Temporarily 



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Actuators 

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Jamesbury Corp. • 640 Lincoln Street • Worcester, Mass. 01605 



John Greenstreet is working at a space tracking 

station in Alaska for General Electric Co 

David Kingsbury is now a manufacturing en- 
gineer for Fisher Controls in Marshalltown, 
Iowa. . . . Steven Manzi, who graduated from 
MIT with a master's in mechanical engineering in 
February, is presently with the Corvallis (Ore.) 
division of Hewlett-Packard Corp. He is a me- 
chanical design engineer in research and devel- 
opment. 

Stephen Mealy recently spent some time on 
San Clemente Island doing field work with the 
Naval Ocean Systems Center. . . . Michael 
Rocheleau, who has received his master's in 
mechanical engineering from Northwestern 
University, Evanston, III., is now with Travenol 
Laboratories in Round Lake, Illinois. . . . Dave 
Samara, a nuclear engineer with Campus 
America, a team of touring-lecturing engineers 
from Westinghouse, addressed a meeting of the 
Concord (N.H.) Rotary in April. The Campus 
America Program was mentioned in a general 
article on nuclear power in the March 21 st issue 
of Time. . . . Walter Skiba works as a metallurgi- 
cal engineer for Smith & Wesson Division of 
Bangor Punta operations. . . . Alexander Vogt is 
now employed by Stone and Webster on the 
Rock Island Project in Wenatchee, Washington. 



1976 

^Married: Alexander L. Bowers, Jr., to Miss 
Margaret L. Boylan on May 28, 1977 in Worces- 
ter. Mrs. Bowers graduated from Becker and had 
been a stenographer for the Shrewsbury High- 
way and Public Buildings Departments. Her hus- 
band is a project engineer at General Dynamics, 
Electric Boat Division, Groton, Conn. . . . Jeffrey 
W. Brown and Miss Diane M. Lapierre on May 
29, 1977 in Harrisville, Rhode. Island. Mrs. 
Brown graduated from Katharine Gibbs School 
and is a secretary at Bryant College. The groom is 
a field sales engineer for the Trane Company in 
Lacrosse, Wis. ... Dr. Jacques A. Brunelleto 
Miss Helen A. Mahoney on May 28, 1977 in 
Worcester. Mrs. Brunelle, who holds a BS and 
master of education degree from Worcester 
State, is head of the mathematics department at 
Holden (Mass.) Junior High School. Her husband 
is in postdoctoral research at Harvard Medical 

School in Boston John T. Germaine and Miss 

Barbara J. Anderson in Springfield, Mas- 
sachusetts on June 4, 1977. The bride, who 
manages the Clothes Bin, is a graduate of Beck- 
er. The bridegroom is a graduate student at MIT. 



22 / August 1 977 / WPI Journal 



^■Married: Andrew M. Kopach and Miss Mau- 
reen H. Kelly on April 23, 1977 in Waterford, 
New York. The bride graduated from Our Lady 
of the Elms College. Her husband is employed by 
Liberty Mutual Insurance Co. as a loss preven- 
tion representative. . . . Paul E. McTaggart and 
Miss Susan A. Corbitt in Barrington, Rhode 
Island on June 4, 1977. Mrs. McTaggart at- 
tended Rhode Island College and graduated 
from Bristol Community College of Dental 
Hygiene. She is a dental hygienist in North 
Kingstown. Presently the groom is enrolled in 
URI's mechanical and ocean engineering pro- 
gram. . . . Barry M.Siff to Miss Judith A. Bailey in 
Oak Park, Michigan on May 8, 1 977. The bride is 
on the public relations staff of General Motors 
Corporation's Pontiac Motor Division, Detroit. 
Her husband is a safety engineer with the Royal 
Globe Insurance Company's regional office in 
Southfield. . . . Joseph A. Tuozzoli and Miss 
Claudia A. McGrath on June 18, 1977 in Natick, 
Massachusetts. Mrs. Tuozzoli graduated from 
Worcester State and works at Framingham 
Union Hospital. The bridegroom is in the used 
car business. . . . Michael F. Whelan and Miss 
Anita-Marie Flori on May 22, 1977 in Provi- 
dence, Rhode Island. Mrs. Whelan graduated 
from Rhode Island College. 

Alfred Brewer recently received his B.S. in 
aeronautical science from Embry-Riddle Aero- 
nautical University in Daytona Beach, Fla. Brew- 
er, who accepted a position with Air Kaman, Inc., 
Hartford, Conn., has a commercial pilot's and 
flight instructor's ratings. . . . William Gray is 
with Pratt & Whitney Aircraft in West Palm 
Beach, Fla. . . . Ross Greenberg has left the 
medical systems group of Cavitron Ultrasonics, 
Long Island City, to enter the premedical pro- 
gram of Columbia University. . . . Sterling 
Hassler has been appointed to controller for the 
Norton Co. Grinding Wheel Division, Worcester. 
In 1964 he began at Norton as a computer 
programmer and has held supervisory and man- 
agerial positions in data processing and in fi- 
nance. He received a master's degree in man- 
agement science from WPI. 

Joseph Lucchesi is a graduate student at 
LaSalle College in Philadelphia. . . . Tom Mc- 
Aloon is a graduate student in environmental 
engineering at the University of Massachusetts. 
... Dr. David Sawyer serves as a senior staff 
member in the electronic technology division at 
the National Bureau of Standards in 
Washington, D.C. Recently he returned from a 
four-month assignment with the Energy Re- 
search and Development Administration where 
he assisted in their solar cell effort. He received 
the 1 976 IR- 100 Award from Industrial Re- 
search Magazine in ceremonies at the Chicago 
Museum of Science for his work titled: "Laser 
Flying — Spot Scanner." The apparatus is useful 
for design and analysis of operation of semicon- 
ductor devices such as transistors. The IR-100 
awards recognize the 100 most significant tech- 
nical developments of the year. . . . Currently 
Paula Stratouly is with Exxon Corp. in 
Springfield, Mass. . . . Steven Tuckerman is a 
graduate student in regional planning at the 
University of Massachusetts. 




Dr. Benjamin A. Wooten, Jr., a native of 
Opelika, Ala. and professor of physics at WPI 
since 1957, died June 25, 1977 at his home in 
Princeton, Massachusetts. He was 60 years old. 

Dr. Wooten received his bachelor's degree 
from the University of Alabama in 1937 and his 
master's degree and doctorate from Columbia 
University. Prior to going to WPI, he taught at 
Columbia, Hunter College, Alabama Polytechnic 
Institute, Southwestern at Memphis and the 
College of the City of New York. 

He belonged to the American Physical Society, 
was a fellow of the American Association of the 
Advancement of Science, a past president of 
Sigma Xi fraternity, and a member of Phi Beta 
Kappa, Alpha Tau Omega, and the Children's 
Friend Society. He had served as a former ves- 
tryman and senior warden of St. Francis Epis- 
copal Church, Holden. For several years he 
taught at the Wachusett Regional High School 
Science Seminar. 

Dr. Wooten established a research program in 
high energy nuclear physics at WPI and for five 
years served as chairman of the graduate study 
committee. He served on several WPI commit- 
tees on the revaluation of research goals. 

Luke N. Zaccaro, a former professor of mathe- 
matics at WPI, died March 19, 1977 in Roswell 
Park Memorial Institute in Buffalo, New York at 
the age of 53. 

He joined the WPI faculty in 1964 and taught 
mathematics there until 1972. For the past four 
years he had been chairman of the mathematics 
department at Youngstown (Ohio) State Uni- 
versity. Previously he had taught at Syracuse 
University, Georgetown University, the Univer- 
sity of Rhode Island, and Hiram (Ohio) College. 

Dr. Zaccaro graduated from the University of 
Connecticut and received his master's degree 
there in 1949. In 1957 he received his doctorate 
from Syracuse University. He was a native of 
Hartford, Conn. 

George A. Barratt, '09, former plant engineer for 
American Thread Co., Holyoke, Mass., died 
February 1 1 , 1977 in St. Peter's Medical Center, 
New Brunswick, New Jersey. He was 89. 

Born in Millbury, Mass., he later graduated 
from WPI as an electrical engineer in 1909. He 
became associated with General Electric, Ameri- 
can Thread Co., and finally Hercules Powder 
Co., where he was service superintendent for 24 
years. 

He belonged to ASME and the New Jersey 
Society of Professional Engineers. A consulting 
engineer for South Amboy and East Brunswick, 
N.J. water departments, he also was a charter 
member of the Middlesex County Personnel 
Club. 



Leslie E. Swift, '09, of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 
died in May at the age of 91 . 

After graduating as a civil engineer at WPI, he 
worked for Riter Conley Mfg. Co. and McClintic 
Marshall Co. prior to World War I. During the 
war he was with Atlantic Refining Co. and 
United Gas Import Co. In 1931 he retired from 
Bethlehem Steel. Later he joined Barrett Herrick 
& Co., investment bankers. For the past seven 
years he had been in a nursing home. 

E. Donald Beach, '11, civic leader and former 
plant manager for General Fibre Box Co., West 
Springfield, died at his home in Longmeadow, 
Massachusetts on May 14, 1977. 

Born in Orange, N.J. on Nov. 16, 1889, he 
later graduated from WPI as a civil engineer. He 
became associated with Western Union Tele- 
graph Co., Turner Construction Co., Atlantic & 
Pacific Tea Co., and Worcester Salt Co. He 
served as manufacturing manager and plant 
superintendent for General Fibre Box Co. from 
1928 until his retirement in 1951 . 

A member of Phi Gamma Delta, Mr. Beach 
also belonged to Tau Beta Pi and Sigma Xi. He 
was a member of Rotary; a trustee of the Eastern 
States Exposition; founder, director and first 
president of the Springfield Ski Club; an incor- 
porator of the United Fund of Greater 
Springfield; and a director of the Mt. Tom Ski 
area. 

Stuart P. Miller, '14, of Johns Island, South 
Carolina, passed away on January 26, 1977. 

He was born on October 25, 1892 in East 
Hampton, Conn. In 1914 he received his BS in 
chemistry from WPI. From 1915 until 1952 he 
was with the Barrett Co., later the Barrett Divi- 
sion of Allied Chemical Corp. He retired as 
technical director. 

Mr. Miller belonged to ACS, AICE, and New 
York Botanical Garden, where he was a life 
member. He also belonged to Sigma Xi and had 
served as a trustee of Charleston (S.C.) County 
Hospital and as a former president of the 
Philadelphia chapter of the Alumni Association. 

Howard C. Barnes, '15, of Ashfield, Mas- 
sachusetts died on April 30, 1977 at the age of 
84. He was a former assessor and selectman in 
Ashfield for many years. 

He was born on December 2, 1892 in Shel- 
burne Falls, Mass. After receiving his BSEE from 
WPI he joined the American Telephone & Tele- 
graph Co., then spent four years with New York 
Telephone. In 1925 he returned to A. T. & T. 
from which he retired in 1952. 

Mr. Barnes belonged to Sigma Alpha Epsilon, 
Skull, Telephone Pioneers and the Ashfield Rod 
and Gun Club. 

Walter F. Conlin, Sr., '17, passed away in 
Framingham (Massachusetts) Union Hospital on 
April 29, 1977. He was 82 years old. 

For forty six years he was a project manager 
with Turner Construction Co. of New York City. 
His responsibilities included the construction of 
the U.S. Navy test basin in Carderock, Md., the 
Port Authority bus terminal in New York, the 
home office of State Mutual Life Assurance 
Company of America in Worcester, and the 
approach to the George Washington Bridge in 
New York City. He retired in 1965. 

Mr. Conlin, who was a native of Hudson, 
Mass., belonged to the "Moles" in New York 
City. In 1917 he graduated as a civil engineer 
from WPI. He was the father of Walter F. Conlin, 
Jr., '46 



WPI Journal / August 1 977 / 23 



John W. Coghlin, '19, chairman of the board of 
Coghlin Electric Co. and treasurer of Coghlin's, 
Inc., died on April 2, 1977 in Worcester. 

Born in Worcester on May 4, 1 897, he was 
associated with Coghlin's Electric for 58 years, 
having served for a number of years as president. 
In 1919 he received his BSME from WPI. 

Mr. Coghlin, who received an honorary doc- 
tor of engineering degree from WPI in 1963, was 
a member of Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity. He 
was a life member and secretary of the board of 
trustees of the college. In 1936 and 1937 he was 
president of the Worcester Chapter of the 
Alumni Association, and from 1951 to 1954 he 
served as chairman of the Alumni Fund Board. In 
1966 he was made an honorary cadet colonel in 
the Army ROTC. He received the Herbert F. 
Taylor Award for outstanding service to the 
Alumni Association in 1973. 

Mr. Coghlin was a member of the board of 
trustees of Hahnemann Hospital, a former 
member of the board of Mechanics Savings 
Bank, and the Airport Commission. He belonged 
to the Worcester Club, Worcester Country Club, 
Rotary Club (50 years), National Association of 
Electrical Distributors, and the Worcester Area 
Chamber of Commerce. 

George L. White, '20, the retired vice president 
of production at the former Joseph Bancroft & 
Sons Co., died June 1 , 1977 in Wilmington, 
Delaware. He was 79. 

A native of Springfield, Mass., he later studied 
at WPI, and graduated in 1920 as a mechanical 
engineer. During his career he was associated 
with Reed & Prince, Worcester; Farr Alpaca Co., 
Holyoke, Mass.; and Arnold Print Works, North 
Adams, prior to moving to Wilmington and 
joining Joseph Bancroft & Sons Co. He retired in 
1958. 

He belonged to Phi Sigma Kappa, Skull, and 
various Masonic orders. He was the brother of 
Irving S. White, '31 and the father of Donald K. 
White, 51. 

Ernest M. Schiller, '22, of Cleveland, Ohio 
passed away on February 24, 1977. 

He was born on February 1 , 1 900 in Acushnet, 
Mass. After receiving his BSME from WPI in 
1 922 , he joined General Electric Co. At his 
retirement in 1965 he was the manager of 
manufacturing engineering, leads and bases, in 
the lamp components department of the lamp 
division. 

Mr. Schiller belonged to Sigma Xi, the Cleve- 
land Engineering Society, the Elfun Society at 
GE, the Cleveland Citizens League, and the 
Masons. He was a professional engineer in Ohio 
and a former president of the Rhode Island 
chapter of the Alumni Association. 



Roger A. Fuller, '24, of Holmes Beach, Florida, 
died on October 27, 1976. 

He was born on March 26, 1901 in Worcester. 
In 1924 he graduated from WPI with a degree in 
electrical engineering. For many years he was 
with the General Electric Co. in Fort Wayne, Ind., 
where he was an application engineer in the 
specialty motor department. He was a member 
of Tau Beta Pi. 

Leslie J. Hooper, '24, retired director of Alden 
Research Laboratories, and a retired professor of 
hydraulics engineering at WPI, died on April 9, 
1977 while visiting friends in Millington, Mary- 
land. 

Following his graduation as a mechanical en- 
gineer from WPI, he was hydraulics engineer for 
Canadian General Finance Co. of Brazil until 
1927. Back in the U.S., be became an assistant to 
Prof. C. M Allen, director of the Alden labora- 
tory, an association which lasted until Prof. 
Allen's death in 1950. During the 1930's they 
wrote numerous technical papers. By World War 
II Prof. Hooper was an established hydraulics 
authority and conducted important secret re- 
search projects for the Navy at the laboratory. 
He also helped develop the Navy's Underwater 
and Sound Laboratory in New London, Conn. 

In 1931 Prof. Hooper took a part-time teach- 
ing position at WPI and in 1938 was named an 
assistant professor. In 1945 he became a full 
professor. From 1 934 to 1 936 he was a Freeman 
Scholar of the Boston Society of Civil Engineers, 
reporting on hydraulics in this country and 
Canada. He received the junior award of ASME 
for his reports. 

An internationally recognized authority in his 
field, he earned many honors. He was elected to 
Tau Beta Pi and Sigma Xi. He had served as a 
director of the Boston Society of Civil Engineers 
and past chairman of the hydraulics division of 
ASME, which elected him a fellow in 1960. He 
was a former chairman of the Bureau of Ordi- 
nance Hydroballistic Commission, named a fel- 
low of ASCE, and appointed as a U.S. delegate to 
the International Test Code meeting in Zurich, 
Switzerland in 1957. In 1959 he was the chief 
U.S. delegate to an international conference in 
Madrid, Spain, and other conferences in Switzer- 
land, Italy, Japan, Tasmania, England, and Ger- 
many. He retired from WPI in 1968, was named 
professor emeritus, and continued as a consul- 
tant to Alden laboratory and to numerous com- 
panies throughout the world. 

Prof. Hooper, who had received the profes- 
sional degree in mechanical engineering from 
WPI in 1928, was awarded an honorary degree 
of doctor of engineering at WPI's 1964 com- 
mencement. He also received the Robert H. 
Goddard Award for outstanding professional 
achievement from WPI last year and the 
Worcester Engineering Society's Scientific 
Achievement Award in 1970. 

He was born in Essex, Mass. on Feb. 15, 1903. 
A former member of the President's Advisory 
Council at WPI, he also had served on the Flood 
Committee for the City of Worcester. 

Edward J. Kearnan, '27, of Albany, New York 
passed away suddenly on October 28, 1976. 

He was born on November 20, 1 905 in North- 
bridge, Mass. For many years he was principal 
civil engineer for highway planning in the New 
York State Department of Public Works and in 
the Department of Transportation. 

Mr. Kearnan, a member of ATO, studied civil 
engineering at WPI. He belonged to the New 
York State Society of Professional Engineers and 
the New York State Highway Engineers. 



Max Hurowitz, '23, who owned the University 
Pharmacy in Worcester from 1924 until 1969, 
died in St. Vincent Hospital on March 15, 1977. 

Hewas born in Smoleon, Russia on August 14, 
1901 . In 1923 he received his B-.S. in chemistry 
from WPI. For 45 years he owned and operated 
the University Pharmacy on Maywood Street in 
Worcester. Previously he had been with Kanef 
Drug Co. and Arkus Pharmacy. 

Mr. Hurowitz was vice president of Tifereth 
Israel Synagogue and belonged to B'nai Brith 
600, Worcester Zionist Organization of America, 
the Massachusetts State Pharmaceutical Associ- 
ation, New England Mizarchi Organization, and 
Sons of Jacob Synagogue. He was a contributing 
member to the Jewish Home for the Aged, a past 
president of Yeshiva Achei Tmimim and Tifereth 
Israel Synagogue, and treasurer of the Talmud 
Association of the Synagogue. For the past ten 
years he played violin and viola with the Worces- 
ter State College Orchestra. He belonged to 
AEPi. 

Joseph L. Guidi, '28, retired president and 
chairman of the board of the Union Gear and 
Sprocket Company, Quincy, Massachusetts, 
died on March 27, 1977. He was 69 years old. 
A native of Via Teggio, Italy, he came to the 
U.S. as a boy and later studied mechanical 
engineering at WPI. For many years he was with 
Union Gear and Sprocket Co., becoming presi- 
dent of the firm in 1968. He was a member of 
Skull and ATO. 

Russell V. Corsini, '31 , former president of 
Denholm and McKay Co., Worcester, was 
stricken and died behind the wheel of his car in a 
shopping center in Juno Beach, Florida on April 
25, 1977. He was 68. 

A well-known Worcester businessman, tennis 
player, and teacher, Mr. Corsini retired as presi- 
dent of Denholm's in 1972. He joined the store 
staff as a floorwalker in 1 938 after spending four 
years teaching at North High School, Worcester. 

He graduated from WPI as a chemist in 1931 
and received his master's degree in chemistry in 
1933. A member of Sigma Xi, SAE, and Tau Beta 
Pi, Mr. Corsini also had served as director of the 
Worcester Area Chamber of Commerce and as 
trustee for the Bay State Savings Bank in Worces- 
ter. He belonged to the Worcester Country Club 
and Worcester Tennis Club 

Mr. Corsini was born on August 30, 1908 in 
Plymouth, Mass. Besides being an avid golfer 
and tennis player, he enjoyed playing semi- 
classical and popular pieces on the piano at 
home. He was a former president of the Worces- 
ter chapter of the Alumni Association. 

William D. Ravenscroft, Sr., '31 of Litchfield, 
Connecticut, former manager of Avalon Farms, 
passed away on March 14, 1977 at the age of 
68. 

He was born on February 1, 1909 in Litchfield. 
Later he studied at WPI. In 1970 he retired as 
chairman of the Board of Finance for the town of 
Litchfield. He was a former treasurer of the 
Bantam Fire Company and belonged to the 
Masons and ATO. 



24 / August 1 977 / WPI Journal 



John H. Porteus, '32, of Daytona Beach, Florida 
died on January 27, 1977 at Community Hospi- 
tal He was 68. 

He received his BSCE in 1932 Among his 
employers were Jackson & Moreland, Boston, 
DravcoCorp , Pittsburgh, Pa.; Luria Engineering 
Co., Bethlehem, Pa.; and Rust Engineering Co., 
Pittsburgh, from which he retired as a consulting 
engineer 

Mr. Porteus was born in South Shields, En- 
gland on September23, 1908. In 1936 he served 
as assistant alumni secretary at WPI . He be- 
longed to ASCE, ACI, AIME, AISE, Phi Camma 
Delta, and Sigma Xi. 

William C. Salmon, '32, of South Yarmouth, 
Massachusetts died on March 22, 1977 at the 
age of 66. 

He was a retired contract specialist for the 

Department of the Navy, and had served in 
various locations either in a military or civilian 
capacity with the Navy since 1940. A World War 
II veteran, he also was a Korean War Navy 
veteran, and retired with the rank of com- 
mander. 

He graduated as an electrical engineer from 
WPI. He attended Harvard Business School and 
graduated from Suffolk Law School. He be- 
longed to Phi Kappa Theta, the American Le- 
gion, and the Knights of Columbus. 

Waldo E. Bass, '33, of Little Falls, New Jersey 
died on December 12, 1976 at the age of 64. 

He was born in Willimantic, Conn, on May 8, 
1912. In 1933 he graduated as an electrical 
engineer from WPI. He had been associated with 
Consolidated Edison, Republic Flow Meters and 
Ideal Roller Co., all of New York City. In 1949he 
founded West Essex Printing Plates, Inc., in 
Caldwell, N.J. He retired in 1974 as president of 
the firm. 

Mr. Bass, a member of Phi Sigma Kappa, was a 
former president of the New York Chapter of the 
Alumni Association. He had also served as a 
delegate to the Alumni Council. He was active in 
many printing and flexographic organizations 
until his retirement. 



Albert O. Bell, '33, retired plant manager and 
civic leader, died suddenly on April 13, 1977 in 
Leominster (Massachusetts) Hospital. 

Four years ago he retired as a plant manager 
of E I . du Pont de Nemours & Company, after 
forty years with the firm. He had been the 
manager of Du Pont's Doyle Works in Leomin- 
ster 

He was a native of Fitchburg, Mass.-, where he 
was born on May 17, 1910 He belonged to 
Theta Chi and graduated from WPI with his 
BSME. Active in civic matters, he was a member 
of the board of trustees of the Pilgrim Congrega- 
tional Church, vice president of the Leominster 
Savings Bank, past president and trustee of both 
Leominster Hospital and Public Library, a past 
president of the Rotary Club, and former United 
Fund Chairman. 

George A. Northridge, '34, of Auburn, Mas- 
sachusetts died on January 22, 1977. 

A Worcester native, he was born on Jan. 27, 
1 91 1 . He studied at WPI , became a real estate 
agent, then worked for Wright Machine Co. He 
served in the Air Force during World War II. For 
many years he was with American Steel & Wire 
Co. in Worcester (U.S. Steel Corp.). 

Thomas B. Graham, '38, a WPI trustee and 
internationally known attorney in the field of 
patent law, died in the White Plains (New York) 
Hospital on March 25, 1977 at the age of 60. 

He had been a partner in the law firm of 
Emery, Whittemore, Sandoe & Graham, New 
York City and had specialized in patents, 
copyrights and trademarks for 30 years. He had 
also served as an adjunct professor of law of 
industrial and technological property at the 
Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn. 

After receiving his BS and MS in chemical 
engineering at WPI, Mr. Graham attended 
Georgetown University from which he received 
his law degree in 1946. During World War II he 
was a patent adviser at the Naval Research 
Laboratory in Washington. During his career he 
was a technical assistant to patent counsel at 
Allied Chemical; assistant patent counsel with 
the Pure Oil Company; a partner in a large New 
York law firm; and a self-employed patent law 
attorney, reopening his own office in 1965. 

Mr. Graham, a Worcester native, was a 
member of the bar in the District of Columbia, 
Illinois, and New York. He was admitted to 
practice before the U.S. Patent Office, the 
Canadian Patent Office, and the U.S. Supreme 
Court. He belonged to the Patent-Trademark- 
Copyright Section and the Anti-Trust Section of 
the American Bar Association; the New York 
Patent Law Association; the American Patent 
Law Association; the Chemical Practice Commit- 
tee; and Sigma Xi. 

He was the first president of the Bramlee 
Heights Association in Scarsdale and founded 
Boy Scout Troop 60 at the Congregational 
Church, where he was a trustee. He was a past 
president of the New York chapter of the WPI 
Alumni Association, a former member of the 
Alumni Council, Alumni Fund Board, Committee 
on New Students, and the President's Advisory 
Council. In 1968 he received an honorary doctor 
of engineering award from WPI. In June he was 
honored posthumously as an "outstanding 
alumnus." 



Frank E. Stableford, '43, of Bethany, Connecti- 
cut died on January 3, 1977 following an au- 
tomobile accident. 

He was born on August 12, 1918 inMeriden, 
Conn, and later studied electrical engineering at 
WPI. During his career he was with Electronic 
Enterprises, Inc., Flexmir, Inc., Flora-Kel Co., 
Conmar Products Corp., Atlantic Casting & En- 
gineering Corp., and Mite Corp., New Haven, 
Conn., where he served as vice president of 
manufacturing. 

Mr. Stableford belonged to Lambda Chi Alpha 
and was a former president of the Northern New 
Jersey chapter of the Alumni Association. 

Richard W. McGraw, '50, of Liverpool, New 
York recently died suddenly following a brief 
illness. 

He was born on July 21 , 1925 in Albany, NY. 
In 1950 he received his BSEE from WPI. For a 
number of years he was with General Electric Co. 
He then joined Robson & Woese, Inc., Syracuse, 
N.Y., where he was a consulting engineer and 
high voltage specialist. A member of Eta Kappa 
Nu, he also belonged to AIEE 

Maurice C. Gosselin, '51, died in Midland, 
Michigan on April 5, 1977 at the age of 47. 

A native of Hartford, Conn., he was born on 
Dec. 8, 1929. In 1951 he received his BSME from 
WPI. During his lifetime he was with Roger 
Sherman Transfer Co., Gosselin Associates, Inc., 
and Wickwire Spencer Steel. He had also been 
employed by Dow Corning in Midland. 

Mr. Gosselin belonged to Phi Kappa Theta and 
the American Production and Inventory Control 
Society. He was active in scouting and also 
enjoyed wood carving. His carvings were fea- 
tured in many exhibits and shows. 

Robert E. Rascoe, '55, president of the New 
Britain Specialty Co., passed away in March at 
the Veteran's Administration Hospital in 
Newington, Connecticut. 

He was born in New Britain, Conn, on Feb- 
ruary 8, 1926. In 1955 he graduated as a 
mechanical engineer from WPI . A Navy veteran 
of World War II, he served in the Pacific theater. 
He belonged to St. Paul's Church. 

Capt. John L. Tunstall, '72, was killed in Utah on 
February 17, 1977 while on a routine training 
mission over the Hill AFB range as the pilot of an 
Air Force F-4D. 

He was born in Birmingham, Ala. on June 5, 
1950. After graduating as an electrical engineer 
from WPI, he served in the U.S. Air Force at Luke 
AFB in Phoenix, Ariz., in Udorn, Thailand, and at 
Hill AFB. He belonged to Eta Kappa Nu. 

Karen A. Hill, 75, of Washington, DC, died of 
lupus disease on April 19, 1977. 

She was born on August 14, 1953 in Wash- 
ington. In 1975 she graduated as a chemical 
engineer from WPI. She was a chemical engineer 
for the Mobil Oil Research and Development Co. 



WPI Journal August 1 977 / 25 




October 1977 




R- » - " . 


* 



Vol. 81. no. 3 V-J 




October 1977 



On the hill 



10 



14 



Intercession '78 

That wacky, wild, and wonderful collection of 
whatchamacallits returns to WPI for yet another run in its 
seventh incarnation. Want to join the fun 'n' learning? 

The incredible competency exam; or, Why not a gorilla? 

When Ron O'Connor, '71 , had problems with his competency 
exam, they weren't exactly the sort of things he'd expected. 

Do they still teach courses? Of course! 

Learning how to teach more effectively when the ground 
rules have been changed. 

Good luck, Norma 

After 30 years of service with the Alumni Association, Norma 
Larson leaves to start a new career. 



16 Your class and others 

18 A Retread who keeps on rolling 

Roy Baharian, '44, calls himself a retread, but he's not talking 
about tires. 

20 Why did Phil Nyquist, '50, join the Peace Corps? Why not! 

San Francisco to Malaysia to Indonesia 

32 Completed careers 



Editor: H. Russell Kay 

Alumni Information Editor: Ruth A. Trask 

Publications Committee: Walter B. Dennen, 
Jr., '51, chairman; Donald F. Berth, '57; 
Leonard Brzozowski, '74; Robert Davis, '46; 
Robert C. Gosling, '68; Enfried T. Larson, '22; 
Roger N. Perry, Jr., '45; Rev. Edward I. 
Swanson, '45 



Design: H. Russell Kay 

Typesetting: Davis Press, Worcester, Ma.; 
Boutwell, Owens & Co., Fitchburg, Ma. 

Printing: The House of Offset, 
Somerville, MA 



Address all correspondence regarding edit- 
orial content or advertising to the Editor, 
WPI Journal, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 
Worcester, Ma. 01609. 
Telephone [617] 753—1411 

The WPI Journal is published for the Alumni 
Association by Worcester Polytechnic 
Institute. Copyright 1977 by Worcester 
Polytechnic Institute; all rights reserved. 

The WPI Journal is published six times a year, 
in August, September (catalog issue), 
October, December, February, and April. 
Second class postage paid at Worcester, Ma. 
Postmaster: Please send Form 3579 to: 
Alumni Association, Worcester Polytechnic 
Institute, Worcester, Ma. 01609. 



WPI ALUMNI ASSOCIATION 

President: W. A. Julian, '49 

Vice presidents: J. H. McCabe, '68; 
R. D. Gelling, '63 

Secretary-treasurer: S. J. Hebert, '66 

Past president: F. S. Harvey, '37 

Executive Committee members-at-large: 
W. B. Dennen, Jr., '51; R. A. Davis, '53; 
J. A. Palley,'46; A. C. Fyler, '45 

Fund Board: P. H. Horstmann, '55, chairman; 
G. A. Anderson, '51; L. H.White, '41; H.Styskal 
G. A. Anderson, '51; H. I. Nelson, '54; 
E. J. Foley, '57; L. H. White, '41; H. Styskal, Jr., 
'50; C. J. Lindegren, '39; R. B. Kennedy, '65 



WPI Journal /October 1977 / 1 




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Something new and 
lovely on campus 

In 1971, WPI officials and the Board 
of Trustees began making sweeping 
plans for changes to the campus 
physical plant. One thing that 
nearly everyone felt was desirable 
was to decrease the auto traffic and 
parking-lot atmosphere of the cam- 
pus, especiallya on the east side of 
West Street, where the majority of 
academic buildings are located, and 
to turn this part of the campus into a 
pedestrian, people-centered area. 
With the completion of work on 
Freeman Plaza, the area between 
Salisbury, Washburn, Gordon Lib- 
rary, and the Project Center has 
become an attractive centerpiece 
that creates a sense of visual unity 
that has never existed there before. 
Made possible through a gift from 
Trustee and Mrs. Howard G. 
Freeman, '40, this outdoor area now 
offers an attractive entrance to the 
heart of the campus. 

At one time, plans for the area 
included a brick-paved courtyard, 
but maintenance and installation 
costs made this unreasonable. In a 
clever substitution, the area was 
paved with alternating panels of 
concrete containing a red-toned 
aggregate. After living with the area 
for a while now, most people seem 
to prefer the present treatment, 
feeling that overall red brick would 
be too much, overpowering the 
area. 





WPI Journal / October 1977 / 3 







WPI Journal / October 1977 / 5 





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Worcester Mytechnic Institute 



INTERSESSION 1978 



Intersession 78 arrives on campus January 
16-27. Below is a short selection of the courses 
to be offered. If you'd like the whole list, 
please call or write the Intersession Office. 
Session A January 16-18 (Mon, Tues, Wed) 
Session B January 19-24 (Thurs, Fri, 

Mon, Tues) 
Session C January 25-27 (Wed, Thurs, Fri) 



ABC804* 

ABC806* 
ABC807* 

AB812 

BC815* 
BC816 
BC828 
A834 

A835* 
A838* 

A839* 



Identification of Materials with the Polarizing 

Microscope 

Clinical Engineering Internship 

Industrial Energy Conservation: An innovative 

Approach 

Oil Painting 

Energy Conservation - Solar Energy 

Relaxation and Meditation 

Basic Frisbee Techniques 

Group Theory and its Applications to Chemical 

Problems 

ICES-Aided Design 

Engineering Economy 

Analysis and Synthesis of Active Filters 



Intersession Office 

WPI 

Worcester, Mass. 01609 

I would like more information about Intersession 78. 
Please send me a copy of the catalog. 

Name Year^ 



Address 



City 



State 



Zip Code 



A841 * Disinfection of Water and Wastewater 

A843* Photoelasticity and Strain Gauges 

A845* Dragons: Their Redesign 

A846 Games for Environmental Education 

A860 Windmills for Power 

A868 Environmental Impact Statement Preparation 

A869* Groundwater Hydrology 

A872 Magic and Legerdemain 

B833 BLISS- 1 (A Basic Language for Implementation of 

System Software) 

Scheduling, Including CPM (Critical-Path Method) 

The Basics of Space Heating and Energy Conservation 

Demystifying Communications: Basic Listening 

Dual Careers and Marriage 

Career Planning - Career Search - Second Careers 

Experimental Fluid Mechanics 

Microcomputers with Applications 

Personal Income Tax Preparation 

Building Firesafety Evaluation 

Programmable Pocket Calculators in Machine 

Design 

Wind Engineering of Tall Buildings 

How to Write Your Way Through Life 

Parapsychology: Beyond the Frontiers of the Mind 

Marketing the Arts 

Urban Systems Gaming 

Writing a Living Will 

What's News? The Local Mass Media Explain 

Water Hammer and Pipelines 

Transmission Lines and Filters with a Minimum of 

Math 
*Available for credit 

Courses listed in bold face type have a special tuition rate of $30. 
Courses listed in italics have a special tuition rate of $10. 
For other courses, rates are: 

$ 80- alumni, parents of WPI students, 
WPI evening students 

$ 95 - regular rate (on or before December 19) 

$115- regular rate (after December 19) 

Tuition rates do not include materials fees which 

are associated with some courses. 



B837* 
B838 
B855* 

B856 

B865 

B866* 

C833 

C835 

C837* 

C839* 

C840 

C842 

C858 

C860 

C863* 

C865 

C868 

C870* 

C873* 



The incredible competency exam 



or 



Why not a gorilla? 



Competency exam. These two words merely crossing the 
average WPI student's mind are apt to make him break out 
in a cold sweat, reach for a bottle of Pepto Bismol, or drive 
him to . . . well, you know. 

Ron O'Connor, '77, although he could have been prop- 
erly excused for doing all of these things, did practically 
none of them during his exam last January. But, then Ron 
was not what you'd call the "average" WPI senior. He 
started out at Rutgers as an actuarial student, transferred 
to WPI, became interested in the ethics of euthanasia 
through a law course, and eventually landed in the Life 
Sciences Department. 

On Sunday, January 9th, Ron handed in to the depart- 
ment his written competency exam. The following Tues- 
day he took his oral exam before members of the depart- 
ment. Strictly routine? For Ron O'Connor almost nothing 
about his competency exam was "routine." 

"Actually, I was looking forward to taking my compe- 
tency in January," Ron says. "I didn't want to wait until 
the March examination period. If I failed in March, I 
wouldn't have been able to graduate in June. And I 
definitely wanted to graduate in June. Knowing that I 
could get my competency over with in January got me very 
excited." 

He told himself that the exam would be a challenge and 
that, after all, it would take only a week out of his life. He 
had a good background — six courses in the Life Sciences 
Department, which he considered adequate. At least, he 
hoped they'd be adequate. 

"I had chosen physiology as my discipline in Life 
Sciences," he reports. "I took out my physiology books and 
looked them over. I read the list of concepts that the 
department had passed out and expected us to know for 
the competency. It looked reasonably familiar. Then it hit 
me! Studying like that was doing me absolutely no good! " 

It was virtually impossible for him to remember every- 
thing that he had studied in physiology during the past two 

WPI Journal / October 1977/7 



years. The facts whirled aimlessly through his brain. 
Before proceeding further, he, along with other students 
planning to take the Life Sciences competency in January, 
met with Dr. Theodore Crusberg, head of Life Sciences 
competency exams, Dr. James Danielli, head of the de- 
partment, and other members of the faculty. 

"We discussed the upcoming exam," Ron relates. "It 
soon became apparent that the competency would not be a 
truly comprehensive exam as some of us had feared. We 
were told that a basic knowledge of our field would be 
necessary. At the same time, about ninety percent of the 
oral exam would concern our chosen discipline. What a 
relief!" 

The week before the exam, Ron took a much-needed 
break. Occasionally, he glanced at his notes. "I don't know 
why I even bothered," he confesses. "It was a complete 
waste of time." 

A meeting with Dr. Richard Beschle, '50, chairman of 
his exam committee and his former MQP advisor, put him 
in an easier frame of mind. Dr. Beschle asked him what he 
knew best. 

"Cardiovascular physiology," Ron promptly replied. 

"Then you'll get a hard question about cardiovascular 
physiology on your exam," Professor Beschle assured him. 
"You won't be asked something you know nothing 
about." 

Again, relief. Ron went back to his apartment, checked a 
few more notes, worked on a grant proposal for the fall, and 
indulged in some pleasure reading. He refused to get 
rattled. By Wednesday, the day before he was to receive his 
written exam, he was so relaxed that he spent the evening 
with his friends at Curley's, a popular collegiate watering 
spot on Highland Street. 

"It was the best thing I could have done," Ron insists. "I 
had a relaxing evening, then came home and went to bed at 
1 o'clock in the morning." 

At 9 a.m. on Thursday, Ron picked up his exam. "I got a 
very challenging question, but I liked it," he says. "I was 
supposed to find an animal model for human essential 
hypertension (high blood pressure with no apparent 
cause). Also, I had to be able to suggest how I would induce 
hypertension in the animal. The procedure should simu- 
late the disease as it exists in humans." 

Before tackling his exam, Ron checked with Dr. Beschle 
and then drove across town to the library at the University 
of Massachusetts Medical School. He worked all day. By 
10:30 at night he figured something was wrong in his 
approach to the question. His professors wanted an animal 
in which they could study essential hypertension. Ron 
was designing a study to find the causes. The exact 
opposite! Again, he phoned Dr. Beschle, who told him, 
"Yes, you are definitely going in the wrong direction." 




Undaunted, Ron plugged along at the library for another 
hour, then returned home. Finding the apartment empty, 
he assumed that his friends were at Curley's and went off 
to join them. They weren't there, but someone else from 
Life Sciences was there. He offered Ron a shot of tequila. "I 
rejected it," Ron says. 

All day Friday he worked at the medical school library 
on his exam question. When the library closed at 9 p.m., 
Ron found himself confronted with a couple of problems 
that he hadn't counted on: a big snow storm and a car that 
refused to start! "Luckily another student who had also 
been studying at the library volunteered to drive me back 
to the apartment," he says. 

The next day, Saturday, was the day before his written 
exam was due. "During the afternoon things got really 
tense," he recalls. "I wrote a rough draft, then took a break. 
By 1 a.m. Sunday my first draft was finished." (In retro- 
spect, Ron feels that if he had budgeted his time properly, 
he wouldn't have had to stay up all night writing.) 

He passed in the handwritten exam to his professors 
Sunday morning and typed up the final copy that after- 
noon. Monday morning he handed in the typed copy. 

"I had the rest of Monday all planned out," he remem- 
bers. "I was going back to the med. school library (by this 
time his car was running), and study for my oral which was 
slated for Tuesday at 2 o'clock." Before leaving, however, 
he got some jolting news. The library was closed Monday 
due to stormy weather! 



8 / October 1977 / WPI Journal 




"This was a decided setback," he admits. "The med. 
school library had all the latest information in my field. 
No other library around could touch it for up-to-date 
publications. I wasted the afternoon going over my notes, 
shoveling snow, and spending time at Curley's. 

Tuesday morning found Ron once again at the medical 
school library. At 1 : 15 he decided that it was time for him 
to drive back to WPI for his 2 o'clock oral exam. 

"The car was going fine until I had to stop for a red 
light," he reports. "I hit an ice patch and suddenly I was 
stuck. I couldn't back up because a lot of cars were all 
around me and directly behind me." 

Finally he managed to inch the car slowly forward. He 
breathed a sigh of relief. Too soon! The car stopped dead. 
He was out of gas! 

In a sort of controlled panic he phoned his parents, who 
fortunately live in Worcester. They have an extra set of 
keys and promised to drive over to tend to his car, which 
by this time was blocking a considerable amount of traffic, 
traffic. 

His next problem was trying to find a ride back to WPI so 
that he could take his oral. The problem solved itself, 
when the fellow who had been helping him with his car, 
offered him a lift. "Finally," Ron says, "I got to my oral, at 
two minutes of two!" 

Ron looked at the circle of unsmiling faces and said, 
"First, please let me get back my composure. You see, I had 
this difficulty with my car — ." 



He explained the difficulty and soon everyone relaxed. 
The oral exam began. 

"We had a very good rapport, Dr. Hoskins, Dr. Beschle, 
Dr. Danielli and I," Ron reveals. "There was absolutely no 
apprehension on my part. I had no reservations about 
talking with those who had so much more knowledge 
than I. We even joked toward the end of the exam." 

Dr. Danielli asked, "Ron, did you consider proposing a 
non-human primate as the model?" 

"No," Ron answered. 

"Do you know enough about them to know which one 
you should choose?" Dr. Danielli asked. 

Again, Ron replied, "No." 

"Well," Dr. Danielli continued, "let me give you some 
advice based on my own experience. Don't pick a gorilla. 
They can be very difficult to work with." 

The professors seemed to be interested in Ron's reaction 
to the competency exam as a whole. "I told them that I 
thought the most important thing I'd gotten out of the 
exam and my studies in Life Sciences were the skills I had 
developed," he says. "I had to leam how to apply my 
knowledge in a practical manner. The competency mea- 
sures a person's ability for doing what he has to do when he 
leaves WPI." 

That's why Ron O'Connor thinks his competency exam 
was truly worthwhile, in spite of the unexpected array of 
obstacles he had to overcome before he successfully 
completed it. 

A red light. A patch of ice. A balky car. Not one could 
keep Ron from his goal. But if he'd chosen a balky gorilla — 
now, that could have been another story! 



WPI Journal / October 1977/9 



Do they still teach courses? 
Of course! 



Once upon a time at WPI you earned a degree by 
accumulating a required number of credits in various 
areas, and you earned these credits by taking courses. 
So it was very clear, to both instructors and students, 
that courses had two purposes: ideally, they were the 
vehicle for transferring knowledge to the students; 
but from a more practical standpoint, they were a 
means of achieving the required credits, of getting 
students "certified." 

Because all parties concerned knew the score, and 
because the system had the weight of tradition (both 
local and national) behind it, the professors learned 
how to teach and conduct a classroom to achieve the 
expected goals. In their turn, students learned to deal 
with the system — often by concentrating on the 
certification end (i.e., grades) at the expense of the 
learning portion. 

And then the WPI Plan arrived. Now you don't get 
a degree by piling up the proper number of credit 
hours. You do two projects (one in the major, one 
relating technology to social concerns), a sufficiency, 
or minor (usually in the humanities), and take a final 
examination which tests your 'competence' in your 
major field. No mention of courses. 



Do we still have courses at WPI? (That's a silly question, 
you say, but it's been asked more than once as publicity 
has concentrated on the project orientation of the WPI 
Plan.) Well of course we have courses. 

But there is a differences. Cou rses no longer serve the 
same certification function. No grade-point averages, 
no penalties for retaking courses, no need to take 
courses at all . . . except to learn. All of a sudden the em- 
phasis in courses is back on teaching and learning, not 
on grading and evaluating. And this means that the old 
courses won't serve anymore. With a new set of ground 
rules, you can't play the game the same way. Faculty 
have to learn new ways of giving courses; students have 
to learn new ways of taking them. 

This problem was clear to the faculty who originally 
developed the WPI Plan, and it was one of the reasons 
behind the adoption of seven-week terms to replace 
fourteen-week semesters. This change in calendar 
forced the reexamination and redesign of nearly every 
undergraduate course offered at WPI. But because of 
the six-year transition period of phasing out the tra- 
ditional program and implementing the Plan, there was 
still a lot of concern that the new courses fulfill the certi- 
fication function for those students studying under the 
older curriculum. And this meant that the learning func- 
tion was still compromised by a century of historical 
tradition. 

Over the past several years, the whole issue of how 
teachers teach and how students learn has come under 
intensive scrutiny at WPI. Various faculty study 
groups have addressed aspects of it. A series of periodic 
"teaching-learning workshops" have involved faculty 
and students with outside resource people and brought 
new ideas to light on campus. 

Another factor has been the increased workload on 
faculty. Once, faculty members taught a few courses, 
saw students in their offices once in a while, corrected 
homework and graded exams (unless graduate students) 
did this), and did research or consulting work. The WPI 
Plan added involvement with projects and student pro- 
ject groups; it called for faculty members to stretch their 
personal horizons by strongly encouraging interdiscip- 
linary activities; it asked faculty to take a more active part 
in advising students who were now designing their own 
programs; it required that they serve on competency 



10 / October 1977 / WPI Journal 



exam committees, evaluating students in a new way. 
And, oh yes, they still had to teach courses. 

Something had to give. There aren't that many hours 
in the day, even for the most dedicated professors. And 
it seemed logical that courses were the place to get some 
working room. This raised a delicate issue: WPI alumni 
have consistently reported that one thing they really 
liked best and remembered about the school was the 
close student-faculty relationships. To suggest that 
faculty get less involved in the traditional classroom for- 
mat, to suggest larger classes taught by fewer instructors, 
would seem to be denying a basic value. Except that this 
was proposed to release time for faculty members, time 
they could then use for advising, project participation, 
and other activities where contact with students was 
much closer to one-on-one. 

So a committee of faculty began looking at this very 
basic issue: what is a course? On what basis do you 
choose techniques and formats? How should you 
organize/present/confront material most effectively 
and efficiently? The group consisted of Professors Van 
Bluemel and Adriaan Walther (physics), Peter Lanyon 
and Dean of Undergraduate Studies William R. Grogan 
(electrical engineering), Paul Davis (mathematics), and 
Ray Hagglund, C. W. "Spike" Staples, and Jack Boyd 
(mechanical engineering). 

They looked first at the historical development of 
technical education in this country, with its beginnings 
rooted in the firm separation of man the maker from 
man the thinker. The role of technical school graduates, 
from about the Civil War to the end of World War 1 1, was 
to build a production system, not to examine the basis 
for growth or the cultural values on which growth was 
based. In addition, technical institutions then empha- 
sized the empirical, craft approach to engineering, 
downplaying the application of broad general principles 
of physics and chemistry, and perpetuating a split be- 
tween science and engineering. 

After the second World War, the power of predictive 
science in technical applications had been recognized, 
and a revolution in technical education was brought 
about by merging science and technology. Still, even at 
the best-known schools which exemplified this newer 
approach, such as M.I.T. and CalTech, the engineer was 
viewed as the doer and not the thinker. It was felt that 
there often was not enough time for a student to acquire 
the necessary technical skills in the undergraduate curri- 
culum, and any significant study in nontechnical areas 
was discouraged and considered not feasible. 

One result of this approach was the growing split be- 
tween technologists and society at large. And during the 
1960s it became widely apparent that there were signifi- 
cant unwanted side-effects of technological growth. 
What was called for was a basic technological literacy on 
the part of non-scientists and non-engineers, and a 
sensitivity in those creating and developing the tech- 
nologies, a sensitivity to the complex social implications 
of their work. Man the maker and man thethinker must 
be merged, and a new revolution in technical education 
is taking place across the nation. WPI is an 
acknowledged leader in this area. 



Considering this background, the committee agreed 
that the education of the scientist or engineer must 
include: scientific/technical literacy; an appreciation of 
the experiences of mankind, which is at the root of the 
liberal arts curriculum; and an awareness of self coupled 
with a maturing sensitivity to others. They then went 
back and checked these feelings against the published 
goal of WPI, which was adopted in 1969 with the WPI 
Plan, and the found that all three components — tehni- 
cal, liberal, and self education — were contained in that 
statement of purpose. 

As they began to address directly the role and design 
of courses to help fulfill these new objectives, they also 
discussed the ways in which students learn . . . and don't 
learn. They agreed that large numbers of students do not 
master techniques of analysis, cannot apply fundamen- 
tal laws to unfamiliar situations, do not appreciate the 
unity and universality of the basic sciences, and don't 
recognize the relevance of their studies to their profes- 
sional goals. "Although we are often tempted to blame 
the failures on poor motivation, insufficient time, inade- 
quate high schools, or not enough mathematical prepar- 
ation ... an important part of the problem, and it's 
solution [may lie in] the stages of intellectual 
development. 

"Authors of textbooks, designers of courses, and 
teachers have implicitly assumed that college freshmen 
can readily assimilate general abstract concepts as well as 
the mathematical expression of these concepts. But 
recent evidence indicates that only about one-third of 
college freshmen have reached that stage of intellectual 
development which makes possible the logical reason- 
ing essential for an understanding of physical law. The 
remaining two-thirds of freshmen . . . can learn, and can 
develop intellectually, only from studying concrete 
examples that they have directly experienced." 

Another area that causes a problem for students is the 
high degree of initiative and involvement required of a 
student. Coming from a high school environment where 
learning tends to be a very passive affair is not the best of 
preparation for the WPI Plan. Where before the class- 
room teacher could review the book material for the 
class, the student must now learn from many sources 
outside the classroom. Where material used to be 
treated in disjointed blocks, the student must hence- 
forth learn to continually synthesize ideas. From 
considering problems keyed primarily to the solution 
methods of a particular chapter in a particular textbook, 
the student now meets open-ended problems that 
prevent routine "cranking out" of answers and call for 
investigating many possible ways of solution. Where the 
student used to react, following the lead of the 
instructor, now the student is an independent agent, 
actively directing and advancing his or her own learning 
program. And because of all these changes, it is obvious 
that most students need some help in making the transi- 
tion from passive to active learner. 



WPI Journal / October 1977/11 



The Goal of Worcester Polytechnic Institute 

It is the goal of the Worcester Polytechnic Institute to bring into the 
second century of its existence a new, dynamic version of its "Two 
Towers" tradition. 

By means of coordinated programs tailored to the needs of the indi- 
vidual student, it is the fundamental purpose of WPI to impart to 
students an understanding of a sector of science and technology and 
a mature understanding of themselves, and the needs of the people 
around them. WPI students, from the beginning of their undergrad- 
uate education, should demonstrate that they can learn on their own, 
that they can translate their learning into worthwhile action, and that 
they are thoroughly aware of the interrelationships among basic 
knowledge, technological advance, and human need. A WPI educa- 
tion should develop in students a strong degree of self-confidence, an 
awareness of the community beyond themselves, and an intellectual 
restlessness that spurs them to continued learning. 

—Endorsed by the Faculty, December 17, 1969 



Coming back to the issue of how to design courses, 
the group defined the following set of criteria: 

In courses at WPI, in order to master a given body of 
material, students should participate in learning: 

1. To read effectively in the literature of a given field 

2. To write effectively using the vocabulary of the field 

3. To talk effectively using the vocabulary of the field 

4. To acquire pertinent data from various sources 

5. To understand and use basic ideas and concepts, rather 

than to manipulate formulas 

6. To model systems and define the limits and assumptions of 

these models 

7. To establish a methodology of problem-solving 

8. To think in terms of the system (synthesis) as well as its 

components (analysis) 

9. To work with others 

Indeed, they decided, much of the emphasis had to be 
on helping students learn how to educate themselves; 
that achieving the criteria outlined above in a course did 
not mean that the informational content of the course 
had to be diminished or lost, but that it was possible 
instead for the student to master it independently — a 
more lasting and signficant educational experience. 

Now the group began to consider how to structure 
and organize courses so that they might meet the criteria 
agreed upon. Obviously, different courses have to be 
approached in different ways, and they explored some 
of the possibilities. Modularization was an important 
topic — the division of course material into self- 
contained blocks that could be put together in different 
ways. A Committee on Modular Education, chaired by 
Professor Walther, had been studying the subject for 
two years. They had first looked around for modular 
materials that had been developed elsewhere, concen- 
trating first on the general area of engineering science. 
They looked to other educational institutions, commer- 
cial firms, materials from the Open University in 



12 / October 1977 / WPI Journal 



England. They also cooperated with an NSF- 
sponsored study being done by Drexel University con- 
cerning the "exportability" of modules from one school 
to another. (A module, by the way, was defined as a 
package of learning materials typically covering an 
amount of subject matter larger than could be contained 
in a single lecture, but smaller than the amount of 
material covered in a course.) This program gave WPI 
faculty the chance to create modular material in close 
cooperation with faculty members from other institu- 
tions. And they found that the most interesting problem 
was not the collection and distribution of materials; it 
was how to make judgments as to the relative merits, 
qualities, and areas of usefulness of the materials in 
meeting the special educational criteria established for 
WPI. 

One familiar teaching arrangement using the modular 
approach is the "personalized system of instruction," 
sometimes called the Keller plan, known at WPI as I PI, 
for individually prescribed instruction. In this system, 
the course is divided into small, self-contained parts. A 
student studies one part at a time and is then evaluated 
on his or her understanding of this part by a faculty 
member or teaching assistant. If the student understands 
the material, he proceeds to the next part; if not, he does 
more work on the old module and returns for another 
evaluation. This process can be diagrammed as in Figure 
1. It allows students to work at their own pace, but there 
is usually little attempt to synthesize the material which 
has been learned. For example, it is conceivable that a 
student might have studied roots and stems and leaves 
and flowers in an IPI course . . . without being aware of 
the existence of plants! Because of this limitation, other 
formats have been developed, still using a modular 
approach. 

The arrangement shown in Figure 2 provides a great 
emphasis on synthesis. It can be used whenever a course 
can be designed around a single, large-scale, real-life 
problem. For example, a course in environmental 
biology might center around a dead bird found in the 
back yard. The course goal might be to determine why 
the bird died. ME 2504, Continuum Mechanics, has been 
taught in this fashion. One central question was why a 
large pressure vessel in a factory had cracked. In this 
course there was no grading at all during the first six 
weeks of the term. The course grade was based on an 
examination taken in the seventh week and on a project 
report describing the student's understanding of the 
solution to the central problem. 

A different course structure (Figure 3) was used for 
ME 3320, Design of Machine Elements. This course used 
six modules to be covered in the first six weeks. Each was 
introduced by a lecture, but there were no further for- 
mal presentations. Instead, question and answer periods 
and small-group discussions helped students assess their 
own progress by comparing their problem solutions 
against the instructor's. After six weeks there were two 
examinations given. Compared with IPI, this course 
format places greater responsibility on the students, 
and, through the "mini-competency exam" at the end, 
adds the important element of synthesis. 



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FIGURE 1 



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FIGURE 2 



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A fourth format has been used in Introduction to 
Dynamic Systems, ES 2503. Here each student was 
required to carry out four experiments, then develop a 
theory to cover them. Students could gauge their pro- 
gress and understanding by seeing how closely their cal- 
culated results fit the experimental data. There was 
additional feedback through brief weekly quizzes, and 
students were graded on their performance in a final 
exam and on the report submitted on the four experi- 
mental projects. 



I.E. = Instructor evaluation 

S.E. = Self evaluation 

PR = Practical problem, project, 
experiment 

Experience with these new course formats — and 
others — has been very promising to date. The goals 
mentioned earlier seem much closer to being met. The 
faculty committee reported: "Unlike conventional 
courses, where almost all of the instructor's time, other 
than lectures, goes into examining and grading, at WPI 
this precious student-faculty interaction time can be 
used for teaching. . . . 

"Another rewarding experience has been the attempt 
to shift information gathering and transfer to the student 
outside the classroom. When the students can master 
information, by learning how to learn on their own with 
growing confidence, classroom time can be used in 
much more exciting and beneficial ways." 

They concluded: "Those of us who have been 
involved in the effort of establishing a new educational 
course process at WPI have become very excited about 
the almost unique opportunity for educational advance 
that the flexibility of the WPI Plan structure offers. This 
flexibility results in a real potential for achieving partici- 
patory education, in courses, that can only be dreamt of 
at traditional colleges. 

This article is based on two faculty committee published 
reports: "The Use of Modular Teaching Material at WPI," by 
). M. Boyd, R. R. Hagglund, H. P. D. Lanyon, C. W. Staples, and 
A. Walther (chairman); and "The Educational Process at WPI: 
A Basis for Course Design." by those listed above plus 
V. Bluemel, P. W. Davis, and W. R. Grogan, edited by 
J. M. Boyd. For further information, please contact Dean of 
Undergraduate Studies William R. Grogan. 




* 



f 



& 



F 



<J 



Norma Larson is listed in the WPI 
Campus Directory as director of rec- 
ords and services for University Rela- 
tions. Unofficially she has been the 
"first lady" of the Alumni Office for 
30 years, a friend to hundreds of 
alumni and their families. As of Oc- 
tober 31st her official title will 
change to that of Norma Larson, pri- 
vate business woman. 



"But I'll never forget the friend- 
ships I've made through WPI," she 
declares. "And don't be surprised if I 
turn up 'unofficially' at reunion 
time." She smiles. "After all, I dm an 
honorary member of the Alumni As- 
sociation." 

For Norma the decision to leave 
WPI came about naturally enough. 
Her sister, Grace Pembroke, recently 
opened a specialty shop, "A Touch of 
Grace" at 414 Main Street in Worces- 
ter. 

"Grace specializes in handcrafted 
gifts sold on consignment and cus- 
tom made clothes," Norma explains. 
"She has a fast-moving line of pot- 
tery, silver jewelry, and leather goods. 
Although the shop has been open 
only a few months, the business has 
grown so much that she needed 
someone to help her. I was the logical 
choice." 

Norma feels that branching out 
into business will be a real challenge, 
and she's looking forward to it. "I'll be 
dealing with the customers and with 
our suppliers in Boston and New 
York," she says. "It should keep me 
on the move." 



Anyone who has seen Norma in 
action at WPI, knows that whatever 
the future pace might be, she's not 
only capable of keeping up with it, 
she will more than likely set it. At 
reunions she is everywhere: at the 
registration table; at the cocktail par- 
ties; and at the various dinner dances. 

Norma has been the perfect kind of 
"take-charge" lady for reunions. Not 
only does she know many of the 
alumni by their first names, she also 
knows their wives and children. She 
knows who is registered at the 
Sheraton- Lincoln, what class is hav- 
ing its picture taken at 10 a.m., the 
hours that the Art Museum is open, 
and what the Class of 1940 is having 
for dinner. She smiles, shakes hands, 
and directs anxious alumni children 
to the nearest restroom. She manages 
to do all of these things without get- 
ting a hair out of place. 



14 / October 1977 / WPI Journal 



Regarding her interaction with 
alumni, Irving James Donahue, Jr., 
'44, a former president of the WPI 
Alumni Association, says, "Norma 
did everything I asked her to do and 
more, when I was in office. Whenever 
I needed a helping hand, she was 
there to lend it. I can't say enough 
good things about her. She's been 
outstanding." 

Thomas J. Denney, vice president 
for University Relations, says of 
Norma, "She's been absolutely great 
and has been a marvelous asset to 
both the college and the alumni. She 
takes exceptional pride in her work, 
and has demonstrated time and time 
again her concern for all alumni. She 
will be impossible to replace, and will 
be missed by her friends here on 
campus and throughout the world." 

Francis S. Harvey, '37, immediate 
past president of the Alumni Associa- 
tion adds, "Norma has a gift for 
straightening things out. Whatever 
the problem might be, she always 
seems to be able to come up with the 
solution. She has been wonderful to 
work with. A true friend." 

After three decades of dealing with 
alumni, Norma declares that "all" of 
the classes are her favorites, but she 
does reserve a special place in her 
heart for the Class of 1912, of which 
she is an honorary member. "Of 
course, I can't forget the Class of 
1902," she continues. "They gave me 
Kwasind to look after back in 1952 
and he's still with me." 

Kwasind, a big-horned Indian war 
club, the mascot of the Class of 1902, 
broods in a comer of Norma's office. 
He is distinctly unlovely, but Norma 
confesses that she has developed a 
fondness for him, sour-puss and all. 
"He sort of grows on you," she says. 



The same thing could be said of 
Norma's job. That sort of "grew" on 
her, too. "When I first came to WPI, I 
worked for Donald Smith, '41, who 
was Alumni Secretary-Treasurer at 
the time," she says. Before she knew 
it, she became Alumni Fund secre- 
tary and found herself recording fund 
gifts, as well as doing her regular 
work, keeping thousands of alumni 
names and addresses up to date. 

Later, with Warren Zepp, '42, she 
was promoted to administrative as- 
sistant. When Thomas J. Denney be- 
came vice president for University 
Relations in 1971, Norma was sub- 
sequently named director of records 
and services, and an official member 
of the administration. Since 1969 she 
has also worked with Steve Hebert, 
'66, the current alumni director. 

In her present capacity, Norma 
serves as reunion coordinator, plans 
homecoming events, acts as liaison 
for the Tech Old Timers, takes charge 
of Alumni Association financial rec- 
ords, publishes a monthly mailing 
calendar, and coordinates all com- 
puter programs with WACCC. She 
also reviews monthly gift reports 
with the gift recorder, works on de- 
partment budgets, and maintains a 
cost analysis on department projects. 

Although much of her time is 
spent on alumni-related projects, 
Norma is on friendly terms with a 
number of students who work part 
time in University Relations. 

"As a matter of fact, it was the 
students, themselves, who provided 
me with one of the highlights of my 
career at WPI," she declares. "In 1976 
they tapped me for membership in 
Skull. I was completely surprised and 
perfectly delighted. (She is the first 
WPI woman staff member to be so 
honored.) I'm not sure that I'm over it 
yet, and it's been more than a year!" 



Norma's schedule off campus fol- 
lows a familiar whirlwind pattern. 
She has served as a delegate to Repub- 
lican state conventions. As a member 
of the Worcester Ward I City Com- 
mittee, she also worked tirelessly for 
Republican candidates, and has 
served on various other political 
committees. 

At home she tends 100 house 
plants. She has a 1000- volume li- 
brary, mostly political and history 
books, all fully catalogued. "I've got 
hundreds of records, and they're 
catalogued, too," she says laughingly. 
"Even at home I can't stop keeping 
records of everything." 

She loves music and belongs to the 
Worcester Music Festival and the 
Mechanics Association. She does 
many of her own home repairs, 
"sometimes with a Girl Scout hand- 
book in my hand, when I need to tie a 
certain knot," she says. 

There are other things that Norma 
would like to do some day soon — 
like getting a new dog. "Ginger died 
last May. I miss her," she admits. 
( Ginger was 16.) She hopes to go back 
to her acrylic painting, renew her 
interest in tennis, and attend more 
baseball games and ballet perform- 
ances. She wants to spend more time 
with her nieces and nephews. ("I dote 
on them.") 

Norma is looking forward to pursu- 
ing new pastimes, a new job, and a 
challenging future. But what goes on 
at WPI will always be of interest to 
her. 

"You can't erase thirty years of 
memories and friendships overnight, 
and I wouldn't want to try," she says. 
"I'll be back. At reunion. Or 
homecoming." 

(Whenever, Norma. WPI will al- 
ways welcome you and wish you 
well!) 



WPI Journal / October 1977/15 




1905 

Ernest Morse recently fell and broke his hip. He 
writes that he is now "doing OK." 

1916 

Arthur Nutt, class president of the class of 1912 
at Classical High School, Worcester, spoke at his 
65th reunion in June. The former class president 
distinguished himself by designing aircraft en- 
gines on the B29 and other aircraft which set 
world speed records. His father, Charles Nutt, 
was publisher of the Worcester Spy. 

1921 

Lincoln Thompson, retired chairman of the 
board of the Raymond Precision Instrument Co. 
of Connecticut and founder of the Sound Scriber 
Corp., which manufactured the first electronic 
dictating machine, attended his 60th class reun- 
ion (Old English High School) in Worcester in 
June. He was president of the class of 1 91 7. 

1924 

The Godfrey Danielsons celebrated their golden 
wedding anniversary last October. Mr. Daniel- 
son is chairman of the Utilities Commission of 
the Sun City (Ariz.) Home Owners' Association. 
He sings in a 100-voice male chorus and church 
choir, serves on four church committees, and 

plays tennis and bridge Willard Callotte and 

his wife recently served as acting managers of a 
small rest home. They are located in Bellevue, 
Washington. 

1933 

Robert Blake retired last year following 43 years 
of service with New York State Electric & Gas 
Corp. (a private investor-owned company). He 
now belongs to RSVP (Retired Service Volunteer 
Persons) and enjoys golfing, gardening, and 
traveling. . . . John Shabeck, since retiring from 
Raytheon last year after 28 years.fis presently 
working nearly full time as a Raytheon consul- 
tant. He is concerned mostly with the design and 
development of a laser gyro for missile naviga- 
tion, but also does consultant work on gas lasers 
and laser systems. 



1934 

H. Raymond Sjostedt recently retired as Con- 
necticut state director of Civil Preparedness and 
as vice president of the National Association of 
Civil Preparedness Directors. Currently he is 
involved in church fund raising and Republican 
politics on state and local levels. Previously he 
had worked 34 years for Watertown Mfg. Co. 

1935 

Now retired from Liberty Mutual Insurance Co., 
James Healy is serving as president of New- 
buryport Maritime Society, Inc. (Custom House 
Maritime Museum). . . . Osmond Kinney has 
retired. He was area engineering superintendent 
for the Potomac Edison Co. in Waynesboro, Pa. 

1938 

The American Numismatic Association has 
awarded its prestigious Heath Literary Award to 
A. George Mallis for excellence in numismatic 
writing for his article entitled: "Notes on English 
Coin Weights" published in the August 1976 
issue of The Numismatist. The Comprehensive 
Catalogue and Encyclopedia of U.S. Morgan 
and Peace Silver Dollars, a book which Mallis 
co-authored, was selected for "the Numismatic 
Book-of-the-Year Award" for 1976 by the 
Numismatic Literary Guild. 

1939 

Keith McKeeman retired in April from J. C. 
Penney Co., Inc., where he had been chief 
industrial engineer. He and his wife, Evelyn, have 
retired to "Our favorite spot in a new home at 
Lake George, N.Y. and plan to coast for six 
months." He may do consulting work in the 
future. . . . Norman Packard has been named 
manager of engineering at Robertshaw Controls 
Company in Independence, Va. A professional 
engineer, he joined the company's Milford, 
Conn. Division in 1975. The Independence facil- 
ity was acqu ired by Robertshaw earlier this year. 
Initial production items to be manufactured 
there will include refrigeration and air- 
conditioning related devices and systems. 

1940 

William S. Brooks retired in May from Rocket- 
dyne Division of Rockwell International. . . . 
Judson Lowd, who has spent much of his career 
outside of the U.S. in the petroleum producing 
areas of Europe, South America, and the Middle 
East, recently spoke at a meeting of the Desk and 
Derrick Club of Tulsa, Oklahoma. His topic was 
"Imbue, Ascribe, and Ratify," He is president of 
C-E Natco. . . . Richard Ryan is with John 
Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Co. in Falls 
Church, Va. . . . Francis Stone has been named 
director of manufacturing for the shearling divi- 
sion at A.C. Lawrence Leather Company, Inc., 
Peabody, Mass. He has been with the company 
for more than thirty years, and prior to his most 
recent promotion, was superintendent of the 
shearling division. He is a trustee of the Cheshire 
Hospital and a director of the Cheshire County 
YMCA. 



1941 

After thirty years with GE, John MacLeod has 

retired and is living on Cape Cod Dr. Herman 

Medwin is co-author of Acoustical Oceanog- 
raphy: Principles and Applications recently pub- 
lished by John Wiley & Sons Inc. of New York 
City. This volume in the Wiley Series on Ocean 
Engineering is a comprehensive overview of the 
theory and applications of sound propagation 
and measurement in the sea, including remote 
acoustical sensing of marine life and the ocean 
floor. Dr. Medwin is professor of physics at the 
Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif. 
He is a fellow of the Acoustical Society of 
America and a former researcher at the Hudson 
Laboratories. 

1942 

Prof. Roy Bourgault of WPI's mechanical en- 
gineering department took part in the 85th 
annual conference program of the American 
Society for Engineering Education in Grand 
Forks, ND this summer. He participated on two 
panels on the "First Course in Materials Sci- 
ence." 

Lex Carroll's 13 -year-old daughter Kristen 
was crowned overall winner in the Junior Girls 
Division of the National Waterski Champi- 
onships held recently in Berkeley, Calif. She won 
the title by finishing first in jumping, third in 
slalom, and third in tricks. Her proud father, an 
eastern waterski expert, feels her achievement 
was especially notable because western and 
southern contestants generally have a longer 
season in which to prepare. 

Carroll operates one of the finest cham- 
pionship water skiing courses in the world at 
Adams Pond in Oakham, Mass. International 
stars, including Olympian Bruce Jenner, have 
trained at Carroll's "mud puddle," which mea- 
sures about 2,000 by 300 feet. The Can-Am 
(Canadian-American) championships were held 
therein July. 

Carroll, who still water skis, is vice president of 
the American Water Ski Association, a member 
of the board of directors, one of five selectors of 
the team that will represent the U.S. in interna- 
tional events, manager of that team, and a 
sought-after judge. 

The Carroll family, including the parents, son 
Blake, 24, and daughter Kristen, have collec- 
tively won about 500 water skiing titles. 

1943 

Leonard Hershoff is a grandfather for the first 
time. On June 8, 1977 his daughter, Andrea, 
who is married to Kenneth Johnson, '73, pre- 
sented him with a granddaughter. 

1944 

Harrie Rowe's son Richard is a freshman at WPI. 

1945 

John Hegeman continues with Chemetics Int'l 
Ltd., Vancouver, BC, where he is vice president 
and manager of the pulp and paper division. The 
firm is a wholly owned subsidiary of Canadian 
Industries Limited (Canada's largest chemical 
company). Chemetics and its associate com- 
panies operate worldwide specializing in design, 
engineering, and supply of high technology 

systems Daniel Katz is now located in Maine, 

where he is senior project engineer for Marine 
Colloids, Inc., Rockland. 



16 / October 1977 / WPI Journal 



■tllMMMMM 



1948 

Robert Houghton, formerly with GE in South 
Walpole, Mass., has retired. . . . Clark Poland has 
been elected senior vice president of consumer 
businesses for the American Can Company. In 
his new capacity, Poland will provide guidance 
to the company's Towel and Tissue, Dixie Con- 
sumer, and Dixie Marathon products. Previously 
he had served as vice president and general 
manager of Consumer Towel and Tissue prod- 
ucts, and had spent one year as vice president of 
operations development. Earlier he was with 
Howard Johnson Company and General Foods 
Corporation. 

Poland has assumed the national chairman- 
ship of the corporation contacts program re- 
cently inaugurated by the WPI Alumni Associa- 
tion, and he also serves as a member of the WPI 
Alumni Association Executive Committee. 

Formerly the dean of the College of Pharmacy 
and Allied Health Professions at Northeastern 
University in Boston, Dr. Albert Soloway has 
now become dean of the College of Pharmacy at 
Ohio State University. . . . Currently Prescott 
Stevens holds the position of chief of pre- 
investment planning in the World Health Or- 
ganization Division of Environmental Health in 
Geneva, Switzerland. 

1950 

Kenneth Parsons has been appointed product 
engineer for grinding wheel products in the 
abrasives marketing group at Norton Co., 
Worcester. Since joining Norton, he has held 
several engineering and supervisory positions, 
his most recent being that of chief inspector for 
organic products in the grinding wheel division. 
He is a registered professional engineer. 

1951 

William Cunneen is again serving as a section 
chairman in the central business division of the 
1 977 campaign of the United Way of Mas- 
sachusetts Bay. He assists in the fund-raising 
efforts of businesses located in the central divi- 
sion, which includes Boston and twenty adjacent 
communities. Cunneen is assistant chief control 
systems engineer with Stone & Webster in Bos- 
ton. . . . Robert Mongilio's son is a freshman at 
WPI — Ramsey Sheikh, a former vice president 
of Riley Stoker Corp. of Worcester, is buying 
Boiler Engineering & Supply Co., Inc. and its 
subsidiary, the Leighton Tube Co. of Phoenix- 
ville, Pa. Since December, he has been executive 
vice president of BESCO, a privately held com- 
pany that makes steam generating equipment. 
He is a registered professional engineer in New 
York and Connecticut. 

1952 

Richard Boutiette, director of the department of 
public works in Wakefield, Mass., has been 
named "Man of the Year" by the New England 
chapter of the American Public Works Associa- 
tion (APWA). He received the award at the 
chapter's annual banquet held in Chatham on 
June 22nd. He was presented with an inscribed 
Paul Revere Bowl and commended for his "untir- 
ing efforts on behalf of the chapter and his 
dedication to upgrading the image of the munic- 
ipal public works official." 



Boutiette has served on national committees 
of APWA and as president of the local chapter. 
He began as DPW director in Wakefield in 1961 . 
Previously he had been town engineer in Read- 
ing. Also, he had worked for the Massachusetts 
Department of Public Works, District 3, and 
served as senior highway engineer with Edward 
and Kelcey, Boston. 

During his 16 years in Wakefield, he has 
achieved national recognition for innovations in 
the local department, including the inauguration 
of a unique snowplowing school, which has 
been adopted by other communities. A regis- 
tered professional engineer, he belongs to ASCE, 
the Massachusetts Municipal Engineers Associa- 
tion, and the New England Waterworks Associa- 
tion. 

He is past president of the Norfolk Bristol 
Middlesex Association, past president of the 
New England Public Works Association, and a 
former chairman of the technical Advisory 
Committee of the Metropolitan Area Planning 
Council. 

Norman Frank has been appointed vice presi- 
dent for Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the 
Far East by Elliott Company, a division of Carrier 
Corporation. He joined Elliott in 1952, progress- 
ing to district manager of the Dallas, Kansas City, 
and Los Angeles offices, and was named western 
regional manager in 1966. Most recently, he was 
vice president of Far Eastern operations. Frank is 
a registered professional engineer and a member 
of the board of Elliott's Japanese licensee, Ebara 
Manufacturing Company, Ltd. Elliott is a leading 
international manufacturer for turbomachinery 
for the oil and gas, chemical, petrochemical and 
steel industries. 

Dr. Richard Zeleny was recently named man- 
ager of the process development department of 
Stauffer Chemical Company's Western Research 
Center in Richmond, Calif. He is responsible for 
the development of commercial production pro- 
cesses for the firm's agricultural, food ingre- 
dients, and industrial chemicals. He also heads a 
team responsible for the development of pollu- 
tion and environmental control facilities. With 
the company since 1967, he has served as a 
section manager at the Richmond Center, and 
was once at Stauffer's facility in Green River, 
Wyoming. 



1953 

Oliver Sullivan is president of United Data Ser- 
vices Co., Phoenix, Arizona. 

1954 

Francis Gamari was recently named plant man- 
ager for the Sprague Electric Company's wet and 
foil tantalum operations in North Adams, Mass. 
Previously he was manager of manufacturing 
engineering at the facility, department head for 
wet and foil tantalum capacitor engineering and 
chief engineer of tantalum foil capacitor product 
engineering. Before joining Sprague in 1957, he 
was with Allied Chemical. In 1975 he received a 
special recognition award from the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration for his 
work in the development of a new capacitor 
technology, which resulted in the tantalum- 
cased wet-slug tantalum capacitor. He holds 
three U.S. Letter Patents in the capacitor field. 
Thomas Kee has joined White, Weld & Co., 
Inc., as vice president of the Providence, R.I. 
office. He formerly was an account executive 
with Merrill, Lynch, Pierce & Fenner, Providence. 



White, Weld & Co. is an international invest- 
ment banking and securities marketing firm with 
28 offices in the U.S. and seven abroad. . . . 
David LaMarre is now director of Electronics- 
Electromechanical Laboratory, research and de- 
velopment, for the Optical Products Division of 
American Optical. In 1954 he started at the firm 
as a junior physicist. Most recently he was 
manager of lens development. He belongs to the 
American Optical Society of America, and serves 
as chairman of the technical working group of 
the Optical Manufacturers Association. His pub- 
lished materials include numerous papers on 
laser research. 



1955 

After completing 1 8 years in various engineering 
and production assignments at the Warners 
plant of American Cyanamid Co. at Linden, N.J., 
Gerald Backlund has transferred to the agricul- 
tural division in Princeton, N.J. He is manufactur- 
ing manager of pesticides. 

Peter Morgan, SIM, has been elected a direc- 
tor of Associated Industries of Massachusetts. 
Associated with Morgan Construction Co., 
Worcester, since 1948, he is presently vice presi- 
dent of the firm. Formerly he was a metallurgical 
observer with American Steel & Wire, Worces- 
ter. Currently he is director, president and treas- 
urer of Morgan-Worcester, Inc. He is also a 
director of the Worcester County National Bank 
and a trustee of both old Sturbridge Village and 
Becker Junior College. He serves as a director of 
the Worcester Taxpayers Association, a member 
of the town of Leicester Advisory Board, and vice 
president of the Worcester YMCA. 

Albert Pollin is the newly elected president of 
the District of Columbia Society of Professional 
Engineers. 

1956 

^Married: Hans H. Koehl to Miss Peggy L. 
Olaski on July16, 1977 in Waltham, Mas- 
sachusetts. The bride is an adult nurse prac- 
titioner in the office of Arthur A. Wills III, M.D. 
She graduated from Heywood Hospital School 
of Nursing and Peter Bent Brigham Hospital 
Adult Nurse Practitioner Program. The groom 
graduated from Stanford University School of 
Law and is president of Connecticut Engineering 
and Manufacturing Co. 

John Burns holds the post of regional man- 
ager for Shell Chemical Co. in West Orange, N.J. 
. . . John Nash is energy coordinator at Koppers 
Co., Inc., in Chicago. . . . Richard Rodin is the 
current chairman of the Montclair (N.J.) High 
School Science Department. He is also marketing 
a game with Science Kit Inc. called "The Great 
Periodic Table Race." 

1957 

On January 1st Edward Dennett became the 
national sales manager of the Sangamo Energy 
Management Division of Sangamo-Weston, 
Inc., Atlanta, Georgia. He has been with the firm 
for twenty years and previously was southeast 
regional manager. . . . Bay State Abrasives, 
Westboro, Mass., has announced the promotion 
of Aram Sohigian to manager of project en- 
gineering. He joined the division in 1959 as a 
project engineer, and has since been senior 
project engineer. 



WPI Journal / October 1977/17 



A Retread who keeps on rolling 



During the daytime, Roy Baharian, '44 is vice president for engineering, 
purchasing, and traffic at Diamond International Corporation. At night he's 
just a "retread," but he loves every minute of it! 

Baharian is a trombonist with a group of executive musicians who have 
dubbed themselves "The Retreads," and who play for charity benefits and fun 
in and around Greenwich, Connecticut. 

"We rehearse once a month, and perform about six times a year," Baharian 
says. "For example, we play for the Greenwich Community Fund Kick-off 
Dance, an annual block party in which the main street is blocked off, filled 
with card tables, and lighted only with candles. Such charity benefits are 
usually well attended because the Retreads are so well known locally." 

One of the highlights of the year for band members is performing at the ice 
skating rink at Rockefeller Center in New York City. "We've played there 
once each summer for the last three years," Baharian reports. 

Although Retreads members consider themselves to be primarily a local 
group, they attained national recognition in the July issue of Fortune 
magazine when mention of them was made in the article, "Tuning in on the 
Jazz Revival." The story covered the activities of various executive- staffed 
bands across the country. Sidelights on the Retreads were included. 

Originally, the Retreads started out as a six-piece Dixieland group that 
played mostly by ear. In 1971 the group was expanded into a Glenn Miller 
style, seventeen-piece band, including five saxophones, four trumpets, and 
four trombones. 

According to Fortune, "inspired leadership . . . and superior musicianship 
have been able to keep the collection of busy executives and entrepreneurs 
coming to monthly (Retreads) rehearsals." 

Baharian feels that a dozen or so rehearsals a year may not really be enough, 
but as far as he is concerned, he can do little about it. "My job keeps me 
traveling about fifty percent of the time," he explains. In order to maintain the 
"lip" required to play the trombone for hours at a time, or to hit the high notes, 
he takes the mouthpiece along with him on business trips, and blows while he 
drives around the country! 

Basically, the Retreads is a fun group, but a professionally excellent one. 
Members include alumni of the Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, Jimmy 
Dorsey, Lawrence Welk, Ted Fio Rito, Al Donahue, and Charley Parker 
orchestras. Baharian, himself, is a "graduate" of the Vaughan Monroe 
organization. 



18 / October 1977 / WPI Journal 




While at WPI, Baharian played trombone in the Tech marching band and in 
the Boyntonians, the campus dance band. Classmate L. Howard Reagan, who 
hasn't seen Roy for 33 years, but who recalls those days fondly says, "Alas! 
How many hearts have been won to the sensuous sounds of the vibrato 
emanating from the bell of the slippery, slithering, cornucopia-esque moans 
from Roy 'Slushpump' Baharian's slide-trombone?" 

After the war, in 1 952, Baharian played for two summers, six nights a week 
in the Heywood- Wakefield Furniture Company Concert Band. "At the time, I 
was assistant chief engineer of Riley Stoker Corp., in Worcester, but because it 
was the furniture company's proud boast that every player was an employee, I 
was listed as a Heywood- Wakefield shipping department employee on the 
programs," he explains. 

Later he became musically active in the Norwalk, Conn., area. For twelve 
years, until 1974, he was in the Stamford Symphony Orchestra and the 
Westchester County Oratorio Society Orchestra. For ten years he played in 
theatrical groups for musicals such as "Guys and Dolls," "My Fair Lady," 
"Carousel," and "Gypsy." 

For the last fourteen years he has played in the orchestra for the Darien 
Troupers' Gilbert and Sullivan productions, served as Sunday School superin- 
tendent at the Darien United Church of Christ, and played the organ for 
"relaxation." 

Even a Retread has to stop rolling once in a while! 



WPI Journal / October 1977/19 



Why did Phil Nyquist, '50, join 
the Peace Corps? 
Well, why not? 



By Phil Nyquist, '50 

In 1972 1 accepted an invitation to 
join the Peace Corps as a volunteer 
lecturer teaching mechanical en- 
gineering in Malaysia. Shortly after I 
joined, I received a note from the 
Publications Department at Worces- 
ter Tech inviting me to write an 
article on why I joined the Peace 
Corps; more specifically, why a man 
of my age would join the Peace Corps. 
In retrospect I can answer that in a 
very precise, engineering manner by 
saying, "Why not?" It was the 
greatest experience of my life and I 
have no regrets about my decision. 

In the early 1970's I found myself a 
victim of the unemployment prob- 
lem which seemed particularly acute 
on the west coast. In making the 
rounds and looking for a job, it ap- 
peared that there were always many 
more applicants than jobs. Now, I am 
not particularly disturbed by compe- 
tition, but I thought it might be well 
to look in a broader field to see if there 
were some areas in the world with 
many jobs to do and very few to fill 
them. I investigated through my 
church denomination's mission 
headquarters and they made several 
good suggestions, but most of these 
jobs dealt with immediate or "ground 
floor" type activities. They did need 
the basics, such as roads, dams, water 
systems, improved sanitation 
facilities, etc., but since I'm not a civil 
engineer, I didn't see myself capable 
of fulfilling these particular needs. I 
had worked for most of my career as 
an industrial engineer and there 
seemed to be no direct need for skills 
along these lines in the undeveloped 
countries. 



At this point I had a discussion 
with the local Peace Corps Office in 
San Francisco and was pleased to 
learn that they have now expanded 
their mission to include assistance 
not only for the "basics" but also for 
developing countries where the skills 
of an industrial engineer would be of 
value. I filled out the application, and 
then I waited. 

In February of 1972 1 was appointed 
to a permanent position with the 
City of San Francisco and at that 
point I decided that "fate" had de- 
creed I should stay home instead of 
going overseas. One month later I 
was invited by the Peace Corps to join 
a technical education project in 
Malaysia. Now, bear in mind that I 
was a life-long Republican (still am, 
by the way) and I had never made a 
non-conservative decision in my life. 
I pondered the idea of leaving such a 
"secure" position as civil service in 
San Francisco. But then I considered 
the many fringe benefits on the other 
side. Not too many folks get the 
chance to travel to (literally) the other 
side of the world, and if they do, it is 
usually after they retire or if they are 
particularly successful in their busi- 
ness, so I was being offered a very 
unique opportunity. I had no pressing 
financial obligations I couldn't take 
care of. After weighing the facts as 
accurately as I could, and after sifting 
through much kind advice from 
friends, I resigned from my job in San 
Francisco and accepted the Peace 



Corps assignment. I will admit to 
some second thoughts, particularly 
when that hot humid air hit me as I 
got off the plane at Kuala Lumpur, 
Malaysia. I am very sure, however, 
that if I had decided the other way I 
would have been forever nagged in 
my own mind as to what the pos- 
sibilities were on this overseas as- 
signment. 

I was assigned as technical lecturer 
in mechanical engineering at the 
Politeknik Ungku Omar in Ipoh, 
Malaysia. There they have a two year 
course roughly similar to our junior 
or community college system back 
home. I taught 28 hours per week; and 
when you couple that with the fact 
that I had to spend about two hours 
preparation time for each hour in 
class, it added up to a somewhat 
impossible task, wherein was some 
of the frustration. The result was 
something of a compromise; much 
better than nothing but not up to the 
quality that I would like. My teaching 
experience previous to joining the 
Peace Corps was limited to assisting 
with some company sponsored 
courses in "Industrial Engineering 
Techniques." In view of this, my first 
reaction when I received the invita- 
tion from the Peace Corps was to call 
them in Washington to see if they had 
inadvertently contacted the wrong 
man. They assured me that no mis- 
take had been made and that there 
was a big need in teaching in the 
technical field for people with practi- 
cal industrial experience. Outside of 
having to get bi-focals the transition 
from industry to classroom was quite 
painless. 



20 / October 1977 / WPI Journal 







Subjects that I was responsible for 
were workshop management (basic 
industrial engineering), workshop 
practice, mathematics, and engineer- 
ing science (physics). I learned that 
not only is it difficult to teach an old 
dog new tricks, but it is difficult for 
an old dog to teach old tricks. I found 
myself during the first year literally 
about two days ahead of my students, 
as I sought to re-learn and then teach 
that which I once was taught (many 
years ago) at WPI. This is particularly 
true of the theory part of the subject 
material. The second year was 
somewhat easier. The students at the 
Politeknik are 1 7 to 20 years of age, 
quite reserved and somewhat dif- 
ficult to involve in class discussions), 
pleasant, and growing in responsive- 
ness. Average classroom temperature 
was 85° to 95°F with very high 
humidity all year. 



r 






i**-* 




A very important fringe benefit 
was the delightful group of fellow 
Peace Corps volunteers I was 
privileged to work with. We ranged in 
age from 19 to 74, with the average 
age about 24. Never have I been as- 
sociated with such a great bunch. The 
area around Ipoh (pronounced eepo), 
Malaysia, has some of the best scen- 
ery I have ever seen (and I have lived 
in both New England and California). 
Ten minutes by motorcycle from the 
city and you can be right out in the 
cool, damp jungle in delightful hiking 
territory. The pay is not impressive. I 
got a "salary" of a little more than one 
hundred dollars per month for three 
years, but you will be surprised to 
learn that you can ALMOST live on 
that in Ipoh. 

The editor of the Journal, in corre- 
sponding with me about this article, 
summed up his own Peace Corps 
experience in Brazil as follows: "Frus- 
trating, somewhat rewarding, and 
above all, eye-opening." It is strange 
that more than ten years later, and on 
the opposite side of the globe from 
where he had his experience, I would 
say that that is still an accurate de- 
scription of our Peace Corps assist- 
ance program. 

Actually, I intended to send in 
these thoughts on the Peace Corps 
many months ago, but now that so 
much time has elapsed I can look at 
things in proper perspective. One of 
the most important lessons that I 
learned was that "compromise" is 
not a dirty word providing that you 
are moving in the right direction. 
There is a lot to be done and I believe 
that the Peace Corps can continue to 
make a big contribution. I am pleased 
to note that the Peace Corps has 
apparently ceased to be the political 
football it was a few years back. There 
is much to be done to improve the 
organization and there is much that 
the Peace Corps can do in underde- 
veloped and developing countries. 
Overall it is definitely on the plus 
side. 

Unfortunately the Peace Corps 
cannot guarantee continued official 
friendship of other countries for the 
United States. Although the Peace 
Corps is invited into the countries 
where they serve, and as volunteers 



we are guests of the government, the 
Peace Corps volunteers work down at 
the people level in assisting, teaching, 
and general cooperation. As you 
know, the government and the 
people are apt to be two different 
entities in developing countries. For 
that reason some governments at 
times get disenchanted with the 
Peace Corps, but the people are al- 
most always our friends. That is why, 
too, that the Peace Corps will not 
have an immediate favorable effect 
on our foreign policy. The Peace 
Corps does not yield quick dividends 
in that respect, but people who need 
help are being helped. It will show up 
way down the line. But, on the other 
hand, the entire budget for the Peace 
Corps is a pittance compared with 
the rest of our foreign aid. It is well 
worth keeping. 

In June of 1975 1 got back from my 
Peace Corps assignment in Malaysia 
just in time to attend my 25th an- 
niversary at WPI. I was happy to note 
that my classmates had become suc- 
cessful executives over the 25 year 
stretch, and I would like to direct a 
word to them and to other successful 
alumni. (Are there any other kind?) 
Since you are in a position to influ- 
ence company policy, if not actually 
make it, I would like to suggest that 
you make it easier for people to do- 
nate two years or so to an organiza- 
tion like the Peace Corps. Right now 
about the only ones who can do it and 
keep their seniority are teachers and, 
in some cases, civil servants. I don't 
think that a person should continue 
to get a fat salary during this volun- 
teer time, but it would be nice if he or 
she could be sure of getting the job 
back. People from industry are espe- 
cially needed in developing coun- 
tries. And a further word to all of you: 
In case company policy doesn't 
change to make it easier for you — 
quit anyway and go overseas for two 
years. You will never regret it, and 
you will be surprised at how little you 
lose, how much you can give. 

I did get to feel somewhat obsolete, 
being away from modern industry for 
so many years. I appreciated having 
trade magazines available to keep me 
in touch, particularly the Industrial 
Engineering Journal. My AIIE chapter 



in California, the Peninsula Chapter, 
very kindly paid my membership 
dues while I was in the Peace Corps. 
And of course it is always nice to hear 
occasionally from WPI. 

I had no job to go back to when I left 
the Peace Corps, but I was fortunate 
in being able to secure a position with 
the International Labour Organiza- 
tion of the United Nations. I am now 
assigned to the Vocational and Man- 
agerial Training Center in Bandung, 
Indonesia as UN adviser in work 
simplification and methods im- 
provement. In Indonesia they speak 
the same language as in Malaysia, 
which is convenient. During a 
three-month training period with the 
Peace Corps in Malaysia we were 
required to get a 1 + language rating 
on the international scale. For those 
of you who are not familiar with this 
rating, a 1 + indicates that I am able to 
say (with reasonable proficiency in 
the native language), "Hello! My 
name is Phil. Where is the bath- 
room?" But in spite of having ad- 
vanced somewhat from my 1 + rat- 
ing, I'm still not up to delivering a 
technical lecture in the native lan- 
guage. And since the folks in In- 
donesia are not proficient in English, 
now I have to go through an interpre- 
ter. (Puns go over like lead balloons 
through an interpreter). But language 
difficulties notwithstanding, the 
people of both Malaysia and In- 
donesia are delightful to associate 
with. They are really friendly; it is 
not just something that you read in a 
book. The girls are very beautiful and 
I guess the boys are handsome, but I 
haven't noticed them so much. 

It is unfortunate that people tend to 
form opinions of the United Nations 
and its various agencies based on 
what they observe to go on at head- 
quarters. The United Nations or- 
ganizations have distinguished 
themselves with outstanding per- 
formance in assisting developing 
countries around the world. Not- 
withstanding some disappointments 
and some frustrations, my present 
assignment with the International 
Labour Organization of the United 
Nations, like my previous assign- 
ment as a Peace Corps volunteer, I 
find very stimulating and rewarding. 



22 / October 1977 / WPI Journal 



It pays to 

enroll in AFROTC 



The Air Force needs commissioned officers in 
the science and engineering areas. Many will enter 
active duty through Air Force ROTC. 

And you don't have to wait for graduation to re- 
ceive financial help. You can be paid as you earn 
your college degree. 

Check the list of college majors. If yours is on 
the list, you could qualify for either a 2 or 3-year 
AFROTC scholarship that includes full 
tuition, books, all lab fees and $100 a 
month, tax free. Even without the 
scholarship you can get excellent 
Air Force ROTC training and the 
$100 a month tax-free allowance during 
the last two years of college. 

Upon graduation, you will be 
commissioned as an Air Force Reserve 
Officer and may be selected for extended active 
duty. As an active duty officer you will have the 
opportunity for a challenging, technical, responsi- 
ble job. There is also a chance for advanced education 
in your chosen field. And the pay and related bene- 
fits are excellent. You'll start with good pay and 
allowances; academic and technical training oppor- 
tunities; 30 days of paid vacation each year; free 



Full Tuition 

Lab Fees 
$100 a month 



medical and dental care; recreational facilities; low 
cost insurance; commissary and exchange privileges; 
and more advantages. 

In return for the AFROTC scholarship or train- 
ing, you are expected to maintain a hign level of 
scholastic excellence and agree to remain on active 
duty with the Air Force for a minimum of four years. 
A limited active-duty opportunity is also there 
for highly qualified non-Air Force ROTC 
graduates. Graduates whose degree ap- 
pears on the list may apply for officer 
training. Successful applicants will at- 
tend a 12 -week Officer TVaining School 
located in San Antonio, Texas. Gradu- 
ates of the school receive an Air Force 
commission and are on the way to chal- 
lenging jobs as Air Force officers. 
Check the list again and for more information 
visit your campus Air Force ROTC representative or 
your nearest Air Force recruiter. For more informa- 
tion or the name of an ROTC representative or Air 
Force recruiter send in the coupon or call toll free: 
800-447-4700 (in Illinois: 800-322-4400). When call- 
ing please specify your interest either in Air Force 
ROTC or Officer Training School. 



If your major is listed here, it could be worth a lot to you. 



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P.O. BOX AF 
PEORIA, IL 61614 

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1958 

Donald Inglis, the assistant to the president of 
Berkshire Gas Co., has been promoted to vice 
president for planning and supply. He has 
worked for the Pittsfield, Mass. firm for 19 years. 
A member of the Kiwanis Club and active in 
scouting, Inglis has also taken courses in man- 
agement and finance at the University of Mas- 
sachusetts Recently Howard Painter, Jr., was 

appointed vice president of GenRad Company 
of Concord, Mass. Earlier he was general man- 
ager of the electronic instrument division. 

Howard Pritz was among thirty inventors 
honored at a recognition banquet for patents 
they received during 1976 at Battelle Memorial 
Institute's Columbus (Ohio) Laboratories. Pritz 
was cited as a co-holder of three patents: (1) a 
method for forming and ion exchange 
strengthening a chemically durable glass ampule 
suitable for dual use as a medicament storage 
container and a pressurized cartridge that is 
compatible with a novel unit-dose injection sys- 
tem; (2) a gas-operated device for jet injecting 
medicaments at precise pressure and energy 
levels; and (3) a unit dose medicament system 
for use in a jet injector featuring a strengthened 
glass ampule and a breakaway plastic cap and 
locking device. Pritz was one of seven persons 
accorded special recognition for receiving at 
least three patents in the last two years. 

Richard Wiinikainen has been appointed as a 
member of the executive committee of the 
Society of Plastics Engineers, having previously 
served in many capacities at the local and na- 
tional levels. The Society has over 19,000 mem- 
bers. Wiinikainen, who has been with Foster 
Grant in Leominster, Mass. since 1960, is listed in 
Who's Who in the East and the Dictionary of 
International Biography. He received his MS in 
engineering management from Northeastern 
University in 1975. 

1959 

►Som. to Mr. and Mrs. Joseph B. Vivona their 
second child, a daughter Juliana on November 
10, 1976. Juliana's sister, Marissa, was born four 
years previously on the same day. 

The Reverend Harvey Egan, S.J. currently 
serves as assistant professor of mystical and 
systematic theology at Boston College in 
Chestnut Hill, Mass. He has published a book, 
The Spiritual Exercises and the Ignatian Mystical 
Horizon. . . . Michael Hertzberg, principal of the 
firm Michael A. Hertzberg Consulting Engineers, 
Warren, Vt., has been reappointed chairman of 
the American Consulting Engineers Council 
committee on interprofessional relations. The 
committee handles relations and information on 
a national level of significance to consulting 
engineers and architects. Hertzberg has also 
served as chairman of the nominating and edu- 
cation commitees of the Vermont chapter of the 
American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and 
Air Conditioning Engineers and has been presi- 
dent of the Consulting Engineers Council of 
Vermont twice. . . . Lt. Col. Robert Smith was 
recently appointed chief of the operations office 
at Rome Air Development Center, Griffiss AFB, 
N.Y. Previously he was with RADC as chief of the 
Resources Control Branch. He is also a soccer 
and lacrosse official. 



24 / October 1977 / WPI Journal 



1960 

Dr. Robert Bearse, a professor at the University 
of Kansas in Lawrence, is also associate dean of 
research administration, and a staff member at 
the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory. . . . Arthur 
LoVetere has been appointed president of Mac- 
Dermid, Inc., of Waterbury, Conn. Since joining 
MacDermid in 1957, he has served as technical 
sales representative, regional sales manager, 
vice president of marketing, and chief operating 
officer of the firm. He is a trustee of the Metal 
Finishing Suppliers Association — Peter Zilko is 
now the sales manager of Eagle Signal in Daven- 
port, Iowa. 

1961 

Gerald Casiello serves as corporate purchasing 
agent at Union Carbide in New York City. . . . 
Theodore Cocca, manager of the fire control 
section of the Advanced Missile System Project 
of the Navy's Sea Systems Command, has 
graduated from the program management 
course at the Defense Systems Management 
College at Fort Belvoir, Va. The 20-week 
graduate level course is designed for mid-career 
officers and civilians pursuing long-term careers 
and seeking future key assignments in defense 
systems acquisition management. Cocca began 
working for the government in 1961 as an 
employee of the Federal Power Commission in 
Washington. 

Kenneth Parker switched jobs in February. 
Now he is director of marketing for Fletcher- 
Thompson, Inc., an architectural-engineering 
firm based in Bridgeport, Conn. . . . Stuart Troop 
is a senior analyst at GE in Bridgeport, Conn. 

Dr. William Wolovich was recently promoted 
to full professor of engineering at Brown Univer- 
sity in Providence, R.I. Prior to joiningthe Brown 
faculty in 1970, he served as a ground elec- 
tronics officer in the U.S. Air Force and was 
subsequently associated with the NASA Elec- 
tronics Research Center in Cambridge, Mass. 
Prof. Wolovich is recognized as a leading author- 
ity on multivariate control, having written over 
forty technical articles and the textbook, Linear 
Multivariable Systems. He and his family have 
just returned from a one-year sabbatical at the 
University of Warwick in Coventry, England, 
under a Fulbright-Hayes Fellowship. 

1962 

Dr. Kenneth Anusavice has received his doctor 
of dental medicine degree from the Medical 
College of Georgia. In 1970 he received his 
doctorate in metallurgical engineering from the 
University of Florida. Presently he is an assistant 
professor in restorative dentistry at the Medical 
College of Georgia in Augusta. . . . Clifford 
Engstrom, manager of the Middleboro (Mass.) 
Gas and Electric Department, was elected presi- 
dent of the Northeast Public Power Association 
(NEPPA) at NEPPA's annual conference held in 
Rockport, Maine in August. He has served as 
manager in Middleboro since 1 975 and has been 
a municipal employee since 1970. 

Xidex Corp. has announced the appointment 
of John Meregian as new director of manufac- 
turing for its Holyoke plant. At one time he was 
with Kendall Corp. of Charlotte, N.C. . . . Cdr. 
Brian J. O'Connell has transferred to the Naval 
War College in Newport, R.I. for a year. . . . 
Prabodh Shah has been named manager of 
market development for Commercial Develop- 
ment in the Science Products Division at Corning 
Glass Works, Corning, N.Y. Previously he was 
manager of planning for Commercial Develop- 
ment. He joined Corning in 1972. . . . Stephen 
Wells holds the post of director of operations 
planning at Lever Bros., New York City 



1963 

John Lojko is director of material planning at F & 
M Schaefer Brewing Co., in Allentown, Pa. . . . 
James McKenzie is a partner in DW Construc- 
tion & Development Co., Richland, Washington. 
. . . Presently Phillip Parmenter holds the post of 
senior product engineer for Split Ballbearing, a 
division of MPB, in Lebanon. N.H. 

1964 

^■Married: Peter Dornemann to Miss Beth 
Ziegler recently in Princeton, New Jersey. Mrs. 
Dornemann graduated from Allegheny College 
and currently attends Rutgers. The groom 
graduated from Wharton Graduate School and 
is manager of strategic planning with NL Indus- 
tries. 

Dr. J. Richard Lundgren has been promoted 
from assistant professor to associate professor of 
mathematics at Allegheny College, Meadville, 
Pa. He joined the faculty in 1971 and is a 
specialist in group theory, a branch of algebra. 
Last year he received a National Science Founda- 
tion grant for a summer research conference at 
the University of Minnesota. He has had two 
articles published in the Journal of Algebra. 

John Macko serves as supervisor, government 
contracts liaison, for Pratt & Whitney Aircraft in 
the government products division, West Palm 
Beach, Fla. ... Dr. Robert Peura moderated a 
discussion in the biomedical division at the 85th 
annual conference of the American Society for 
Engineering Education this summer at the Uni- 
versity of North Dakota in Grand Forks. He 
serves as acting director of biomedical engineer- 
ing atWPI F. Barry Sylvia currently holds the 

post of senior project engineer at Polaroid in 
Waltham, Mass. 

1965 

>Bom: to Mr. and Mrs. Peter F. Behmke a son 
Peter John on February 7, 1977. Behmke is a 
staff engineer at Fram Corp., East Providence, 
R.I. ... to Mr. and Mrs. Leo R. Berendes a 
daughter Sharon Margaret on July 26, 1977. 
Berendes is now an account executive at 
Hornblower, Weeks, Noyes & Trask, Inc., in 
Providence, R.I. 

James Gustaf son is presently manager of data 
center operations at Stanley Works in New 
Britain, Conn. . . . John Jacobson serves as an 
ocean engineer for Yankee Atomic Electric Co., 

Westboro, Mass Kenneth Johnson has been 

named sales engineer at Natgun Corp., 
Wakefield, Mass. He had been chief engineer of 
the water, wastewater section of Cullinan En- 
gineering, Inc., of Auburn. Natgun designs and 
constructs concrete tanks for the water and 
wastewater industry. Johnson, a registered pro- 
fessional engineer, belongs to many professional 
groups, including the Water Pollution Control 
Federation, the Massachusetts Water Works 
Association, the Association of Land Surveyors 
and Civil Engineers, and the New England Water 
Works Association. . . . Continuing with DuPont 
in Wilmington, Delaware, Charles Seaver is now 
a senior financial analyst. 

Peter Kirschmann was recently named man- 
ager of the mechanical components and bush- 
ings subsection in the power transformer de- 
partment at GE in Pittsfield, Mass. He is a 
graduate of the manufacturing management 
program and has held positions as foreman, 
advanced manufacturing engineer, shop unit 
manager, production control supervisor, and 
manager of manufacturing engineering. The 
holder of a master's degree in production man- 
agement from Syracuse University, Kirschmann 
joined the GE power transformer department in 
1975. 



1966 

^■Married: Miss Beverly C. Singleton, MNS, to 
Mark S. Zivan in Boston, Massachusetts on June 
25, 1977. The bride, who graduated from 
Wheaton, is a faculty member at Bentley Col- 
lege. She is also director of development of 
education for Management, Inc. and a director 
of the American Management Association's Ex- 
tension Institute. Her husband holds degrees 
from Fordham and Harvard University. He is 
president and general manager of UPC Re- 
sources Inc., and, also, a faculty member at 
Bentley College. 

>Born: to Mr. and Mrs. Robert S. Sternschein a 
daughter Rachel Michelle on June 7, 1977. The 
Sternsheins also have two sons, Jesse, 4 1 /2, and 
Saul, Vh — to Mr. and Mrs. Robert D.Wilson a 
son Stephen Robert on February 28, 1977. 
Wilson serves as an advanced process engineer 
for GE in Evendale, Ohio. 

B.H. (Woody) Adams, a lead hydraulic en- 
gineer on power plants for Stone & Webster, is 
presently a member of the site selection team 
working with Boston Edison in locating possible 
sites for a future nuclear or fossil power plant. He 
is also doing a study for Great Northern Paper 
Co., concerning the hydroelectric development 
potential of a river in Maine. Woody is active 
in the New England Trail Rider Association, 
which encourages responsible off-road motor- 
cycling. The Adamses, who reside in Wellesley, 
have three sons — LCDR James Cocci is 
presently a software support officer at USNSGA 
Skaggs Island in Sonoma, California. 



1967 

^■Married: Robert P. Tolokan and Miss 
Catherine A. Burke in West Haven, Connecticut 
on July 30, 1977. The bride earned her BS and 
MS degrees from Southern Connecticut State 
College. The groom is studying for his master's 
degree at the University of New Haven. 

Dan Coifman has just formed his own com- 
pany, Able International Corporation, in San 
Juan, Puerto Rico. The firm will specialize in the 
plastics industry and do business with the Carib- 
bean and Latin American countries. . . . Richard 
DeGennaro. assistant manager of strategic 
planning at Consolidated Rail Corp., Philadel- 
phia, has been named as new cochairman of the 
Chestnut Hill Community Association's trans- 
portation Committee. He will be primarily inter- 
ested in the areas of community traffic, i.e., rails, 
buses, trolleys, and maintenance of buildings. 
Parking and traffic flow controls will also be his 
concerns. DeGennaro has been with the trans- 
portation group since his arrival in Chestnut Hill 

two years ago Presently Steven Schumer 

serves as a project engineer in applied technol- 
ogy in the energy division of Raychem Corp. at 
the home office in Menlo Park, Calif. . . . Alan 
Suydam has been promoted to the post of 
service program development engineer with 
Ford Motor Co. in Dearborn, Michigan. 

1968 

^Married: Paul A. Zendzian, MNS, to Miss 
Susan M. MacGillivray on August 5, 1977 in 
Worcester. The bride, a graphic designer for 
Commonwealth Stationers, Inc., attended the 
Art Institute of Boston. The groom teaches at 
Paxton Center School. 



Richard Collins has been promoted to assist- 
ant actuary within the actuarial organization at 
State Mutual Life Assurance Company of 
America in Worcester. He recently completed 
the examination requirements of the Society of 
Actuaries and has received the designation, fel- 
low of the Society of Actuaries, one of the 
highest professional achievements in the insur- 
ance industry. He earned his master's degree at 
Northeastern University and joined State Mutual 
in 1968. . . . Donald Holden is a corporate noise 
control engineer in the motor wheel division of 
Goodyear Tire & Rubber, Lansing, Mich. 

John Hoyt has entered the master of architec- 
ture program at the University of California in 
Berkeley. . . . C. David Larson has been named 
marketing specialist for the Weldmaster line of 
curable acrylic adhesives in the Bondmaster De- 
partment of the National Adhesives Division at 
the National Starch and Chemical Corp. He 
started work at the company as a technical 
development chemist in 1971. Previously he was 
a process development engineer at Union Car- 
bide. Presently he is attending the Graduate 
School of Business Administration at Rutgers. He 
holds an MS in chemical engineering from New 

Jersey Institute of Technology John Simonds 

works for Raymond Engineering, Inc., 
Middletown, Conn., where he is a marketing 
representative. 

1969 

^■Married: Richard P. Romeo to Miss Louise K. 
Thomas in Westbrook, Maine on August 6, 
1977. Mr. and Mrs. Romeo graduated from the 
University of Maine School of Law in June. The 
bride also had graduated from Cornell Univer- 
sity, with the groom previously earning his MBA 
from the Amos Tuck School of Business Adminis- 
tration at Dartmouth. 

Robert Barnard, who recently received his 
PhD in metallurgy and material sciences at Case 
Western Reserve University, has been awarded 
an official citation from the Massachusetts 
House of Representatives in recognition of his 
outstanding academic achievements. Currently 
he is associated with Reliance Electric Co., Cleve- 
land, Ohio — Lee Bradley holds the position of 
senior methods analyst at Melville Corp. (Thorn 

McAn) in Worcester Charles Doe has been 

promoted to assistant actuary at State Mutual in 
Worcester. A fellow of the Society of Actuaries, 
he received his master's degree in actuarial 
science from Northeastern in 1973. He joined 
State Mutual as actuarial assistant in the group 
statistical records organization in 1969. In 1975 

he was named senior actuarial associate 

Ronald Jones and his wife Wanda are building a 
new home in West Hartford, Conn. The couple 
has a two-year-old daughter Tamara Lea. Jones 
is with Jones' Enterprises, Inc., in East Hartford. 

Steven Leece has been promoted 
to the post of manager of manufacturing en- 
gineering for vacuum coating at Bausch and 
Lomb's Scientific Instrument Optical Products 
Division. He joined the firm in 1969. 

James Walker has joined the Industrial 
Ceramics Division as product engineer in the 
metallurgical and heating products group at 
Norton Co., Worcester. Most recently he was a 
field sales engineer with the metal products 
division of Koppers Company. In his new post he 
will assist in achieving the sales and profit objec- 
tives for refractory cements in assigned 
product-market segments. He will carry out 
various marketing programs aimed at increasing 
market share and provide necessary application 
engineering service to ICD field sales engineers 
and customers. 



1970 



^■Married: Peter J. Billington and Miss Maryann 
I. Grusetskie on July 23, 1977 in West Hazelton, 
Pennsylvania. The bride graduated from Boston 
College and earned her master's degree from 
Northeastern. She is a marketing research 
analyst at Corning Glass Works, Corning, N.Y. 
Her husband, who also has his MBA from North- 
eastern, is currently working for his doctorate at 
the Cornell University Graduate School of Busi- 
ness and Public Administration in Ithaca, N.Y. 
Dom Forcella has been named executive as- 
sistant to the deputy commissioner for environ- 
mental quality in the Connecticut Department of 
Environmental Protection. Last year he taught at 
the Briarwood School for Women in South- 

ington, Conn Chet Napikoski is presently 

with Arizona Public Service Co., Phoenix. He is 
working on start-up coordination for four units 
of a cholla coal-fired power plant in Joseph City. 
He and wife Karen have two daughters; Lesley, 
4 1 /2 and Linda, 2. 

1971 

^Married: Bruce A. Hillson and Miss Elizabeth 
C. Waterhouse on July 31 , 1977 in Melrose, 
Massachusetts. Mrs. Hillson graduated from the 
University of Maine, Portland and has been 
teaching in Augusta. The groom is a civil en- 
gineer for the State of Maine. . . . Steven P. 
Johnson to Miss Sandra L. Wood on August 6, 
1977 in Hanover, Connecticut. The bridegroom, 
who graduated from the University of 
Bridgeport, is a civilian employee of the U.S. 
Navy working on the Trident Missiles Program at 
the Dahlgren, Va. Naval Weapons Testing Area. 
>Born: to Mr. and Mrs. Robert Trachimowicz a 
son Timothy Robert on March 25, 1977. Robert 
works for EBASCO Services, Inc., as an office 
engineer and is currently in Houston, Texas, 
where he is involved with various projects for 
Houston Lighting and Power Co. He is presently 
supervising a chemical effluent compliance im- 
plementation project at the W.A. Pamh plant in 
Thompsons, Texas. 

John Capitao, design engineer in GE's me- 
chanical drive turbine department, Fitchburg, 
has been awarded GE's Young Engineer Award. 
He has been with the company eight years. He is 
currently working for his PhD in mechanical 

engineering at Northeastern University 

Robert Ewing, SIM, has been named district 
superintendent of the Gardner and Leominster 
districts for the Massachusetts Electric Co. He 
has worked for the company since 1 947 and has 
held various classifications in the distribution 
department. Prior to his recent promotion, he 
was district superintendent in the Leominster 
district. . . . Douglas Holmes has received his 
PhD in the department of materials science and 
engineering at MIT. He is now conducting re- 
search pertaining to preparation-structure- 
property relationship of electronic materials at 
Hughes Research Laboratories in Malibu, Calif. 
. . . Paul Popinchalk and wife Nancy Wood 
Popinchalk, 73 have started their own com- 
pany, Aeonic Energy. The firm distributes a solar 
heating system with eutectic salt storage. The 
Popinchalks have a year-old-son, Seth Andrew. 
. . . Robert Stein is a planning engineer for the 
Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric 
Co., a public corporation building a 390 MW 
combined and simple cycle plant at the Stony 
Brook Energy Center for use by 28 Mas- 
sachusetts municipal light departments. . . . 
David Winer has been employed as an electronic 
project engineer at Damon Corp., IEC division, in 
Needham, Mass. 

WPI Journal / October 1977/25 



1972 

^■Married: Vincent J. Colonero, Jr. to Miss 
Gloria J. Paradis in New Britain, Connecticut on 
May 21 , 1977. Mrs. Colonero, a graduate of 
Southington (Conn.) High School, works for 
Northeast Utilities Service Co. Her husband is 
also employed by Northeast Utilities, Berlin, 
Conn. . . . Richard C. Ellis to Miss Carol L. 
Gdovka on June 1 1 , 1977 in Upper St. Clair, 
Pennsylvania. The bride graduated from 
Pennsylvania State College. The groom works as 
a field engineer for General Electric Co. 
>Born: to Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Lafayette a son 
James Patrick on November 3, 1976. 

Steven Bauks has been with the power sys- 
tems division of United Technologies fuel cell 
facility for five years. He and his wife Jane are the 
parents of Jesse, 3 1 /2 and Sarah, Vh. . . . Wesley 
Pierson recently joined Norwich (N.Y.) Phar- 
macal Company's medical department as assist- 
ant project coordinator. He has studied at the 
University of Connecticut Health Center at Farm- 
ington. Norwich Pharmacal Company is a divi- 
sion of Morton-Norwich Products, Inc., a 
Chicago-based company engaged in the man- 
ufacture and sale of salt and food, pharmaceuti- 
cal, consumer, specialty chemical, and industrial 
products throughout the world. 

Don Polonis works as an industrial engineer at 

Hamilton Standard in Windsor Locks, Conn 

Edward Schrull has joined GE's nuclear energy 
division, San Jose, Calif., where he is with the 
transient systems design unit. Previously he 
worked for Westinghouse Hanford Company in 
Richland, Washington. He has a master of sci- 
ence degree in nuclear engineering from the 

University of Arizona Jay Simpkins is with 

the oceanographic department at the University 
of Oregon in Corvallis. 

1973 

^■Married: Richard Belmonte and Miss LuAnne 
DimleronJune4, 1977 in Bel Air, Maryland. The 
bride graduated from Edgewood (Md.) High 
School and is an executive secretary for the 
Board of Education of Harford County. Her 
husband has a graduate degree from Texas A & 
M University and is with the Chemical Systems 
Laboratory of the U.S. Army. . . . Frederick J. 
Kulas to Miss Susan M. Ratkiewicz on July 16, 
1977 in South Grafton, Massachusetts. Bruce J. 
Baker and Eric P. Bergstedt were ushers. Mrs. 
Kulas graduated from Assumption College and 
teaches high school (foreign languages) in Hud- 
son. The bridegroom recently received his MBA 
degree from Harvard and is now a marketing 
representative for IBM in Waltham. . . . Kenneth 
C. Muccino and Miss Mary A. Caporaso in 
Waterbury, Connecticut on June 25, 1977. The 
bride graduated from St. Joseph College with a 
BA and MA in special education. She is a learning 
disabilities teacher in Waterbury. The groom, 
who holds an MBA from the University of Con- 
necticut, is an associate engineer with the Con- 
necticut Light and Power Co. in Norwalk — Jan 
H. Pierson to Miss Mary B. Becker in McMurray, 
Pennsylvania on May 21 , 1977. Mrs. Pierson 
graduated from Peters Township High School. 
She is employed by the Mellon Bank in 
Pittsburgh. Her husband is with Industrial Risk 
Insurers. 

>Born: to Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth M. Johnson a 
daughter on June 8, 1977. The baby is the first 
grandchild of Leonard Hershoff , '43. 



The Abrasives Marketing Group at Norton 
Company, Worcester has named William Ault 
as regional product supervisor. In his new post, 
he will supply the Norton sales force with techni- 
cal assistance in the uses of abrasives products. 
His territory will include the middle southern 
states, with headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri. 
Ault joined Norton as a product engineer in 
1973. He served as a sales representative in the 
St. Louis district prior to his recent appointment. 
. . . Currently Ronald Bohlin holds the post of 
senior manufacturing engineer at Digital Equip- 
ment Corp., in Acton, Mass. He received his 
MBA degree from Harvard this year. 

Ray Cherenzia has been named full-time en- 
gineer for the town of Westerly, R.I. He will be 
working out of the Public Works Department at 
White Rock. Most recently he was with Sea- 
board Engineering in Niantic, Conn. . . . Philip 
Ciarlo now holds the post of manager of produc- 
tion control for the medium DC motors and 
generators department at GE in Erie, Pa. . . . 
Richard Brontoli, U.S. Army, was recently pro- 
moted to captain. He is attending an officer's 
advance course for engineers at Fort Belvoir, Va. 
. . . Robert DiGennaro is a senior test engineer for 
GTE/Sylvania in Waltham, Mass. 

Presently Mark Erasmus is a surgical intern at 
Eastern Virginia Graduate School of Medicine. 
He received his MD from the University of 
Connecticut. . . . John Flynn, SIM, has been 
promoted from industrial relations manager to 
administrative vice president at Heffernan Press, 
Inc. Before joining Heffernan, he was with 
Warner & Swazey Co. as coordinator of em- 
ployee services and with Crompton & Knowles 
Corp. as labor relations manager. He is chairman 
of the Insurance Committee for the Printing 
Industry of New England, a director of the 
Worcester Personnel Managers Association, and 
has been a committeeman for the United Way of 
Worcester County. 

Michael Lucey is a field engineer for Stone & 
Webster in Shippingport, Pa. . . . Wallace 
McKenzie, Jr., has been reelected president of 
Saugus (Mass.) Action Volunteers for the Envi- 
ronment (SAVE). He is also town meeting 
member from precinct 1 , chairman of the town's 
school building study committee, growth policy 
committee, and finance committee. He is a 
research analyst at Converse Rubber Co., in 
Wilmington. . . . Stuart Roth has accepted 
employment with Texas Instruments in Sher- 
man, Texas. . . . Henry Siegel recently received 
his MBA from Rutgers, New Brunswick, N.J. 
. . . Robert Tougher is a sheet metal estimator 
for Tougher Industries in Albany, N.Y. 



1974 



^Married: James W. Bowen and Miss Judith K. 
0'DellonJuly2, 1977 in Salisbury, Connecticut. 
Mrs. Bowen graduated from Mishawaka High 
School and is employed at the Savings and Loan 
Institute. The bridegroom is with the Torrington 
Co. . . . Kurt H. Lutgens to Miss Gretchen M. 
Allen in Harpswell Center, Maine on August 20, 
1977. The bride holds a BS degree from Cornell 
University. Both she and her husband are seniors 
at New York State Veterinary School at Cornell. 
. . . Irvin S. Press to Miss Marian Compagnone 
recently in Wrentham, Massachusetts. The 
bride, a graduate of Wheelock College, Boston, 
is a first grade teacher in Milford. The groom 
serves as a research analyst for the Gillette 
Company in Boston. He is also enrolled in the 
MBA program at Boston University. . . . Law- 
rence A. Webster to Miss Ronie R. Renner in 
West Springfield, Massachusetts on July 16, 
1 977. Mrs. Webster, a foreign language teacher 
at Monson (Mass.) Junior-Senior High School, 
graduated from Westfield State College and 
continued her education at McGill University in 
Montreal, Canada, and at Worcester State Col- 
lege. Her husband is with George Webster & Son 
Construction Co., Agawam. 

James Briggs, who is with the Department of 
the Navy, recently relocated from the Northern 
Division in Philadelphia to the Chesapeake Divi- 
sion in Washington, DC, where he serves as a 
design engineer. . . . Magician-comedian Steve 
Dacri is on a 75-city tour in which he will 
entertain at over 50 colleges coast-to-coast. 
During his tour he will also appear at the world- 
famous Magic Castle in Hollywood and partici- 
pate in a number of artist-in-residence programs 
on college campuses. 

Edward Dlugosz will soon be rotated to the 
construction inspection unit at the State of 
California Water Resource Control Board. He 
will be responsible for inspecting the construc- 
tional activities and operations of the various 
wastewater treatment facilities built under the 
clean water program. . . . Alan Judd, who has 
graduated from the GE manufacturing man- 
agement program, is now a process control 

engineer at GE in Hickory, N.C James 

Kudzal has accepted a position as a physicist to 
do research at the Naval Ordnance Station at 
Indian Head, Md. 

John R. Mason III, who has received his 
master's degree in mechanical engineering from 
WPI, is currently a design engineer with the 
Electric Boat division of General Dynamics Corp. , 
in Groton, Conn. . . . Recently Joseph McGinn 
was named technical director and assistant pro- 
gram manager of the (Boston) Metropolitan 
Area Planning Council's 208 water quality pro- 
gram. He has been with MAPC since 1974. . . . 
Hunt Sutherland has joined GE's Research and 
Development Center in Schenectady, N.Y. Pres- 
ently he is doing thesis work for a master's 
degree in electrical engineering from RPI, while 
concurrently completing GE's advanced course 
in engineering. Prior to his present appointment, 
he worked in GE's Ordnance Systems Depart- 
ment in Pittsfield, Mass. . . . Richard Takanen is 
now a quality control engineer-systems at GE in 
Fitchburg, Mass. . . . Peter Thacher is currently a 
refining engineer with ARAMCO in Saudi 
Arabia. 



26 / October 1977 / WPI Journal 



At Du Pont I'm finding 
ways to squeeze more 

product out of fewer Btu's 



-Pam Tutwiler 




"Every time I find a way to 
increase a yield by a fraction of a 
percent, or lower a reaction 
temperature by a few degrees, 1 
can save literally thousands of 
Btu's of energy. 

"I wanted a job where I could 
make a real contribution," says 
Pam. "Du Pont gave it to me." 

With a BS in Chemical 
Engineering from Auburn 
University, Pam's first assignment 
was in an environmental control 



group. After two years she felt that 
process engineering would offer a 
greater challenge— so Du Pont 
changed her assignment. 

Now she's working on methyl 
methacrylate during the day, and 
working on her MBA at night. 
She's attending Memphis State at 
Du Pont's expense. 

Pam's story is the same as 
that of thousands of Chemical, 
Mechanical and Electrical 
Engineers who've chosen careers 



at Du Pont. 

We place no limits on 
the progress our engineers can 
make. And we place no limits on 
the contributions they can make- 
to themselves, to the Company, or 
to society. 

If this sounds like your kind of 
company, do what Pam Tutwiler did: 
talk to the Du Pont Representative 
who visits your campus. Or write 
direct to: Du Pont Company, Room 
25240, Wilmington, DE 19898. 



At Du Pont . . . there's a world of things YOG can do something about. 



sum 

"EG U S PAT a TM Of f 

An Equal Opportunity Employer. M/F 



1975 

^■Married: William R. Borek and Miss Laurie B. 
Corwin on June 26, 1977 in Norwood, Mas- 
sachusetts. The bride, a physical education 
teacher at Franklin High School, graduated from 
Arnold College and the University of Bridgeport. 
Her husband is a sales representative at Mass. 

Oxygen Equipment Co., of Westboro James 

M. Corrao and Miss Jeanne M. Potvin on July 16, 
1977 in Worcester. Mrs. Corrao is a senior at 
Fitchburg State College School of Nursing. The 
bridegroom is employed in the pheresis depart- 
ment of the Northeast Regional Red Cross Blood 

Program in Boston and Worcester Donald J. 

Taddia and Cheryl Bickel of Sewickley, Pennsyl- 
vania on April 30, 1977. The groom is with 
Dravco Corporation's Eastern Construction Divi- 
sion in Pittsburgh, Pa. 

Recently Douglas Brown joined Norton Co., 
Worcester as a toxic and hazardous materials 
specialist in the health, safety, and environmen- 
tal services department. In his new position, he 
will assist Norton's divisions in implementing 
programs to comply with the federal Toxic Sub- 
stances Control Act and Hazardous Substances 
Control Act. He will also be responsible for 
industrial hygiene and environmental projects. 
. . . Stephen Coes currently holds the post of 
town planner in Seabrook, N.H. He is studying 
growth and development trends in Seabrook 

under a federal grant Edward Greenebaum is 

now a design engineer in the research and 
development department of the Buell Division of 
Envirotech Corp., in Lebanon, Pa. Also at Buell 
are John Fellows, '74 and Lloyd Hemenway, 
'75. . . . Philip Keegan has been named man- 
ager of the Friendly restaurant on Berkshire Ave. 
in Springfield, Mass. 

Richard Mariano, former supervisor of pro- 
duction scheduling for the Estee Lauder fra- 
grances group, has been promoted to area man- 
ager, distribution. He is headquartered in Mel- 
ville, N.Y. . . . Bob Simon received his MBA from 
the Amos Tuck School at Dartmouth College in 
June. Presently he serves as a business analyst for 
the Allied Chemical Corp., Fibers Division in New 

York City In August Oliver Smith graduated 

from Case Western Reserve University with his 
master's degree in biomedical engineering. Now 
he is a design engineer in medical electronics at 
Gould, Inc., measurement systems division, in 

Oxnard, California Claudio Polselli has been 

appointed to the U.S. Army Engineer Division of 
New England in Waltham, Mass. In August he 
entered the Engineer Rotational Training Pro- 
gram. For eighteen months he will receive as- 
signments in fields of engineering, construction, 
and operations with a permanent assignment in 
the Operations Division. 



1976 

►/Warned. Richard K. Allen and Miss Melody A. 
Voloshen on June 12, 1977 in Hyde Park, Mas- 
sachusetts. Mrs. Allen graduated from Bridge- 
water State College. Her husband is with 
Kramer, Chin & Mayo in Seattle, Washington. 
. . . Peter L. Barbadora and Miss Lynn A. Smith 
recently in Worcester. Mrs. Barbadora, formerly 
employed by State Mutual, graduated from Holy 
Name Central Catholic High School and at- 
tended David Hale Fanning Trade High School. 
The groom is with Stone & Webster. . . . Alan K. 
Briggs and Miss Valerie A. LaCroix on June 26, 
1977 in Marlboro, Massachusetts. Mrs. Briggs 
graduated from Becker and has been a physical 
therapy assistant at Marlboro Hospital. The 
bridgegoom is with DuPont in New Orleans. 

Jay S. Cruickshank and Miss Lori J. Miller in 
East Longmeadow, Massachusetts on August 7, 
1977. Mrs. Cruickshank attended Becker Junior 
College and has been employed by the Shawmut 
First Bank. Her husband is a loss prevention 
representative for Liberty Mutual Insurance Co. 
. . . Wayne C. Elliott and Miss Sue E. Dickey in 
Salem, New Hampshire on July 31 , 1977. The 
bride is attending Bauder Fashion School. The 
groom is a designer with Clary Corp. The couple 
resides in Arlington, Texas. . . . Mark J. 
Filanowicz and Miss Christine B. Schultz in New 
Britain, Connecticut on July 2, 1977. Mrs. 
Filanowicz attended Central Connecticut State 
College and is employed in the trust department 
in the Hartford (Conn.) National Bank. The 
groom works as a software computer pro- 
grammer at the Data Center of Stanley Works. 

Timothy P. Golden and Miss Margaret A. 
Donoghue on August 20, 1977 in Worcester. 
The bride graduated from Regis College. She is 
assistant director of admissions at Mitchell Col- 
lege, New London, Conn. Her husband serves as 
a production supervisor at Monsanto Co. in 

Springfield, Mass William D. Holmes to Miss 

Ingrid Davidonis in Framingham, Massachusetts 
on May 28, 1977. Mrs. Holmes graduated from 
Anna Maria College. The groom works for Gen- 
eral Electric in Portsmouth, N.H. . . . Roland 
Moreau to Miss Jane Varnish on July 2, 1977 in 
Norwich, Connecticut. Mrs. Moreau graduated 
from Norwich Free Academy and is a secretary in 
the personnel department at United Nuclear 
Corporation in Uncasville. Her husband is also 
with United Nuclear. . . . James M. Sieminski to 
Miss Mary C. Nadroski in Easthampton, Mas- 
sachusetts on August 6, 1977. The bride, who 
has a BS in medical technology from Anna Maria, 
is employed at Farren Memorial Hospital. The 
bridegroom works in the automated systems 
division of RCA in Burlington. 

Joseph Betro is a teaching assistant in the 
department of electrical engineering at the Uni- 
versity of Wisconsin, where he is attending the 
Graduate School of Engineering. . . . Bill Clark 
now works in the research and development 
department at Codman & Shurtleff, Inc., Ran- 
dolph, Mass. The firm is a division of Johnson & 
Johnson. Bill is involved in the development of 

medical electronics Vlassios Danos serves as 

a sanitary engineer for the Environmental Pro- 
tection Agency in San Francisco. . . . Formerly 
with Travelers Insurance Co., John Highman is 
now a computer applications engineer for Mobil 
Corporation, U.S. division, manufacturing, at 
the Paulsboro (N.J.) refinery. 



Andrew Marcus is doing plant layout work 
and some basic project management for the F.L. 
Smidth Co., in Cresskill, N.J. The firm's primary 

product is Portland cement plant equipment 

Robert Milk, Jr., continues as a systems engineer 
for Electronic Data System. During the past year 
he has been in Camp Hill, Pa. and Dallas, Texas. 
Presently he is in San Francisco. . . . Conrad 
Orcheski, who recently graduated from SUNY in 
Buffalo, is currently teaching chemical engineer- 
ing at the University of Buffalo. ... Ed Robillard 
is working in the equipment development sec- 
tion at GTE Sylvania, Ipswich, Mass William 

VanHerwarde is responsible for the vertical dou- 
ble suction pump line for Worthington Pump, 
Inc., Taneytown, Maryland. 



1977 

^■Married: Albert A. DeFusco, Jr. and Miss 
Claire M. Brousseau on August 20, 1977 in 
Coventry, Rhode Island. Mrs. DeFusco 
graduated from Coventry High School. The 
bridegroom is a PhD candidate in chemistry at 
the University of Vermont in Burlington. . . . Kurt 
A. Eisenman and Miss Tina M. Hansen in 
Lexington, Massachusetts on May 21 , 1977. 
The bride, who is pursuing a nursing career, 
graduated from Fitchburg State College. Her 
husband is with Parker Hanafin Co. of Cleve- 
land, Ohio. . . . Marc Meunier to Miss Susan 
Roberts in Sturbridge, Massachusetts on June 
25, 1977. The bride attended WPI. Her husband 
is a fire protection engineer for Industrial Risk 
Insurers. 

Theodore A. Parker to Miss Paula Connolly in 
West Bridgewater, Massachusetts recently. Mrs. 
Parker attends Worcester State College. The 
groom serves as a production engineer at 

Polaroid Corporation Theodore W. Pytel, Jr., 

to Miss Cheryl A. Morris on June 25, 1977 in 
Portland, Maine. Mrs. Pytel graduated from 
Becker with an associate degree in merchandis- 
ing. The groom works for Niagara Mohawk 
Power Corp., in Syracuse, N.Y. 

Daniel J. Rodrigues and Miss Maryann Lowell 
in Riverside, Rhode Island on August 13, 1977. 
The bride graduated from East Providence High 
School. Her husband is an electronics engineer 
for GE drives systems in Roanoke, Va. . . . Bruce 
E. Smith and Miss Carol Negus on July 9, 1 977 in 
Fairhaven, Massachusetts. Mrs. Smith 
graduated from Endicott College, Beverly, 
where she majored in fashion design. The bride- 
groom is a loss prevention representative for 
Liberty Mutual Insurance Co., Lexington, Mass. 
. . . Robert Stack to Miss Suzanne D. Allison in 
Torrington, Connecticut on July 2, 1977. Mrs. 
Stack graduated from Becker. Her husband is 
with Estee Lauder. 



28 /October 1977 / WPI Journal 



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Go with the Norton pros 
who con help you turn 
out more workpieces 
with fewer headaches. 

Professional-quality NorZon® 
coated abrasive belts and fibre 
discs are outlasting and outpro- 
ducing conventional abrasives on 
hundreds of grinding operations. 

Cut faster, cooler, longer: 
The unique, self-sharpening 
grain of NZ Alundum abrasive 
(Norton's name for its zirconia 
alumina) cuts faster initially, 
then keeps cutting long after 
ordinary belts and discs dull and 
glaze. A faster, cooler cutting 
action reduces burning and 
improves workpiece appear- 
ance. They require less grind- 
ing pressure, reduce operator 
fatigue and cut belt changes. 

Increoses up to 400% and 
more: In 1972, NorZon belts 
performed 90% better than 
conventional aluminum oxide on 
mild steel, and 80% better on 
stainless. Continuing improve- 
ments have widened that advan- 
tage to 160% for mild steel and 
140% for stainless. Actual work- 
piece productivity improvements 
range from 50% for forged steel 
hammers to 400% for malleable 
iron forgings and castings. 




See for yourself. Ask your 
Norton distributor to arrange a 
trial run of NorZon belts and 
discs in your own plant without 
obligation. Call him now for 
details or write Norton Com- 
pany, Abrasives Marketing 
Group, Worcester, MA 01606. 



NORTON 



Fredericks. Carpenter, '13, of Tolland, Connect- 
icut passed away last April. 

He was born on March 1, 1891 at Wethers- 
field, Conn. In 1913 he graduated as an electrical 
engineer from WPI. He belonged to Skull. 

From 1 91 3 to 1 956 he was with U nited States 
Rubber Company serving in a number of posi- 
tions all over the world. Prior to his retirement, 
he was vice president and assistant general 
manager of the U.S. Rubber Co., International 
Division (Uniroyal, Inc.). 

Raymond L. Mathison,'19, adescendentof four 
signers of the Mayflower Compact, died in 
Clearwater, Florida on June 15, 1977. 

A native of Springfield, Mass., he was born on 
October 15, 1894. From 1922 to 1959 he was a 
tool designer for Westinghouse. He had also 
worked briefly for National Equipment Co., Far- 
rel Foundry & Machine Co., and Simplex Time 
Recorder Co. 

Mr. Mathison was a member of Sigma Xi. 
Civic-minded, he worked for many years for 
Junior Achievement and the Boy Scouts of 
America. 

George R. Rich, '19, senior vice president, chief 
engineer, and a director of Chas. T. Main, Inc., 
passed away at his home in Wellesley, Mas- 
sachusetts on June 21 , 1977. He was 80 years 
old. 

Mr. Rich, who was also a partner in Uhl, Hall & 
Rich, an affiliate of Chas. T. Main, was a re- 
nowned designer of hydroelectric, steam, and 
industrial projects. During his 57 years as a 
professional engineer, he was responsible for the 
design of such notable works as the Conowingo 
Hydroelectric Project; Passamaquoddy Tidal 
Power Project; Cape Cod Ship Canal and Locks; 
the Marimbondo Hydroelectric Project in Brazil; 
the St. Lawrence Power Project; and the Bear 
Pumped Storage Power Project. 

PriortojoiningMain in 1945, Mr. Rich worked 
for Stone & Webster in charge of the design of 
Osage and Rock Island Projects. He had also 
served as a hydroelectric engineer with the U.S. 
Corps of Engineers. While with TVA, he was 
chief design engineer for hydroelectric, steam 
power, chemical, and industrial developments. 

Mr. Rich had been a guest lecturer at the 
graduate schools of engineering at Columbia 
University and Harvard. He was the author of 
several books and articles, including Hydraulic 
Transients and four chapters in the Handbook of 
Applied Hydraulics. He was a registered profes- 
sional engineer with the National Bureau and 34 
other states. 

As a member of ASME, he served the publica- 
tions committee, Applied Mechanics Reviews, 
Water Hammer Committee, and Power Test 
Code for Hydraulic Prime Movers. He was also a 
fellow of ASME, the American Consulting En- 
gineers Council, and ASCE; an honorary 
member of the Boston Society of Civil Engineers; 
national honor member of the Chi Epsilon Civil 
Engineering Society; and a member of the Seis- 
mological Society of America. 

He received the Rickey Medal of ASCE as well 
as the 1 974 New England Award of the En- 
gineering Societies of New England. 

Mr. Rich graduated from WPI in 191 9 with his 
BSCE. He received his professional degree of civil 
engineer in 1955. In 1948 WPI awarded him an 
honorary doctor of engineering degree. In 1974 
he received the Robert H. Goddard Award for 
professional achievement from the WPI Alumni 
Association. 

He belonged to Theta Chi, Tau Beta Pi, and 
Sigma Xi. A former member of the executive 
committee of the Alumni Council, he also served 
on the President's Advisory Council at WPI from 
1973 through 1975. 



Laurence G. Bean, '20, of Middlebury, Connect- 
icut and retired vice president in charge of 
engineering at the Bristol Co., died on June 8, 
1977. 

He was born on November 12, 1895 in In- 
dianapolis, Indiana. After receiving his BS in 
mechanical engineering at WPI, he joined the 
Bristol Co. as a salesman. He was subsequently 
promoted to sales manager and vice president in 
charge of engineering. 

Mr. Bean, a past vice president of the Hartford 
chapter of the WPI Alumni Association, be- 
longed to Alpha Tau Omega, and Pi Sigma Tau. 
He was a professional engineer in the state of 
Connecticut and a member of ASME, ISA, the 
Masons, Waterbury Club, and Kiwanis. Between 
1918 and 1920 he was a lieutenant with the 
Coast Guard. 

Douglas E. Howes, Sr., '20, professor emeritus 
of electrical engineering at WPI, died on August 
31 , 1977 in Worcester at the age of 78. 

Prof. Howes, who joined the WPI faculty in 
1947, retired in 1968. Previously he had taught 
at Norwich University in Vermont for 24 years, 
worked as a research physicist for Westing- 
house, and as a special research associate at 
Harvard. 

He was born in Ashfield, Mass. In 1920 he 
received his BSEE. In 1922 he received his mas- 
ter's in physics, also from WPI. 

Prof. Howes, a member of Sigma Xi, was a 
former director of the Vermont Bureau of Indus- 
trial Research. He belonged to IEEE, APS, ASEE, 
and was a fellow of the Association for Ad- 
vancement of Science. 

Saul Robinson, '20, died in Toms River, New 
Jersey on June 4, 1977. He was 78 years old. 

Born in Chicopee Falls, Mass., on November 
24, 1898, he later studied as a chemist at WPI 
and graduated in 1920. During his career he was 
associated as a chemist with the City of 
Gloversville, N.Y.; the U.S. Treasury in New York 
City; American Pencil Co., Hoboken, N.J.; 
United Lacquer Co., Linden, N.J.; and Industrial 
Latex Co., in Wallington, N.J. At Industrial Latex 
he was made chief chemist. 

He belonged to the Masons, B'nai Brith, AEPi, 
and the American Chemical Society. 

Arthur W. Anderson, '22, died suddenly of a 
heart attack at his home in Brighton, New York 
on June 18, 1977. 

He was born on February 20, 1900 in Cam- 
bridge, Mass. In 1922 he received his BSMEfrom 
WPI. During his lifetime he was with Bausch & 
Lomb, Inc., Rochester, N.Y.; Rochester Institute 
of Technology; Western Electric, Chicago; and 
U.S. Rubber Co., Bristol, R.I. He retired from 
Bausch & Lomb in 1968. 

Mr. Anderson belonged to ASME, ASM, and 
Phi Sigma Kappa. He was a member of the 
Masons, Methodist Church, and of the Early 
Settlers of Bausch and Lomb. He was a former 
vice president of the Rochester-Genesse Chap- 
ter of the Alumni Association. 



Alfred P. Storms, '24, died in the University of 
Massachusetts Medical School Hospital in 
Worcester on June 12, 1977 following a short 
illness. He was 75. 

Mr. Storms, who was a native of Norwich, 
Conn., graduated with his BS in mechanical 
engineering from WPI in 1924. He worked for 
Crane & Co., and Rice Barton Corp. From 1929 
to 1967 he was with Heald Machine, Worcester, 
where he served as an assistant manager of 
grinding machine proposal engineering. 

He belonged to Phi Gamma Delta, and served 
as secretary-treasurer of the Tech Old Timers 
Club, and as an officer in the Greendale Retired 
Men's Club, and the Concordial Lutheran 
Church. 

Milton E. Berglund, '26, former chairman of the 
board of the Torrington Co., died in the Cape 
Cod Hospital at Hyannis, Massachusetts on July 
8, 1977 at the age of 73. 

Mr. Berglund began his career with Torrington 
in 1927. After receiving a number of appoint- 
ments, he became president and chief executive 
officer in 1958, then chairman of the board of 
directors in 1968. He retired as chairman in 
1972. 

He was a director of the Hartford National 
Bank & Trust Co., Hartford Electric Light Co., 
and the Torrington Water Co. A member of the 
board of governors of Charlotte Hungerford 
Hospital, he was also a trustee of the YMCA, vice 
chairman and director of the Naugatuck Valley 
Industrial Council, and director of Allandale In- 
surance Co. of Providence, R.I. Prior to his 
retirement, he was a member of the Newcomen 
Society of America. 

Mr. Berglund was born in Worcester. He 
graduated with a BSEE from WPI. In 1968 he 
received the Robert H. Goddard Award for 
professional achievement from the WPI Alumni 
Association. Formerly he was a vice president of 
the Hartford chapter of the Alumni Association. 



Erold Pierce, '29, of Lakewood. New Jersey 
passed away on August 12, 1977 after a long 
illness 

He was born on June 23, 1907 in Worcester 
In 1929 he received his BSME from WPI and 
began work at Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor 
Corporation in Buffalo, NY Two years later he 
was transferred to Wright Aeronautical Corpora- 
tion (a division of Curtiss) at Wood-Ridge, N.J. In 
1970 he retired as chief scientist at the corpora- 
tion following 41 years of service. 

Mr. Pierce belonged to Sigma Xi. He received 
the Society of Automotive Engineers Manly 
Memorial Award in 1947. He was a professional 
engineer. 

Frederick F. Whitford, '32, a former manage- 
ment consultant for the Vermont Industrial 
Bureau and the Vermont Department of High- 
ways, died in Northfield, Vermont on July 14, 
1977 

He was born in Pittsfield, N.H. on October 1 1 , 
1907. In 1932 he received his BSEE from WPI. 
For over 25 years he was with the Wright 
Aeronautical Corp., in New Jersey. He then 
served as a placement manager at Steenland 
Personnel from 1965 to 1967. Later he was with 
the Vermont Industrial Bureau at Norwich Uni- 
versity, and the Vermont Department of High- 
ways 

Mr. Whitford belonged to the U.S. Power 
Squadron and ATO, served as secretary of the 
Rotary Club, and as an active member of 
SCORE. He was a former town lister. 

Joseph W. Whitaker, Jr., '41, of Troy, Michigan 
died on June 21, 1977. 

He was born on May 15, 1917 in Boston. In 
1941 he graduated as a mechanical engineer 
from WPI. After working briefly for Norton Co., 
he joined the Navy and served until 1 946 when 
he became associated with Heald Machine in 
Worcester. 

At the time of his death he was still with Heald, 
which became a division of Cincinnati Milacron 
in 1 955 He was a regional product manager and 
had seen tours of duty in sales in Worcester, 
Chicago. Hartford, and most recently, in Detroit. 

Mr. Whitaker ("Bud") belonged to Phi 
Gamma Delta fraternity. He was a trustee and 
moderator of the Pilgrim Church. 

John R. Keefe, Jr., '51, of Winchester, Mas- 
sachusetts passed away recently. 

He was born on October 26, 1919 in Boston, 
Mass. After studying at WPI, he joined the 
Massachusetts Department of Public Works, 
Boston, where he worked for many years. 

Mr. Keefe had served as a lieutenant in the 
U.S. Navy and as a communications officer with 
the USNR. He was a certified professional regis- 
tered engineer and land surveyor, and belonged 
to the U.S. Naval Institute. 



Robert E. Kern, '53, of Springfield, Massachu- 
setts died on August 23, 1977 in Worcester. 

He was born on June 25, 1929 in Springfield. 
In 1953 he graduated with his BSME from WPI. 
For several years he was with Hampden Spe- 
cialty Co. At the time of his death he was vice 
president of purchasing for Coleco Industries of 
Hartford, Conn. He belonged to AEPi. 

Dr. Edward P. laccarino, '64, died on August 27, 
1 977 in Sloan Kettering Memorial Hospital, New 
York City. 

He had been a senior research chemical en- 
gineer for Exxon Research and Engineering Co. 
in Linden, N.J. for four years. During the war in 
Vietnam he served in the army. 

Dr. laccarino was born on March 25, 1943 in 
Worcester. He received his BS in chemical en- 
gineering from WPI and his MS and PhD from 
the University of Wisconsin. He belonged to 
SAE, Sigma Xi, and the Chemical Honor Society. 

John L. Clune, '68, of Trenton, New Jersey died 
on April 28, 1977 following an accident. 

He was born on April 1 1 , 1946 in New York 
City. In 1968 he graduated as a chemical en- 
gineer from WPI. Following graduation he went 
with Union Carbide in Charleston, West Virginia. 
Later he was with Stauffer Chemical in Dobbs 
Ferry, NY. At the time of his death, he was an 
associate cost engineer with Mobil Research & 
Development Corp., Princeton, N.J. 

At Mobil he had been heavily involved with 
the firm's North Sea, off-shore platforms. Re- 
cently he became involved with Mobil's uranium 
mining interests. 

Richard J. Orsini, '75, died in Leominster, Mas- 
sachusetts on August 1 . 1977 after he had been 
stricken while jogging. 

A Leominster native, he was born on February 
6, 1948. He received his degree in mechanical 
engineering from RPI and his master of science in 
management from WPI in 1975. 

He was employed at CE in Fitchburg, Mass., 
for seven years. Two weeks priorto his death, he 
had joined Digital Equipment Corp., inMaynard. 



t/f/ ^ f 



DECEMBER 1977 



UIPp 




The DNA dilemma 




rMOjffirlU 



Vol. 81, no. 4 



December 1977 



3 Drop back 10 yards and punt: Trustees ponder the future of 
WPI football by Russell Kay 

In the wake of nearly two decades of undistinguished football, 
the question is being asked: do we really want to play? 

6 The DNA dilemma by Tom Daniels, '80 

The scientific controversy over whether research into these 
basic elements of life is good or evil— and whether it should 
be banned or encouraged— is explored here, with special 
reference to research planned in the Worcester area . . . and 
at WPI. 

14 Nuclear medicine's Howard Dworkin 

17 loeGale 

Fourth in our continuing series of WPI campus personalities 

18 The WPI Word Search by Ruth Trask 
Puzzle, puzzle, we've got the puzzle for you. 

20 Your class and others 

21 A meeting of the minds still needs some rules 

22 If we know about it . . . 

The true story of how the class notes section comes into being, 
with special reference to our secret sources of information. 

24 Lost his wax?? 

An old but surprisingly sophisticated casting process links 
Edward Funk, '46, and King Tut. 

31 Completed careers 

33 Puzzled? Here's the answer 

Cover: An electron microscope photograph of an E. coli DNA 
molecule. Astute Journal readers may recall that this photo was 
used, in somewhat different form, on the cover of the August 1972 
WPI Journal, which dealt with the subject of genetic engineering. 



Editor: H. Russell Kay 

Alumni Information Editor: Ruth S. Trask 

Publications Committee: Walter B. Dennen, 
Jr., '51, chairman; Donald F. Berth, '57; 
Leonard Brzozowski, 74; Robert Davis, '46; 
Robert C. Gosling, '68; Enfried T. Larson, '22; 
Roger N. Perry, Jr., '45; Rev. Edward I. 
Swanson, '45 

Design: H. Russell Kay 

Typesetting: Davis Press, Worcester, Ma. 

Printing: The House of Offset, Somerville, Ma. 



Address all correspondence regarding editorial 

content or advertising to the Editor, WPI Journal, 

Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Ma. 

01609. 

Telephone [617] 753-1411 

The WPI Journal is published for the Alumni 
Association by Worcester Polytechnic Institute. 
Copyright © 1977 by Worcester Polytechnic 
Institute; all rights reserved. 

The WPI Journal is published six times a year, in 
August, September (catalog issue), October, 
December, February, and April. Second class 
postage paid at Worcester, Ma. 
Postmaster: Please send Form 3579 to: Alumni 
Association, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 
Worcester, Ma. 01609. 



WPI ALUMNI ASSOCIATION 

President: W. A. Julian, '49 

Vice presidents: J.H. McCabe, '68; 
R. D. Gelling, '63 

Secretary -treasurer: S. J. Hebert, '66 

Past president F. S. Harvey, '37 

Executive Committee members- at- large: 
W. B. Dennen, Jr., '51 ; R. A. Davis, '53; 
J. A. Palley, '46; A. C. Flyer, '45 

Fund Board: P. H. Horstmann, '55, chairman; 
G. A. Anderson, '51 ; H. I. Nelson, '54; L. H. 
White, '41 ; H. Styskal, Jr., '50; C. J. Lindegren, 
'39; R. B. Kennedy, '65. 



WPI Journal / December 1977/1 






■ 







V J 




Drop back 10 yards and punt: 



Trustees ponder 

the future of WPI football 



by Russell Kay 



The news release was a bombshell. In addition to announcing 
the resignation of Mel Massucco as head football coach 
after ten years, it stated that a trustees' committee had been 
appointed to recommend whether football ought to be 
continued as a varsity sport at WPI. 

Drop football?? At WPI?? 

The story hit page one of the Worcester Telegram on 
November 17, beginning an extended period of speculation 
in the local press. Reaction on campus was quick and strong, 
mostly in favor of football. The question in everyone's mind 
was, Why? 

To begin to answer that, we have to look first at WPI's 
football record. This year the football team won one game 
and lost seven. The last winning season was in 1968, the 
last one before that was in 1959. In 90 years of football, WPI 
teams have won half or more of their games in only 17 
years, and 9 of those winning seasons were concentrated in 
the period from 1949-1959, while Bob Pritchard was coach. 

In 1973, a trustees' committee on athletics commented that 
athletics should reflect the same excellence as the WPI 
academic program, and that WPI teams should be on a par 
with our traditional opponents. Two winning seasons in 
eighteen years obviously didn't meet these criteria, nor did 
the dismally consistent record of two or fewer wins in eight 
of the past eleven years. The losing seasons weren't even 
near misses. 

So the new trustees' committee was formed. Chairman was 
Raymond J. Forkey '40, a WPI football player on the 1938 
undefeated team. Other members were Milton P. Higgins, 
chairman of the Board; Howard G. Freeman, '40; Robert J. 
Whipple; Leonard H. White, '41; and Richard A. Davis, '53. 

For their second meeting, the committee called an open 
campus hearing for December 13, to get the views of all 
interested members of the WPI community. Scheduled for a 
seminar room in Gordon Library that could seat 100 
persons, the meeting was quickly moved to Alden Memorial 



Auditorium when a crowd of nearly 500 students and faculty 
showed up. 

The sentiment of the crowd was clearly pro-football. 
During the 90-minute session, not one person spoke in 
favor of dropping the sport. Students representing various 
groups presented the committee with petitions signed by 
1,450 students, including 20 captains and co-captains of 
various sports, plus letters of support from numerous other 
campus organizations. 

Perhaps the most eloquent speaker was Dean of Academic 
Advising John van Alstyne. "I think it's very important for 
this school, for any school of our size, to maintain football," 
he said. "You need an outlet. Some students can get it in 
"running or soccer or basketball. But some— the athletically 
inept, like myself —get it through watching people perform. 
It becomes a vicarious thing. Football provides that far 
better than anything else. Football is a sport people are 
attuned to. 

"I went to a college that didn't win a football game for 
four years," van Alstyne continued. "We used to call the 
signals in Greek. It would give us an advantage for the 
first period, anyway, because the other team didn't know 
what we were saying. But after that, we had a couple of 
winning seasons, and we had a player who was a Little All- 
America. Now, when I go back for Homecoming, the stands 
are filled. 

"There aren't many places left where you can see an honest 
football game, where you know the players out there are 
playing not just to win but because they love the sport. I 
think WPI is one of those places, and I wouldn't want to 
see us lose it. One cannot be a whole person unless one gets 
involved with more than academics." 

Also speaking at the meeting were Peter Horstmann, '55, 
chairman of the Alumni Fund Board, and Ted Coghlin, 
'56, president of the Poly Club. Both urged that football be 
continued and strengthened. Other speakers included Tom 



WPI Journal / December 1977 / 3 



Panek, student body president, who noted that "few things 
can bring together a campus as diverse as this. In the past 
couple of years, there has been a great deal of apathy about a 
lot of things. But this petition is signed by 1,450 students, 
and less than 400 usually vote in school elections." 

Nancy Hargrave, of the admissions office, commented 
that "it's one thing to ask a 17-year-old to place academics 
first, but another thing entirely to ask him or her to choose 
between academics and athletics. And it doesn't seem fair 
to make a football player make that choice, but not a soccer 
player or a high hurdler." 

Only a few at the meeting addressed the question of the 
quality of the team. One was Dave Ploss, 70, who serves as 
rowing coach. "You can't convince me that a WPI athlete 
is any worse than the athlete at Bates, Bowdoin, or any of 
the other schools we play against. We're competitive in other 
sports. If football continues here, it should be a quality 
program, and if we don't have that quality it should be 
dropped. It does nobody any good to go out every week and 
get his head beat in." 

For all the uproar, though, this meeting was only a forum, 
a place for the trustees' group to hear what the campus had 
to say on the issue. As Ray Forkey said, early on, "we don't 
want to get into a discussion of what our attitude is, or 
how we feel about football. Our views will come later." 

A few days later, Forkey said he was surprised at the size 
of the turnout. He reiterated that the committee was meeting 
with many groups and individuals before it began its 
deliberations in earnest. 



The blitz 

Mel Massucco, head football coach at WPI from 1967 until 
his sudden resignation in November, is frustratingly aware 
of the problems with football at WPI. Recruiting is one of 
the big ones. "I'm not just the football coach here," he 
explained. "I also teach physical education, and I have 
intramural responsibilities as well. Where's the time for 
everything?" Massucco will remain on the faculty of the 
physical education department, and he hopes that his 
resignation may help lead to the improvement of the 
football program at WPI. 

Another problem, one not mentioned in the 1973 report 
on athletics, is that WPI is an engineering school, and the 
pool of athletes interested in an engineering school is 
considerably smaller than the pool attracted to the broader 
curriculum and more opportunities of the liberal arts 
colleges— schools such as Wesleyan, Bowdoin, Union, 
Hamilton, and Bates, which are among WPI's traditional 
opponents on the gridiron. "What we're looking for," said 
Massucco, "is a kid who's a good student, a kid who's 
looking for a technical education, and a kid who's a good 
athlete. It's difficult to get all three." 



The recruiting question is a big one, for virtually 
everyone concedes that increased financial aid is a vital 
part of a serious recruiting effort. Under the rules of 
Division III of the NCAA, WPI is not allowed to offer 
athletic scholarships. All financial aid awards are based 
on need, and so athletes get no special consideration. There 
is a way of using financial aid to attract athletes, however, 
and still stay within the rules. If an athlete, or any student, 
is awarded financial aid based on need, he gets what the 
admissions office likes to call a "package" of scholarship, 
loan, and work-study grants. By offering a student a large 
proportion of scholarship money, still keeping within the 
limits of need, WPI would be offering a much greater in- 
centive for that student to come here. 

Would this be "buying athletes?" and, if so, is that 
necessarily a bad thing? Ted Coghlin commented that, "we 
feel the better kid should get better financial aid— and 
by that I'm not saying that we should buy an athlete any 
more than we should be buying a scholar who might want 
to go to CalTech or M.I.T 

Bob Pritchard observed that "we have have very little input 
the financial aid process). At times in the past, we had." He 
further noted that WPI cannot begin to match the student 
aid offered by such wealthier schools as M.I.T, Wesleyan, 
and Bowdoin. 

The 1973 report on athletics recommended that 10 percent 
of WPI's total financial aid commitments go to student- 
athletes. According to financial aid officials, WPI is 
currently at or slightly over this level. Part of the problem 
is disagreement as to just whether a student is or is not a 
student-athlete. For example, was he recruited by athletics 
or admissions? Or did he drop out of athletic participation 
after a while, even though recruited as an athlete? It is 
indeed a sticky question. 

Another factor is that, since the 1973 report, the WPI 
administration has done little to implement it. President 
Hazzard agreed, saying "nothing much has been done since 
that time. We just asked the coach to work harder." When 
asked whether he thought hard work was the answer, 
Hazzard replied, "I'm not an expert on football, so I 
don't know." 

Bob Pritchard, head of the department of physical educa- 
tion and athletics (and football coach from 1947-1966), 
says that "upgrading a football program is harder than for 
other sports. You need the complete cooperation of the 
administration and of the financial aid office. You need 
that little extra effort. 

"Our effort here could have been better. The money hasn't 
been allocated the way it should have been. We have a 
good coaching staff; its background is tremendous, and 
I'd rank it up there with anybody's. So the problem isn't 
entirely the staff." 

Pritchard said he didn't think the committee would con- 
sider the present football program too expensive, but that 
it would have to decide for itself whether the money being 
used for the program was wisely used, or ought to be spent 
elsewhere. At present the football program costs WPI 
"slightly under $30,000" per year, according to Pritchard. 



(to 






4 / December 1911 / WPI journal 



That figure includes meals, trips, transportation, game 
officials, medical supplies, and equipment, but does not 
cover salaries or the maintenance of Alumni Field. 



Defensive secondary 

The importance of football to WPI, which is at the heart of 
the question before Forkey's committee, is a touchy issue. The 
large turnout at the open meeting in December, coupled 
with the fact that some 60 percent of the students signed 
petitions urging the retention of the sport, would seem to 
indicate that grassroots support for football is extremely 
strong. But is it? 

Attendance at football games has not been very high in 
recent years. With a team that seems bound to lose most of 
the time, that's understandable. But if students don't come 
to the games, why play them? That's a question President 
George Hazzard touched on in referring to the students' 
petition to the trustees. "If we had 1,400 students at our 
games, maybe we would have had more spirit. But the 
petition certainly indicates that somebody cares because the 
question on football was raised. 

"You can't help wondering, though," he went on, "if an 
equal concern will continue in years ahead. If would be nice 
if it did," Hazzard added, "because then you'd have good 
crowds at the football games." 

Throughout the storm over the football question, 
President Hazzard has kept his own views to himself, 
refusing to support one side or the other. He has said, though, 
that "every student who comes here, comes here first of all 
for the academic program. Football is secondary. Just a 
part of the picture. Whether we have a team or don't have 
a team shouldn't make that much difference. I would be 
surprised if a student transferred to another school just 
because football had been dropped at WPI." 

On that count, Hazzard will find a number of dissenters. 
Dean Arvidson, co-captain of this year's team, said that in 
his fraternity "there are thirty football players, and 20 to 30 
percent of them think they'll transfer if there isn't any 
football next year." Another team member, halfback Mike 
Robinson, said that WPI has an obligation to those students 
it has already recruited. "We come here to play football too, 
and there should be a football team. Not necessarily a 
winning football team, but still a football team. I don't 
really want to leave WPI, but I would if I had to. Without 
football, what good is it?" 



Option plays 

The trustee committee is due to submit its recommendations 
in a report in mid-January. As this issue goes to press in mid- 
December, no one on campus knows just what direction the 
committee may be leaning in. There appears to be four 
possibilities open: 



1. Keep football as a varsity sport, keep the present schedule, 
and upgrade the performance of the team. However this 
might be done, it would apparently require more re- 
cruiting effort and, inevitably, more money. 

2. Keep football as a varsity sport, but play schools which 
aren't as strong as those we've played against in recent 
years. This approach is opposed by Pritchard, and it 
conflicts with the stated 1973 goal of "parity with our 
traditional opponents." 

3. Keep football, but drop it to the level of a club sport. 
This would slash the "investment"— both financial and 
psychological — of WPI in the football team, and students 
would have to assume most of the work and responsibility 
for running the team and paying for it. 

4. Drop football completely. The money saved might be 
diverted to other athletic programs, but this seems 
unlikely. 

Options 2, 3, and 4 above are certainly possible, but they 
are strongly opposed by students and faculty. Revising the 
schedule, a step taken by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 
when it was in a similar situation ten years ago, seems to 
be a way of admitting defeat. RPI athletic director Bob 
Ducatte, commenting on the situation, has said: "If you know 
in the bottom of your heart that you're playing schools you 
can't beat, then you shouldn't play them. Sometimes you 
have to swallow some pride." These thoughts were echoed 
by Pete Carlesimo, athletic director of Fordham University, 
which dropped football in 1960 and reinstated it just three 
years ago. "It's difficult for alumni, no question about it. We 
used to be semi-big-time. But you've got to play teams you're 
competitive against. That's the only way you're going to 
establish interest." WPI athletic director Pritchard doesn't 
like the idea at all. "We want to play schools which we feel 
are quality institutions," he stated. "We feel we fall into that 
category. A step down would be getting into a club sport 
concept, which is something I just don't want to see happen." 



Two- minute warning 

Whatever the committee decides— and the full Board of 
Trustees after them— this is one issue that has been dealt 
with fairly and openly, with everyone involved or merely 
interested having had the chance to address the subject. 
The issue is important, not so much for the sport itself, but 
because it has serious emotional overtones. Alumni often 
look back nostalgically at WPI football— thinking, perhaps, 
of their salad days. For students and faculty, the team 
provides entertainment, enjoyment, and engages a feeling 
of community. These things are important and worthwhile. 
What the trustees must do is balance these subjective values 
against the very real problems of the team, as they attempt 
to answer one very difficult question: Is it worth the commit- 
ment to do it right? 



WPI Journal / December 1977/5 



The DNA dilemma 



by Tom Daniels, '80 



In principle, it's very straightforward and simple; one is 
concerned with taking a gene from one organism and 
putting it into another organism, by artificial means. 

The subject which Dr. James Danielli, world-renowned 
microbiologist and head of the Life Sciences department at 
WPI, describes as "straightforward and simple" has be- 
come a hotly contested issue in the national press in the 
last two years. Recombinant dna (the initials dna stand 
for deoxyribonucleic acid) research has been called 
both a boon to mankind and a throwback to Doctor 
Frankenstein. 

"The main quest of the biologist," one eminent re- 
searcher has said, "is to understand how an egg can 
transform itself into a human being. To do this, we must 
study the basis of this phenomenon — the nucleic acid 

DNA." 

To study the dna molecule, the researcher must, of 
course, have at his disposal a suf ficient number of genes to 
work with. "When we have a large number of genes," the 
researcher continued, "our studies may be carried out in a 
more realistic environment. Thus, the purpose of the 
recombinant dna experiments is to produce a specific 
gene in large enough quantities to carry out realistic 
research." An oversimplification to be sure, of a complex 
issue, but certainly not a bit reminiscent of the so-called 
"Frankenstein" charges of anti-DNA research forces. 
"Genetic engineering," said Dr. Federico Welsch of the 
Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology, "is com- 
plete rubbish. We do not now possess even the slightest 
fraction of the knowledge that would have to be utilized 
for such a purpose." 



Dr. Danielli agreed with Dr. Welsch, saying of the 
controversial research, "it's still in its infancy. Twenty 
years from now we may be in a position to say just what 
can and can't be done, but we aren't able to do so at the 
present time." Although its applications are still uncer- 
tain, the actual process by which the experiments are 
carried out is well known. 

There are four basic steps that are used in recombinant 
dna work: breaking up the dna, joining together segments 
of two different dna molecules, finding an organism that 
can reproduce the foreign dna molecules, and, finally, 
introducing the new dna molecule into a functional 
bacteria cell to study the results. 

In 1 967, enzymes were discovered that could effectively 
repair breaks in dna and, under certain conditions, join 
together loose strands of dna that came from different 
organisms. Coupled with previously known methods, 
whereby dna could be "sliced" into desired sections, 
subsequent research produced various experimental 
methods by which specific strands of dna could be linked 
together. Next, methods were discovered which rendered 
the bacteria E. coli able to accept the reconstructed 
molecules of dna. This step produces the dna in quantity, 
since the E. coli proceeds to reproduce the new genes in 
exact duplicate. 

Even though the process is less than ten years old, the 
investigative possibilities opened by recombinant dna 
research are already being actively pursued in many labs 
throughout the country, especially at the university level. 
Dr. Danielli believes that WPI will follow suit in the near 
future, joining the recombinant experiments with ongoing 
research. "It could come anywhere from a year to five 
years," he says. "It will be in connection with our work in 
blue-green algae." 



6 / December 1911 / WPI journal 



Experiments proposed by the Worcester Foundation for 
Experimental Biology, and those discussed by Dr. Danielli, 
would come under the p-2 classification of containment, 
as defined by current National Institute of Health (NIH) 
guidelines. Laboratories meeting such containment stan- 
dards offer suitable protection to both the researcher and 
the environment. Both the WFEB and WPI will, however, 
conduct all experiments of the p-2 level in p-3 laboratories, 
as they wish to have the added containment precautions in 
force as extra insurance in the face of a leery public, who, 
in general, are afraid that some new germ will escape the 
researcher's lab. Other steps, such as using "crippled" E. 
coli bacteria, which must have so many laboratory nutri- 
ents that it is impossible for it to live outside of the lab (or, 
in WPI's case, not using the controversial virus at all), will 
also be used. 

A laboratory suitable for experiments involving recom- 
binant dna molecules requiring p-3 containment has 
special engineering design requirements and physical con- 
tainment equipment. The laboratory is separated from 
other areas which are open to the general public. Separa- 
tion is achieved through the use of closed corridors, 
air-locks, or other double-doored installations. An auto- 
clave must be available in the lab area to quickly decon- 
taminate all laboratory materials. Surfaces of walls, floors, 
and bench tops are specially designed to facilitate quick 
decontamination. Air flow is such that air may enter the 
lab through the access area, but leave only through a 
highly filtered exhaust system; this is achieved by keeping 
the p-3 area at a lower pressure than the rest of the lab. 

Needless to say, these NIH recommendations also 
provide for having only those people directly involved in 
the experiments gaining entry to the containment room. 
These people may not eat, drink or smoke while in the lab; 
all clothes worn while experimenting must be removed 
before leaving the lab. Pipetting liquid materials by mouth 
is expressly forbidden. Animals or plants which have no 
bearing on the experiments may not be kept in the lab. 



These NIH guidelines, which have been outlined very 
briefly, form the nucleus of the many-faceted dna 
problem. Even Time magazine, which has one of the finest 
reputations in the country when it comes to journalism, 
carried an essay in their March 7, 1977 issue that showed 
the general line of attack used by the anti-recombinant 
camp. The author, Frank Trippet, was speaking of an 
awakening of morality among the nation's scientists. 
Toward the end of his piece, he reviewed hearings con- 
cerning recombinant dna experiments that had taken 
place in Cambridge, Massachusetts. "Perhaps the most 
significant result so far of this new skepticism," he said, 



"might be called the case of the Nonexistent Doomsday 
Bug . . . The crucial question: Do the risks of research that 
could endanger a hypothetical Doomsday Bug — some 
new strain of bacteria that might find its way into the 
bodies of the people — outweigh whatever knowledge 
might be gained?" To top off the piece, the Time editors 
chose a Boston Globe cartoon that depicted an MIT 
scientist running into a room full of Frankenstein-like 
monsters, large bugs, and test tubes with eyes. Clutched in 
his upraised hand was a newspaper bearing the headline, 

CAMBRIDGE OKAYS GENETIC RESEARCH. "Crack OUt the 

liquid nitrogen, dumplings," he says in the caption, "we're 
on the way!" 



"The main quest of the biologist is to 
understand how an egg can 
transform itself into a human being. 
To do this r we must study DNA." 



Professor Danielli scoffs at this kind of "Doomsday 
Bug" prophecy. "Where I think there is a problem," he 
says, "as with nuclear materials, is that where you can do 
something for a good purpose, you can always do some- 
thing analogous for a bad purpose. It would be perfectly 
possible to construct a pathogen which would be at least as 
destructive as the influenza virus, or possibly worse." 
Commenting on the possibility that this could happen, he 
hypothesized that there are much easier and much more 
available methods which madmen or terrorists could use 
to inflict harm on people. Summing up his feelings on this, 
he said, "Lunatics always seem to find a way of playing the 
fool, anyway." 

Putting aside for a moment the possibility of a deliberate 
act, there is always the chance that an accident could 
occur in a recombinant dna experiment. Dr. Robin Holli- 
day, writing in an English publication, New Scientist, 
outlined the steps that could lead to such an accident. The 
doctor said that, when considering one of the so-called 
"shotgun" experiments, in which dna is fragmented with 
a particular enzyme, the number of different pieces of dna 
produced would be very large, perhaps approaching half a 
million. These pieces are inserted at random into bacterial 
plasmid dna, whereupon it is inserted into an E. coli host 
bacteria. One careless technician could, when pipetting by 
mouth (something which, you will recall, is expressly 
forbidden by NIH p-3 guidelines), swallow anywhere 
between a few thousand and a few million of these altered 
bacteria. Even if some of these bacteria died, there would 
be a slight chance that some would survive in the unfortu- 
nate technician's stomach or intestine, and eventually 
multiply. 

WPI Journal / December 1977/7 



If — and Dr. Holliday, head of the Division of Genetics, 
National Institute of Medical Research, London, notes 
that this is one of the most unlikely "ifs" in his study — if 
one of the ingested bacteria proved to be harmful to the 
human body, and if it were to multiply, the victim could 
potentially turn into a carrier of a lethal unknown disease. 
So far, the doctor has not assigned any probabilities to 
these steps. After carefully studying all the conditions 
necessary for this to occur, however, he says that, even 
after assigning the highest possible probabilities, the ac- 
cumulated totals represent very, very small figures. 
"Thus, if ten scientists in each of a hundred laboratories 
carried out one hundred experiments per year," he con- 
cludes, "the least serious accident (that of the technician 
dying and not transmitting the new bacteria to anyone 
else) would occur an average of once in a million years." 

Dr. Holliday, who does not plan to conduct recombinant 
dna research, concludes that, in fact, the real danger lies in 
the restriction of more conventional genetic research 
which has been going on since the turn of the century. 
Such restrictions were imposed by the British Govern- 
ment. England, unlike the United States, has developed 
unified guidelines to control dna research. These rules are 
similar to those enforced by the NIH, in that they require 
three levels of precautionary measures to be taken: Physi- 
cal containment such as has been described; biological 
containment, which involves using the "crippled" E. coli 
that cannot survive outside the lab; and proper training for 
all researchers and technicians who would be conducting 
the experiments. The two sets of guidelines are different in 
their definition of containment, the assignment of risks, 
and in the way in which they are enforced. The English 
rules apply to all scientists conducting experiments in the 
country, while the NIH rules apply only to those receiving 
NIH funding. 



"It is well to remember that the 
hazards of recombinant DNA are only 
conjectural. For over a century, 
research with highly pathogenic 
organisms and other forms of genetic 
manipulation has quietly proceeded, 
with results that have been beneficial 
to mankind." 



Disagreements exist as to which set of guidelines is 
the best. Dr. John Tooze, Secretary of the European 
Molecular Biology Organization, said in New Scientist, 
"The British and American guidelines have been criticized 
by some for being too stringent, and for putting unneces- 
sary impediments in the way of research, and by others for 
being too slack and not putting on adequate safeguards. In 
reading an opinion, it is well to remember that the hazards 
of recombinant dna research are, indeed, only conjectural. 
For over a century, research with highly pathogenic or- 
ganisms, not to mention other forms of genetic manipula- 
tion, has quietly proceeded, with results that have been 
beneficial to mankind." 

Several groups are moving, from different directions, to 
either control or ban recombinant dna work. The Coali- 
tion for Responsible Genetic Research, a new organiza- 
tion, is urging a world-wide ban on all "genetic engineer- 
ing" until issues such as safety and possible alternative 
methods of research have been thoroughly studied. The 
CRGR has many prestigious members, including several 
Nobel Prize winners. The announcement of their found- 
ing coincided with the start of a National Academy of 
Science Conference on dna in Washington. The CRGR 
wants, among other things, "an immediate international 
moratorium on all research that would produce novel 
combinations between distinct organisms which have not 
been demonstrated to exchange genes in nature." As an 
example of alternatives, the group recommends institut- 
ing environmental studies to determine possible causes of 
cancer, in place of using relatively expensive and danger- 
ous dna research. 

Meanwhile, the New York and California legislatures 
have moved to control research within their own states. 
Following public hearings in October of 1976, the Attor- 
ney General of New York issued restrictive guidelines for 
all research work being done in that state: Scientists will 
require a certificate of competence before beginning work; 
all projects will have to be reviewed by the State Board of 
Health; all laboratories will be periodically and frequently 
inspected by the Health Board; and, finally, all research 
personnel will have their health monitored while conduct- 
ing recombinant dna experiments. Guidelines setting 
levels of precautions and containment will probably be 
tougher than NIH rules. 

The California State Assembly favors rigorous control of 
research, but it was undecided as to what state agency 
should enforce the rules. This debate ran into open con- 
frontation between various sections of the bureaucracy, 
and deliberation was extended because of hearings held by 
such groups as the Sierra Club, Friends of the Earth, and 
the Environmental Defense Fund. 

The previously mentioned conference of the National 
Academy of Science was intended to be a calm, open 
meeting to discuss the pros and cons of recombinant dna 
research. From the earliest moments of the meeting, 



8/ December 1911 / WPI Journal 



"When we developed the 
contraceptive pill, we knew almost 
nothing about the possible side 
effects it might produce, yet millions 
of women used it. Polio vaccine was 
found to contain a cancer virus, but 
there has never been one reported 
case of cancer that could be traced to 



it 



r r 



however, the "sacred halls of Science" were rocked with 
the cries and slogans of public interest groups, such as the 
so-called "People's Business Commission." They claimed 
that the meeting was full of scientists in favor of the 
research, and they demanded equal time, which they got. 
They also charged that the issue of safety was given too 
high a priority of discussion, and that the overriding 
question of morality was being ignored. 

The NAS conference did result, eventually, in legisla- 
tion being introduced into the Congress which would 
place NIH-type guidelines into federal law. An indepen- 
dent regulatory commission was part of a bill introduced 
by Senator Edward Kennedy, but the bill was withdrawn 
under heavy opposition late in September. A bill intro- 
duced by Representative Paul Rodgers was scheduled for 
hearings in November. 

The Kennedy bill was withdrawn, evidently, after the 
Senator reviewed the outcome of a risk assessment con- 
ference held in Falmouth, Massachusetts, earlier this year. 
Biologists attending the conference generally concluded 
that laboratory techniques currently being used in connec- 
tion with recombinant dna, pose little, if any, threat to 
starting an unknown epidemic. In defending this study, 
however, they also stressed that NIH guidelines should 
not be relaxed until there is a much more extensive set of 
data available for study. It is also rumored that a soon-to-be 
released paper by Stan Cohen, one of the pioneers in the 
recombinant dna field, will theorize that many of the 
alleged "novel and unnatural" combinations of genes that 
have been dubbed "genetic engineering" by skeptics, 
happen at random in nature. 

Professor Danielli endorses this view of the moral issue. 
Speaking of combinations of genes from two distinctly 
different organisms, he said, "This is going on in nature, of 
course, by natural means. The reason that people are 
interested in it now is that we've learned to do it in the 
laboratory, under controlled conditions. It offers the po- 
tentiality of making all sorts of organisms, including 
crops, that would be more valuable than the natural 



strains. Instead of letting organisms arise so as to fit 
particular ecological niches, we're going to take some 
things, and adapt them so they'll be more suitable for our 
civilization. For example, trees that grow twice as fast, to 
increase our supply of wood." 

Perhaps the single most damaging argument presented 
by anti-DNA speakers at the NAS conference was that 
scientists aren't able to judge the social impact of their 
own work. "Scientists tend not to believe that something 
they want to do is dangerous," said Dr. Danielli. "Often 
people have put in twenty years to get to where they now 
are, and then somebody comes around and says, 'You can't 
do that with E. coli!' It might take five years to find another 
suitable organism. They're set back five years, and, natu- 
rally, they get mad about it." 



It is not surprising, with the emphasis on contact 
between technologists and society that is stressed on 
this campus, to discover that WPI, as early as May 2, 1972, 
was the scene of a symposium on the ethics of genetic 
engineering. Dr. Danielli, then professor of biochemical 
pharmacology at the State University of New York at 
Buffalo, was quoted in the Tech News as saying, "to reach 
a higher level of civilization, we must use genetic en- 
gineering." (For more information, see the August 1972 
WPI Journal. ) Moderator of the discussion was Dr. Hudson 
Hoagland, founder of the Worcester Foundation for Exper- 
imental Biology, who hoped that "the day's speeches 
would shed light on a previously obscure subject." Hoag- 
land and Danielli were both awarded honorary Doctor of 
Science degrees from WPI at this symposium. Little did 



"This is going on in nature by natural 
means. The reason people are 
interested in it now is that we've 
learned to do it in the laboratory, 
under controlled conditions. 



r r 



Hoagland realize that, only five years later, he would find 
himself defending this "obscure subject" in front of a 
meeting of concerned citizens in Shrewsbury, as his 
foundation tried to start research on "genetic engineer- 
ing." 



WPI Journal / December 1977/9 




Jonathan King, MIT molecular biologist, has said, "In 
any case, recombinant dna work is a technocratic, not a 
democratic, approach to the problem," citing the experi- 
ence of the Cambridge Experimental Review Board, which 
has set restrictions on research taking place at Harvard and 
MIT. The Cambridge situation, to be sure, shows a need 
for scientists who can communicate effectively with the 
layman. 

The Cambridge hearings, which brought the phrase 
"recombinant dna" to the lips of the general public, were 
triggered when Mayor Alfred Vellucci, after receiving 
warnings from the "Science for the People" group, placed a 
temporary ban on construction of a new genetic laboratory 
at Harvard University. The Cambridge Experimental Re- 
view Board was formed to analyze the alleged potential 
danger. The members, including a nun, an engineer, a 
heating oil dealer, a social worker, and a philosopher, 
thoroughly looked into the question, and recommended 
that the experiments be allowed to proceed. Their report, 
approved by the City Council, imposed restricitions 
slightly more stringent than the NIH rules. 

Closer to home, the citizens of Shrewsbury, Mas- 
sachusetts, met last March 23rd, to hear representatives of 
the Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology ex- 
plain their proposal to begin recombinant research. The 
same Dr. Hoagland, who had used the term "obscure" five 
years earlier, found himself in front of a capacity crowd, 



trying to explain such things as "p-3" and "p-4" to house- 
wives and non-technical workers. 

After briefly describing the different processes used to 
break apart and rejoin the dna segments, and telling of the 
various containment levels, Dr. Hoagland noted that the 
experiments which brought on the Cambridge con- 
troversy involved using genes from human or animal-like 
cells. The WFEB proposes to use only those genes which 
are unrelated in any way with human-like structures. 
These experiments are classified as p-2, as opposed to p-3 
and p-4 research described above, p-2 experiments have 
been going on throughout the country for years, without 
serious problems. 

"Many of the actions taken by society," added Hoag- 
land, "involve taking some sort of risk." He also said that 
almost every industry in the country pollutes the envi- 
ronment each day, but this is allowed because it has 
become socially acceptable. One of the biggest risks taken 
is in the marketing of common drugs. "When we devel- 
oped the contraceptive pill," he said, "we knew almost 
nothing about the possible side effects it might produce, 
yet millions of women used it. Polio vaccine was found to 
contain a cancer virus, but there has never been one 
reported case of cancer that could be traced to it." 



10 / December 1977 / WPI Journal 



'Where I think there is a problem, as 
with nuclear materials, is that where 
you can do something for a good 
purpose, you can always do 
something analogous for a bad 
purpose." 



Many people have voiced the opinion that the E. coli 
bacteria used in the dna experiments could possibly be 
turned into a man-killing organism. "This, to my knowl- 
edge, would be just about impossible," said Dr. Hoagland. 
"When a bacteria, such as E. coli, is changed through this 
type of experimentation, the end result is/almost univer- 
sally, a weaker organism than the one you started with. As 
an added precaution, however, a 'crippled' E. coli is used. 
This bacteria must have so many different nurients to live, 
that it can't survive outside of the laboratory." Research at 
WPI should avoid the E. coli question altogether, since Dr. 
Danielli and his team will be using blue-green algae in its 
place. "Blue-green algae have two advantages over the E. 
coli which is commonly used," said Danielli. "One is that 
the blue-greens are not inhabitants of human beings, and 
are, therefore, not potential pathogens. The other is that 
blue-green algae have enormous economic importance, 
where E. coli don't." 

"You may ask why some scientists are against recom- 
binant dna research," Dr. Hoagland told the people of 
Shrewsbury. "Although this group is small, but vocal, they 



"Cambridge looked bad at first, but it 
came out good because scientists and 
laymen communicated. They were 
able to evaluate the situation without 
letting hysterics get in the way." 



Opposite page: Dr. Hudson Hoagland, H'72 (center), 
addressing an open meeting of Shrewsbury citizens 
concerned about recombinant DNA experiments 
proposed by the Worcester Foundaition for Experimental 
Biology. 



do represent a valid side of the matter. They see that it's 
important for us to take precautions, so we won't be 
blamed for another Legionnaire's Disease later." 

Dr. Hoagland said that there were many misconceptions 
among laymen about recombinant dna experiments that 
had been spread through the press. "The so-called claims 
of 'genetic engineering' made by the press are largely 
garbage," he said. "Cambridge looked bad at first, but it 
came out good because scientists and laymen communi- 
cated. They were able to evaluate the situation without 
letting hysterics get in the way." 

Robert Cates, a scientist who specializes in hazard 
assessment, said that people should be informed of the 
possible risks. "This controversy hasn't arisen because of 
what's been said in the press, but, rather, because of a past 
record of people doing things against their better judg- 
ment." He endorses such proposals as the forming of an 
independent residents' committee. After assessing the 
situation, however, he said that, in his opinion as an 
expert, he felt the p-2 level experiments should be allowed 
to proceed. 

A member of the Regional Environmental Council told 
the Shrewsbury meeting that she was disappointed by the 
lack of a balance between pro and con during the evening's 
discussion. Vice-Chairman of Selectmen Thomas Foley 
said that the meeting had been well advertised in all the 
local media outlets, and that opposition groups had been 
invited. When asked why none of the vocal groups, such as 
Science for the People, had bothered to come to 
Shrewsbury, the woman replied that the groups probably 
hadn't thought that the meeting was important enough to 
warrant the trip up from Boston. 

A Shrewsbury resident questioned Dr. Hoagland on the 
possibility of a mutation being spread outside of the 
laboratory. The doctor restated his belief that it was 
virtually impossible for a dangerous mutant to result from 
the proposed experiments. Apart from that, he said, "It 
would be about impossible for the 'crippled' E. coli to live 
in the researcher's stomach or intestines, let alone raw 
sewage." 

Dr. Betty Hoskins, of the WPI Life Sciences Depart- 
ment, addressed the meeting on possible ways of looking 
at the proposed research. "Much depends on the benefits 
versus the risks. Often we look only at the short term, 
instead of the long term. Even if our basic knowledge 
advances can we control the potential benefits? We hope 
that they will outweigh the risks. We could cause the risk 
of disease. Damage could be done to the environment, 
such as displacing or destroying some species. Also, by 
creating something artificial, we are breaking an ethical 
barrier. If this work proceeds, will it cloud our respect for 
human beings? 



WPI Journal / December 1977/11 



"Will the WFEB work foster the start of less desirable 
work elsewhere? It could become a matter of professional 
pride to try to outdo each other in our research. 

"The community should be involved, especially those 
research workers not working at the top levels." 

"There is an awful lot of foolish competition going on in 
the laboratory/' echoed Danielli, "trying to do something 
before another laboratory does, and it's a waste of time and 
energy. Competent research works out better than com- 
petitive research, as a general rule." He also said that he 
thought that guidelines for research and containment 
would be observed. "I would think that anybody who 
didn't would be in very serious trouble with the scientific 
community, and they might very well have to abandon 
science as a career. That's a very powerful sanction." 

By far, the majority of Shrewsbury residents who voiced 
their disapproval of the recombinant dna experiments 
said they held moral opinions. These people agreed that, 
although they basically trusted Dr. Hoagland and his 
WFEB staff, they could not approve of any work in which 
the basic structure of a gene would be artificially altered. 

Evidently, the citizens of Shrewsbury have seen some 
potential benefit to having dna experiments conducted in 
their town, for the selectmen were ultimately to vote 4-1 
against the formulation of a town bylaw to monitor 
research. The town's biohazards committee, formed after 
the March meeting, turned down a Cambridge-like ordi- 
nance on the grounds that there were "no real problems." 
They have chosen, as one selectman put it, to operate on 
"mutual trust." 

Just who has the right to monitor research is, presently, 
up in the air. While there is no basis for a town such as 
Shrewsbury banning the various kinds of research that 
may take place in private laboratories, Dr. Danielli, while 
calling for much more comprehensive rules, would sanc- 
tion such an action. "I think that, until we have an 
international policy, it's better to have a federal guideline 
than a state guideline. On the other hand, I don't see any 
reason why, if the community doesn't want a laboratory 
carrying out that sort of program, it shouldn't pass a bylaw 
against it, just as they can pass a bylaw to prevent a tannery 
opening in the middle of the city." 

Speaking of his own work with blue-green algae, 
Danielli emphasized the possible benefits of the research. 
"The algae do quite a variety of things that are potentially 
useful. They fix carbon, which makes them a potential 
food source. But they also fix nitrogen, which is a very 
practical thing, because otherwise nitrogen has to be fixed 
by chemical means, which has become enormously ex- 
pensive. If it is done by algae, by sunlight, it doesn't cost 
you a cent. 





s 




This is one of the P-2 classed laboratories at WPI, housed 
in the newly renovated Salisbury Labs. This is a "medium 
security" lab, with controlled environment and access, 
and it could be used for simple research using DNA. 
No such research is currently being done at WPI. 



12 / December 1977 / WPI Journal 



'There is an awful lot of foolish 
competition going on in the 
laboratory, trying to do something 
before another laboratory does, and 
it's a waste of time and energy. 
Competent research works out better 
than competitive research, as a 
general rule." 



"At any time, we may find ourselves starting up an 
experiment that has to do with 'genetic novelties/ " he 
continued, "and we'd probably work 'round about the P-3 
level, which is probably not more rigorous than is desir- 
able to do, anyway." Danielli added that, when the time 
comes, he will leave the work of getting NIH approval to 
members of the WPI Biohazards Committee. Present 
committee members are Professors Roy Widdus of life 
sciences, Douglas Browne of chemistry, and Alvin Weiss 
of chemical engineering. 

In both potential risks and possible benefits, the con- 
troversy over recombinant dna research has outgrown 
national boundaries. Since it is of international impor- 
tance, Dr. Danielli would like to see the United Nations 
step into the matter. "I think that it should be an interna- 
tional responsibility," he stated. "UNESCO [the United 
Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Or- 
ganization] probably should take the lead in this, working 
in conjunction with the national academies of science in 
the various countries." 



"I think that anybody who didn't 
follow the NIH guidelines would be in 
very serious trouble with the scientific 
community and might very well have 
to abandon science as a career. That's 
a very powerful sanction, 



r r 



Most of you reading this will, no doubt, come away 
with many questions, most of which can be an- 
swered only by applying your own moral and ethical 
beliefs. Laymen and scientists alike have become so 
confused over these many-faceted questions that even 
those directly involved with the research no longer are 
sure of the answers. 

Consider the researchers at the University of California 
who, earlier this year, made a major breakthrough when 
they successfully produced a new virus, using recombi- 
nant dna methods, that would reproduce insulin genes. 
While they and their colleagues in the scientific commu- 
nity were congratulating themselves on a great discovery, 
someone discovered that, inadvertently, they had broken 
the NIH guidelines by using a non-NIH approved plasmid 
in the experiments. Although the virus was soon replaced 
by another which had been approved, and the original 
virus was, later, given the NIH's OK, the "law" had, in fact, 
been broken. 

Perhaps, someday, this new and exciting field will yield 
the ultimate result to great problems, such as how to 
increase food supplies to feed populations in countries 
with limited farm lands. Perhaps not. Although the an- 
swers are far over the horizon, the questions are here, now. 
They demand and deserve to be further investigated. 



WPI Journal / December 1977 / 13 



Nuclear 
medicine's 
Howard 
Dworkin 

Your family doctor has ordered a 
brain scan. He wants to send you to 
the nuclear medicine facility at the 
local hospital. 

At the word "nuclear" you freeze. 
You think of mushroom clouds and 
fallout. You worry about the possible 
effects of radiation and wonder if the 
facility can really help you. 

"Doctor, can you tell me . . .," you 
begin. 

The doctor's phone rings. After he 
hangs up, he turns to you and says, 
"Sorry. I have to leave. An 
emergency." 

You are suddenly alone in the little 
office, and the worry grows. "Can't 
anybody tell me the facts about brain 
scans," you ask yourself. 

Dr. Howard J. Dworkin, '55, 
chief of nuclear medicine at William 
Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, 
Michigan, can tell you just about 
anything you'd want to know about 
brain scans or any other facet of nu- 
clear medicine. He is a qualified ex- 
pert in the field. 

Through him we learn that in order 
to diagnose your medical problems, 
your doctor needs information which 
is most easily acquired by using 
isotopes or radioactive compounds. 
This is why he has referred you to a 
nuclear medicine facility. The at- 
tending physician there has had spe- 
cial training in nuclear medicine. He 
has graduated from a medical college, 
and has completed years of intensive 
postgraduate training which qualify 
him as an expert in diagnosis. He has 
extensive technical knowledge of the 
machinery employed, as well as the 
chemistry of radioactive compounds, 
and knowledge of nuclear physics 
and radiation safety. 




One of the most frequently per- 
formed nuclear medicine examina- 
tions is a study of the brain, according 
to Dr. Dworkin. This may be done 
either with a scanner or a camera. 
The scanner moves back and forth in 
straight lines recording images of the 
emitted radiation as it moves across 
the part of your body (in this case, the 
brain) in which your doctor is inter- 
ested. The camera, a much larger 
instrument, is able to record the radi- 
ation emitted from selected body 
areas without moving. 

Before either the scanner or camera 
is put in operation, a radioactive 
compound is injected into a vein. The 
injection may be done while you are 
seated with your head next to the 
camera in order to identify the blood 
supply to your brain. Once the com- 
pound is circulating in your brain, the 
front, back, each side, and sometimes 
the top of your head will be imaged by 
the camera or scanner. 



The scan demonstrates both 
anatomical and physiological infor- 
mation about the brain. Changes in 
local brain physiology may lead to an 
area of increased radioactivity recog- 
nized by the nuclear physician by its 
pattern of dots. Different types of 
brain abnormalities can be identified 
by specific dot patterns. 

Dr. Dworkin feels that the danger 
from radiation in such diagnostic 
tests is minimal. "Nuclear medicine 
physicians and technologists are very 
well trained in radiation safety pro- 
cedures, and employ various 
methods to minimize your exposure 
to radiation," he emphasizes. 

Radioactive compounds are kept 
separate from patient areas, and lead 
barriers are used to shield you from 
radiation sources. The amount of 
radiation used in nuclear medicine 
examinations is very small, and the 
doses for patients are selected to pro- 
vide minimal exposure while still 
allowing for an adequate examina- 
tion. In fact, the amount of radiation 
you will receive is less than that 
received in many x-ray examinations. 



14 / December 1977 / WP1 Journal 




"There is more to nuclear 
medicine than the use of the brain 
scan," says Dr. Dworkin. "Actually, 
nuclear medicine may be defined as 
that field of medicine dealing with 
nonsealed radioactive materials, used 
for both the diagnosis and treatment 
of human disease." Radioactive drugs 
or radiopharmaceuticals may be 
given to the patient by mouth or 
injection and then pictures are taken 
or measurements made of various 
portions of the body. Radioactive 
chemicals can be used to assay the 
content of various drugs or hormones 
in body fluids, such as urine or blood. 
The latter application requires no 
administration of radioactivity to the 
patient. 

"Historically speaking, nuclear 
medicine emerged as an identifiable 
medical specialty during the late 
1950s and 1960s," Dr. Dworkin con- 
tinues. In 1 97 1 the American Board of 
Nuclear Medicine was formed, and it 
is this body which examines and cer- 
tifies physician competence in the 
total field of nuclear medicine. The 
development of the atomic theory, 



the discovery of x-rays (Roentgen, 
1895) and the identification of 
radioactivity (the Curies, 1898), all 
served to provide the scientific basis 
needed for the nuclear medicine field. 
The discovery and description of 
newer radioisotopes occurred in the 
1 9 30s, and this process has continued 
up to the present. 

Paralleling these events was the 
development of medical instrumen- 
tation used to detect and display the 
passage and distribution of radioac- 
tive materials at some finite distance 
from their place of residence. The 
history of nuclear medicine is replete 
with the names of many famous sci- 
entists — many of them ultimately 
being Nobel Prize winners. It is there- 
fore difficult to establish a single 
starting date for the day on which 
nuclear medicine began. 



The first administration of radioac- 
tive materials to a human subject 
occurred in the 1930s. However, 
full-scale application to patients had 
to await better means of production, 
which became available after devel- 
opment of the nuclear reactor. The 
reactor is commonly used to produce 
the various radioisotopes used in nu- 
clear medicine. However, another in- 
strument, also developed in the 1 9 30s 
— the cyclotron — is now being used 
more frequently for the production of 
radioactive materials for human ap- 
plication. 

Dr. Dworkin says that currently 
about 20 of the 1 500 known 
radioisotopes are actively used in nu- 
clear medicine. Since many of these 
isotopes are essential to the devel- 
opment of new radioactive drugs in 
the nuclear medicine field, the dis- 
covery and production of 
radioisotopes and their incorporation 
into various drugs continue to play a 
major role in the expansion of nuclear 
medicine services. 



WPJ Journal / December 1911 / 15 



A nuclear medicine service, such 
as the one which Dr. Dworkin heads 
at William Beaumont Hospital, per- 
forms a large variety of procedures. 
Which procedures tend to be per- 
formed most by a given nuclear ser- 
vice will depend on a variety of fac- 
tors. Among these are the level of 
sophistication of medicine practiced 
in the surrounding community, the 
qualifications and skills of the physi- 
cian in charge of nuclear medicine, 
the services, other personnel, the 
level of equipment sophistication 
and the financial resources available 
to the medical community. The size 
of the nuclear medicine service may 
also vary with certain other factors, 
such as the size of the hospital, the 
volume of tests required, and the type 
and level of care provided by the 
hospital. 

Dr. Dworkin arrived at William 
Beaumont Hospital after following a 
somewhat circuitous route from 
WPI. "I graduated as a chemical en- 
gineer," he says, "but decided that I 
really wanted to go into medicine. 
While a senior at WPI, I was accepted 
at Albany (N.Y.) Medical College. 
Through the efforts of Col. Harris, 
who was head of ROTC at the time, I 
was able to delay my commitment to 
serve in the armed forces so that I 
could attend medical school. I'll be 
forever grateful for his help." 

He received his MD degree in 1959 
and then took a rotating internship at 
Albany (N.Y.) Hospital. Following 
that, he decided to take two years of 
internal medicine residency at 
Rochester (N.Y.) General Hospital. 
He completed the residency with one 
year of training in the department of 
medicine at the University of Michi- 
gan in Ann Arbor. 

"Subsequently, I took a two-year 
fellowship in nuclear medicine in the 
department of nuclear medicine at 
University Hospital, which is also in 
Ann Arbor," Dr. Dworkin reports. 
"At the same time, I took classes on a 
part-time basis, and in 1965 I received 
a master's degree in radiation 
biology." 



For a year he was an instructor in 
the department of medicine at the 
University of Michigan. Later he 
went to the University of Toronto, 
where he became an assistant profes- 
sor, then an associate professor, and 
head of the department of nuclear 
medicine at Princess Margaret 
Hospital. 

In 1967, honoring his military 
commitment, he became head of nu- 
clear medicine in the department of 
radiology at National Naval Medical 
Center in Bethesda, Maryland, where 
he held the rank of commander in the 
Medical Corps. "I was very fortunate 
to obtain this position, since I had 
been originally drafted into the 
Army, but because I discovered that 
they needed someone skilled in nu- 
clear medicine at Bethesda, I was able 
to switch from the Army to the Navy 
with little difficulty," he says. 

Following his tour of duty, in 1969 
Dr. Dworkin accepted the position 
that he currently holds as chief of 
nuclear medicine at William Beau- 
mont Hospital, in Royal Oak, Michi- 
gan, just north of Detroit. He is the 
present director of the School of Nu- 
clear Medicine Technology at the 
hospital, a school which trains nu- 
clear medicine technologists. He 
serves as director of the nuclear 
medicine resident training program 
(part of his department), and has clin- 
ical appointments at Wayne State 
University, Michigan State Univer- 
sity, and Oakland University (de- 
partment of biophysics). 

Active in a number of professional 
societies, Dr. Dworkin is president- 
elect of the American College of Nu- 
clear Physicians, and a member of the 
national board of trustees of the Soci- 
ety of Nuclear Medicine. He also 
belongs to AMA, the American Fed- 
eration for Clinical Research, the 
American Thyroid Association, and 
the Endocrine Society, as well as Tau 
Beta Pi, Sigma Xi, and Alpha Omega 
scholastic honor societies. He 
achieved board certification in inter- 
nal medicine in 1966 and in nuclear 
medicine in 1972. 



He has had over 3 1 articles pub- 
lished in scientific journals, com- 
pleted 1 3 abstracts and presentations, 
and has been the author or co-author 
of chapters in several books. In 1975 
he was a co- winner of the Gold 
Award in the educational class for 
"The Free Thyroxine Index by Mea- 
surement — A Single Thyroid 
Screening Test," which was pre- 
sented before the American Society 
of Clinical Pathologists and the Col- 
lege of American Pathologists. 

Among Dr. Dworkin's patents is 
one which he feels came about as a 
result of background information he 
received as a WPI student. "The pat- 
ent is for a device which is used for 
tagging radioactive materials to al- 
bumin," he says. "The device is 
largely based on electrolysis, a subject 
which I remember studying well at 
WPI." 

Although Dr. Dworkin has been 
associated with numerous colleges 
and universities throughout the 
years, it is WPI which he credits as 
having set him in the right direction. 
"My courses at WPI certainly influ- 
enced my choice of a medical spe- 
cialty," he says, "and I haven't been 
disappointed. The field I work in has 
turned out to be a very nice blend of 
medicine and physical science. It is a 
field that has provided an enjoyable 
and rewarding career experience for 
me." 



16 / December 1977 / WPI Journal 



Joe Gale 



One hundred and nineteen years with 
a single family working in one place 
could be some kind of record. "That's 
exactly how many years my father, 
grandfather, two uncles, and I have 
spent collectively at WPI since 
1924," says Joe Gale, technical de- 
signer and instructional associate. 

Joe arrived at WPI in 1 946. It was a 
natural destination for him. "Dad 
was the first custodian at Higgins," 
he says. "He worked here for 22 years. 
My grandfather served as custodian 
for ten years. I had one uncle who 
worked at WPI for 30 years and 
another for 26 years." 

In the beginning, Joe was the ath- 
letic field groundskeeper for Build- 
ings and Grounds. In 1 947 he was 
transferred to the Department of Me- 
chanical Engineering, where he 
worked with the late Prof. Carl 
Johnson in welding and metallurgy. 
Currently he instructs students in 
casting, welding, and machine shop 
operations. During Intersession he is 
involved with forging techniques. 

"We hold classes every weekday," 
Joe says. He gestures toward the row 
of machines in Washburn shops, 
where several students are working. 
"These students are on their own 
right now," he explains, "because it's 
in between class periods. They often 
use their free time to finish up over- 
flow class work. Some also have to 
complete prototypes for their end- 
of-month semester projects." 

Safety reminders are posted prom- 
inently on the bulletin board in the 
outer hall. One advises students to 
take off their rings and other jewelry 
before using the machines. "We also 
remind them to wear safety glasses," 
says Joe. "Most of all, we ask them to 
tie back long hair and to tuck in loose 
shirts. We don't want to have any 
accidents." 

It is obvious that the students get 
along well with Joe, in spite of the 
safety warnings, and in spite of the 
fact that he can be exacting in his 
shop instruction. On the way from 
the shop to his of fice, several smile, 
ask him how he's doing, and engage 
in general banter. 




"Good kids," Joe observes later. 
"Some of them are second generation 
students of mine. Take Peter 
Schoonmaker, '80," he says. "I had 
his dad, the Rev. Paul Schoonmaker, 
'5 6, as a student. I also taught Bill 
Cunneen, '5 1, the father of Richard 
Cunneen, '80." 

Former students do not forget Joe 
after they graduate, either. "Alumni 
often drop by the office," he reports. 
"Most of the time I can place the face, 
if not the name. Anyway, I'm always 
glad to see them." The feeling is 
obviously mutual. The Class of 195 1 
invited him to their 25 th reunion. 

Joe has duties at WPI other than 
those in Washburn. "I've assisted at 
every basketball game for 25 years," 
he says, "and also the football games. 
I worked with Percy Carpenter before 
Coach Pritchard came." 

Still under the jurisdiction of the 
Athletic Department, Joe serves as a 
general and genial host for visiting 
scouts. He has been in charge of the 
press box since it was built. "I have to 
see that the communications work 
properly and that refreshments are 
available," he says. 

For his many years of loyal service 
to WPI, and for his unique contribu- 
tions to the school, Joe was awarded 
one of its highest honors. In 197 1 he 
became the first staff member ever 
elected to Skull. Last May he was 
honored at WPI's first long-service 
banquet held for 32 faculty and staff 
members who have served the col- 
lege for 25 years or more. 

Off campus Joe puts on another 
cap, as commanding officer of the 
Worcester Auxiliary Police. In this 
post, "Lt. Gale" heads a force of 70 
men, who assist the Worcester Police 



Probably Joe's favorite police duty 
is at Pleasant Valley Country Club in 
Sutton, where he has been supervisor 
of security for eight PGA men's tour- 
naments and four ladies' tourna- 
ments. The job isn't easy. During the 
annual tournament he works up to 
twelve hours a day. 

In 1976 some 40,000 people 
showed up for the last day of the 
tournament. The logistics of contain- 
ing such crowds might intimidate 
some. Joe, however, always comes 
through with flying colors. Next 
summer he'll again be heading up 
security forces for the Pleasant Valley 
PGA spectacular. 

"I really enjoy working the tour- 
nament," he confesses. "About 99% 
of the spectators are interested in golf, 
sports in general, and are well- 
mannered for the most part." To en- 
sure security, Joe has about 30 men 
on active duty, some of them 24 
hours a day. "Men are stationed on 
the periphery of the grounds, not only 
during the actual tournament, but 
the day before, too," he says. 

Through his work at Pleasant Val- 
ley, Joe has become friends with sev- 
eral pros on the PGA tour, notably 
Tom Shaw, who won the AVCO 
tournament there. (He has been in- 
vited to New Year's parties at Shaw's 
home in Florida, but so far, because of 
his numerous Worcester duties, has 
had to take a rain check.) Shaw is also 
a friend of Joe's son, Jack (WPI '70), 
head golf pro at Rochester (N.H.) 
Country Club. 

"Golf is very much all-in-the- 
family," Joe says. "Jack's wife is Mary 
Carr Gale, who was ladies' amateur 
champion for New Hampshire in 
1976. Her brother is Joe Carr, golf pro 
at Holden Hills Country Club." 

He laughs and opens his wallet. 
"We may have another golf pro on our 
hands in a few years, " he says, pulling 
out a picture of a handsome, husky 
baby. "This is Joseph Francis Gale," 
he announces. Jack and Mary's son. 
My grandson. Bom October 9th. Isn't 
he rugged?" 

According to the photo, he defi- 
nitely is. Jack Nicklaus had better 
look to his laurels! 



\ATP1 Tnnrnnl / DprprnhpT 7977 / 11 



WPI WORD SEARCH 



by Ruth Trask 



There are 56 words pertaining to WPI hidden 
in this puzzle. Can you find them? Look up, 
down, backwards, diagonally, forwards, and 
sideways — but always in a straight line. 
[Words and letters in brackets are not in the 
puzzle.] We have already circled one word to 
get you started. Happy hunting! 

Word List 

1. Alden 

2. Arm [and hammer] 

3. AtwaterKent 

4. Black Student Union 



5. 


Bong [Alden chimes] 


6. 


Bowling Club 


7. 


Boynton 


8. 


Cheerleaders 


9. 


Coffee House 


10. 


Crew 


11. 


Dad [the guy who pays the bills] 


12. 


Daniels 


13. 


Ellsworth-Fuller 


14. 


Football 


15. 


Glee Club 


16. 


Goat's Head Pub 


17. 


Goddard 


18. 


Gordon Library 


19. 


Harrington 


20. 


Higgins 


21. 


Hillel 


22. 


Hockey C[lub] 


23. 


IFC 


24. 


IQP 


25. 


Kaven 


26. 


Lacrosse Clb. 


27. 


Late [to class?] 


28. 


Lens [and] Lights 


29. 


Masque 


30. 


Mass 


31. 


MD [some get this after WPI. Two 




adjacent solutions.] 



32. Nautical Clb. 

33. Newman [Club] 

34. Olin 

35. Peddler 

36. Pershing Rifle[s] 

37. [Rope] Pull 

38. Rule [WPI has more than one!] 

39. Rushfing] 

40. Salisbury 

41 . Sanford Riley 

42. Scabbard and Blade 

43. Science Fiction Soc[iety] 

44. SSC [Semi-Simple Club] 

45. Ski Club 

46. Social Co[mmittee] 

47. SWE [Society of Women Engineers] 



48. SPUD 

49. Stoddard 

50. Stratton 

51. Student Government 

52. Track 

53. Washburn 

54. Wedge 

55. WPI Band 

56. [WPI] Newspeak 





f S 


T 


U 


D 


E 


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18 / December 1977 / WPI Journal 






RISING ECONOMY. 



Millions of fine bubbles from 
Norton Dome Difiuser Aeration 
Systems are giving economy and 
efficiency a lift in activated sludge 
processing around the world. 
These advanced aeration systems 
offer cost-effective advantages 
right down the line. 

The big savings are in 
energy because DDAS oxygen 
transfer efficiency provides more 
BOD removal per unit of energy 
than any other type of aeration sys- 
tem -up to 8. 9 lbs. oxygen trans- 
ferred per bhp-hr. at standard 
conditions. What's more, low air 
volume means further savings with 
smaller blowers, filters, pipes and 
buildings. 

Installation costs are low for 
simple DDAS design and construc- 



tion. Any type or size tank. . .new 
or converted. . .can be used. 

Capital and operating costs 
are lower with DDAS single-stage 




BOD removal and nitrification. 

Maintenance costs are vir- 
tually eliminated because the 
blowers are the only moving com- 
ponents. . .and they're totally 
enclosed and weather-protected. 

Just some of the reasons why 
Norton Dome Diffuser Aeration 
Systems are on the rise around the 
world, in both existing and ex- 
panded waste treatment plants. 
Find out how they can lower your 
capital and operating costs. Write 
for new Bulletin 519 or give us a call 
(617) 853-1000. Norton Company. 
Aeration Systems. New Bond 
Street. Worcester, MA 01606. 



NORTON 




The information on which these class notes 
and obituaries are based was received at 
the WPI Alumni Office before November 
21. Material received after that date will be 
used in future issues of the WPI Journal. 



1933 

After 37 years of public service, A. Rodney 
Klebart has retired as town engineer in 
Webster, Mass. He had been town en- 
gineer since 1960, having previously 
served as assistant engineer since 1 939. He 
is also superintendent of the town sewer 
department and secondary sewage treat- 
ment plant. In addition, he serves as Web- 
ster's representative to the Central Mas- 
sachusetts Regional Planning Commission, 
clerk of the zoning board of appeals, a 
member of the town's bylaw committee, 
and chairman of the East Village Sewer 
Construction Committee. 

1939 

Gleason Jewett works as a technical repre- 
sentative at Standard Mfg. Co., Inc. in 
Dallas, Texas. 

1941 

Frederick Benn, who retired as an account 
executive from Norton Co. in April, is now 
president of Frederick Benn & Associates in 
Carmel, Calif. Not only is he a manufactur- 
er's representative and agent, he also 
teaches business courses at Monterey 
Peninsula College and Hartnell College. 

1942 

Roy Bourgault, professor of mechanical 
engineering at WPI, was recently elected 
secretary of the materials division of the 
American Society for Engineering Educa- 
tion. 



20/ December 1977 / WPI Journal 



1943 

Everett Ambrose has taken early retirement 
from Monsanto Co. after 32 years of ser- 
vice. He has now begun a second career as 
a packaging staff member in the operations 
engineering department with the Plastic 
Beverage Bottle Division of the Continental 
Can Co. in Merrimack, N.H. He resides in 
Simsbury, Conn, and writes that he enjoys 
it there very much. . . . Jackson Durkee, 
consulting structural engineer, has joined 
the firm of Modjeski and Masters in Harris- 
burg, Pa. as a general partner. His recent 
experience includes ten years as chief 
bridge engineer at Bethlehem Steel Corpo- 
ration in the Fabricated Steel Construction 
Division. Durkee, who resides in 
Bethlehem, Pa., has a visiting professorship 
in the department of structural engineering 
at Cornell University. 

Victor Kohman has been promoted. 
Presently he is concerned with state reg- 
ulatory matters in the Bell-Independent 
Relations section. His responsibilities lie in 
the mechanization of cost study set- 
tlements — that is, the dollar settlement 
amount between the 23 Bell System 
operating companies and the 1500-plus 
independent companies, for mutual use of 
each other's lines and equipment. Last year 
total settlements were $2.96 billion. . . . 
Raymond Matthews was recently named 
plant manager for the Robertshaw Con- 
trols Company Tempstat Division in 
Hinsdale, N.H. He will be responsible for 
the facility's daily operation. He has been 
chief engineer for Tempstat since 1974. 
The division manufactures temperature 
and pressure relief valves for gas and elec- 
tric water heating and a line of ball type 
valves for industrial application. 

1946 

Dr. John Lott Brown, a WPI trustee and 
director of the Center for Visual Science at 
the University of Rochester, has been 
named president of the University of South 
Florida in Tampa. He received his MA from 
Temple University and his PhD from Co- 
lumbia University. He takes over his new 
post at the 33,000-student university in 
January. 

1949 

Robert Amsden, formerly an electronic en- 
gineer for the Naval Electric Systems Com- 
mand, Washington, D.C., retired in April 
and is currently residing in Las Vegas, 
Nevada. . . . George Dewire holds the post 
of marketing manager at Harris Corp., RF 
Communications Division, in Rochester, 
N.Y. . . . John Snyder has been named as a 
sales associate in real estate at Patrick L. 
Hedden Company in Warren, N.J. He had 
served as a marketing manager and plan- 
ning coordinator for Union Carbide's chem- 
icals and plastics division for 24 years. Most 
recently he was with TRW Crescent Wire & 
Cable and Phelps Dodge International 
Corp. 



1950 

Tejinder Singh currently serves as assistant 
general manager of refining at Bharat Pe- 
troleum Corporation Limited refinery in 
Bombay, India. He is concerned with the 
operations, engineering, installation, and 
marine work at the refinery. Singh's daugh- 
ter, Kiran, is married to an opthalmologist 
who is an assistant professor at the Univer- 
sity of Maryland. His son, Dipinder, is in the 
third year of college. 

1951 

^■Married: Selim Temel and Mary A. Tip- 
per in Greenwich, Connecticut on October 
9, 1 977. The bride attended New York 
School of Interior Design and graduated 
from the State University of New York at 
Purchase. She owns and operates the Dec- 
otique, a furniture and collector's con- 
signment shop in Greenwich. The groom, 
who has studied at Newark College of 
Engineering, is co-founder, vice president, 
and secretary of the Microphase Corp. in 
Cos Cob. The company designs and man- 
ufactures microwave electronic compo- 
nents and subsystems for the defense and 
aerospace industries. 

William Haslett is a research specialist 
for Fisher Controls in Marshalltown, Iowa. 

1955 

Kirby Ducayet III, administrative manager 
with Schweitzer Division of the Kimberly 
Clark Corp. since 1 973, has been promoted 
to the Forest Products Business Division of 
Kimberly Clark in Redding, Calif. Ducayet is 
a trustee of the Lee (Mass.) Savings Bank 
and the Berkshire County Heart Associa- 
tion. He is also vice chairman of the town 
finance committee. 

1956 

Michael Gordon has been appointed direc- 
tor of aircraft marketing in the Kearfott 
Division of the Singer Company. He will be 
responsible for directing the division's 
marketing — sales efforts for aircraft- 
related systems. Since joining the firm in 
1957, he has held a number of posts, 
including that of western region sales man- 
ager, supervisor of missile systems market- 
ing, and senior development sales engineer 
and contract coordinator. He belongs to 
the American Institute of Aeronautics and 
Astronautics and the Association of the 
U.S. Army. He was cofounder of the 
Southern California Association of Profes- 
sional Representatives. 

Robert Skelton serves as manufacturing 
planning engineer for Information Han- 
dling Services of Englewood, Colorado. 



A meeting of minds 
still needs some rules 

by Fred Kardon of The Gazette Staff 
Reprinted by permission of the Worcester 
Evening Gazette 



Francis Wiesman, '29, has a way 
with words. The correct way. 

Wiesman, 70, is a certified par- 
liamentarian, an expert in rules, pro- 
cedures and debates. 

Wiesman, who taught penman- 
ship, general science, English, busi- 
ness and general math and geometry 
in his 38 years as a teacher — from 
1 932 to 1 970 — at North and Com- 
merce High School, is one of only 
nine registered members of the Na- 
tional Association of Parliamentar- 
ians in New England. 

He is one of five parliamentarians 
in Massachusetts certified by the 
American Institute of Parliamentar- 
ians. 

"There are not, " he said with a grin, 
"a whole lot of us around." 

Wiesman said he became inter- 
ested in parliamentary procedure in 
the mid-1960s "because I had an op- 
portunity to attend quite a few differ- 
ent meetings — social groups and 
whatever — and I found out first- 
hand how poorly they were being 
run." 

"I found that almost all the people 
involved with these organizations did 
not know how to correctly run a 
meeting. 

"And since the members did not 
know the rules, most of the mistakes 
were never corrected," Wiesman 
added. 

Wiesman said too often the officers 
of a club will say "let's get the work 
done; to heck with the rules" and the 
rights of the members are violated. It 
is Wiesman's job to see that these 
rights are not violated. 

As a free-lance parliamentarian, 
Wiesman is consultant to several 
state and local organizations as a 
bylaws interpreter. 

He attends conventions, offers ad- 
vice to groups — for a fee — that are 
revising bylaws and in general 
"makes sure things are run according 
to the book." 




Or books, in Wiesman's case. 
His "bibles of the trade" include 
"Robert's Rules of Order," 
"Cushman's Rules of Order," 
and "Demeter's Manual of Par- 
liamentary Law and Procedure." 

Wiesman said one of the problems 
with being hired as a parliamentarian 
is that "a group will ask for help in 
revising bylaws and when you make 
suggestions they tell you, 'You can't 
do that.' " 

He said, "Everybody knows your 
job better than you do." 

Wiesman, who also teaches night 
courses in parliamentary procedure, 
said it is the larger organizations that 
desperately need help in running 
meetings. 

He said following prescribed rules 
is not a big problem in a small club, 
"but when you get a group with 200 
members and $5,000 in the treasury, 
then you have to be pretty careful 
about following rules. 

"I have seen situations," Wiesman 
said, "where the presiding officer of a 
club will violate every rule in the 
book, make up his own rules and 
then violate them." 



Wiesman, who has consulted for 
the Boston Teachers Union, the Mas- 
sachusetts Federation of Teachers, 
and the Postal Workers Union, is 
assisting in bylaws revision for the 
Massachusetts Nurses Association. 

"When working with bylaws, or 
any kind of regulations, you have to 
be careful not to make them too 
simple," Wiesman said. 

"A very simple rule is 'I am law' 
and that gives you a dictatorship. So 
simplicity isn't always beneficial," 
he added. 

Wiesman said working with small 
groups is very easy. He laughed and 
added, "If you have a club with only 
two people, the biggest one is au- 
tomatically the boss and it solves all 
problems." 

Wiesman said while his advice is 
not always accepted, even when 
asked for, he enjoys the work. 

Maintaining order is important, he 
added. He was a teacher long enough 
to realize that. 

Quoting the late Col. Henry M. 
Robert, author of the original 
"Robert's Rules of Order," Wiesman 
said, "When there is no law, but every 
man does what is right in his own 
eyes, there is the least of real liberty." 



If we know about it... 



Alumni often ask where the news in 
"Your class and others" comes from. 
Often they phrase the question more 
like, "How come you didn't include this 
thing that happened to me (or, to my 
buddy) ? Lots of people would like to 
hear about it." 

The only answer to that is, we'd like 
to hear about it too, and until we do we 
can't print it. Most of the news here 
is based on three sources of informa- 
tion: newspaper (and occasionally 
magazine) clippings which are sent 
to us by an agency; press releases 
and other information coming from 
organizations and corporations; and 
personal notes or letters directly from 
alumni or their families. 



This explains several things about 
the content of the class notes. Some 
alumni have complained that the 
section is top heavy in news of pro- 
motions, new jobs, and other business- 
related activity. And these are precisely 
the sort of news items that corporate 
public relations offices tell us and the 
newspapers about with care and regu- 
larity. The information tends to be 
short and somewhat impersonal, and, 
unfortunately, this can't help but carry 
over to the class notes themselves. 

When we hear directly from an in- 
dividual alumnus, we often have much 
more to tell about his family and non- 
business-related activities, and 
because we know more about the 



person, we can tell it with more 
warmth. 

So the next time you ask yourself 
why we didn't run a note about your 
classmate Joe and what's going on in 
his life, don't stop there: Drop the 
Journal a note and then we can share 
the news with the rest of your class- 
mates. 

In this issue, we're including a reply 
card you can use to let us know some- 
thing about yourself or another 
alumnus. With your help, we can 
make these class notes more lively 
and give broader coverage to alumni 
activities. But only if we know about it. 



1957 

Edward Dennett has been named vice pres- 
ident and director of marketing of the 
Sangamo Energy Management Division, 
Atlanta, Georgia. He joined the firm in 
1957 as a sales engineer and has had 
several promotions since. In January he 
became vice president of national sales in 
the energy management division. The divi- 
sion is a leading producer of centralized 
load management systems, watt-hour and 
demand meters, capacitors, controllers, 
and survey recorders. It is part of Sangamo 
Weston, Inc., asubsidiaryof Schlumberger, 
Ltd. 



1959 

^■Married: Thomas J. Hill to Miss Bonita S. 
Mulligan in Tewksbury, Massachusetts on 
November 2, 1977. The bride graduated 
from Tewksbury Hospital School of Practi- 
cal Nursing and is a licensed practical nurse 
at St. Joseph's Hospital. Her husband is 
with AVCO in Wilmington, Mass. 



Dr. Joseph Bronzino, director of the 
biomedical engineering program at Trinity 
College, Hartford, Conn., has written a 
book, Technology For Patient Care: Appli- 
cations For Today, Implications For Tomor- 
row, which was published by C. Mosby in 
June. The book is an introduction to 
technology in patient care designed for 
those students and practitioners who have 
no background in engineering or advanced 
mathematics. Bronzino is also under con- 
tract to Addison-Wesley to produce 
another text on computer applications in 
medical technology in the next couple of 
years. . . . Morgan Ely works as a subcon- 
tract field engineer for Bechtel Power Corp. 
in Pottstown, Pa. He is a lieutenant com- 
mander in the Navy Civil Engineer Corps, 
USNR-R. 

1961 

^■Married: Richard H. Nelson and Kay K. 

Wilson last March. Nelson works for Harris 
ESD, Melbourne, Fla., where he serves as 
program manager for electro-optic pro- 
grams. 

Philip Crimmins has joined SCM Corpo- 
ration's Allied Paper Division as lightweight 
paper specialty manager of Allied's New 
York sales office. He will be responsible for 
developing sales of specialty non- 
publishing items that use lightweight 
paper. Allied is the nation's leading manu- 
facturer of lightweight papers. . . . Doug 
Gladstone holds the post of supervising 
structural engineer at the Boston office of 
United Engineers and Constructors, Inc. 
Currently he is involved in the design and 
construction of various industrial projects. 
He has been with the firm for ten years — 
Thomas Postma is now a senior engineer at 
Raytheon Co. in Wayland, Mass. 



1962 

Dr. Charles Belanger has moved from the 
cou rtesy staff in the Department of Pediat- 
rics to the associate staff in the Department 
of Emergency Medicine at Hahnemann 
Hospital in Worcester. He has been a 
member of the hospital medical staff since 
1975. . . . Presently David France holds the 
post of supervisor of equipment develop- 
ment at GTE/Sylvania in Hillsboro, N.H. . . . 
Richard Frost was recently named division 
superintendent of lines for Massachusetts 
Electric in North Andover, a subsidiary of 
New England Electric. After joining New 
England Power Service Co. in 1 965, he was 
located in Attleboro, Southbridge, 
Westboro, and at Narragansett Electric in 
Providence, R.I. Prior to his promotion, he 
was assistant district superintendent of 
transmission and distribution at Mass. Elec- 
tric in Lowell. He is a registered professional 
engineer in Massachusetts. 



1963 

Dr. Richard Dominguez currently serves as 
chairman of the department of civil en- 
gineering at the University of Maine in 
Orono. . . . Norman Fineberg has been 
named a member of the law firm of Wiggin 
& Dana in New Haven, Conn. He holds a 
master of engineering degree from Yale 
and a law degree cum laude from Boston 
University. . . . Arthur Goddard now works 
as a systems development manager for 
Collins Radio in Newport Beach, Calif. . . . 



22 / December 1977 / WPI Journal 



Dr. Joseph Mancuso has been accepted as 
a member of Sales & Marketing Executives 
of greater Boston. He is with the manage- 
ment engineering department at WPI. . . . 
Timothy Shea was recently appointed by 
Westinghouse as project director for a 
power project in Cairo, Egypt. Previously 
he was a project site manager during the 
construction of South Korea's first atomic 
power plant. Shea and his wife, Susan, 
have a two-year-old son, Patrick. 

1964 

Donald Ryder was the author of "In-house 
aerial lift tests proved smooth, safe" in the 
August issue of Transmission and Distribu- 
tion. He is with the transportation division 
of Philadelphia Electric Co., where he has 
been employed since 1964. 

1965 

^■Married: William F. Shields to Miss 
Elaine O'Sullivan recently in Canton, Mas- 
sachusetts. Mrs. Shields, a graduate of 
Boston College, is employed by the Gillette 
Co. The groom is a pilot for Eastern Airlines. 

Charles DeSimone, Jr., has been elected 
vice president of the Society for Savings in 
Windsor, Conn. Formerly active in private 
placement investments and head of the 
credit division, he will now concentrate on 
private placement activities in the Prudent 
Investment Division. He joined the Society 
in 1975 and was promoted to assistant vice 
president later that year. Previously he was 
with Hartford National Bank & Trust; Elec- 
tric Boat/General Dynamics; and Hamilton 
Standard. Since 1971 he has been a 
member of the adjunct faculty at the Uni- 
versity of Hartford. . . . William Dolbow 
was appointed to the faculty at Notre 
Dame College in Manchester, N.H., where 
he is an assistant professor of chemistry. 
Formerly he was a research chemist for 
Nashua Corporation. 

William Hagar holds the post of produc- 
tion engineer at Davidson Rubber Co. in 
Farmington, N.H. . . . George Kane, SIM, 
has been appointed as assistant public 
works commissioner for administration in 
the Worcester Public Works Department. 
Earlier he had been production control and 
planning manager at Crompton & Knowles 
Corp. . . . Chester Sergey, Jr., has received 
the distinguished sales award of the Sales 
and Marketing Executives of Greater New 
Haven (Conn.), a group whose purpose is 
the promoting of professionalism in selling 
and marketing. Chet has been with En- 
thone, Incorporated for ten years and was 
honored recently at the group's award 
banquet. In 1976 he had the highest per- 
centage of achievement of quota, reaching 
227 percent of his objective. He is active 
with the Cub Scouts and the Girls Scouts as 
a den leader and as a sponsor chairman, 
and serves as vice president of the Water- 
bury branch of the American Electroplaters' 
Society. The Sergeys have a son Philip, 10 
and daughter Susan, 8. . . . Dr. Peter 
Welcker II is currently with DuPont's Exper- 
imental Station in Wilmington, Delaware. 



1966 

Capt. Eugene Dionne recently received the 
Meritorious Service Medal at Los Angeles 
Air Force Station, California. He was cited 
for outstanding duty performance as a 
spacecraft systems manager at Los Angeles 
AFSfrom March 17, 1974 to Feb. 28, 1977. 
Currently he serves as a chief engineer with 
the test division. 

1967 

Robert Dashner has been promoted to 
manager of finance and corporate applica- 
tions development in the information ser- 
vices department at Amdahl Corporation in 
Sunnyvale, California. . . . Duncan Van- 
denberg is a process engineer at Dow 
Corning Corp. in Greensboro, N.C. 

1968 

William Belisle, who received his MS in 
mechanical engineering from California 
State University at Long Beach, is a systems 
programmer/analyst in Aerospace and En- 
ergy Systems at AiResearch Manufacturing 
Co. Bill and his wife, Belinda, who recently 
earned her MA in English, are both instruc- 
tors at CSULB and both are also officers of 
Kappa Delta Pi, a national honor society in 
education. The Belisles have two sons, 
Michael, 4 1 /2 and Steven, 2. . . . George 
Gamache has been named director of en- 
gineering for Star Market Company. He 
joined Star in 1972 as a project engineer, 
and has since served as construction man- 
ager and director of construction. Currently 
he is pursuing his MBA at Babson College. 
. . . Donald Holden is now a product en- 
gineer at Abbott Laboratories in North 
Chicago, Illinois. 

Dr. Charles Konopka was appointed to 
the high school mathematics department in 
Longmeadow, Mass. He has been a consul- 
tant to the Connecticut State Department 
of Education. ... Dr. Michael Paige is 
employed as manager of software in en- 
gineering research at TASC in Reading, 
Mass. . . . Stephen Pytka serves as a senior 
analyst at Xerox Corp. in Rochester, N.Y. 
He received his MBA from Tuck School at 
Dartmouth. ... Dr. E. Wayne Turnblom, 
one of the youngest professionals ever to 
receive such a promotion at Kodak, has 
been named as research laboratory head of 
the special materials laboratory in the 
photomaterials division at Kodak Research 
Laboratories in Rochester, N.Y. He joined 
the laboratories in 1974 as a research 
chemist, photosensitive formulations labo- 
ratory, and was named to the organic 
chemistry laboratory earlier this year. He 
received his PhD from Columbia in 1972 
and spent two years at Princeton as an 
instructor in chemistry. He belongs to the 
American Chemical Society and Sigma Xi. 



1969 

^■Married: Charles A. Kalauskas and Carol 
H. Doty on October 8, 1977 in Bridgeport, 
Connecticut. The bride graduated from 
Wells College and is a member of the staff 
of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Her 
husband is the principal transportation 
planner with the Central Transportation 
planning staff in Boston. He has a master's 
degree in city planning from Harvard Uni- 
versity School of Design. 

>Born: to Mr. and Mrs. Cameron Boyd 
twin sons recently. Boyd is a teacher in 
Haverhill, Mass. ... to Mr. and Mrs. David 
E. Jervis their third child, Amanda Anne, on 
July 10, 1977. Amanda has two sisters, 
Melissa Lynn, 7 and Katie Beth, 5. David is a 
principal engineer for Digital Equipment 
Corp. in Maynard, Mass. 

Rick Follett serves as senior engineer at 
Raytheon in Bedford, Mass. . . . Richard 
Furman is a research coordinator at Florida 
Power & Light Co. in Miami. . . . Joel 
Greene's law offices are currently located 

at suite 400, 31 1 Main St., Worcester 

Tom Gurney has received his master of 
divinity degree from Gordon-Conwell 
Seminary. ... Dr. Robert Kusy has received 
a five-year research career development 
award from the National Institute of Dental 
Health. A materials scientist at the Univer- 
sity of North Carolina, he also serves as 
principal investigator in the Dental Re- 
search Center and as an assistant professor 
of oral biology in the orthodontics depart- 
ment of the School of Dentistry at the 
University. He was given the award to 
continue research in his project "Novel 
Uses of Materials for Health Research." His 
project includes the study of wear-resistant 
coatings for orthodontic and orthopedic 
uses and the design of corrective devices 
for treating cleft-palate infants. 

Kris Nelson holds the post of field sales 
engineer at Texas Instruments, Attleboro, 
Mass. . . . Robert Stessel owns Advanced 
Marine Electronics in Beverly, Mass. He 
lives on the research vessel, "Kelpie." 



WPI Journal / December 1977 / 23 



Lost his wax?? 

Odds are you'd never discuss King 
Tut, Michelangelo, and Dr. Edward 
R. Funk, '46 all in the same conversa- 
tion. But you could legitimately do 
just that. The three, paradoxically, 
have something in common — the 
appreciation and use of the lost-wax 
technique. 

It can go without actually saying 
that King Tut himself never engaged 
in the process itself, but his contem- 
porary craftsmen did, and he ap- 
preciated their creativity. In fact, a 
number of pieces so cast were found 
among the many treasures unearthed 
in his tomb. (The ancient Egyptians 
are credited with having invented the 
lost-wax technique.) 

It is also believed that Michelan- 
gelo, the 1 6th century Italian artist, 
used the lost-wax process in creating 
several of his sculptures. 

Edward Funk has combined the 
ancient art technique with modern 
metal technology and come up with a 
success formula for the Fine Cast di- 
vision of Funk Metallurgical Corp. in 
Columbus, Ohio. The firm is one of 
fewer than 100 in the country which 
use the lost-wax technique to create 
precision metal parts without the ex- 
pense of extensive machining. 

The company was founded in 1970 
by Dr. Funk and his wife Ingeborg 
(the first woman member of the 
American Foundryman's Associa- 
tion), while he was a professor at 
Ohio State University. It started out 
small, but has grown steadily. Cur- 
rently the firm employs 45 persons 
full time in the foundry and machine 
shop. 

In utilizing the lost- wax process, 
company employees make the part 
first from wax. The wax part is then 
dipped into a ceramic slurry which 
has the texture of heavy cream. After 
the ceramic dries, the wax is melted 
and removed. Molten metal is then 
poured into the cavity. When the 
metal cools, the ceramic is broken off 
and the resulting metal casting is an 
exact duplicate of the original wax 
object. 




The technique is used to save 
money. It is possible to cast with 
precision parts which previously re- 
quired extensive machining, grind- 
ing, or welding to achieve the re- 
quired high degree of precision, 
within 2/1000 of an inch. The process 
makes it possible to create parts 
which previously could not be made 
in one piece. 

Dr. Funk's company makes prod- 
ucts ranging from metal hip implants 
for surgery to parts for Boeing 747 
toilets. It also makes parts for com- 
puters, custom coaches, mining ma- 
chines, and dentists' tools. Because 
some customers want their castings 
assembled further, a machine shop 
and assembly plant known as Borg 
Industries has been attached to the 
FineCast plant to meet their needs. 

The company can create special 
products. Working with Swiss en- 
gineers, Dr. Funk developed a device 
now used worldwide by industries 
filling everything from beer barrels to 
supertankers. It operates on the prin- 
ciple of a tuning fork. When the tank 
contents rise toward the top, the op- 
eration of the tuning fork is affected. 



This triggers a switch which turns off 
the pumps. 

After graduating from WPI in 1 946 
with his bs in aeronautical engineer- 
ing, Dr. Funk attended Harvard 
Graduate School of Business Admin- 
istration. He received his msme and 
his doctorate in metallurgy from 
MIT. 

He was employed by Goodyear 
Aerospace Corp., Akron, for a time 
and then became cof ounder and pres- 
ident of Johnston & Funk Titanium 
Corp. in Wooster. The firm manufac- 
tured precision wire in titanium, zir- 
conium, and other metals. In 1 95 9 he 
sold the business and in 1 960 founded 
Astro Metallurgical Corp., also in 
Wooster. (Astro Metallurgical is the 
world's foremost manufacturer of 
chemical process equipment made 
from titanium.) In 1965, after a corpo- 
rate merger, he left the company and 
joined the department of welding en- 
gineering at Ohio State as an as- 
sociate professor. 

Dr. Funk is a member of SAE, Tau 
Beta Pi, Sigma Xi, and Skull. From 
1969 to 1974 he was a WPI trustee. 
He is the father of Dan Funk, '77. 



24 / December 1977 / WPI Journal 



"At Du Pont you don't get lost 
in a big company atmosphere 

If s very personal? 



— George D. Peterson BS, Chemical Engineering 




"Du Pont is a big com- 
pany but it's broken down into 
satellites. So you don't get lost 
in a big-company atmosphere. 
It's very personal, and I think the 
people are top-notch. 

"I started in technical 
here at the Belle Plant in West 
Virginia. Now I'm a production 
supervisor. Production is solv- 
ing problems on a day-to-day 
basis. I like working under that 
kind of pressure. When things 



work out, it's very rewarding. So 
is working with people. I'm 
responsible for helping 22 peo- 
ple do their jobs." 

George was recruited by 
Du Pont from the Michigan 
Technological University 
campus in 1973. He interviewed 
about 25 companies. 

George's story is typical 
of many Chemical, Mechanical 
and Electrical Engineers who've 
chosen careers at Du Pont. 



We place no limits on 
the progress our engineers can 
make. And we place no limits 
on the contribution they can 
make— to themselves, the 
Company or to society. 

If this sounds like your 
kind of company, do what 
George Peterson did. Talk to the 
Du Pont representative who 
visits your campus. Or write: 
Du Pont Company, Room 
35972, Wilmington, DE 19898. 



At Du Pont. . .there's a world of things YOG can do something about. 




o U S PAT ft T M L> f f 



An Equal Opportunity Employer, M/F 




Annual 



Basketball 
Alumni Night 



WPI vs. COLBY 



February 4th, 8 p^m. 



Reception following the game 
in Harrington Auditorium 



1976 

^■Married: Andre J. Bissonnette and Miss 
Joan M. MacDaniel in Bridgeport, Connect- 
icut on October 15, 1977. A registered 
nurse, the bride graduated from the Uni- 
versity of Bridgeport and attended Sacred 
Heart University. Her husband is an assist- 
ant manager at Stamford Superior Drug 
Co. He is also studying for his MBA at the 
University of Bridgeport. . . . Robert L. 
Gray, Jr., and Miss Shari A. Richardson 
recently in Essex Junction, Vermont. Mrs. 
Gray is a Becker graduate and a secretary at 
Pepsi Cola corporate headquarters in Pur- 
chase, N.Y. The groom works for Union 
Carbide-Linde Division in North Tar- 
rytown, N.Y. . . . James H. Hohorst to Miss 
Barbara A. Ridlon on September 3, 1977 in 
Flemington, New Jersey. The bride at- 
tended Emory University and is currently 
completing her studies at New York Uni- 
versity. The bridegroom works for the 
Foreign Exchange Department of Citibank 
in New York City. 

^-Married: Steven M. Maynard and Miss 
Pamela M. Baradine on October 15, 1977 
in Stratford, Connecticut. Mrs. Maynard is 
a business research analyst with Southern 
New England Telephone Co. The bride- 
groom is with Field Concrete Pipe Co. . . . 
Miss Elizabeth Papandrea and Leonard J. 
Lariviere, 78 on August 21 , 1977 in 
Worcester. Mrs. Lariviere, who received 
her BSCE from WPI, is an assistant sales 
engineer at Westinghouse Power Systems 
Laboratories in Framingham, Mass. The 
groom is majoring in civil engineering. ... 
John J. Smith and Miss Susan Partridge in 
Weymouth, Massachusetts on October 1 , 
1977. The bride graduated from the Uni- 
versity of Massachusetts at Amherst. The 
groom is a biomedical engineer working for 
his PhD in pharmacology at the University 
of Buffalo. 

Paula Delaney has been named registrar 
of Daniel Webster College, a division of 
New England Aeronautical Institute. Earlier 
she had been with the New York Tele- 
phone Company. . . . Johnny Dieters works 
for Electric Boat in Groton, Conn. . . . 
Sidney Formal was recently transferred to 
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the 
Chicago district. Formerly he was in 
Louisiana. . . . James Galvin holds the post 
of cost engineer at Bechtel Power Corp. in 
Ann Arbor, Michigan. . . . David Graham is 
a mathematics and science teacher at 
Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational 
Technical High School in Upton, Mass. . . . 
Bruce Haffty was pictured in a recent issue 
of the National Enquirer wearing a device 
which he, Peter Kotilainen, 74 and Dr. 
David Spodick of the UMass Medical 
School developed to help diagnose abnor- 
mal heart functions. The portable recording 
system may be worn by a patient so his 
heart can be monitored under real-life con- 
ditions for up to 24 hours instead of under 
laboratory conditions alone. 

Richard Hansen is a manufacturing en- 
gineer for Westinghouse in Boston. . . . 



28 / December 1977 / WPI Journal 




Enjoy college 



Education not only makes life more interesting but eventu- 
ally brings more influence in society than can be expected 
by those who have never bothered to read, study, listen, and 
reflect on the pleasure and pain of it all. That includes influ- 
ence as articulate citizens, customers, and investors. 

Nevertheless, the truth in this may not be apparent right 
out of college when a desire for steady income leads some 
B.A.'s to come to us with a major in, say, political science or 
Romance languages, seeking a start toward an executive 
career. We listen and then ask, "Are you a born salesperson 
and how can you prove it?" 

In a way, that question reflects our own limitations. For a 
person well educated in something other than technical 
fields, it is usually only in sales that we can match qualifi- 
cations to openings. 

For you, who may have lost out on some of the pure 
pleasure and sheer fun of college because of the kind of 



technical courses you've had to grind away at, the choice can 
be wider. Sales is just one possibility. You can also consider 
research, development, design, manufacturing, and various 
combinations of those. Decision-makers throughout our or- 
ganization, in work often far removed from the subject mat- 
ter of a technical curriculum, first attracted interest by their 
success in coping with technical problems. Then, having 
demonstrated an ability to lead, they exercised their option 
to move on to broader responsibilities. That sort of choice, 
for the outset of a career and later, is earned in courses 
where quantitative thinking rather than personal opinion is 
demanded. 

This includes choice from among other technologically 
oriented organizations just as good as we are for an inter- 
esting life. If it's us you want to challenge, so signify to 
Business and Technical Personnel, Kodak, Rochester, N.Y. 
14650. 




An equal-opportunity employer (f/m) manufacturing photographic 

products, fibers, plastics, and chemicals with plants in Rochester, N.Y., 

Kingsport, Tenn., Windsor, Colo., Longview, Tex., Columbia, S.C., 

Batesville, Ark., and a sales force all over the U.S.A. 



WPI Journal / December 1977 / 29 



MORGAN 

CONSTRUCTION COMPANY 



15 Belmont Street, Worcester, Mass. 01605 

Serving the Ferrous and Non- Ferrous World Markets since 1888 as 
Engineers and Manufacturers of Rolling Mills, Morgoil Bearings, 
Wire Drawing Machinery and Furnace Equipment 



jamesbury 

I manufacturers of 

^-^ Double-Seal ® Ball Valves 

Wafer-Sphere® Butterfly Valves 

Actuators 

Control Devices 

Jamesbury Corp. • 640 Lincoln Street • Worcester, Mass. 01605 



Continuing with Clairol, John Heid has 
been transferred to Camarillo, Calif. . . . 
Thomas Keenan has been appointed direc- 
tor of engineering and operations at Ver- 
mont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. in Rut- 
land. Prior to his promotion, he had served 
as plant engineering department manager 
and was responsible for providing en- 
gineering services to a number of nuclear 

plants, including Vermont Yankee 2/Lt. 

Steven Landry works as an organic research 
chemist with the U.S. Army in Edgewood, 
Md. . . . Charles Lauzon has received his 
MS in chemical engineering from the Uni- 
versity of Michigan which he attended on a 
fellowship. Currently he is employed by 
Union Carbide in Bound Brook, N.J. , . . 
Michelle McCuire serves as assistant sales 
engineer at Westinghouse in Hartford, 
Conn. . . . Lenny Meyer is with Sikorsky 
Aircraft in Stratford, Conn. . . . Ronald 
Stadden teaches math and science at 
Gray-New Gloucester (Me.) High School. 



1977 

^■Married: Dana Homer and Miss Laura 
Klingler on October 15, 1977 in Hudson, 
Massachusetts. Mrs. Homer is a sopho- 
more at Bridgewater State College, where 
she is majoring in special education. Her 
husband is with W. R. Grace Co. of Cam- 
bridge, Mass. . . . Gary M. Kuba to Miss 
Helen R. Bostwick recently in Randolph, 
Massachusetts. The bride, a teacher, 
graduated from Worcester State College 
with a degree in psychology and education. 
The groom is a computer engineer and 
consultant with Online Applications in 
Hudson, N.H. . . . John A. Richmond to 
Miss Janet M.. Dowell recently in Pomfret, 



Connecticut. Mrs. Richmond graduated 
from Annhurst College in May. Her hus- 
band, a graduate of the Computer Process- 
ing Institute in Hartford, is a computer 
programmer-analyst at NADS in Putnam. 
^■Married: William Scothon to Miss 
Donna D'Ambra in Cumberland, Rhode 
Island on October 22, 1977. The bride 
graduated from Sawyer School of Business 
and is a legal secretary with Hinckley, Allen, 
Salisbury, and Parsons. The bridegroom 
works for J.H. Lynch & Sons, Inc. . . . 
Stephen P. Russell and Karen A. Kerr in 
Braintree, Massachusetts on August 6, 
1977. Mrs. Russell attended Bryant Col- 
lege. Her husband is studying for his MSEE 

at the University of Colorado in Boulder 

Lt. Theodore J. Tamburro and Miss Judith 
A. Ruel on October 15, 1977 in Chicopee, 
Massachusetts. The bride graduated from 
Holyoke Community College. Her hus- 
band, who has completed the Officers 
Training School course, is presently 
stationed in Washington, D.C. . . . 2/Lt. 
Bruce P. Wright and Miss Maryellen T. 
Thornton in Northboro, Massachusetts on 
October 7, 1977. Mrs. Wright is a second 
lieutenant in the U.S. Army stationed with 
the Institute for Military Assistance at Fort 
Bragg, N.C. She graduated from Worcester 
State College. The groom is a platoon 
leader with the First Cavalry Division, U.S. 
Army at Fort Hood, Texas, where he was 
recently presented with the Expert Infan- 
tryman badge (the Army's highest non- 
combat proficiency award for infantry- 
men). 

Raad Al-Awqati is a mechanical engineer 
for Mohamad Al-Bahan in Kuwait. . . . 
Jeffrey Baumer has joined Engelhard In- 
dustries in Plainville, Mass., where he is a 
mechanical engineer in melting, extrusion, 
wire drawing and ring fabrication. The 
Plainville plant is the largest precious metals 
facility in the United States. . . . Robert 
Bowser has accepted employment as a 
civilian engineer with the Navy department 

in Arlington, Va William Cronin, Jr., is a 

video engineer at Andersen Laboratories, 
Microtime division, in Bloomfield, Conn. 
. . . Bill Cunningham is a service consultant 

for AT & T Long Lines in Hartford, Conn 

Marc DeVoe, who is located in Boca Raton, 
Fla., is employed by IBM. 

James Leighton works for Raytheon mis- 
sile system division in Bedford, Mass. . . . 
Richard Mazmanian has received a $250 
fourth prize award from the James F. Lin- 
coln Arc Welding Foundation for his entry 
in the foundation's national 1977 Student 
Engineering Design Competition. His entry 
described the analysis, design, and con- 
struction of a 17-foot boat trailer. . . . Paul 
McLoughlin is studying for his master's 
degree in education at Assumption Col- 
lege. After classes, he pedals his unicycle to 
work at the Holiday Inn on Southbridge 
Street in Worcester. . . . Christopher 
Thomas has joined Estee Lauder, Inc. as a 
staff industrial engineer in Melville, N.Y. 



30/ December 1911 / WPI Journal 




Ernest C. Morse, '05, a retired merchandis- 
ing and public relations counsel for Lock- 
hart International, died on September 24, 
1977, in Montague, Massachusetts. He 
was 92 years old. 

He was born on December 1 1 , 1884 in 
Lebanon, N.H. After graduating as an elec- 
trical engineer from WPI, he was employed 
by Westinghouse as an industrial and sales 
engineer. In 1 91 8 he was named director of 
sales for the U.S. War Department, and 
was in charge of selling items such as 
surplus anti-fogging gel used with gas 
masks, horse harnesses, and smokeless 
powder plants. 

During 1919 and 1920 he and his staff, 
representing the U.S., helped supply 
France, Belgium, and Poland with the kinds 
of surplus that they wanted. As a result, 
Belgium and Poland gave Mr. Morse and 
his staff a government decoration. He also 
received the Distinguished Service Medal 
from the U.S. War Department. 

Mr. Morse was president of the Foreign 
Trade Supply Corp. in 1921 and 1922. 
Later he was with the Cotton Textile Insti- 
tute, American Bemberg Co., Associated 
Wool Industries, and Lockhart Interna- 
tional, from which he retired in 1955. From 
1951 to 1961 he did free-lance editorial 
work for technical magazines. He belonged 
to AIEE, the U.S. Institute of Textile Re- 
search, and the Masons. 

Asa P. Nutter, '14, died on April 26, 1977, 
in Lockport, New York. 

He was born on May 22, 1892 in Swift- 
water, N.H. In 1914 he graduated with his 
BS in mechanical engineering from WPI. 
During his career he was with Norton Co., 
Parker Young Co., Brown Co., and Upton 
Fiberboard Co. He had also served as an 
appraiser for the City of Lockport, a post 
from which he retired in 1961 . 

Mr. Nutter belonged to Sigma Phi Epsi- 
lon, the Masons, and the Exchange Club. 



Arthur W. Peters, '14, died recently in 
Concord, Massachusetts. He was 88. 

On Nov. 27, 1888 he was born in Clin- 
ton. In 1914 he received his BSME from 
WPI. He had worked for Surface Combus- 
tion Corp., George J. Hagan Co., Ingalls 
Shephard, and Chevrolet. In 1960 he re- 
tired as a research engineer from Surface 
Combustion Corp. He belonged to Phi 
Sigma Kappa. 

Philip C. Pray, '17, of Rye Beach, New 
Hampshire, passed away recently. 

He was born on March 15, 1895 in 
Orono, Me. In 1917 he graduated as an 
electrical engineer from WPI. For many 
years he was with the New England Power 
Co., prior to his retirement. He belonged to 
Sigma Phi Epsilon, and the Masons. 

Elliot W. Burbank, '20, died in Wolfeboro, 
New Hampshire on September 5, 1977, 
following a brief illness. 

He was born in Sandwich, Mass. on July 
8, 1896. After studying at WPI, he joined 
the U.S. Navy during World War I and 
continued his education at Harvard. In 
1932 he graduated from the University of 
New Hampshire. From 1932 until 1948 he 
served the public schools of Charlestown 
and Hanover. At his retirement he was 
principal of Nute Academy in Milton. 

Mr. Burbank was a charter member and 
past president of the Alton Historical Soci- 
ety and treasurer of the Harold S. Gilman 
Historical Museum. 

Harold S. Woodward, '20, of West Red- 
ding, Connecticut died on June 20, 1977. 

He was born in Worcester on July 15, 
1899, and was later a student at WPI. In 
1922 he graduated from Cornell University 
as a civil engineer. In 1923 he received his 
MS from Cornell. 

Following graduation he worked for the 
Atlantic Fruit Co. in Cuba doing railroad 
surveying. For two years he was with 
Schenck & Williams, architects in Dayton, 
Ohio. He then joined Seelye, Stevenson, 
Value & Kuecht, New York City, where he 
was named engineer-in-charge and part- 
ner. One of the 35 buildings he designed 
was Payne Whitney Gymnasium at Yale 
University. He was also associated with 
Stran-Steel Corp. and served as chief struc- 
tural engineer for a large chain store or- 
ganization. 

Ralph L. Draper, '21, died in Lawrence, 
Massachusetts on November 5, 1977, fol- 
lowing a short illness. He was 81 years old. 

A native of Warren, N.H., he was born 
on August 23, 1896. He received his BSME 
in 1 92 1 . From 1 923 until 1 962 he was with 
John W. Bolton & Sons (Bolton Emerson 
Co.) of Lawrence, Mass. During his career 
he served as draftsman, order supervisor, 
production engineer, division superintend- 
ent, and chief production engineer at the 
company. He retired in 1962. 



Mr. Draper belonged to ASTME, 
Lambda Chi Alpha, and served on the 
board of directors of the Andover Home for 
the Aged and the Andover Fireman's Relief 
Association. He was an army veteran of 
World War I. 

Thaddeus J. Brusnicki, '22, a developer of 
the M14 rifle, died on September 4, 1977, 
at his home in Springfield, Massachusetts. 
He was 79 years old. 

He was born in Krakow, Poland on July 4, 
1898. In 1922 he graduated as a mechan- 
ical engineer from WPI. During his lifetime 
he was with U.S. Envelope and Milton 
Bradley Co. He retired in 1968 as chief 
engineer at Springfield Armory. 

Mr. Brusnicki was past president of the 
Polish Relief Association, a member of the 
National Association of Retired Federal 
Employees, and of the Pilgrim Pistol and 
Rifle Club. He was twice commander and 
manager of the American Legion in 
Springfield. 

Freeman P. Butler, '22, died at the Veter- 
an's Administration Center in Togus, 
Maine, on October 20, 1977, following a 
long illness. 

Anativeof Waltham, Mass., he was born 
on June 1 1 , 1896. During World War I, he 
served in the 5th Field Artillery. After 
graduating as a chemist from WPI, he 
worked for Atlantic Refining Co., Philadel- 
phia; A.D. Little, Tiverton, R.I.; and U.S. 
Rubber Reclaiming Co. in Buffalo, N.Y. 
From 1933 to 1955, when he retired, he 
was with the U.S. Post Office in Augusta, 
Me. 

Mr. Butler belonged to Phi Gamma Del- 
ta, the American Legion, and was a life 
member of the Disabled American Veter- 
ans. He was a former secretary-treasurer of 
the Philadelphia chapter of the Alumni 
Association. 

Solomon Hurowitz, '22, president of Tech 
Pharmacy, Highland St., Worcester, died 
on October 10, 1977, at the age of 76. 

He was born in Smoleon, Russia on 
August 14, 1901 , and lived in Worcester 
for over 70 years. In 1922 he graduated as 
a chemist from WPI. He owned Tech 
Pharmacy since 1923. 

Mr. Hurowitz, a member of AEPi, was a 
founder and treasurer of Yeshiva Achei 
Timimim, a life member of its board of 
directors, and cochairman of the Chevra 
Gemmorah. He was a founder of Tifereth 
Israel Synagogue, a member of Beth Israel 
Synagogue, Sons of Jacob Synagogue, 
Temple Emanuel, Worcester Zionist Or- 
ganization, B'nai B'rith, Level Lodge of 
Masons, and the Massachusetts State 
Pharmaceutical Association. 

An incorporator of Hahnemann Hospi- 
tal, he was also a former member of the 
board of directors of the Worcester County 
Music Association. He enjoyed playing 
cello as a hobby. His identical twin brother, 
Max Hurowitz, '23, passed away on March 

15, 1977. 

WPI Journal / December 1911 / 31 



Francis C. Bragg, '24, a retired professor of 
mechanical engineering at Georgia Insti- 
tute of Technology, passed away on Oc- 
tober 20, 1977, in Dennisport, Mas- 
sachusetts. He was 76 years old. 

He retired from Georgia Tech in 1969. 
Previously he had taught at Syracuse Uni- 
versity and North Carolina State College. 
He had also been with U.S. Rubber Co., 
and Dwight P. Robinson & Co., Inc. 

Prof. Bragg was born in Watertown, 
Mass. on July 1 , 1901 and received his 
BSME in 1924. He belonged to Phi Gamma 
Delta, the Masons, Tau Beta Pi, and Sigma 
Xi. He was a member of ASME, ASEE, the 
Society for Experimental Stress Analysis, 
ASTM, and the North Carolina Society of 
Engineers. For many years he served as 
secretary-treasurer of the Southeastern 
Chapter of the Alumni Association. 

Edward F. Kennedy, '24, of Melrose, Mas- 
sachusetts, passed away on February 27, 
1977. 

He was born on March 10, 1 902 in West 
Boylston, Mass. In 1924 he received his 
BSEE from WPI. For a number of years he 
was with New England Electric & Oil Co., 
Maiden, Mass., where he was assistant to 
the president. 

Carl G. Hammar, '26, died in Woonsocket, 
Rhode Island on September 24, 1977. 

A native of New Britain, Conn., he was 
born on April 1, 1905. Following his gradu- 
ation as a mechanical engineer from WPI, 
he joined Western Electric & Mfg. Co., and, 
later, Kendall Mills. He had served as assist- 
ant plant manager of the Slatersville (R.I.) 
Finishing Co. He retired thirty years ago. 

He belonged to Theta Chi, Tau Beta Pi, 
and Sigma Xi. His son, C. Allen Hammar, 
graduated from WPI in 1954. 

S. Allan Jacobs, '26, retired chairman of the 
board of Phelps Dodge Industries, died 
September 29, 1977, at his home in Fort 
Wayne, Indiana. 

He was born on Nov. 4, 1903 in Dudley, 
Mass. and graduated from WPI as an elec- 
trical engineer in 1926. He joined Phelps 
Dodge as a salesman in 1926 and rose to 
several leadership positions during his 44 
years with the company. He retired as 
chairman of the board in 1971. 

Mr. Jacobs and several associates, includ- 
ing an uncle (George Jacobs, 1900, de- 
ceased) formed Inca Manufacturing Co., 
which became a division of Phelps Dodge 
in 1930. After serving as sales manager of 
the Inca Division, he was elected vice presi- 
dent of Phelps Dodge Copper Products 
Corp. in 1941 . He also served the Phelps 
Dodge magnet wire operation as its chief 
executive officer from 1941 to 1970. Later 
he was named president and chairman of 
the board after the operations were incor- 
porated as Phelps Dodge Magnet Wire 
Corp. 



A member of Phi Sigma Kappa, Mr. 
Jacobs was also a director of the Fort 
Wayne Foundation, the Chamber of 
Commerce, Taxpayers Research Associa- 
tion, Indiana-Purdue Foundation of Fort 
Wayne, and Lincoln National Bank & Trust 
Co. 

Russell J. LeBosquet, '30, of Belfast, 
Maine, passed away on August 1 1 , 1977. 

He was born on March 31 , 1908 in 
Somerville, Mass. After studying chemical 
engineering at WPI, he later attended the 
University of Minnesota where he received 
his BEE. For many years he was with Wis- 
consin Power & Light Co. in Madison, from 
which he retired several years ago. He 
belonged to Theta Chi and served in the 
U.S. Army during World War II. He also 
belonged to AIEE and the Wisconsin Soci- 
ety of Professional Engineers. 
John A. McMahon, '34, of Old Saybrook, 
Connecticut, died while sailing his 
custom-built boat, the Heritage, last sum- 
mer. 

A native of New Haven, Conn., he was 
born on August 4, 1913. He received his 
BSEE from WPI in 1934. During his career 
he was associated with Connecticut Light & 
Power Co., Connecticut Valley Electric Ex- 
change, and Northeast Utilities Service Co. 
(CONVEX), where he had been superin- 
tendent of systems operations. He be- 
longed to Sigma Alpha Epsilon. 

Thomas M. Bonnar, '38, an assistant vice 
president of Eastman Kodak Company, 
Rochester, New York, died on May 5, 
1977, at the age of 61. 

He joined Kodak's credit department in 
1938 and later that year transferred to 
Kodak Park, where he was named cost 
engineer of the accounting department in 
1939. In 1949 he became manager of gross 
profit accounting. In 1956 he was named 
to an administrative training assignment in 
Canada. Subsequently he became adminis- 
trative assistant, cost coordinator for U.S. 
plants, and comptroller for the Apparatus 
and Optical Division. Since 1970 he served 
as an assistant vice president of Eastman 
Kodak Company and as director of ad- 
ministrative services. 

Mr. Bonnar was born on October 19, 
1 91 5 in New Bedford, Mass. He attended 
WPI and Bentley School of Accounting and 
Finance. A member of Phi Sigma Kappa, he 
also was past president of the Genesee 
Hospital, a member of the Rochester 
Chamber of Commerce, and director of 
Eastman Savings and Loan Association. 



Kenneth G. Merriam, '35, professor 
emeritus of mechanical engineering at 
WPI, died suddenly on October 17, 1977 in 
Worcester only a few days after the an- 
nouncement of the first appointee to the 
Merriam professorship. The professorship 
was recently established to honor him by 
an anonymous gift of $500,000 from one 
of his former students. 

Prof. Merriam attended the departmen- 
tal staff meeting in October when Dr. 
Raymond R. Hagglund, '56, was intro- 
duced as the first Merriam Professor. 
Hagglund was one of his students and, 
later, a teaching colleague. 

A member of the WPI faculty from 1923 
until his retirement in 1969, Prof. Merriam 
headed from 1927 to 1957 the 
aeromechanics program, which produced 
some of today's top leaders in the aviation 
and space industries. 

He received his BSME from MIT in 1922 
and his master's degree from WPI in 1935. 
In 1922 and 1923 he taught at the Univer- 
sity of Maine. Later he taught evening 
classes at Worcester Junior College for 
fifteen years. In the 1930's he did pioneer- 
ing work on pitot-static tubes, widely used 
in measuring aircraft speed. 

He joined the Army Reserve in 1922, 
went into active duty during World War II 
when he received a Legion of Merit and the 
Army Commendation Ribbon, and retired 
as a colonel from active service in 1946. 
After the war he was a consultant to the 
Operations Research Office for the gov- 
ernment for three years. A registered pro- 
fessional engineer in Massachusetts, he 
had operated the Curtis Flying School and 
the civilian pilot training program for three 
years prior to World War II. 

Prof. Merriam was awarded an honorary 
doctorate in engineering from WPI in 1 964 
and was an associate fellow of IAS and 
AIAA. In 1961 he was presented with a 
citation for outstanding teaching at WPI by 
the trustees. He was a past president of the 
WPI chapter of Sigma Xi, a life member and 
fellow of ASME, a member of Tau Beta Pi, 
Pi Tau Sigma, and Theta Upsilon Omega. 
He was a life member of ASEE, was listed in 
"Who's Who in America," elected to the 
Wisdom Hall of Fame, and presented with 
the Wisdom Award of Honor in 1970. He 
belonged to Sigma Phi Epsilon and was 
elected as an honorary member of the class 
of 1926. 

Prof. Merriam, 75, was a native of Bel- 
fast, Maine. 

John E. Vandersea, '60, an engineering 
manager for IBM in Poughkeepsie, New 
York, for 14 years, died on October 8, 
1977. He was born on July 31, 1938 in 
Whitinsville, Mass. In 1960, he graduated 
with his BSEE from WPI. From 1960 to 
1962 he was with Raytheon. Later he 
joined IBM, where he was employed at the 
time of his death. He belonged to Lambda 
Chi Alpha. 



32 / December 1977 / WPI Journal 



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WPI Journal December 1977 / 33 



0I »N» OOHNSON 
WORCESTER »' 



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(/ *' 



FEBRUARY 1978 



UIPp 




The Hazzard \ears 



Volume 81, no. 5C 



February 1978 



3 On the hill ... it snowed, oh yes! 
8 Sports . . . Here's the pitch . . . 

8 Feedback 

9 Alumni Association . . . Class reps for the Council 

10 The Hazzard years 

A look at the impact and achievements of WPI's eleventh 
president 

22 The ultimate dragon? 

Ruth Trask spends Intersession learning how to redesign 
dragons. Dragons?! 

26 Who's who on campus . . . van A 

28 Your class and others 

29 Class of 1927, 50th reunion 

31 Curtis Ambler's fire trucks. . .A grown man who still plays with 
fire trucks. Big ones. 

38 Completed Careers 



Editor: H. Russell Kay 

Alumni Information Editor: Ruth S. Trask 

Publications Committee: Walter B. Dennen, 
Jr., '51, chairman; Donald F. Berth, '57; 
Leonard Brzozowski, 74; Robert Davis, '46; 
Robert C. Gosling, '68; Enfried T. Larson, '22; 
Roger N. Perry, Jr., '45; Rev. Edward I. 
Swanson, '45 

Design: H. Russell Kay 

Typesetting: Davis Press, Worcester, Ma. 

Printing: The House of Offset, Somerville, Ma. 



Address all correspondence regarding editorial 

content or advertising to the Editor, WPI Journal, 

Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Ma. 

01609. 

Telephone [617] 753-1411 

The WPI Journal is published for the Alumni 
Association by Worcester Polytechnic Institute. 
Copyright © 197S by Worcester Polytechnic 
Institute; all rights reserved. 

The WPI Journal is published six times a year, in 
August, September (catalog issue), October, 
December, February, and April. Second class 
postage paid at Worcester, Ma. 
Postmaster: Please send Form 3579 to: Alumni 
Association, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 
Worcester, Ma. 01609. 



WPI ALUMNI ASSOCIATION 

President: W. A. Julian, '49 

Vice presidents: J.H. McCabe, '68; 
R. D. Gelling, '63 

Secretary-treasurer: S.J. Hebert, '66 

Past president: F. S. Harvey, '37 

Executive Committee members-at-large: 
W. B. Dennen, Jr., '51 ; R. A. Davis, '53; 
J. A. Palley, '46; A. C. Flyer, '45 

Fund Board: P. H. Horstmann, '55, chairman; 
G. A. Anderson, '51 ; H. I. Nelson, '54; L H. 
White, '41 ; H. Styskal, Jr., '50; C. J. Lindegren, 
'39; R. B. Kennedy, '65. 



WPI Journal I February 1978 1 1 



fX 



It snowed . . . 



by Russell Kay 

During the middle of Monday morn- 
ing on February 6, it began to snow 
and the wind started blowing. Some 
30 hours later the storm finally 
stopped, leaving over two feet of new 
snow behind, with the average drifts 
being six to eight feet high. And while 
Worcester was spared the devastation 
of the seacoast towns and the incred- 
ible traffic snow-in of Route 128, 
there was still an enormous volume 
of snow to be dealt with. Governor 
Dukakis declared a statewide 
emergency, including an absolute 
ban on motorized travel except for 
essential services, that lasted in 
Worcester until Friday. 

According to meteorologists, the 
Blizzard of '78 was the biggest ever to 
hit New England. It managed to set 
another record, too. It shattered 
WPI's long-standing policy of never 
closing because of weather condi- 
tions. 

(Physics Professor Ralph Heller re- 
calls that once, during President 
Harry Storke's early days, he closed 
WPI for a snowstorm. But Storke was 
quickly informed of WPI's "tradi- 
tion" and from then until February 7, 
1978, the Institute always opened 
during bad weather. Staff might be let 




fcgpii 1 , tpJlgP 





go early in the day, but the school 
would have been opened. Another 
weather incident, from the editor's 
first winter at WPI, occurred when 
President Hazzard, apparently upset 
by an unusual amount of absence and 
lateness during the heavy snows that 
year, issued a memorandum referring 
to "the recent rash of snowstorms." 
That brought forth an answering 
note, written anonymously, which 
said that the "rash of snowstorms" 
was something we usually call "win- 
ter" here in New England!) 



During the late afternoon on Mon- 
day, things got to looking pretty 
ominous outside. The wind was 
howling at 40 and 50 miles an hour 
(in Boston they recorded gusts over 
90!), the snow kept on coming (up, 
down, and sideways), and most 
people left campus early. Many didn't 
bother to leave, because of the dis- 
tances involved. Economics professor 
Lyle Wimmergren decided not to try 
to get home to southern New Hamp- 
shire. English professor Ed Hayes 
didn't figure he could make it to 
Whitinsville. And so it went. Some 
others (including yr. editor) tried to 
drive home just within the city of 
Worcester and, after hours on the 
streets, limped back to the safety of 
the campus. 



Many cars were nearly buried by the 
drifting snow . . . 



Many of these refugees found shel- 
ter with friends or faculty who lived 
nearby. Some, like physics professor 
Dick Tuft, spent the night on a couch 
in one of the campus buildings. 
Others found lodgings with students. 

At breakfast Tuesday morning, the 
student dining room was unusually 
busy. It was, in fact, the only place 
around one could eat. The storm con- 
tinued throughout the day, some- 
times abating for a bit but never stop- 
ping. The wind blew and carved the 
snow into strange shapes and awe- 
some drifts. The floor-to-ceiling win- 
dows of the Wedge were, at times, 
more than half covered with drifting 
snow. Yet other spots were com- 
pletely free of snow, right down to 
bare ground. All according to the way 
that furious wind happened to blow. 

Norman Rossi, food services direc- 
tor, was snowed in for the duration, 
and at times he feared that food 
supplies might run out as the dining 
rooms enjoyed a record business. But 
new stocks arrived, on the heels of a 
snowplow, before it came down to 
peanut butter sandwiches for all. 



WPI journal I February 197813 




Fuel oil for the WPI power plant 
became a major concern at one point, 
as the stored supply ran dangerously 
low. Steam was cut off from all unoc- 
cupied buildings. Finally, Norton 
Company diverted a tank truck load 
of their oil to the campus so that the 
dormitories could remain heated. 

It may be trite, but it is nonetheless 
true, that events such as this blizzard 
tend to bring out the best in most 
people (and the worst in just a few). 
Faced with the sudden shock of the 
storm, confronted with a common 
enemy, people tend to forget their 
differences and pull together, work- 
ing to keep the common enterprise 
going. That was nowhere more true 
than at WPI. 

Commenting on the storm, Dean 
of Student Affairs Donald Reutlinger 
said that "during the blizzard 
emergency, cooperation throughout 



the campus was splendid, but special 
thanks for providing early, essential 
services are due to several people who 
kept the campus going. Gardner 
Pierce and his tireless Plant Services 
crews, who did such a great job of 
clearing the snow ; Norman Rossi and 
his dining hall staff, with hastily re- 
cruited student helpers, who kept 
people on campus well fed; Mrs. 
Brophy in Health Services; Al En- 
gland, Mike Montecalvo, and George 
Sullivan of the campus police,- Glenn 
DeLuca and Debby McGarry in Stu- 
dent Affairs; and the several people 
who ran the switchboard, handling 
all sorts of calls. Many other people 
were extremely helpful, but without 
these named here, those three days 
could have been a disaster instead of 
just an emergency." 



The job of clearing the snow was 
handled by a grounds crew that just 
never quit. Beginning about 5 a.m. 
Tuesday, they worked around the 
clock for essentially the whole rest of 
the week. With the aid of a borrowed 
front-end loader, they constructed a 
snow mountain nearly twenty feet 
high at one end of the quadrangle, and 
the beech tree between Higgins and 
Alden was soon invisible from many 
angles. With shovels and plows, they 
kept pushing the snow back, clearing 
out entrances and walkways. 

Combating boredom became a real 
problem for many of our resident 
students beginning Tuesday. The 
high drifts alongside the Wedge at- 
tracted innumerable jumpers to the 
low roof, thence to leap over the edge 
and see if they got stuck! Tuesday 
night, as the storm finally passed, 
students cleared a "lane" down one 



4 / February 1 978 1 WPI Journal 



This snowbank was 
nearly picked up by a front-end 
loader until the operator realized it 
had an antenna in the middle! 



side of Institute Road in back of San- 
ford Riley down to glare ice. Then 
they started skiing down the hill . . . 
but without benefit of skis. Some 
came down on their backs, others on 
trays "borrowed" from the cafeteria, 
and many kept on their feet all the 
way . . . until they hit the snowbank 
at the end, however, when they pro- 
ceeded tail over teakettle through the 
air. The Infirmary was kept busy 
treating sprains, scrapes, and a few 
fractures resulting from these ac- 
tivities. The Goat's Head Pub enjoyed 
its best business ever, and the 
Cinematech movie Wednesday night 
played to a packed house. 

Wednesday morning came with 
clear blue skies and bright sun — so 
bright that it hurt the eyes to go 
outside without sunglasses or gog- 
gles. As I wandered around campus, 
taking the photographs that accom- 
pany this article, I was amazed at just 
how far the job of clearing and plow- 
ing had progressed. I went down to 
the parking lot below Gordon Library 
to see if my car was accessible, and I 
found that it had been pushed free and 
plowed out. (It wouldn't start, how- 
ever, and one look under the hood 
gave a clue: it was packed full of 
snow.) Don Peterson, one of the 
groundskeepers, pointed out another 
car that was somewhat less fortunate 
than mine. All you could see of it was 
the lone spike of the radio antenna . . . 
and it was well that that showed, 
because one of the front-end loaders 
almost tried to pick it up until the 
sharp-eyed driver realized he had 
more than just a snowbank to con- 
tend with. 




_«__^_— _______ 




■ 



>« 



WPI journal I February 197815 




I 





The parking lot below Gordon Li- 
brary, largely cleared out and usable 
on Wednesday. 



For the many whose cars were reluc- 
tant to get going after the storm, this 
was a common situation. 






6 1 February 1 978 I WPI journal 



As my wife and I started the four- 
mile walk home, we went out onto 
Salisbury Street, which was down to 
about i.i lanes wide. Two cars could 
barely pass ... if they were both 
small. We decided to hitchhike, and 
got two rides up Park Avenue and 
West Boylston Street. What was most 
amazing about this was that, while 
traffic was moderate under the condi- 
tions, almost nobody refused to stop 
and offer a ride. One driver told of 
spending Monday night at Food Vil- 
lage, one of Worcester's largest 
supermarkets. "It wasn't bad at all," 
he said. "They gave us shelter, plus 
coffee and doughnuts all night and 
eggs in the morning. The people there 
couldn't have been nicer." 

As WPI reopened on Friday, park- 
ing was the most critical problem. At 
the best of times, WPI doesn't have 
quite enough parking spaces to ac- 
commodate faculty, staff, and the 
large number of commuting stu- 
dents. But this wasn't the best of 
times. The many and large snow piles 
had shrunk the capacity of campus 
lots alarmingly. The City of Worces- 
ter had apparently forgotten that 
West Street was a public road, for 
they plowed one lane through it once 
and never came back. That meant 
that another 40 spaces were unavail- 
able. 

With an estimated 60 percent of 
normal parking spaces available, 
car-pooling was an absolute neces- 
sity. And, as if tailor-made, a student 
interactive project came into view. 
Three students had been working all 
year on an energy-saving project de- 
signed to promote car-pooling by 
making it easy for people to get in 
touch with other staff members from 
the same area. The three students, 
Daniel Casey, James Mastalerz, and 
Thomas Rockwood, all '79, had 
reached the point of having computer 
printouts ready for the 131 people 
who had filled out their initial ques- 
tionnaire. These were quickly dis- 
tributed as an important way to save 
space on campus. 



As this Journal goes to press, rather 
later than expected because of THE 
BLIZZARD, it is a week since the 
snow stopped. The city . . . and the 
campus . . . are still digging out. 







West Street at the top of the hill, with 
Salisbury on the right. The city never 
did come hack to finish the job, and 
it was left for WPI's plant services 
crews to widen the street. 



This is the broad expanse of Salis- 
bury Street on Wednesday morning, 
after the storm. Atwater Kent and 
Goddard are on the left side. 




WPI Journal I February 19781 7 




Here's the 
pitch . . . 

Paul G. Josephson, '77, a star pitcher 
at WPI for four years, has been signed 
by the Montreal Expos. 

"Paul is the first WPI alumnus ever 
to be drafted by a major league 
baseball organization," says Charles 
McNulty, WPI baseball coach. "We all 
wish him the best of luck." 

While at WPI, Josephson, a side- 
arm pitcher, started 29 games 
and completed 22. His era during his 
last three years was 2.42, and as a 
sophomore it was 1.96. Over a four- 
year period he struck out 155 and 
walked 87. 

Josephson was a tenth-round draft 
choice of the Expos. He was signed on 
January 1 5 th. In late February he is 
slated to attend spring training with 
the club in Daytona, Forida. 

He feels it was pure luck that he 
was ever seen to be signed. "I was 
working for General Dynamics- 
Electric Boat in Groton, Conn.," he 
says, "when suddenly I was laid off. 
So, in November I decided to attend a 
baseball camp in Clearwater, 
Florida." 

The camp lasted five days. "And for 
four of those five days it rained," he 
explains. "I did manage to pitch two 
innings during an intra- squad game, 
however." (He is currently changing 
his motion to a % style of pitching.) 

Those two innings proved to a 
turning point for him. Expos scout 
Larry Beamarth, who is also the 
Expos minor league pitching instruc- 



tor and a former New York Mets 
pitcher, was watching. He liked 
Josephson well enough to recom- 
mend that he be signed and sent to 
spring training. 

"What happens in Daytona will 
definitely affect my future," 
Josephson says. "Tentatively, I ex- 
pect to play with the Expos minor 
Class A affiliate in Jamestown, N.Y. 
in the New York-Perm League after 
spring training." 

There is always a chance, of course, 
that Josephson's good luck will con- 
tinue. He may pitch so well in Day- 
tona that he'll begin his professional 
career as a starter for Montreal. 

It's happened before — with Mark 
Fidrych and Detroit. And Mark and 
Paul pitched against each other in high 
school. Good luck, Paul! 




Kudos 

Dear Friend: From time to time I have 
commented favorably on the splen- 
did job you and your staff are doing. 
This latest issue is outstanding. 

"The DNA dilemma" is well writ- 
ten and meaningful to me in several 
ways. Having lived in Shrewsbury for 
twenty-one years until 1962, 1 can 
appreciate some of the jumbo 
mumbo my friend Hudson Hoagland 
must have had to parry. 

I am reminded of Galileo's scien- 
tific entanglement with some papal 
"bull" in the 1630s. 

Daniels must have done a tongue- 
in-cheek when he stated "... 
Shrewsbury residents who voiced 
their disapproval . . . said they held 
moral reasons." Sounds like religious 
undertones. 



The article on my respected class- 
mate, Francis Wiesman, '29, was 
another highlight to us. We have 
known Frank since high school days. 

I am enclosing a check for $5.00. 
Please send me two more copies of 
the WPI Journal for December 1977. 

Congratulations again and keep up 
the good work. 

Arthur W. Knight, '29 
Lower Waterford, Vermont 

Editor: Just a note to tell you how 
impressed my husband and I were 
with the most recent issue of the WPI 
Journal. The variety of areas and 
levels of interest kept my attention 
from front cover to back, and it was — 
in my opinion — one of the most 
absorbing alumni magazines that I 
have read in many moons. Your lay- 
out and photographic planning are 
always excellent, but the variety 
really added the spice. Bravo! 

— from a reader of Bowdoin, Ober- 
lin, University of Pennsylvania, and 
Harvard alumni mailings — 
Kay Wear Draper 
Groton, Massachusetts 



8 I February 1 978 I WPI journal 




treasurer of the Alumni Association. 
"The response was most gratifying 
and reassuring. The representatives 
elected are super and the strong voter 
response has reaffirmed that alumni 
want to be involved with WPI." 



Council has new 
representatives 
from classes 

The WPI Alumni Association has 
taken a step in a new direction and 
the key word is "involvement." 

As a direct result of the implemen- 
tation of proposals put forth in the 
recent Organizational Study Report, 
the Alumni Association has 
broadened its scope of representation 
by reorganizing the Alumni Council 
to include representatives from each 
class. 

Formerly, Alumni Council repre- 
sentation was done proportionately 
on a purely regional basis. The pres- 
ent Council consists of one member 
from each organized club and one 
representative from each class. 

The Alumni Council is the govern- 
ing body of the Alumni Association 
and sets policy and directions for 
alumni programs and activities. For 
instance, the Organizational Study 
Report, frequently referred to as the 
"Densmore Report" after its chair- 
man, William P. Densmore, '45, is an 
example of the Council's establishing 
new directions so that the Associa- 
tion can better serve its two con- 
stituencies, the individual alumni 
and the college. 

Recently, the first class repre- 
sentatives, listed below, were named 
to the Council by their class presi- 
dents or elected by class members 
themselves. "In many cases 50 per- 
cent or more of the class voted," says 
Stephen }. Hebert, '66, secretary- 



Class 

50- Yr. Assoc. 

1928 

1929 

1930 

1931 

1932 

1933 

1934 

1935 

1936 

1937 

1938 

1939 

1940 

1941 

1942 

1943 

1944 

1945 

1946 

1947 



Wayne E. Keith '22 
Gabriel O. Bedard 
Stephen D. Donahue 
Carl W. Backstrom 
A. Francis Townsend 
Donald W. Putnam 
Robert E. Ferguson 
Dwight J. Dwinell 
Thomas F. McNulty 
Walter G. Dahlstrom 
Richard J. Lyman 
Robert M. Taft 
C. John Lindegren, Jr. 
Kenneth R. Blaisdell 
Robert A. Muir 
Norman A. Wilson 
Behrends Messer, Jr. 
John A. Bjork 
Robert E. Scott 
George R. Morin, Jr. 
John G. Hambor 



1948 
1949 
1950 
1951 
1952 
1953 
1954 
1955 
1956 
1957 
1959 
1960 
1962 
1963 
1964 
1965 
1966 
1967 
1968 
1969 
1970 
1971 
1972 
1973 
1974 
1975 
1976 
1977 



John J. Concordia 
James F. O'Regan 
Philip A. Wild 
John L. Rcid 
Philip B. Crommelin, Jr. 
Henry J. Camosse 
Roger R. Osell 
Ralph K. Mongeon, Jr. 
Edwin B. Coghlin, Jr. 
Alfred E. Barry 
Philip H. Puddington 
John W. Biddle 
Richard J. DiBuono 
Joseph J. Mielinski, Jr. 
Barry J. Kadets 
Patrick T. Moran 
Dr. Donald H. Foley 
Raymond C. Rogers 
Robert C. Gosling 
Michael W. Noga 
Domenic J. Forcella, Jr. 
Paul B. Popinchalk 
Lesley Small Zorabedian 
Robert R. Wood 
Lawrence J. Martiniano 
Frederick J. Cordelia 
Lynne M. Buckley 
Christopher D. Baker 




Pictured above are a few WPI alumni 
employed at Norton Company in 
Worcester who met in February as part 
of the recently launched "Corporate 
Contacts Program" of the WPI Alumni 
Association. Included in the group, 
clockwise horn bottom left, are Lee 
Solaroli, '68; Dave Pryor, 76; Norm 
Stotz, '58; Jack Bresnahan, '68; 
Emmanuel Milias, '54; Greg Backstrom, 
'70; WPI Assistant Alumni Director, 
Bob Anderson; John Biddle, '60; 
Dorothy Franciscus O'Keefe, 73; Mark 
Dupuis, 72; Les Erikson, 76; Dick 



Kennedy, '65; and Bill Densmore, '45. 

Clark Poland, '48, is the National 
Chairman for the program and has 
so far initiated activity at the following 
corporations: Bell Telephone Labora- 
tories, Inc.; Combustion Engineering, 
Inc.; Electric Boat Division, General 
Dynamics Corporation; Foxboro Com- 
pany; Pfizer, Inc.; Polaroid Corpora- 
tion; Stone & Webster, Inc.; Torrington 
Company, Division of Ingersoll-Rand 
Company; and Pratt & Whitney Air- 
craft, Division of United Technologies. 



WPI Journal I February 197819 



The Hazzard 



Years at W PI 



A look at the impact 
and achievements 
of WPI's eleventh 
president 

by Russell Kay 



The year was 1969. The sorrows of the past year, with its war and assassina- 
tions and the bitter election campaign, were breaking out in many ways. 
College campuses were in a state of turmoil, mostly political, as the antiwar 
movement flourished. 

At WPI — then called "Worcester Tech" — the student body (including the 
first two women undergraduates) was relatively quiet; it was the faculty who 
were the activists. They had just fought for — and won — a tenure system 
which gave them specific rights and security for the first time. Growing 
dissatisfaction with WPI's academic program had crystallized in December 
1968 with President Harry Storke's appointment of a faculty planning commit- 
tee to draw up long-range recommendations for WPI's future. 

Within the next half-year, the group published two reports, The Future of 
Two Towers and Two Towers II. Within another six months, a successor group 
had worked out the final blueprint for what was to become the WPI Plan. 

Right into the middle of this came George W. Hazzard, the newly elected 
president of WPI. He came because he was intrigued with the directions being 
taken by the planning committee. "It amounted to bringing WPI into a national 
leadership role for the twentieth century," he later commented. But it was 
apparent that he would have to play a major role in bringing about the 
revolution. 

Now, after nine action-packed years in which WPI has transformed itself 
from an average school into a nationally recognized innovator and leader in 
engineering education, George Hazzard is stepping down. 



1 I WPI Journal I February 1 978 



George Hazzard and WPI 

In this review of George Hazzard's presidency at WPI, one has to ask the 
question: How do you separate the accomplishments of the individual from 
those of the college as a whole? The Hazzard years present such a complex 
texture of events that, while many individuals stand out here and there, the 
dominant impression is of the collective momentum of hundreds of faculty and 
staff. 

Hazzard has commented on the difficulty of trying to place credit. "You 
know, the problem is that it looks as if you're arrogating to yourself credit that 
doesn't really belong. But if pressed, I would say that I think I've been able to 
open up participation in running the college. This place used to be pretty 
hierarchical in structure, with orders coming down from on high and everybody 
snapping to. Also, just before I came, the faculty put together the faculty 
constitution, and I think my encouragement of that probably helped release 
some energies and commitments to the institution." 

The WPI Plan 

The faculty of WPI voted full adoption of the WPI Plan in 1970, with 
implementation to begin in the 71-72 school year. For the next five years, one 
crisis followed another as the various elements of the Plan were put into 
operation. First it was the seven-week terms that caused the groans and screams 
(from both faculty and students), then came projects, competency exams, and a 
new advising system that seemed constantly under revision. The faculty 
workload increased significantly, as also did the administrative problems. The 
student population kept growing, up toward the once-stated goal of 2,000 
undergraduates and on to reach nearly 2,400 in 1977. And all the while there 
was a chorus of outsiders looking on, expressing skepticism, saying that WPI 
had bitten off much more than any institution could chew. 

But looking at all of this, how do you evaluate the contribution of any one 
individual, including the president? What does George Hazzard himself think 
he contributed to the Plan and it implementation? 

"Well," he said, "the successor to the original planning committee came to 
me, saying they really couldn't do much if they weren't able to work 
throughout the summer of 1 969. So, as is often the case, the presidential act was 
to provide money for salaries so they could work through that summer. If they 
hadn't done that, Lord knows whether we would have really gotten far enough 
along so the faculty could act. That was one critical point. 

"In terms of the mechanics of implementation, full credit has to go to Bill 
Grogan, who was on the firing line. My role was to make Bill Dean of 
Undergraduate Studies — and put him on the firing line. That's a proper 
administrative function: getting the right people in the right place at the right 
time is critical. " This became a real problem for Hazzard, when Dean of Faculty 
M. Lawrence "Cookie" Price had to retire early, for health reasons, right near 
the beginning of Plan implementation. 

Another area where Hazzard had a significant effect was in WPI's relationship 
with NSF. "The contacts I made at the National Science Foundation, which 
then led to the million dollar funding and the NSF Visiting Committee, was 
certainly helpful at a critical point. If we hadn't had that million dollars from 
NSF, we probably couldn't have done what we did. If I take any credit there, it's 
just being at NSF, knowing the right people, getting their encouragement and 
support for us to submit a really major proposal — getting their sights up for a 
really large dollar figure. But don't forget, we had a great faculty team that wrote 
that proposal." 



12 I February 1978 I WPI Journal 



Implementing the WPI Plan was a staggering undertaking, lust take a look at 
the changes that were made at WPI during those six years of transition: 

■ Every course had to be reconceived and redesigned to fit a term half as long 
and twice as intense. 

■ Hundreds of student projects annually had to be created, supervised, and 
evaluated. 

■ New ties with industry and governmental agencies had to be forged to help 
provide project opportunities, and off-campus project centers and sites had to be 
set up. 

■ A new type of project, linking science and technology with social needs and 
human values, had to be conceived, tested, refined, and administered hundreds 
of times a year. 

■ A brand new type of examination — to measure competence in a student's 
major field — had to be created for each student. 

■ A new faculty advising system had to be developed to help students plan 
their academic programs. 

■ Faculty had to learn new skills, and they were strongly encouraged to extend 
their interests into other areas as interdisciplinary work became more com- 
mon. 

■ Two new departments — Life Sciences, and Social Science and Policy 
Studies — were established to meet new needs. 

Did Hazzard ever get discouraged in the face of the massiveness of the job of 
getting the WPI Plan going? "No, I don't think so. We have lots of committed 
people, and I've seen them tackle and overcome this obstacle and that obstacle. 
I guess I'm a perpetual optimist, and I figure that if we've done it once in one 
particular area, then we ought to be able to do it again in another area. We could 
have gotten very discouraged after listening to Harvard's David Riesman say we 
ought to have a revolution; but we just proceeded merrily on our way with the 
optimistic assumption that we could work things out. Sure, when you're trying 
to raise the money you can get pretty discouraged, but I don't think I ever felt 
more than the normal amount of work-related discouragement." 

Growth 

Probably the two words that best characterize the Hazzard years at WPI are 
change and growth. Change was a constant factor while the Plan was being 
created, installed, and made to work. But growth has been pretty constant too. 
In 1969 there were 1,659 undergraduates in a total student population of 2,176. 
At the beginning of the 1977-78 year, undergraduate enrollment had risen to 
2,365 and total students to 3,205. 

There was academic growth, too, separate from the WPI Plan. When Hazzard 
arrived at WPI in 1969, computer science was only a graduate department. 
Now, as an undergraduate program, it is the second most popular major 
declared by incoming students (although many, of course, will change their 
minds as time goes by). 

Besides computer science, though, two brand-new departments have been 
added to WPI in the past eight years. The first of these was Life Sciences, created 
in recognition that WPI students needed access to more than four biology 
courses on campus! According to President Hazzard, "we had the graduate 
program in biomedical engineering, and it just seemed so important to create an 
awareness in our engineers of the existence and importance of the life sciences. 



"Seventeen presidents have passed 
through the Consortium colleges since 
I arrived in 1969. George is the only 
original left. But he's not a survivor. 
George is really a surpriser. 

"Just when I thought I had him 
completely figured out, he'd say or do 
something that made me know I had 
missed something else important 
about George. We were talking about 
his retirement recently, when he sud- 
denly punched the air and said, 'But we 
haven't raised enough money this 
year.' And he meant it. He'd restored 
the balance, but it wasn't enough. 
Nearly retired, his motor is still running 
full throttle, and I'm sure it always 
will." 

Lawrence E. Fox 

Executive Director 

Worcester Consortium for Higher 

Education, Inc. 



WPI Journal I February 1978 1 13 






President Hazzard in some of the 

myriad official duties that go along 

with the office. 

Top left, receiving a donation to the 

college. 

Above, at the dedication of a new 

campus building. 

At left, engaged in an across-the-desk 

meeting. 



14 I February 1 978 I WPI Journal 



I want to give credit to Bob Plumb, then head of chemistry, who supported the 
life sciences program and was very helpful in getting the whole thing started. 
'Cookie' Price was also very helpful." 

The second new department was Social Science and Policy Studies, created in 
1974. This was an important addition to WPI because it offered our students 
access to the measuring and analytical tools of the social sciences, tools which 
have been and will be a vital part of many interactive projects carried out under 
the Plan. Of his role in starting this department, Hazzard has said, "I guess I was 
a pretty active ingredient, more than anybody else, perhaps, although it's hard 
to say because people like Boyd and Keil and Moruzzi saw the need." 

One of Hazzard's biggest tasks relating to the new departments was political. 
"It meant pointing out to the department heads that if we put in a Life Sciences 
department and it grew, that meant less growth for the engineering depart- 
ments. At the beginning, everybody had to understand that it was a matter of 
reallocating resources away from them." Was there serious opposition on this 
count? "No. Everybody agreed that, so long as we didn't reallocate too many of 
their resources, things would work out fine." 



Finances 

One of the most persistent and important jobs facing any college president is 
the raising of money and keeping the institution above water. "I don't think 
anybody who comes in to be a president really appreciates the amount of effort, 
the intensity of effort, that has to go into fund-raising." And how did Hazzard 
bear up? "It's like so many other things . . . when you have something you 
believe in, you get to be a missionary about it. We were selling a good product, 
and it was fun to sell it." 

These have been banner years for WPI in fund-raising. The just-concluded 
WPI Plan to Restore the Balance, a five-year drive, exceeded its goal by raising 
$18.9 million, the largest ever in WPI's history. In this fund drive, orchestrated 
by University Relations Vice President Thomas J. Denney, WPI was supported 
by virtually every major national foundation involved with higher education: 
the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the Carnegie Corporation, the National Science 
Foundation (which alone provided more than $1.1 million), the Kresge Founda- 
tion, the Dana Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the 
Ford Foundation, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the National Foundation 
for the Arts and Humanities, the Lilly Endowment, and the Rockefeller 
Foundation. 

George Hazzard was instrumental in achieving this support. As one of the 
most-traveled spokesmen and salesmen for the WPI Plan, he pled our case 
wherever there was a chance for support. There are those who say that this was 
the role Hazzard did best in, representing WPI to the outside world. 

But raising money is only one side of the financial picture. On the other, it is 
the president's responsibility to see that it gets spent wisely and well . . . and not 
too much, either. When Hazzard became WPI's president, he took charge of an 
institution which had been running deficits for several years in the wake of 
construction of six major campus buildings — Daniels Hall, Goddard Labora- 
tory, Gordon Library, Harrington Auditorium, Stoddard Residence, and the 
Alden Research Laboratories' administration building. He wasn't too worried 
by this. "I felt that my time at Washington University gave me a great deal of 
insight into academic budgets and academic accounting, which is a weird and 
mysterious field to most people." After being in office for a year, Hazzard 
approved a one-year freeze on all salaries at WPI. However unpopular, that 
move, combined with increased giving, resulted in the college's first surplus in 
six years and freed WPI from having to borrow against endowment. In the latest 



"I've known George Hazzard as long 
as he's been at WPI. I was on the 
committee that picked him to be presi- 
dent, and I think we've been very 
fortunate in having him. 

"He's a most unusual person. He 
seems to know how to get along with 
both students and faculty, and I think 
he's been an excellent leader for the 
school. George has been a great 
money-raiser, and that's very impor- 
tant these days. He's been very helpful 
in dealing with foundations. Perhaps 
his greatest asset is that he knows how 
to deal with people. He's kept the 
Board of Trustees very well informed, 
and he's a fine man to work with. 

"I'm sorry to see him leave. I think 
WPI has been most fortunate in having 
George Hazzard as president as long as 
we have." 

Milton P. Higgins 

Chairman, WPI Board of Trustees 



WPI Journal I February 1978/15 



16 I February 1978 I WPI journal 



annual report, it was announced that, for the seven years since 1970, income 
and expenses have just about balanced out, and there was over the entire period 
a small net surplus of $2 1 7,000. (To put that figure in perspective, the operating 
budget for 1976-77 was $17.5 million.) 

While a final report on the WPI Plan to Restore the Balance, to be published in 
the near future, will detail the major expenses, they can be summarized briefly 
here. WPI Plan implementation was an expensive undertaking. The immense 
amount of work involved many faculty over the summers as well as during the 
year, faculty involved not in teaching but in planning and structuring elements 
of the WPI Plan. A study of the campus indicated that many physical changes 
were needed to better serve the students and to provide appropriate teaching 
and learning environments for the new WPI Plan. In meeting these, two new 
dormitory complexes were built; the student dining room and lounge areas 
were enlarged and enhanced by connecting Morgan and Daniels halls,- Sanford 
Riley, the oldest dorm, was extensively refurbished; the Bookstore was 
enlarged and remodeled; a central campus post-box system was created for 
students; and the Student Affairs Office was relocated to Daniels Hall, in the 
center of the "main street" of the student living area. 

Academic buildings received considerable attention. Salisbury Laboratories 
was completely redesigned and rebuilt inside, providing a commuter lounge, 
classrooms, laboratories, and offices for the departments of Life Sciences, 
Management, Humanities, and Social Sciences and Policy Studies. The old 
foundry building, then the home of the Buildings and Grounds crews, was 
turned into a center for project activity with workshops, offices, and meeting 
rooms. The use of instructional television increased by leaps and bounds, and a 
studio complex and TV classroom were built in the basement of Higgins Lab 
while the rest of the campus was wired for closed-circuit TV. And wired for 
more and more computer terminals, too, as two new large computer systems 
(a DECsystem-10 and a Univac 90/60) were installed on campus. 

Endowment has been increased, with the emphasis on increasing student aid 
(some $2.4 million added here) and establishing endowed teaching positions, 
which provide a vehicle for attracting and rewarding talented faculty without 
putting an extra burden on operating funds. 

As Hazzard steps down from the WPI presidency, he leaves the Institute in 
better health — educational and financial — than when he came. To be sure, 
there's never enough money, at WPI as everywhere else, to do all the things that 
need doing and that we want to do. The whole matter of salaries, for example, 
raises problems in competing with industry and other universities for talented 
faculty and staff. That's a problem that Hazzard has wrestled with, on and off, 
for years, and it's one that his successor will have to confront, too. 

But the school is financially sound, and its leadership position in engineering 
education will be an important factor in maintaining that soundness. 

Whimsy 

Hazzard's sense of humor has been well known on campus, especially by the 
many who have felt the sharp edge of his wit. Always one to revel in the cut and 
slash of wordplay, his reputation as the campus's chief needier is secure. So 
secure that Helen Bugdenovitch, his secretary, gave him a real needle one 
Christmas. 

One recent example is contained in the following exchange of memoranda 
between the president and a faculty committee secretary: 

Minutes of the Committee on Appointments and Promo- 
tions: . . . The Committee did not find the candidate's 
qualifications inconsistent with the criteria. . . . 
(signed) Secretary 



Dear Professor : Do you always like the double 

negative? 

(signed) President 

Dear President: Our resident logicians deny that the 
sentence in question includes a double negative in the 
sense that it could be replaced logically by a positive one as 
an exact equivalent. The sentence "John is not unhappy" 
does not mean that John is happy. In brief, a positive belief 
was expressed with extreme delicacy of phraseology. 

Such artistry permits many interpretations. For exam- 
ples, the Committee may be too legalistically inclined to 
make any firm statement without having definitive proof 
in support of it available — or it may be too dense to find an 
existing inconsistency — or it may be too diplomatic 
(highly unlikely) to say so if it found one — or . . . 

The Committe authorizes me to say that it would not 
assert that none of these interpretations is neither correct 
nor incorrect. 

With apologies to M. Python, I remain 
Not insincerely yours, 
Secretary 

Dear Professor: Given your comments, which are not 
entirely unclear in their implications, I am not uninclined 
to hope for a less than unsatisfactory elucidation for all of 
us at the next Flying Circus (faculty meeting). 

Not unappreciatively yours, 

President 



George Hazzard and the broader higher education 
community 

WPI exists in a universe of institutions of higher learning, both public and 
private. That universe has been an important stamping ground to George 
Hazzard. 

The Worcester Consortium for Higher Education was created shortly before 
Hazzard came to WPI. It has grown and fostered cooperation among member 
institutions, and WPI, under first Harry Storke and then George Hazzard, has 
been one of its prime leaders. Consortia are difficult animals to deal with at 
best, because every member has his own interests at heart and is not very 
anxious to give up anything. In reflecting on the Worcester Consortium, 
President Hazzard comments: "It's sort of like trying to bring a bunch of 
positively charged particles together. You think you have them all in a box and 
they repel each other away again. But we work away at it. It's probably one of 
the more successful consortia, but no consortium I've ever seen is fully 
effective." 

He sees lean times ahead. "Things are going to get worse in the Consortium 
because of the inevitable decline in enrollments, which means everybody will 
be fighting for students. When economic pressures exist, friendships tend to 
evaporate. I think it will be harder to make the Consortium effective in the next 
ten years than it was in the last ten." 

For several years, the presidents of WPI, Clark University, and Holy Cross 
have been meeting, looking for ways in which the "big three" could cooperate. 
"We've tried very hard to share things, but it's been hard to do. Not from lack of 
good will, but simply because we've been unable to find real or apparent 



"When I first met George Hazzard, it 
wasn't as college president, nor was it 
as a person to be interviewed. He had 
been chosen as a faculty affiliate for 
my dormitory floor, a fact that had 
most of us wondering what the out- 
come would be. We weren't quite 
prepared for what we saw: instead of 
the medium-height, imposing, 
business-suited executive we ex- 
pected, we were greeted by a tall, 
lanky man whose only imposition was 
a rather loud tie (a piece of apparel I 
later discovered he was uniquely fond 
of). Most of us bordered between call- 
ing him 'Dr. Hazzard,' or 'Mr. Presi- 
dent,' but, when we asked him his 
preference he simply said 'Call me 
George.' I decided to take him seri- 
ously. 

"Since that first encounter I have 
spoken with George on many occa- 
sions; some of them social, some of 
them not. I have interviewed him on 
many subjects, and actually got him to 
sit in front of a TV camera for one. 
While he was an unconvincing ham, 
I'm sure he has potential as a guest 
replacement for Johnny Carson. My 
universal feeling after these interviews 
has been that George is a politician at 
heart. You can feel stonewalled or you 
can feel your cause taken to heart, but 
you can never be sure. Sometimes you 
think he hasn't got his eyes on the 
important things; later you realize that 
he has been watching all along. His 
actions are not always seen, and it can 
be difficult to tell from the outcome of 
a situation what he has done. Yet, 
what he really believes he will say out 
loud, well defined. It seems a curious 
mixture to me. 

"He had a tough job as president 
during the inception of the Plan. 
Perhaps it was a good mixture after all. 
At least, it has carried us to a viable 
point, and that reflects well on George 
Hazzard. 

"So do his ties." 

Rory O'Connor, 78 

Past editor, WPI Newspeak 



economic and intellectual benefits. It's something like Egyptian President 
Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Begin: good intentions are fine, but the details 
tend to make life very difficult." 



"George Hazzard was the right man at 
the right time for independent higher 
education in Massachusetts. During 
his term — 1 975-76 — as chairman of 
AICUM, the Association of Indepen- 
dent Colleges and Universities in Mas- 
sachusetts, he sharpened the objec- 
tives of the organization and he took 
the lead in implementing them. A 
familiar presence on Beacon Hill, he 
gained the confidence and respect of 
state officials, many of whom were 
bemused to find a college president 
who spoke briskly and unambiguously, 
was not turned aside by soft answers, 
and still believed a straight line was the 
shortest and best route between two 
points. His leadership compelled the 
attention of legislative leaders and the 
confidence of his fellow college and 
university presidents because it was 
based, as might be expected, on know- 
ing his facts, knowing his ground, and 
knowing what he wanted to achieve. 

"His influence was equally pervasive 
in the creation of the National Associa- 
tion of Independent Colleges and Uni- 
versities. Indeed, it led to his only 
miscalculation, but he even turned that 
to triumph. He went with a group of 
other college presidents for lunch at 
the home of President Barbara Newell 
of Wellesley College on a snowy day in 
1977. When the group adjourned 
after advising President Newell about 
her duties as a new director of NAICU, 
the only car stuck in the snow was 
President Hazzard's. He was equal to 
the occasion, however, and directed 
rescue operations from behind the 
steering wheel. His car was success- 
fully freed and pushed to safer ground 
... by five of his fellow college presi- 
dents. In many ways this symbolizes 
the way his fellow workers in the vine- 
yard feel about George: for anybody 
else they'd have called AAA. 

18 I February 1978 I WP1 Journal 



Statewide 

One of George Hazzard's major activities has been with the Association of 
Independent Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts (AICUM). This 
organization serves to coordinate the activities of the private colleges in the 
state, making them aware of legislative situations, both good and bad, and 
lobbying for the interests of private higher education in the state. George 
Hazzard took a major role in the organization and helped bring it into a sharp 
focus, seeing that it was run with a professional executive structure. Hazzard 
served as president of AICUM in 1975-76. 

These kinds of jobs, which bring wider publicity and visibility to the 
individuals involved, can be a strong temptation. Says Hazzard: "I have a strong 
belief that too many presidents and deans get involved in professional society 
activities which may be useful but which don't directly serve an interest of the 
institution. I tried to be careful not to get mixed up with too many of these that 
would take me off the campus. They're fun to do, but not very useful to WPI. 
That's why AICUM was so important. It could really help WPI." 

Indeed, AICUM has accomplished a lot. It was instrumental in getting the 
state's constitution amended to permit state support of private higher educa- 
tional institutions. Indeed, AICUM's thrust has been primarily directed toward 
affording all Massachusetts students the freedom of choice and opportunity in 
higher education, and not to limit taxpayer support only to public institutions. 
As a result, the state legislature has recently passed a bill providing for grants to 
Massachusetts residents attending private colleges, in amounts equal to what 
the private college would normally award itself, and including a matching grant 
directly to the institution. AICUM has actively supported a continuing 
dialogue between public and private institutions, and in 1973 sponsored a 
nationally acclaimed "Public- Private Forum," which brought together presi- 
dents of both types of institutions. 

Much of AICUM's work has been defensive in nature. One example occurred 
a few years ago when a chemical fire broke out in a Paxton school chemistry lab. 
The state fire marshal immediately ordered all school chemistry labs to install 
deluge showers at regular, closely spaced intervals. This move, which would 
have cost millions across the state, didn't really address the main problem, 
which was supervision and prevention. AICUM staffer James True and WPI 
chemistry head Robert Plumb worked together with the regulating authorities 
and finally got a solution that was good for all concerned. In another example, 
AICUM supported repeal of the state meals tax as it was applied to college 
students living in dormitories (and only students in private colleges, at that!). 
The organization argued that this was equivalent to taxing family meals. This 
fight, supported by students across the state, was lost when the legislature 
chose not to exempt college students. 

Nationally 

The other organization that has felt the presence of George Hazzard is the 
Association of American Colleges. "I chose that one because I felt that WPI's 
form of engineering education was a real basic liberal education. AAC is 
focused on liberal education, and they've been pretty effective in disseminating 
that theme around the country. By being a part of the group, I could indirectly 
spread WPI's philosophy and accomplishments and achieve greater national 
recognition for the college." 



Hazzard feels very strongly about this view of liberal education at WPI. He 
promoted the use of Sir Eric Ashby's term technological humanist, which he 
uses to describe the kind of graduate the WPI Plan is trying to produce. Hazzard 
has spoken and written so many times about this that he has become a national 
spokesman for the new breed of engineering education that started here at WPI. 



The Personal George Hazzard 

Being president of WPI has kept George Hazzard busy, but it hasn't been his 
whole life by any means. He's been very active in working for other organiza- 
tions, too. He has served as a trustee of St. Lawrence University, Memorial 
Hospital, People's Bank, and as a director of the Worcester Area Chamber of 
Commerce, Riley Company (Chicago), St. Vincent Hospital Research Founda- 
tion, and State Mutual Life Assurance Company of America. 

As if this wasn't enough involvement, his wife Jean Hazzard has also been 
active in community affairs. She has been president of the Child Guidance 
Association of Worcester, chairman of the Allen Fund Committee of Commu- 
nity Services, and president of the Social Service Corporation, all of which 
relate to her training as a psychologist. Jean Hazzard has also been a trustee of 
the Worcester Community School of the Performing Arts and a director of 
Worcester County National Bank. In 1976, she was one of five women honored 
by the Worcester Young Women's Christian Association as being "first in her 
field." She was cited as being a model of a woman who can combine home and 
family life with a career and/or public service. 

George comments: "While Jean has been a gracious hostess, opening our 
home to alumni, students, and faculty, her focus has been on social services in 
the city, where she's led an independent career. In one sense, she has relieved 
me of some responsibilities by picking up a lot of the community service 
functions which I just didn't have time to perform. Then too, we attend an 
awful lot of parties and other affairs as a couple, and I look on that as basically 
being public relations for the college. Getting to know people is important. 
Tom Denney has pointed out that people give to people rather than to 
institutions. That is, while the institution must have a good reputation, the 
person representing the institution is very important to the donor." 

After living for nine years in Jeppson House, WPI's home for its presidents, 
the Hazzards will be moving to a new home in nearby Petersham, Mas- 
sachusetts. Although he has nothing definite planned for the immediate future, 
he expects to do some part-time consulting work in the general area of higher 
education. He hopes also to have some more time for his gardening, and perhaps 
to be able to get down to serious color photography and color printing more than 
twice a year, which is about all he can fit in as president. He'll probably have to 
find a new tennis partner other than current neighbor (and dean of faculty) Ray 
Bolz. And now, just maybe, there'll be time enough to read all those things he 
wants to read. 

As he retires from the WPI presidency, George Hazzard will probably relax a 
bit. But don't bet on him slowing down. 



'Above all, politicians and educators 
alike have always been acutely aware 
of George's possession and use of one 
of the most finely tuned baloney (to be 
polite) detectors known to western 
man. Coupled with a mordant wit, this 
ability to penetrate sophistry and dis- 
perse blather made George a formida- 
ble antagonist in a variety of educa- 
tional and other public arenas. 

"At AICUM, when we think of 
George, we think of a man who gave 
us fresh insights, who always had time 
for a word of encou ragement and who 
inspired loyalty simply because of the 
loyalty which he gave. I don't think 
we'd want to play tennis with him, but 
we'd follow him anywhere else. 

"On the matter of tennis, one day 
George swung into an AICUM meet- 
ing on crutches, explaining how he had 
injured his knee playing tennis. There- 
upon one of his fellow college presi- 
dents chided him for not knowing, 
after years in office, one of the first 
rules of college administration: a presi- 
dent should never play any game that 
putsaweapon inthehandsof adean." 

Frank A. Tredinnick, Jr. 
Executive Vice President 
Association of Independent 
Colleges and Universities 
in Massachusetts 



WPI Journal I February 1978 1 19 



Some reflections on being WPI president 



"The arrival of George and Jean Haz- 
zard on the WPI campus nine years 
ago was the harbinger of a renaissance 
which has transformed engineering 
and science undergraduate education 
as never before at any institution any- 
where in the world. 

"Although the previous president 
had challenged the faculty to be in- 
novative and daring in plotting a pos- 
sible new course for the WPI cur- 
riculum, the outcome was only a hazy 
dream in the minds of most. That this 
dream has become a notable reality, 
titled so simply 'The WPI Plan,' is the 
outstanding accomplishment of the 
Hazzard administration, with great 
credit due the entire WPI team. 

"For WPI to achieve this remarkable 
evolutionary educational break- 
through required unusually talented 
leadership. Who else would have 
coined the phrase which is exactly right 
for our graduates — 'technological 
humanists'? Only our fine president, 
George Hazzard." 



Paul S. Morgan 
Vice Chairman 
Board of Trustees 



Just what does it mean to be president of a college, or president of WPI? At one 
time, not too long ago, a college presidency carried with it much prestige and 
high social status. Then, in the late 1960s and early 1970s, as the problems 
multiplied enormously and the prestige withered away, it became all too often 
some kind of bad joke: "No one wants to be a college president anymore." 
Presidential search committees sometimes had to reconvene their delibera- 
tions two or three times as the desirable candidates proved not to be interested 
in the job. The wheel seems to be turning back now, but some questions must 
remain. 

George Hazzard came to WPI right in the middle of this period of unrest and 
discontent. How does he feel about his job, and how does he think WPI 
compares with other places? 

"In the first place," Hazzard says, "being a president at WPI is somewhat 
different from being president at a liberal arts college or at a major university. 
There has been, here at WPI, a unanimity of goals that you just don't find in 
many of those other places. When the troubles of 1 970 appeared, the faculty and 
administration here joined together. At most other institutions faculty mem- 
bers were agitating and developing student antagonisms to the way things were 
done. Because of that one factor, agreement on goals, my job here has been an 
awful lot easier in terms of getting things done. 

"I think the rewards here have been unusual, too. I was here at a time when a 
program was developing that clearly could have a major impact if it succeeded. 
And there was really a lot of motivation to make it succeed because, if it did, we 
would be highly visible. In fact, I've always been pleased because I made the 
choice not to be a finalist in a liberal arts college presidency search at the time 
the job was offered to me here. I did that because while WPI, as an independent 
engineering school, is not unique (there are about a dozen others), the impact it 
could have could really be unique. A lot of the things that a liberal arts college 
president would do are aimed at maintaining the status quo; whereas here at 
WPI we have been creating something really new and exciting. That's all in 
addition to the usual kinds of rewards — satisfaction with balancing the budget, 
adding faculty, increasing the number of students or getting better students. 
Those things can happen at any institution, but WPI offered something much 
more. I think I've been unusually fortunate in the administrative groups and 
faculty groups I've had to work with, and that's made my job very, very pleasant 
. . . even though we've had our little tiffs and differences, of course." 

But it can't all be a bed of roses, right? Even for a gardener like George 
Hazzard. "No one's perfect, though we don't like to admit it. I think the few 
things I would do over have to do with people. Also, I would like to have 
succeeded more in bringing Clark and WPI closer together." 

The future for WPI 

Last June, when President Hazzard announced his plans to retire, he com- 
mented that "these have been very exciting and very satisfying years for Mrs. 
Hazzard and me. When we arrived in 1969, the WPI Plan was a magnificent 
concept just beginning to take its final form. Ahead of us then lay the task of 
completing the details and implementing what is clearly one of the most 
significant educational innovations in our time. Today the WPI Plan is a 
working reality. The implementation phase is behind us. I believe that the time 
has come for me to step aside so that a new president may lead WPI through the 
next stage of its continuing development." 



20 I February 1978 I WPI journal 



UH 




Above, George and Jean Hazzard relaxing in their new home 

in Petersham. 

At right, outdoor work in the new garden. 




Just what sorts of problems does Hazzard expect his successor will have to 
face in that next stage ahead? 

"There are three major problems. One, of course, is just to continue to raise a 
lot of money, in what may or may not prove to be a difficult environment. You 
just can't tell. All you really know is, there's never enough money! The second 
problem, related because it costs money, is to solve the problem of faculty 
renewal: more faculty, more time off, more substitute faculty. The present 
faculty have been putting in an incredible amount of work for years on end, and 
they can't be expected to keep it up. 

"The third major challenge is finding the next plateau to climb to. We have 
innovated, we have got things on line, we have a program in place. The faculty 
and staff have worked very hard to reach a goal — and, in effect, we have reached 
it. Now we have to establish some new goals to challenge us for the future. 
That, I think, is going to be the big problem." 



WPI Journal I February 1 978 1 21 








LTIMATE 



RAGON??! 



by Ruth S. Trask 



w, 



ell, it's about time! The Chinese began talking 
about dragons nearly 6000 years ago and finally somebody 
has done something about them. Genetically speaking, 
that is. 

It took Intersession 1978 and the colorful imaginations 
of Dr. James Danielli and Dr. Richard Beschle of the Life 
Sciences Department, who offered a unique two-day 
course, "Dragons: Their Redesign." 

In discussing the concept of the mythical beast, the 
thirty students in the class agreed that there is a strong 
similarity between dragons and dinosaurs. There is abso- 
lutely no evidence, however, that man ever saw living, 
breathing dinosaurs, which became extinct about 70 mil- 
lion years ago. The first mention of dragons came from the 
Chinese around 4000 B.C., long after the demise of the 
dinosaurs. Dinosaur bones were not even unearthed and 
reassembled until the last 100 years. When the bones were 
first discovered, they were put together to resemble drag- 
ons, so entrenched had the idea of dragons become. 

Dragons have long existed in literature throughout the 
world. The Western dragon has scales, can breathe fire, 
occasionally employs wings and mental telepathy, eats 
people at night, loves to guard treasure, and has been 
known to do hard work. The Eastern dragon can fly 
without wings, has skin that shines at night and a pearl 
fixed beneath his chin. Sometimes he is fierce, sometimes 
timid. The chief difference between him and his Western 
counterpart is that he breathes out mist instead of fire. 

It is thought that no remains of dragons have been found 
because they probably caused their own destruction by 
self-immolation. Any left-over bones were crunched up 
and eaten by jackals. The remaining bone chips were used 
for baby vulture food. 



Today, dragons are alive and well in literature and 
entertainment. Note the dragon in The Hobbit, the best 
selling modern children's classic, and the disappearing 
beast in the Disney production of "Pete's Dragon" which 
appeared at neighborhood theaters over the holidays. 

Dragons, then, not only exist in the minds of millions; 
they are also big business. They might become even bigger 
business if they could be redesigned genetically to make 
the best use of their basic characteristics. For example, the 
fire belched from a Western dragon could prove to be a 
valuable heat source, while the mists expelled from the 
Eastern dragon might solve drought problems in desert 
areas. The beasts themselves have virtually no control 
over their expulsion of fire and mist. In the light of such 
massive lack of control by dragons over their various 
bodily functions, Danielli and Beschle proposed that each 
student design his own personal dragon so that it could 
best perform specific, useful tasks — with built-in, genetic 
controls, of course. 

In order to design a proper dragon, one must have at least 
a thumbnail knowledge of the history of dinosaur evolu- 
tion. About 450 million years ago, fish, which then had 
both scales and lungs, inhabited the oceans. A hundred 
million years later amphibians pulled themselves up out 
of the water and began dragging themselves across the 
ground on their bellies. Then, came the reptiles. Some, 
like the dinosaurs, had legs and grew to be fifty feet long. 
They had an efficient heart and lungs, a high metabolic 
rate, and were not nearly as cold blooded or as stupid as 
history has led us to believe. 

Basically, the dinosaur developed from a fish which had 
paired fins. (So did we!) In the dinosaur, the paired fins 
became four limbs. Some beasts used all four legs for 
walking. Others assumed the upright position, then used 
two hind limbs for walking and two fore limbs for grasping 



22 I February 1978 I WPI Journal 



and balancing like the kangaroo. The kangaroo-type di- 
nosaur began to develop a skin flap between his puny 
fore limbs and his body, which gave his body a gliding type 
of lift. Eventually the skin flap grew until the dinosaur had 
a wing span of forty feet. With a body mass of only sixty 
pounds, the giant wings, although he could not flap them, 
allowed the dinosaur to glide and soar in wind currents. 

Although it is doubtful that the average dinosaur could 
produce flame, it is certain that no self-respecting Western 
dragon would ever step out of his den without a working 
flame-thrower. Dragons are expected to belch flame. It's a 
part of their mystique. Not only can the dragon flame 
sizzle unwary foes, its noxious fumes can make them drop 
in their tracks. 

In a word, dragon internal combusion stinks. Among the 
gases produced during the process are methane, propane, 
hydrogen, ethylene, and ether. When superheated, H 2 S 
makes the most repellent stench of all. Obviously, none of 
this gas and heat production does much for the dragon's 
social life. It could, however, be put to good use commer- 
cially. 

For example, the ethylene could help ripen fruit; the 
heat could help run a cold storage plant, warm homes, or 
melt ice and snow. The flame-throwing mechanism could 
be used in warfare, in consuming garbage or stripping paint 
from houses. The hot air could be used by a hot-air balloon 
taxi service. The innate telepathic characteristic of the 
dragon could also be brought into play in concert with all 
of these uses. Intuitively the dragon would know when to 
start and stop doing a given task, so it could be done most 
efficiently. 

The problem for the students was to find genetic 
methods of controlling the dragon's ignition and combus- 
tion systems, and to redesign his body structure, if neces- 
sary, so that form could best support function. For in- 
stance, if one really wanted his dinosaur to fly instead of 
merely soaring on skin flaps, the addition of feathers might 
be worth considering. 

In redesigning the dragon, one of the first steps might be 
to reduce the animal's overall energy requirement. (Con- 
stant ignition and combustion must be exhausting! ) This 
might be done by implantation of electrical wires, or the 
addition of nerve cells or carbon filaments with living 
cells. Perhaps his stomach could be removed to improve 
his digestion. Humans have found ways to live without 
stomachs. 

Combustion is a very complicated process. The rate of 
reaction is important. It depends on temperature and is 
affected by a series of catalysts and inhibitors. A lot of 
things are happening interdependently and can produce a 
mess. The dragon lives with just such a mess. 



The electric eel, however, has gotten his ignition and 
combustion problems pretty much under control. In fact, a 
good sized electric eel in Africa or in the Amazon, can 
produce 500 to 600 volts of electricity and is able to light 
up a 50 to 60 watt bulb through his specialized muscle 
cells. The muscle cells are arranged in stacks. With 
thousands of such cells occurring in rows, high voltage is 
obtained. Perhaps such a system could be introduced into 
dragons. 

The dragon cells would have to be kept cool. Reflective 
material, such as layers of separated metal foil, could do 
the trick. Aluminum foil also might be used. Tiny bubble 
spheres without too many points of contact, would proba- 
bly work if something agreeable could be found to keep the 
bubbles together. 

The ultimate dragon will undoubtedly be redesigned 
through pure genetic engineering, rather than add-on 
technology. To understand how this might be done, note 
first that he belongs to a species, a group of organisms 
which have the same genetic programming principle or 
sets of principles. Programming, as everyone knows, can 
be subject to change, and there are a number of mecha- 
nisms available for changing these genetic programs. For 
instance, genes can transfer through loose pieces of dna, 
viruses, and plasmids, spontaneously adding new genes to 
organisms. In mating, the process is completed with 
existing genes, or mutants of existing genes. It is possible 
to construct new genes and chromosomes, but it is 
generally too complicated a process to start from scratch. 

In redesigning the dragon's nervous system, one must be 
aware of a number of things: each nerve joins at a junction 
called a synapse, and information can pass in only one 
direction at this junction; synapses never occur by them- 
selves, but meet where a number of fibers impinge on a 
single nerve (convergence); while in divergence a number 
of different nerve cells derive information from a single 
source. A new substance has been found that encourages 
nerve growth. Possibly the use of this could be helpful in 
revamping the dragon's nervous system. 



24 I February 1 978 I WPI Journal 




There are several ways to transfer genes, which are made 
up of dna, from one cell to another. One very successful 
method is to add cells to an embryo. Another is to fuse 
cells with the characteristic gene which is to be em- 
phasized or reproduced. Then there is cell uptake when 
little cells, with the desired characteristics, are put into 
larger cells. Co-growth of genes occurs when dna is 
transferred by a natural process. The introduction of 
viruses and plasmids can shift genes to other cells, a 
technique which has been proved to be very accurate. 
Through chemical synthesis, it is possible to create brand 
new genes, especially when an enzyme is added to make 
the various groups of dna stay together. 

Before sending the students off to their drawing boards 
and typewriters armed with genetic information and a 
dragon book reading list, Dr. Danielli and Dr. Beschle 
reminded them to take a conventional dragon and make it 
better. They stressed the importance of good design, the 
right configuration, and the necessity of putting social 
restraints on their hypothetical beasts. What they wanted, 
they said, were some clever ways of doing new things 
effectively. 

So informed, class members tossed around proposed 
uses for tamed dragons as watch dogs, air taxis, domestic 
heaters, snow removers, telepathic interplanetary com- 
munications centers, garbage disposals, fertilizers, street 
lights, fortune tellers, secret weapons, cooks, gamblers, 
and airport security personnel. 



In this writer's view, a mid-sized dragon with feathered 
wings and sharp eyes, could ride shot gun for Rudolph and 
Santa on Christmas Eve. He would sit in a special seat at 
the back of the sleigh, where he could keep watch over the 
bags of toys. (Dragons love to guard treasure! ) As the sleigh 
stopped above each house, the dragons's inherent mental 
telepathy would allow him to tell Santa exactly what gift 
each child wanted. Then, he would swoop down on his 
fine, feathered wings, and with a single blast of his 
flame-thrower, melt the ice off of the house top so Santa 
wouldn't slip. 

In order to save the sleigh, the toys, Santa, and the 
reindeer from going up in smoke during the trip, the 
dragon, whose seat would be at the very back, would 
breathe his fire into a large, wishbone-shaped, heat- 
resistant glass tube, which would extend up as far as 
Rudolph. The tube would provide illumination brighter 
than Rudolph's red nose. It would also provide welcome 
warmth in snow country. While over the tropics, Santa 
could throw an asbestos blanket over the tube to cut the 
heat. (The dragon, by the way, would have acquired his 
improved flying capabilities and keen eyesight from spe- 
cialized American eagle cells added to his dna when he 
was in the embryonic stage.) 

All in all, Christmas Eve would be run far more effi- 
ciently. Santa Claus wouldn't have to waste time worry- 
ing about poor visibility, cold feet, the Grinch's stealing 
his toys, slipping on icy roof tops, or mixing up gifts. He'd 
finish all of his deliveries much faster. 

The only problem might be that, with such early 
deliveries, some children might still be awake when Santa 
arrived. They might hear a creature stirring up on the roof 
and investigate. Not Dancer! Not Prancer! Not even a 
mouse! What self-respecting parent is ever going to believe 
that a feathered, fire-breathing dragon is de-icing the roof 
on . . . Christmas Eve? Now, if it were New Year's Eve — 
well, maybe. 



WPI journal I February 1 978 1 25 



van A 



Prof. John van Alstyne will tell you 
that he came to WPI in 1 96 1 to teach 
mathematics for one year only. 

"I had another teaching job all lined 
up for the following year/' he ex- 
plains. "WPI was going to be a brief, 
interim experience. I'd never taught 
at an engineering school before, and I 
had no idea whether I'd fit in or not." 

Today, seventeen years later, he 
not only continues to teach, he has 
become the Dean of Academic Advis- 
ing, and was one of the original ar- 
chitects of the WPI Plan. The life of 
every WPI student, professor, and 
administrator has been touched by 
him. Although he would be the last to 
admit it, John van Alstyne is more 
than a mere campus cog. He is a 
prime mover. 



For example, one of his current 
major responsibilities is setting up 
the complete academic schedule for 
WPI. This means that he has to de- 
cide at what time the various classes 
will be held and which of some 2500 
students will be scheduled for each 
class section. His scheduling person- 
ally affects every student and profes- 
sor on campus. 

"I try very hard not to put an out- 
of-town commuter into an eight 
o'clock class during the winter 
months," he says. "I don't like to 
have to put someone who works in 
the cafeteria at lunch time into a one 
o'clock class, either." He also en- 
deavors to tailor schedules to fit the 
requirements of handicapped stu- 
dents. 

Since he still teaches 250 students 
a quarter of the time, and has numer- 
ous advisees, Prof, van Alstyne gets to 
know many of the students well. 
"Knowing them personally and being 
familiar with their needs and wishes 
is most helpful when I set up 
schedules in the spring," he says. The 
personalized process is more individ- 
ually effective than a computer- 
scheduling set-up could ever be. 

Prof, van Alstyne 's concern for the 
individual student and his selfless 
devotion to his advisees are legend at 
WPI. He always makes time for 
everyone — whether it be at 6: 30 
a.m., midnight, or on weekends. 

Roger Perry, '45, director of public 
relations, used to have an office di- 
rectly across from Prof, van 
Alstyne's. He likes to tell this story 
about his colleague: "It was a typical 
pre-registration day. Long lines of 
students extended down the corridor 
to John's office. Finally, at noon, the 
hall emptied. I knew that John must 
be bone tired and ready for a break. 
Then I heard a voice saying, 'Prof, 
van Alstyne, could I please see you for 
a minute?' and John's prompt, affir- 
mative reply. The 'minute' lasted 
more than half an hour. I knew that 
John had missed his lunch. Again. As 
usual, he had put the needs of a 
student before his own." 

Missed meals mean little to Prof, 
van Alstyne. He thoroughly enjoys 
his contact with students and con- 
fesses that they help him more than 



he helps them. "I consider myself as 
everybody's great grandfather," he 
says, smiling. "My advisees ask me 
all kinds of questions: 'What should I 
major in? ' 'Do you know a good eye 
doctor?' 'I'm having trouble with my 
parents (girl friend, siblings, room- 
mate, etc.) What should I do?' They 
inquire so often about graduate 
schools, that I've prepared a special 
graduate school fact sheet for 
juniors." 

It does not take long for incoming 
students to learn who is on their side, 
who will point them in the right 
direction, and who will be there to 
catch them should the bottom fall 
out. Prof, van Alstyne heads the list. 
Upon hearing that his freshman 
friend had drawn van Alstyne for an 
adviser, a sophomore was heard to 
remark, "Oh, wow! van A.? You've 
got it made. How did you manage to 
get so lucky?" The students know 
who has their best interests at heart. 

Sometimes those best interests 
prove to be not strictly academic in 
nature. "A number of students and 
alumni ask me about insurance and 
financial planning," he reports. 
"That's what I get for mentioning in 
class that I once worked as a "ghost 
writer" for the First National City 
Bank of New York." 

A ghost writer? 

He laughs and explains. "After 
World War II, I was hired to write 100 
letters a day for bank executives who 
had little writing ability. My fellow 
letter writers were a diverse, interests 
ing group. They included a valedicto- 
rian from Harvard, a salutatorian 
from Stanford, and a couple of people 
who never completed high school. 

"I also had eight private inves- 
tigators working for me at the bank. It 
was our responsibility to look into 
the credit ratings of various com- 
panies in this country and abroad in 
the interest of furthering world trade. 

"The job was fascinating. I earned a 
good salary and learned a lot about 
investments. In fact, earnings from 
my bank job enabled me financially 
to change my career to teaching late 
in the game. Switching to teaching 
cut my income directly in half." 

So teaching hadn't always been his 
ultimate goal? 



26 1 February 1978 1 WPI journal 




"Oh, no. Originally I wanted to be 
an architect. To design buildings to 
reflect the culture in which we live. 
However, while still an under- 
graduate at Hamilton, I was pushed 
into teaching. At the time, I thought 
it was the last thing that I ever 
wanted to do." 

John van Alstyne was a senior at 
Hamilton College during World War 
II. "It took me two and a half years to 
get through that last year," he says, 
"because I was asked to teach math- 
ematics and meteorology to Air 
Force students. I taught between 8 
a.m. and noon, i p.m. and 5 p.m., and 7 
and 9 p.m. five days a week. My 
students included farmers, coal min- 
ers, and recruits from the Chicago 
slums. They really wanted to learn. 
About 25 of them went on to ad- 
vanced degrees. I still hear from sev- 
eral of them." 

At Hamilton, he majored in math- 
ematics, but also studied English and 
German. He won a full year's schol- 
arship there in German. Later, he 
attended graduate school at Prince- 
ton. In 1952 he received his master's 
degree from Columbia. 

After graduating from Columbia he 
joined the bank for three years, and 
then returned to Hamilton, where he 
taught for thirteen years. ("In 1961 1 
left Hamilton. I was the first tenured 
faculty member ever to quit at the 
college.") 



"It was during my years at Hamil- 
ton that President Hazzard and I 
nearly crossed paths. We both be- 
longed to professional societies and 
were named to separate committees 
to upgrade the New York State cer- 
tification requirements for teachers. I 
was on the mathematics committee, 
and he was on the physics committee 
at precisely the same time. The two 
committees didn't meet jointly, 
however, so we never realized until 
years later that we had so narrowly 
missed meeting." Prof, van Alstyne 
was subsequently asked to be one of 
the writers of the New York State 
Regents Scholarship Examination. 

It was after he arrived at WPI that 
Prof, van Alstyne discovered how the 
Regents exam that he had helped to 
prepare was working out. He learned 
that one of his advisees had scored 
high on the exam and congratulated 
him. "Oh, that exam," the student 
complained. "It was tough. A terror. 
The questions were awfully dif- 
ficult." 

"Give me some examples," Prof, 
van Alstyne said. The student obliged 
him, repeating practically word for 
word the questions that he had de- 
vised a few years before. 

Did he tell the student that he was 
the author of the exam? "No. Some- 
times it's better to be discreet," he 
confides. 

He still believes in giving rugged 
exams. He likes to make his students 
think. He agrees with Alfred North 
Whitehead that no question requiring 
a yes or no answer is worth asking. 

"With one notable exception," he 
says with a grin. "When I asked 
someone to marry me, I wanted a yes 
or no answer. Immediately." 

Prof, van Alstyne's writing ability, 
his creative talents, and his genius for 
organization were noted early on at 
WPI. He was a member of both the 
appointed and the elected commit- 
tees that created the WPI Plan. 

"I enjoyed working on the Plan 
very much," he says. "It was exciting 
looking to the future of WPI. It was 
also rewarding to work with people 
who had such wide-ranging interests. 
Three faculty members on the com- 
mittee could read the prologue to 
Chaucer's Canterbury Tales in the 



original old English. Can you imagine 
that — at an engineering school?" 
(Prof, van Alstyne can also read Mal- 
ory's Mort d' Arthur in the original. "I 
learned how to do it in order to pass 
the time away when I was sick years 
ago," he explains.) 

As valuable as Prof, van Alstyne 
has been in helping to shape the Plan, 
it is his service on behalf of the stu- 
dents that has proved to be his most 
valuable contribution to the school. 
The students, many of whom he has 
personally befriended, affectionately 
refer to him as "Chips" behind his 
back, sensing his similarity to the 
sympathetic teacher in the movie 
"Goodbye, Mr. Chips." They have 
also accorded him their highest hon- 
ors by voting him into Skull and 
dedicating the senior yearbook to 
him. 

He is aware that many of their 
academic problems are manifesta- 
tions of other problems. "So often a 
student who is struggling academi- 
cally will come to me and say, 'I have 
a friend who is in trouble. What 
would you advise him to do?' It goes 
without saying that he, himself, is 
the friend. When somebody lingers in 
my office after asking a few initial 
questions, that's a clue something is 
bothering him besides grades. And 
when someone starts to leave, and 
cries at the door ..." There are nights 
when John van Alstyne does not 
sleep. 

But there are rewards. He gets 
grateful letters from transfer students 
and alumni. He is proudest of the 
fourteen former students who have 
gotten best teacher awards on their 
respective campuses. "Currently I 
have more than 100 former students 
teaching in colleges and medical 
schools," he reports. 

Seventeen years ago M. Lawrence 
Price, '30 (dean emeritus of the fac- 
ulty) and Richard N. Cobb (professor 
emeritus, mathematics) interviewed 
John van Alstyne for a post as as- 
sociate professor of mathematics. 

"I was thoroughly impressed with 
both men," says Prof, van Alstyne. "I 
also liked the office personnel, the 
students, and the campus itself. WPI, 
I decided, would be a very nice place 
to teach. For a year." 



WPI Journal l February 1 978 1 27 




1913 

William Stults writes: "Still drive my car 
and get around some. Made three trips to 
North Carolina last summer and one to 
Florida in the spring." 

1928 

Francis King, who retired last spring as 
manager of the Holyoke (Mass.) Gas & 
Electric Department, currently serves as 
president of the Massachusetts Municipal 
Wholesale Electric Company (MMWEC). 
MMWEC, a cooperative of more than two 
dozen municipally run utilities, recently 
signed a contract with GE for $55 million 
worth of equipment for a new power plant 
which is scheduled to start generating 
power in Ludlow by 1982. 

The oil-fired power plant is being built at 
Stony Brook Energy Center on land that 
was formerly part of the mostly defunct 
Westover Air Force Base. The contract is 
expected to provide 250 new jobs in Lud- 
low. The plant will be the first major power 
generator in New England built through 
cooperative efforts of publicly held utilities. 
Gov. Michael Dukakis said the contract 
would aid the state's economy and provide 
an efficient new source of electrical power. 

1929 

J. Bernard Joseph and his wife have moved 
into a condominium on the Gulf of Mexico 
at Fort Myers Beach on Estero Island. "Our 
health seems to be better here," he writes. 
. . . The Arthur Knights are considering 
moving from their 15-acre mini-estate in 
Lower Waterford, Vt. "We will stay in this 
area, however, within easy walking dis- 
tance of libraries, museums, and shops." 



. . . During the warm months Carleton 
Nims keeps busy gardening, mowing the 
lawn, and raking leaves. Recently, with 
another man, he built an addition to a tool 
shed. He says that between December and 
April he hibernates. 

1930 

Edward Milde, who retired several years 
ago as technical staff engineer in hydraulics 
at Sperry-Vickers, continues to do some 
hydraulic consulting work part time. He is 
located in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and 
keeps busy working around his house and 
acre lot. He also enjoys taking short trips. 

1931 

Joseph Bunevith has retired from the Wel- 
fare Department of the Commonwealth of 
Massachusetts. 

1934 

Luther Leavitt, who formally retired last 
August, currently serves as a state officer in 
the Sons of the American Revolution. The 
Leavitts maintain homes in Cleveland 
Heights and Ogunquit, Me. One daughter 
is in her second year of medical school at 
Case Western Reserve. "To provide her 
with malpractice legal protection in the 
future, our second daughter is completing 
Dickinson Law School in June," he writes. 

In December, Paul J. Sullivan, 
superintendent-director of the Blackstone 
Valley Regional Vocational Technical High 
School (Upton, Mass.), was honored at a 
retirement party in Northboro which was 
attended by 350 persons. He had served in 
the post for fourteen years, and said that 
his part in the planning of the school had 
been most rewarding and afforded him his 
greatest challenge and his greatest satisfac- 
tion. During his retirement the Sullivans 
hope to start new interests and indulge in 
one of their favorite old ones, travel. 

1936 

Bill Maine retired in August. He had been a 
plant engineer for Torrington (Conn.) Co. 
He and his wife, Evalyn, now have a nice 
home close to Columbia Lake in Connect- 
icut with ample garden area and plenty of 
yard to maintain. 



1938 

Tom O'Neil serves as a resident mechanical 
engineer for Kuljian Corp. and is presently 
helping to construct a power plant in Am- 
man, Jordan. 

1939 

William Lyhne, Jr. holds the post of assist- 
ant director of reports at American Man- 
agement Association, New York City. 

1940 

George Bingham, who was chief engineer 
at Bonneville, has joined Ebasco Services, 
Inc., Portland, Oregon, as regional man- 
ager. . . . Zareh Martin is an instructor in 
management at Northeastern University in 
Boston and also teaches high school 
courses. . . . Dick Scharmann is very active 
in his retirement. He has been doing some 
contract work for the Navy. . . . After 31 
years with the Avionics Division at ITT, 
Thomas Wingardner has retired. He is re- 
siding in East Dennis, Mass. 

1946 

John Goeller presently serves as manager 
of the World Trade Systems Center in San 
Jose, California. . . . John Lee has received 
his master of arts degree in teaching from 
Bridgewater State College. He continues 
teaching at Plymouth-Carver Regional 
High School. His son, who graduated from 
Massachusetts Maritime recently, is now 
on a tug, "The Braden Point." 

1949 

Continuing with Turner Construction Co., 
Russell Bradlaw has returned from Paki- 
stan and is now on assignment at the 
company's New York office. . . . Harold 
Gibbons has retired from Westinghouse. 

1950 

George Barna presently holds the position 
of director of engineering at Singer-Link in 
Binghamton, N.Y. 

1951 

John Marley was co-author of "Automo- 
tive electronics II: the microprocessor is in" 
which appeared in the November issue of 
IEEE Spectrum. He is a member of the 
technical staff of Motorola's IC Division, 
assigned to the automotive systems task 
force. For six years he has dealt with the 
partitioning and identification of automo- 
tive custom integrated circuits and spe- 
cialized central-processor-unit chips for au- 
tomotive electronic systems. Previously he 
had worked for ITT Laboratories and Hazel- 
tine Research Corporation. 



28 I February 1 978 1 WPI Journal 





Class of 1927 



Our fiftieth reunion! It was truly a glorious 
regathering with no assist, may we add, 
from the weatherman who found fit to 
clobber us with a typical New England 
Nor'easter, presumably for the benefit of 
far-travelling Purdy Meigs (from New 
Mexico where it rarely rains) and Pete 
Whittemore (from California then plagued 
by drought). Not to be outdone by these 
wayfarers from remote distances came Bob 
Johnson from Arizona, Vic Hill and Nick 
Nahigian from Florida, and Charlie Mac- 
Lennan arrived from River John, Nova 
Scotia, representing our North Country 
cousins of Canada. 

One can suppose that every WPI alum- 
nus entertains the honest conviction that 
his class was the very best of all classes and 
that his classmates were the salt of the 
earth, none better. In that conviction he 
would be absolutely right. It would perhaps 
be difficult for any God-fearing and virtu- 
ous alumnus (and the class of 1927 was 
particularly God-fearing and virtuous ... or 
almost so) not to feel a close kinship with 
his colleagues with whom he spent so 
many happy days and years of learning 
together, competing together, raising a 
little hell together, and making the transi- 
tion from youth to manhood together. 

Wonderful years indeed were those un- 
dergraduate days we shared in that so- 
long-ago era of the mid-twenties. Perhaps 
more than a bit of what we have since 
viewed with nostalgia was recaptured in 
the June days of our Fiftieth Reunion. 

Forgive our enthusiasm, if we sound 
repetitious, these few days celebrating our 
50th Reunion were a very happy experi- 
ence — from theThursday evening Recep- 



tion, hosted so graciously by President and 
Mrs. Hazzard, at their charming home (the 
Jeppson House), through to the Alumni 
Luncheon and Annual Meeting at Morgan 
Hall on Saturday noon. The spirit engen- 
dered at the President's home was con- 
tinued, Thursday evening, in the Great Hall 
of Higgins House, where we were served a 
delightful roast beef dinner as guests of the 
Alumni Association. During the evening, 
the Association presented each member 
with a copy of "Two Towers" (the story of 
Worcester Tech 1865-1965), which is a 
well written history, that all Tech men will 
enjoy and be proud to own. The highlight 
of the evening was the comments by Presi- 
dent Hazzard and his personal congratula- 
tions to each member, upon the individual 
delivery of a beautifully crimson colored, 
leather bound "presentation of Worcester 
Polytechnic Institute in recognition of Fifty 
Years of service and loyalty to his college." 
Cliff Fahlstrom, as chairman of the 50th 
Reunion Committee, expressed the thanks 
and appreciation of the class of '27 to the 
Alumni Association and to President Haz- 
zard. 

Friday was a busy day, with visits with 
classmates, Campus Tou rs (which for those 
who haven't been back is an eye-opener), a 
buffet luncheon at Morgan Hall followed 
by a presentation on "WPI Today" under 
the direction of Dean Grogan as moderator 
with a panel of faculty and students. 

The high spot, for most, had to be our 
Class Reunion Social Hour and Dinner at 
the Isaiah Thomas room of the Sheraton 
Lincoln Inn, where several of our members 
had rooms during reunion. This festive and 
joyous occasion was sobered a bit, to be 
sure, in a pause of tribute to the classmates 
of old, no longer with us but whom some 
day we shall meet again at the river. This 
cheerful and happy gathering, as with all 
other reunion events, had added grace and 



charm, by the attendance of the lovely 
wives of the many classmates who brought 
their spouses. 

The only class business of any conse- 
quence arose from the suggestion that the 
class might possibly be more easily repre- 
sented by members living closer to WPI and 
thus be more readily available to serve the 
members whenever the occasions arose. 
The suggestion was endorsed by two 
former class officers. It was thus voted that 
to serve as Class Officers would be Cliff 
Fahlstrom, President; Phil MacArdle, Vice 
President; Ed Cahalen, Treasurer; Bill 
Rauha, Secretary. 

As will be evident, a picture of the 50th 
Reunion Class was taken. Some of us, to be 
sure, have perhaps changed a bit and all of 
us have gotten a lot smarter, and some of 
us have gotten better looking, or heavier, 
or grayer, or balder, or whatever. But, 
basically, none of us has changed much at 
all and from the picture one should easily 
recognize (Top Row, I. to r.) Wahlin, Mac- 
Lennon, Hoaglund, Rauha, Nahigyan, 
Meigs, Swenson, Bob Johnson, Fred 
Pomeroy, Manning, Eus Merrill; and (Bot- 
tom Row, I. to r.) Parmelee, Bob Parker, 
Dean Merrill, Bush, Whittemore, Stephen- 
son, Hill, King, Beth, Southwick, Searle, 
Fahlstrom, MacArdle, Charly Parker, Lewis, 
Cahalen. 

(Editor's Note: Because of an unfortunate series 
of delays, this account of the 50th Reunion, last 
June, of the Class of 1 927 has not been ready for 
publication until now. We hope this story will 
bring back warm memories for those who were 
there, and we hope even more that it will be 
interesting and enjoyable for those class mem- 
bers who weren 't able to make it back to campus 
for the reunion. Best wishes to all.) 



WPI Journal i February 1 978 1 29 



1953 

Ted Fritz, Jr. serves as a manager of prod- 
uct development for Armstrong Rubber in 
New Haven, Connecticut. . . . Gene Kucin- 
kas, who has several important process 
control "firsts" to his credit, has joined 
Arthur D. Little, Inc. Formerly with LFE 
Corporation and the Foxboro Co., he is 
now a member of the Electronics Systems 
section of the Cambridge-based research, 
engineering, and management consulting 
firm. Among his original digital systems 
applications was the first industrial use of 
TV as a video display device for computer 
output and the first digital monitor and 
control system for the tire industry. In 1969 
he founded Total Systems Computer, Inc., 
which was acquired in 1972 by the LFE 
Corporation. He is a registered professional 
engineer in Massachusetts. 

1954 

F. Raymond Anderson, SIM, is with the 
Heald Division of Cincinnati Milacron in 
Worcester. . . . Leigh Hickcox has been 
elected vice president of Capintec, Inc. and 
general manager of Capintec Systems Divi- 
sion. He will be responsible for all functions 
related to computer-based systems mar- 
keted by Capintec, such as the Radiation 
Therapy Planning System. Formerly he was 
product manager for the firm's radiation 
dosimetry product line. Before joining 
Capintec in 1976, he was marketing and 
sales manager for Science Accessories 
Corp. He had also been product manager 
for Picker Corp. (nuclear physics instru- 
ments) and Philips Electronic Instruments 
(nuclear products), as well as regional sales 
engineer at Packard Instruments Corp. He 
received his MBA from Harvard University. 
The Hickcoxes have three children. 

Donald McEwan was recently named 
president of ITT Avionics Division in Nutley, 
N.J. He is responsible for organizing, plan- 
ning and directing operations of the divi- 
sion which is engaged in design, develop- 
ment, and production of integrated com- 
munication, navigation, and identification 
systems, and electronic defense systems for 
aircraft, ships, and ground-based applica- 
tions. In 1974 he was elected vice presi- 
dent. Since 1976 he has served as vice 
president and director of operations and 
has been responsible for organizing, plan- 
ning, and directing activities of the en- 
gineering, manufacturing, procurement, 
product assurance, and program manage- 
ment departments. He joined ITT in 1956. 
The McEwans have a daughter, Pamela, 
and two sons, Jeffrey and Donald, Jr. . . . 
Harry Mirick presently holds the post of 
business manager at Digital Equipment 
Corp. in Acton, Mass. . . . After serving for 
many years with Crompton & Knowles, 
most recently as chief engineer, Howard 
Nelson has now joined Jamesbury Corp. of 
Worcester as a senior engineer. Howard 
also serves as a member of WPI's Alumni 
Fund Board and is National Phonothon 
Chairman. 



1955 

Louis Axtman, Jr. is with the Corps of 
Engineers in Maynard, Mass., where he is 
resident engineer in the support group. . . . 
Stanley Clevenger is with Spectra Interna- 
tional, Inc. in Portland, Oregon. 

1956 

Robert R. Baer is a self-employed marketing 
consultant in Colorado Springs, Colorado. 

1957 

Philip Backlund serves as an environmental 
energy superintendent for FMC Corpora- 
tion, South Charleston, W.V. . . . Susan 
Kimberly Beckett, 17, daughter of Mr. and 
Mrs. Robert Beckett, has been named 
Pennsylvania's Junior Miss for 1978. She 
was awarded $5,600 in scholarship money, 
which she plans to use this year when she 
enrolls at Grove City College to study man- 
agement engineering. Susan, who com- 
peted against 39 other contestants, also 
won the youth fitness, poise and appear- 
ance Kraft Hostess Awards, and the 
McGlinn Photo Award during the competi- 
tion. She did an interpretative dance to the 
music of "The Lord's Prayer" for her talent 
role. For community service she coaches a 
Little League girls' softball team and is a 
Leukemia Association volunteer. In high 
school she is treasurer of the senior class, 
president of the Future Business Leaders of 
America Club, a member of student gov- 
ernment and the Honor Society. In May she 
will compete in the America Junior Miss 
Pageant in Mobile, Alabama. 

John "Bill" Braley, Jr. is with Mosley 
Machinery Co. in Waco, Texas. . . . Ralph 
Schlenker holds the post of manager of 
engineering technology for Esso Engineer- 
ing Division (Europe) Ltd. in New Maiden, 
Surrey, England. 



1959 

George Fotiades owns and manages 
Webster House Restaurant in Worcester. 
. . . Burton Siegal, SIM, has been pro- 
moted to vice president of sales for Nylco 
Corporation and for its Delco Division. He 
has been identified with Delco since 1970, 
first as a field salesman, later as product 
manager, and most recently as sales man- 
ager. Previously he was president and gen- 
eral manager of Empire Rubber Corp. of 
Worcester until it was acquired by Worthen 
Industries in 1969. In his new post, he will 
be responsible for product development 
activities as well as marketing and sales of 
Delco products. The line consists of Del- 
Soft cushioning foams, Velvet-Glow 
counter pocket materials, Delco thermo 
counters, and other lining materials. 



1961 

Robert Hale is a specialist on the technical 
staff of the Aerojet Electro Systems Co. in 
Azusa, Calif. 

1962 

^■Married: Ralph H. Griswold to Miss 
Erenay J. Dickson in Wellesley, Mas- 
sachusetts on September 24, 1977. Mrs. 
Griswold graduated from Penrhos College, 
Colwyn Bay, North Wales, United King- 
dom; St. George's, Montreaux, Switzer- 
land; and Whitehall Secretarial College, 
Eastbourne, Sussex, England. She is an 
administrative staff assistant at MIT. The 
bridegroom is with the Chemical Plastics 
Division of General Tire & Rubber Co., 
Lawrence, Mass. 

Daniel Brosnahan, Jr. holds the post of 
manager of software services for the 
northeast region of Interdata, a division of 
Perkin-Elmer Corp. in Oceanport, N.J. . . . 
Lawrence Compton was recently elected a 
partner in Peat, Marwick and Mitchell Co., 
an accounting firm. He received his BS in 
business administration from Babson Col- 
lege. . . . Giacomo Corvini is employed as a 
supervisor of process design and technical 
service at Union Carbide Corp. in Tar- 
rytown, N.Y. 

William Krein has been reelected as 
treasurer of the United Cerebral Palsy As- 
sociation of Schenectady, N.Y. He has 
served on the board of directors since 1 974 
and has been treasurer for the organization 
since 1975. Presently he is manager of the 
finance and division support operation in 
GE's Installation and Service Engineering 
Division. He is responsible for financial 
management within the division and also 
manages the division's projects engineer- 
ing operation (power plant design) and 
support activities, including contract ad- 
ministration, marketing, communication, 
training, quality and safety assurance, and 
information systems. He has served as a 
coach for the Schenectady Youth Hockey 
Association since its inception in 1974. 

Recently Donald Mongeon was pro- 
moted to metallurgical engineer for sheet 
and strip products in the metallurgical en- 
gineering section of the steel operations 
department at Bethlehem (Pa.) Steel Cor- 
poration. He joined the firm through its 
Loop management training program in 
1 962 and was assigned to the Lackawanna 
(NY) plant metallurgical department. He 
was promoted to metallurgical service en- 
gineer there in 1964 and in 1972 was 
named chief inspector in the metallurgical 
inspection section. He was promoted to 
assistant metallurgist, metallurgical inspec- 
tion, in 1974. Most recently he was metal- 
lurgical supervisor in the hot strip mill and 
galvanize section. . . . Stephen Phillips is 
with the Hyde Park Paper Division of Dia- 
mond International in Hyde Park, Mass. 




*..■' * •* 



• u 




/ 






Curtis Ambler's fire trucks 



E. Curtis Ambler, '42 tends "Buf- 
falos," not the kind with four legs, 
but the kind with four wheels. Buf- 
falo pumper fire trucks, to be exact — 
vintage 1929. 

Antique fire truck tending came 
about naturally enough for Ambler. 
For thirty years he has served as a 
volunteer fireman in Newington, 
Connecticut, where he has seen his 
share of firefighting and resue work. 
Four years ago, he and another volun- 
teer fireman, Dick Shailer, bought 
their own fire truck, a 1 9 1 6 Seagrave 
pumper truck, considered a classic by 
fire buffs. Not long afterward they 
acquired a 1932 ladder truck. 

"Dick and I not only liked the 
trucks as they were," Ambler says, 
"we also thought that they should be 
preserved to depict the history of 
firefighting." 

Soon Ambler and Shailer dis- 
covered that they were not alone in 
their desire to further the fire truck 
preservation project. "A number of 
people wanted to help out," Ambler 
reports. "We were delighted, because 
we realized that we couldn't manage 
the job as well by ourselves." 

The result of this outside interest 
was the formation of the Newington 
Antique Fire Apparatus Association 
(nafa), an organization of some 
twenty men who are dedicated to the 
care and maintenance of old fire ap- 



paratus. One of the organization's 
first successes was the location of a 
more suitable garage for the two ve- 
hicles, which had been temporarily 
housed at Newington Volunteer Fire 
Department headquarters. 

"There was only one problem with 
the new garage," Ambler says. "It was 
forty feet long and the ladder truck 
alone is fifty-five feet long, nafa 
members helped to remedy the situa- 
tion by building a forty-foot addi- 
tion." 

Now, even with the addition, the 
garage is a bit snug. A 1922 Model T 
delivery wagon, painted fire engine 
red and fitted up with auxiliary lad- 
ders and equipment, was recently ac- 
quired and is stored there. Also, last 
summer the town of Newington 
turned over two 1929 Buffalo pumper 
trucks to the care of nafa. The Buf- 
falos had been in service in 
Newington ever since the town's fire 
department was organized in 1929, 
and had recently been maintained by 
the Civil Defense Fire Division for 
emergency use. nafa squeezed them 
into its garage and promised to keep 
them in operating condition so they 
could be on call should a disaster 
occur. 

nafa members pride themselves in 
their maintenance and repair of the 
antique vehicles. "Many replace- 




ment parts no longer exist," Ambler 
relates. "So we make our own 
whenever we can." Tires present one 
of the worst problems, but old fire- 
hose has been donated by the town 
fire department so that the trucks 
may be properly equipped. 

In spite of obvious difficulties, 
nafa has managed to keep all of the 
trucks in perfect working condition. 
The 1 91 6 Seagrave, which was in use 
in Springfield, Mass. from 191 6 to 
1 949 and later used as a standby 
water pump by the Springfield Water 
Department until the early 1960s, 
still pumps its 750 gpm rating. The 
1932 ladder truck puts up its spring- 
raised ladder in six seconds. The red 
Model T delivery wagon runs well, 
and is often driven by Curt's daugh- 
ter, Rosalind, in parades. 

Ambler serves as chief of the 
Newington Antique Fire Apparatus 
Association. He is also manager of 
engineering in the Industrial Hard- 
ware Division of The Stanley Works, 
a Newington town councilman, and 
a member of the board of Newington 
Children's Hospital. His love of organ 
music led him to install a pipe organ 
in his home. 

But nafa is perhaps the closest to 
his heart, "nafa is truly a family 
affair," he says. "The wives and 
families of association members go 
along with them on parade jaunts and 
fire brigade competitions all over 
New England, nafa," he concludes, 
"is strictly for fun." 



WP1 Journal I February 1978131 



1963 

Joseph DeBeaumont is employed as a 
senior associate engineer at IBM (SCD Divi- 
sion) in Kingston, N.Y. ... Dr. Robert 
Desmond, head of the mechanical en- 
gineering department at Rochester Insti- 
tute of Technology, has just completed an 
engineering textbook entitled Engineering 
Heat Transfer. Over thirty schools have 
already adopted it in its first year of availa- 
bility. . . . Robert Elwell is a senior software 
engineer at Digital Equipment Corp. in 
Maynard, Mass. . . . Lawrence Escott has 
changed careers. He has left data process- 
ing and presently works as a security 
analyst for Fitch Investors Service. . . . 
Richard Garvais is director of materials at 
Wilson Sporting Goods in River Grove, III. 
He and his wife, Carol, have two children, 
Ricky, 11, and Susan, 8. 

Dr. Richard Kashnow has been ap- 
pointed as manager of the liaison operation 
at GE's Research and Development Center 
in Schenectady, N.Y. He will direct the 
activities of liaison scientists, who advise 
the center of the technical needs of GE's 
operating sectors and evaluate the pro- 
grams for application to various company 
components. Since 1 970 he has conducted 
research on liquid crystals which are now 
finding widespread application in elec- 
tronic watches, advertising panels, and var- 
ious instruments. He has received several 
patents, and has written some twenty 
technical publications. In 1975 he was 
named liaison scientist for the major 
appliance business group and in 1977 a 
staff member of the Corporate Technology 
Study. Dr. and Mrs. Kashnow have two 
sons. 

John Pisinski, Jr. is now assistant general 
manager of the Bag Division's Plastics 
Group for Union Camp Corporation. He 
became affiliated with the firm in 1963 and 
was previously manager of the company's 
bag plant in Richmond, Va. In his new post 
he will be headquartered in Providence, R.I. 
. . . Paul Ulcickas has been promoted to 
engineer in charge of tubular high intensity 
discharge lamp development at Sylvania in 
Manchester, N.H. 

1964 

Major Robert Najaka, a flight commander 
with the U.S. Air Force, is currently 
stationed at Mather AFB in Sacramento, 
Calif. . . . Michael Penti is a project man- 
ager in the industrial division at Vappi 
Company in Cambridge, Mass. The Pentis 
have three sons, Patrick, Brian, and Paul. 
. . . Bob Rounds, Jr. is entering his third 
year as a manufacturers agent in Illinois, 
Iowa, and Wisconsin. His firm, Rounds 
Technical Sales, Wheaton, Illinois, sells hy- 
draulic components to OEM's. . . . Peter 
Tancredi has been promoted to vice presi- 
dent of the environmental engineering di- 
vision at Camp Dresser & McKee Inc., 
Denver, Colo. Formerly a company project 



manager, he has been responsible for the 
design of several sanitary intercepting sew- 
ers, storm sewers, and water mains, and for 
project scheduling, budget monitoring, 
specification writing, and personnel man- 
agement. He is a professional engineer in 
Colorado and belongs to ASCE, the Water 
Pollution Control Federation, the Consult- 
ing Engineers Council of Colorado, and the 
Rocky Mountain Section of the Water Pol- 
lution Control Association. The Tancredis 
have three children, Karen, David, and 
Joseph. . . . Thomas Zagryn, personnel 
development supervisor at Pratt & Whitney 
Aircraft, recently served as a staff loaned 
executive for the United Way of Greater 
Hartford fund drive. He and eleven other 
"borrowed" executives from Hartford area 
organizations, helped to raise over 
$200,000 in the commercial sector of 
the campaign. From 1975 through 1977 he 
had served as department coordinator at 
Pratt & Whitney for the campaign. Pres- 
ently he is financial secretary of the Bristol 
Polish American Citizens Club. He is past 
vice president and director of the Bristol 
Musicians Association. 

1965 

Nils Ericksen is now the general manager 
of Okemo Mountain ski area in Ludlow, Vt. 
He helped form the Mountain Division of 
Dufresne-Henry Engineering Corp. of 
Springfield (Vt.) and has been involved in 
the development of a number of ski areas, 
snow-making operations (including 
Okemo's) and real estate and industrial 
projects. He is a technical editor of Ski Area 
Management Magazine, a licensed tram- 
way inspector in Massachusetts, and holds 
engineering licenses in Vermont, Colorado, 
and Virginia. He and his wife, Pam, have a 
daughter. . . . Benjamin Surowiecki holds 
the post of plant manager for Loctite in 
Puerto Rico. He resides in Mayaguez. . . . 
Robert Cahill has been appointed vice pres- 
ident of sales and marketing of SGL Homa- 
lite, a division of SGL Industries, Wil- 
mington, Delaware. He had been sales 
manager since 1975. Earlier he was with 
the Navy as a lieutenant and in the Sea- 
bees. In Vietnam he was wounded in action 
and received the Navy Commendation 
Medal. He received his MBA degree in 
marketing from the Wharton School of 
Finance, University of Pennsylvania, in 
1971 , and joined Hilti Fastening Systems 
where he rose to the position of product 
manager. In 1975 he joined Homalite as 
sales manager. The Cahills have a daugh- 
ter, Emma, 2, and a son, Robert, six months 
old. 

1966 

Stanley Livingston works for Watkins 
Johnson in Palo Alto, Calif. . . . Currently 
Leonard Weckel is a chemical engineer at 
Spotts, Stevens & McCoy in Wyomissing, 
Pa. 



1967 

^Married: Frank T. Jodaitis to Miss Carol 
A. Gass on November 26, 1977 in Kings- 
ton, Pennsylvania. Mrs. Jodaitis received 
her BA from Wilkes College and her MEd 
from Boston College. Her husband is an 
administrator for the town of Manchester 
(Conn.) Water and Sewer Department. 

►fiorn: to Mr. and Mrs. John L. Stumpp 
a daughter Suzanne Beth on December 29, 
1977. John is an electronic engineer with 
the Department of Defense in Fort Meade, 
Maryland. 

Charles Foskett has been promoted 
from vice president and general manager 
to president of Digilab, Inc. in Cambridge, 
Mass. He originally joined Block Engineer- 
ing, parent company of Digilab. When 
Digilab was formed in 1969, he became 
involved in the development of software 
systems for the new company. In 1970 he 
was named vice president and director of 
manufacturing and engineering. In 1975 
he became general manager. . . . William 
Pratt serves as an outside plant associate at 
New England Telephone in Portland, 
Maine. 

1968 

Donald Bergstrom works as a project en- 
gineer at Westvaco Corp. in Wickliffe, Ky. 
. . . Robert Gemmer is a research chemist at 

American Cyanamid in Stamford, Conn 

William Hawkins holds the position of 
project engineer at the Naval Underwater 
Systems Center in New London, Conn. He 
is also government in-plant representative 
at Honeywell of West Covina, Calif. Last 
year he received his MS in ocean engineer- 
ing from the University of Rhode Island 

Tom Marmen, MNS, serves as engineering 
manager at Digital Equipment Corp., 

Worcester David Morris is employed as 

a technical specialist at Betz Laboratories in 

West Springfield, Mass Mario Zampieri 

is a project engineer for Brown & Root, Inc., 
Oak Brook, Illinois. 

1969 

^■Married: Donald B. Esson and Beverly J. 
Nash on October 15, 1977 in Lancaster, 
New Hampshire. The bride graduated from 
Bates College and the University of Rhode 
Island. She was employed by Weegar-Pride 
Book Co. Her husband is with Pratt & 
Whitney Aircraft, East Hartford, Conn, 
where he is a senior materials engineer. In 
1972 he received his MS in materials sci- 
ence from WPI. . . . Douglas J. George and 
Miss Linda J. Cavanaugh in Norwood, 
Massachusetts on December 10, 1977. 
Mrs. George, who is employed at Mas- 
sachusetts Financial Services, Boston, 
graduated from the Chandler School for 
Women and the Academie Moderne. The 
bridegroom earned his MBA at Babson 
College. He is with George Associates in 
Needham. 



32 I February 1 978 I WPI Journal 



>Born: to Mr. and Mrs. Barry Shiffrin a 
daughter Erica Leigh on August 4, 1977. 

Normand Bachand holds the post of staff 
psychologist at the Clinton County Mental 
Health Clinic in Pittsburgh, N.Y. He was 
slated to receive his PhD in clinical psychol- 
ogy from Wayne State University in De- 
cember. . . . John Thompson serves as vice 
president and controller of Stowe Wood- 
ward Co. in Newton, Mass. 

1970 

^■Married: J. Randall Huber and Miss 
Dorothy B. LaMarca on October 30, 1977 
in Melrose, Massachusetts. The bride 
graduated from Wilfred Academy and at- 
tended Berklee School of Music. She is a 
co-owner of Mam'selle Hair Design and 
the Chop Shop in Melrose. Her husband is 
with Bayside Engineering in Boston. 

John Cattel has been promoted to dis- 
trict service manager at Riley Stoker Corp. 
in Worcester. . . . Paul Dresser has com- 
pleted his initial training at Delta Air Lines 
training school at the Hartsfield Atlanta 
International Airport and is now assigned 
to the airline's Boston pilot base as a second 
officer. The Dressers have a son, Douglas 
Paul. . . . James Ford works as an assistant 
actuary at State Mutual Life Assurance Co., 
Worcester. . . . Francis Vernile was recently 
named vice president of Fraioli-Blum- 
Yesselman of New England, a Hartford 
(Conn.) structural engineering firm. Frank, 
a registered professional engineer in Con- 
necticut, has been affiliated with the firm 
since 1972. He has a master's degree from 
the University of Connecticut. . . . Alan 
Zabarsky has been appointed to the new 
position of resource manager, antenna sys- 
tems, at Motorola Corp. in Rolling 
Meadows, III. Last year he joined Motorola 
as quality assurance manager. Previously 
he was with Bell Labs., Holmdel, N.J. He 
has a master's degree from Columbia Uni- 
versity. 

1971 

^■Married: Alan H. Shapiro and Miss Deb- 
orah T. Hall on September 10, 1977 in New 
York. The bride graduated from Skidmore 
College and RIT. The couple is residing in 
Santa Fe, New Mexico. 

Dick Arena has become associated with 
Martin Marietta Aluminum as an account 
executive. His responsibilities include sales 
of forging and extrusions to aerospace 
ordnance and commercial manufacturers 
in the territory bounded by Michigan and 
Indiana on the west, Virginia, West Vir- 
ginia, and Kentucky on the south, and by 
Quebec and Ontario Provinces to the 
north. 

Presently Barry Belanger serves as a sys- 
tems design engineer for GE Medical Sys- 
tems in Milwaukee. . . . Gary Berlin has 
joined Norton Co., Worcester, as a quality 
control engineer in the industrial ceramics 
division. Formerly he was a development 



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engineer at United Nuclear Corp. of Un- 
casville, Conn. . . . Nathaniel Ericson holds 
the post of supervisor of systems at Conti- 
nental Can, Merrimack, N.H. . . . Thomas 
Kaminski is a teaching assistant at the 
University of Wisconsin, where he is a PhD 

candidate Ben Katcoff has been named 

corporate benefits manager at Polaroid 
Corp. in Cambridge, Mass. With Polaroid 
for nearly seven years, he has charge of 
disability programs, workers compensa- 
tion, retirement benefits, profit sharing, 
and pensions. He also handles medical 
benefits, dental insurance, Blue Cross 
plans, life insurance, and travel accident 
insurance. 



Dr. James Kaufman has been appointed 
an associate professor of chemistry at Curry 
College in Milton, Mass., where he will also 
serve as head coach of the men's and 
women's soccer teams. For the past four 
years he conducted a vigorous research 
program in the areas of hydrocarbon oxida- 
tion, dehydrohalogenation, and thermal 
and photolytic halogenations at Dow 
Chemical in Wayland, Mass. Earlier he had 
taught at Westfield State College and WPI, 
where he was a postdoctoral fellow. He is a 
former Clark University varsity soccer 
coach and WPI junior varsity coach. A 
member of Sigma Xi, he also was a Petro- 
leum Research Fund Fellow, and a member 
of Phi Lambda Upsilon. For the past six 
years, he has played for Worcester Scans 
Soccer Club. Previously he was a soccer- 
style kicker for the Nashua Colts in the New 

England Professional Football League 

Myles Kleper, program manager for Wal- 
den Research, a division of Abcor located in 
Wilmington, Mass., is currently an MBA 
candidate at Northeastern University. His 
wife, Judith Izen Kleper, is a graduate stu- 
dent at Harvard School of Public Health. 



WPI Journal I February 1 978 1 33 




Schwieger Award to 
Nicholas Moffa 

On January 24, WPI and the School of 
Industrial Management presented 
Nicholas S. Moffa, president of Bay 
State Abrasives, with the Albert J. 
Schwieger Award for outstanding 
achievement as a businessman and a 
concerned citizen. 

The citation called Moffa "a mod- 
ern day Horatio Alger who has suc- 
cessfully combined business talents 
and a concern for people." It further 
stated that "your contributions to the 
success of Bay State Abrasives have 



come in a multitude of ways during 
many years of superior service, both 
domestically and internationally. 
Your dedication and quiet but firm 
leadership, coupled with an ability 
and desire to explore new methods, 
ideas and management skills, have 
been an inspiration to your co- 
workers and a source of pride to all 
who know you." 



Ralph Reddick, a candidate for a mas- 
ter's degree in music composition at New 
York's Eastman School of Music, presently 
performs in the Erhard-Reddick Double 
Bass Duo. Recently he and Erhard spent 
two days giving string bass clinics for music 
students at Thomaston (Conn.) High 
School. Reddick, who received his bachelor 
of music degree in composition from the 
University of Connecticut last year, is now 
studying bass with James B. VanDemark. 
He has written works for voice with 
chamber ensembles, piano, small ensem- 
bles, and solo percussion, and has com- 
posed larger orchestral and choral works. 
He taught theory, studied, and performed 
in Siena, Italy at special summer music 
programs held in 1974 and 1976. 

Stanley Sotek is a manufacturing en- 
gineer at Anderson Power Products, Inc., in 
Boston. . . . Albert Stromquist serves as a 
staff geologist at Amerada Hess Corp. in 
New York City. He is involved with interna- 
tional petroleum exploration. He and his 
wife Elaine, a graduate of NYU and UMass, 
reside in New York. 

1972 

^-Married: Thomas W. Staehr and Miss 
Jean H. Keller in Scottsboro, Alabama on 
November 5, 1977. The groom is with 
Townsend and Bottum of Ann Arbor, 
Michigan. 

Andrew Glazier is presently a graduate 
student at the University of New Hamp- 
shire in Durham. . . . Bruce Hall is an 
electrical engineering contract adminis- 
trator (civil service) for the Navy at 
Portsmouth (N.H.) Naval Shipyard. . . . 
Henry Greene teaches mathematics at 



34 1 February 1 978 1 WPI Journal 



Salisbury (Md.) State College. . . . Walter 
Mcllveen is now a project engineer at 
Smith, Hinchman & Grylls in Detroit, 
Michigan. . . . Steven Packard, who re- 
ceived his diploma in Christian studies from 
Regent College, Vancouver, B.C. last May, 
currently serves as a process engineer at 
Owens/Corning Fiberglas in Huntingdon, 
Pa. 

Gary Rand works as an electrical design 
engineer for Compugraphic Corporation, 
Wilmington, Mass. 

1973 

^■Married: Thomas Bileski to Miss Pamela 
C. Bess on October 29, 1977 in Fenton, 
Missouri. Mrs. Bileski attended 
Washington University. The groom is a 
field and sales engineer with Texas Instru- 
ments of Dallas. . . . Gary F. Selden and 
Linda B. Freeman on October 8, 1977 in 
Schenectady, New York. The bride 
graduated from Mohawk Valley Commu- 
nity College and serves as a legal secretary 
at GE Research and Development Center in 
Schenectady. Her husband, who is working 
for his PhD in materials science at RPI, is a 
composite materials engineer for GE at the 
Center. 

Theodore Covert, SIM, of Norton Com- 
pany has been named manager of the 
Industrial Ceramics Division's new igniter 
plant in Milford, N.H. He joined the division 
in 1960 and served most recently as chief 
project engineer. In his new post he will be 
concerned with the firm's electro-ceramic 
igniter, which is used as an energy-saving 
replacement for standing pilot lights in gas 
appliances. 



Dr. David Hubbell is a resident in obstet- 
rics and gynecology at the Naval Regional 
Medical Center in San Diego, Calif. 

Dave and Ellen Moomaw have taken up 
hang gliding. They spent part of November 
just three miles south of Kitty Hawk, which 
because of the high dunes, proved to be a 
fantastic site for their early flights. Dave 
earned his Hang II and Ellen got her Hang I. 
Dave has developed a new urethane 
prosthetic hoof-like foot for his leg that 
does not require a shoe. It was designed for 
walking the dunes during the hang gliding 
lessons, but has proved to be so comfort- 
able that he continues to wear it full time. 
The Moomaws are incorporated as En- 
ginique Creations. Dave is president and 
chief engineer and Ellen is business man- 
ager and chief "gopher." 

Richard Page is a project engineer at 
Schneider, Inc., Pittsburgh, Pa. The Pages 
have a daughter, a year and a half old. . . . 
John Stasaitis, Jr. works for United En- 
gineers & Constructors, Inc., Boston, Mass. 

1974 

^■Married: George Ranney and Elizabeth 
C. Venable of Charleston, West Virginia on 
August 6, 1977. James Edwards partici- 
pated in the wedding service. Mrs. Ranney 
attended Fairmont State College and is a 
secretary for the West Virginia Department 
of Highways. The bridegroom is with Du- 
Pont at the firm's biochemicals plant in 
Belle, W.Va., where he works in environ- 
mental control William G. Gunther and 

Miss Maureen A. Corcoran on January 7, 
1978 in Branford, Connecticut. The bride 
received a BS degree in horticulture from 
the University of Rhode Island at Kingston. 
Her husband is a plant manager with 
George Schmitt & Co. in Branford. . . . 




RISING ECONOMY. 



Millions of fine bubbles from 
Norton Dome Diffuser Aeration 
Systems are giving economy and 
efficiency a lift in activated sludge 
processing around the world. 
These advanced aeration systems 
offer cost-effective advantages 
right down the line. 

The big savings are in 
energy because DDAS oxygen 
transfer efficiency provides more 
BOD removal per unit of energy 
than any other type of aeration sys- 
tem -up to 8. 9 lbs. oxygen trans- 
ferred per bhp-hr. at standard 
conditions. What's more, low air 
volume means further savings with 
smaller blowers, filters, pipes and 
buildings. 

Installation costs are low for 
simple DDAS design and construc- 



tion. Any type or size tank. . .new 
or converted. . .can be used. 

Capital and operating costs 
are lower with DDAS single-stage 




BOD removal and nitrification. 

Maintenance costs are vir- 
tually eliminated because the 
blowers are the only moving com- 
ponents. . .and they're totally 
enclosed and weather-protected. 

Just some of the reasons why 
Norton Dome Diffuser Aeration 
Systems are on the rise around the 
world, in both existing and ex- 
panded waste treatment plants. 
Find out how they can lower your 
capital and operating costs. Write 
for new Bulletin 519 or give us a call 
(617) 853-1000. Norton Company, 
Aeration Systems. New Bond 
Street, Worcester, MA 01606. 



NORTON 



Suzanne Haughey Carroll, MNS, has 
been named as the state representative to 
the West Brookfield (Mass.) Housing Au- 
thority. . . . Charlie Dodd presently serves 
as a manufacturing engineer at Hitchiner 
Manufacturing in Milford, N.H. His wife 
Annie McPartland Dodd, 75, is a project 
engineerfor Anheuser Busch in Merrimack, 
N.H. . . . Joseph Downey, Jr. works as a 
technical services representative for HNU 
Systems, Inc. in Newton, Mass. . . . Joseph 
Caffen, a controls engineer for UOP/Air 
Correction Division, Darien, Conn., is now 
active as a start-up engineer for UOP SO2 
Scrubbing System at Petersburg Generat- 
ing Station, Indiana Brother James 

Morabito, MNS, serves as a deacon at St. 
Leo's Parish in Columbus, Ohio. . . . Con- 
tinuing with Veeder-Root Co., Craig Tyler 
is now service manager for the petroleum 
division. He resides in Rocky Hill, Conn — 
David Washburn is a sanitary engineer for 
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in New- 
ton Corner, Mass. 

1975 

^Married: Stephen A. Caggiano to Deb- 
orah A. Cyr in Norwood, Massachusetts on 
October 22, 1977. The bride graduated 
from the University of Massachusetts in 
Amherst and is a development technician 
at Corning Medical, Medfield, Mass. Her 
husband is with AFI, Inc. in Newtonville — 
Glen D. Richardson and Miss Cynthia 
Specht in Watertown, Massachusetts re- 
cently. Mrs. Richardson, a graduate of 
Ohio Wesleyan University, works for the 
Children's Hospital Medical Center in Bos- 
ton. The groom is employed by Richardson 

Electric Co., Inc. of Waltham Alexander 

V. Vogt to Miss Colette L. Farland recently 
in Manchester, New Hampshire. The bride 
graduated from the University of New 
Hampshire with a degree in interpersonal 
communications. She had been employed 
by Amoskeag Savings Bank. Her husband is 
with Stone & Webster. 

Karen Arbige was appointed vice presi- 
dent of Casher Associates, Inc. of Brook- 
line, Mass. on October 1 st. The company is 
concerned with data processing and man- 
agement consulting. . . . Presently Peter 
Arcoma serves as a resident engineer for 
Stauffer Chemical Co. of Dobbs Ferry, N.Y. 
. . . Robert Bradley holds the post of 
product support specialist at Digital Equip- 
ment Corp., Maynard, Mass. . . . Christo- 
pher Danker is with Electronized Chemical 
in Burlington, Mass. . . . Continuing with 
Monsanto Co., Mario DiGiovanni is now 
taking a four-month leave of absence from 
his home office, while on temporary as- 
signment at the firm's Avon plant in Mar- 
tinez, Calif. He is a process engineer in the 
technical services department of Monsan- 
to's Wm. G. Krummrich plant in Sauget, III., 
across the Mississippi River from St. Louis, 
Mo. Also, he is attending Washington Uni- 
versity Graduate School, part time, where 
he is working for his MS in chemical- 
materials engineering. 

36 I February 1 978 I WPI Journal 



Michael Duda is doing graduate work at 
Colorado State University in Fort Collins. 
. . . John Greenstreet is an engineering 
field representative for GE in Syracuse, N.Y. 
. . . Frederick Greulich holds tine post of 
manufacturing manager at Procter & 
Gamble in Quincy, Mass. . . . Richard 
Jackson works as a community planner for 

CUPPAD in Escanaba, Michigan James 

Reynolds, SIM, has been appointed trea- 
surer of Jamesbury Corp., Worcester. He 
joined the manufacturer of ball and but- 
terfly valves in 1965 and has held several 
administrative positions including, most re- 
cently, that of assistant treasurer. He be- 
longs to the National Association of Ac- 
countants. . . . Todd Whitaker is with the 
Naval Underwater Systems Center in New 
London, Conn. 

David Salomaki works as a development 
engineer at Hewlett Packard in Cupertino, 
California. . . . David Schwartz serves as an 
area engineer at Daniel Int. Corp. in Fulton, 
Missouri. 

1976 

^■Married: David P. Keenan and Miss Ruth 
E. Levy on August 20, 1977 in Norwell, 
Massachusetts. Mrs. Keenan is a scientist 
with Science Applications, Inc. Her hus- 
band is stationed as a Coast Guard officer 
with the Bureau of Transportation in 

Washington, DC Thomas J. McAloon 

and Miss Kathleen A. Coyle on January 7, 
1978 in Providence, Rhode Island. Mrs. 
McAloon attended North Adams (Mass.) 
State College. The groom received his mas- 
ter's degree in environmental engineering 
from the University of Massachusetts. The 
McAloons are residing in the Philippines 
where they are serving in the Peace Corps. 

David Chabot is a systems programmer 
at Periphonics Corp. in Bohemia, N.Y. . . . 
Norman Gariepy recently earned his mas- 
ter's degree in accounting from Northeast- 
ern University's Graduate School of Profes- 
sional Accounting, Boston. As part of the 
program, he worked for the firm of Touche 
Ross & Co., where he is now a staff ac- 
countant. . . . Bill Johnson continues as a 
field secretary for Phi Gamma Delta Frater- 
nity. Headquarters are located in 
Lexington, Ky. . . . Paul Kalenian is presi- 
dentoftheG&SMill, Inc., a new company 
in Northboro, Mass., which has developed 
a line of unique, high-efficiency wood- 
burning furnaces for commercial and in- 
dustrial use. Created by Kalenian over the 
past year and a half, the heavy-duty fur- 
naces are designed to produce from 
200,000 to 1 ,500,000 BTU's per hour burn- 
ing four foot lengths of unsplit, dried, or 
green wood. The furnaces have to be 
stoked only once every 12 hours, are ther- 
mostatically controlled, and operate at a 
cost reduction of 75% compared to current 
oil-heat rates. 

Zeses Karoutas and his wife, Stephanie, 
have received their master's degrees from 
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State 



University. Mrs. Karoutas is a Greek lan- 
guage bilingual teacher in Hartford, Conn. 
Her husband, who received his master's 
degree in nuclear engineering, is a nuclear 
reactor design engineer for Combustion 
Engineering Co., Windsor, Conn. . . . 
Thomas May is a district engineer in train- 
ing at the Torrington Co. in South Bend, 
Ind. . . . James Nolan is an associate 
engineer at Raytheon Corporation's 
equipment development labs in Sudbury, 
Mass. . . . Raymond Robey works as a 
research engineer at Arthur D. Little, Inc., in 
Cambridge, Mass. 

1977 

^Married: Scott M. Sieburth to Miss Col- 
leen M. Doyle on December 17, 1977 in 
Cold Spring, New York. The bride attended 
Becker and graduated from Worcester 
State College. The groom is a graduate 
student at Harvard University. 

2/Lt. Timothy Ascani recently completed 
an infantry officer basic course in the U.S. 
Army Infantry School in Fort Benning, Ga. 
. . . Paul Avakian has accepted a post in the 
manufacturing engineering department at 
Data General Corp. in Southboro where he 
is a test engineer. . . . David Bolin is a 
graduate student in the PhD chemistry 
program at MIT. . . . Andrew Clancy works 
for Western Electric in North Andover, 
Mass. . . . Currently William Cloutier, Jr. 
serves as an assistant engineer for Ebasco 
Services, Inc. in New York City. . . . Asta 
Dabrila is a loss prevention consultant at 
Factory Mutual Engineering in Norwood, 
Mass. . . . Kenneth Fox is employed as an 
associate systems proposal specialist at the 
Foxboro (Mass.) Company. . . . Thomas 
Grautski is a production supervisor for 
Estee Lauder in Melville, N.Y. 

Jon Hammarstrom works for Polaroid in 
Norwood, Mass. . . . Terry Heinold holds 
the post of vice president and part owner of 
New England Recycling in Leominster, 
Mass. He serves as commissioner of the 
Sterling Softball League, manager of 
Greenmeadow Recreation Field, and super- 
intendent of Pratt's Pond Watershed. . . . 
Gary Kuba is a computer consultant and 
analyst for Interactive Systems, Inc., in 
Boston. . . . Gary Loeb is presently a 
supervisory trainee for Niagara Mohawk 
Power Corp. at the Albany'(N.Y.) genera- 
tion plant. He holds the office of marshal at 
Washington Lodge No. 85, F. & A.M. in 
Albany. . . . Kathy Molony is a project 
engineer at Clairol, Inc., in Stamford, Conn. 
. . . Richard Wheeler holds the position of 
product sales representative for the Fire- 
stone Plastics Company, a division of the 
Firestone Fire & Rubber Company located 
in Pottstown, Pa. His market responsibility 
makes it necessary for him to travel in 
nearly every state east of the Mississippi 
River. The company is involved with 
polyvinyl chloride film and sheeting. 




"Recognizably distinct quality^ our president tells 
financial analysts, and Kodak engineers have to provide it 



That phrase states our strategy flat out. 

We know it succeeds, if only we can get help. 
Good engineers are the kind of help we need. 
They devise, design, make, and market things 
that work well and are obviously worth the 
money the world's people give for them. 

Examples from the recent past, the now, 
and the near future: 

• Made-in-the-U.S.A. Kodak pocket 
cameras good enough to have 1.4 million of 
them shooting pictures in Japan, where only . 
35-mm "status" cameras are said to sell. 

• Several million Kodak instant cameras 
now making color prints that don't smudge 
and don't require peeling anything off to 
throw away. 

• Lens/color film combinations so fast that 
no more light is needed for photography than 
for reading a menu. 

• Xerographic film that has its light 
sensitivity turned on and off electrically, 
develops in seconds, and can do it over and over 
again for adding image. 

• Copier-duplicators and sensitized products 
that make the distribution of information on 
paper much simpler than it used to be. 



• Simple, quick, low-cost ways of retrieving 
microfilm images bearing detail too voluminous 
to keep on paper. 

• An extension of certain special 
technologies of ours far beyond the image 
business to the even more vital business of 
blood chemistry. 

• New knowledge about dyes and fibers, 
which molecules cling to which and what 
they do to light. 

• New environmentally acceptable solvents 
which help customers formulate coatings that 
meet stringent air-pollution standards. 

In explaining our game plan on such matters, 
we stress one theme that connects everything 
together: recognizably distinct quality. The 
world does recognize Kodak quality, and we 
need very good engineers to provide it at a 
price the world can afford to pay. 

If you are confident you will turn into a 
very, very good chemical, mechanical, electrical, 
or industrial engineer, and would like a chance 
to plot your own growth in a major league, 
begin by telling us what makes you confident. 
Tell Business and Technical Personnel, Kodak, 
Rochester, N.Y. 14650. 




An equal-opportunity employer (f/m) manufacturing photographic 

products, fibers, plastics, and chemicals with plants in Rochester, N.Y., 

Kingsport, Tenn., Windsor, Colo., Longview, Tex., Columbia, S.C., 

Batesville, Ark., and a sales force all over the U.S.A. 




James B. Lowell, '07, founder, president 
and treasurer of the former J. B. Lowell, 
Inc., builders and engineers, died De- 
cember 16, 1977 in Oakdale, Mas- 
sachusetts. He was 92. 

He was born on Aug. 23, 1885 in 
Worcester. After studying chemistry at 
WPI , he went to Colorado School of Mines, 
graduating as a metallurgical engineer in 
1908. During his career he was with 
George A. Fuller Co., Mills Woven Car- 
tridge Belt Co., New England Foundation 
Co., and Lowell-Whipple Co. From 1939to 
1959 he owned and operated J. B. Lowell, 
Inc. Later he served the firm as a consul- 
tant. 

Mr. Lowell belonged to Phi Gamma Del- 
ta, Tau Beta Pi, ASCE (life member), the 
Boston Society of Civil Engineers, and the 
Masons. He was a past vestryman of All 
Saints Episcopal Church and served on the 
Council of the Episcopal Diocese of West- 
ern Massachusetts. An honorary director of 
the Worcester Fresh Air Fund, Inc., and 
honorary trustee of Worcester County In- 
stitution for Savings, he also was a former 
board member of the Worcester Science 
Museum, Goddard House, and the 
Worcester Girl Scout Council. 

He was a corporator of the Worcester 
Boys' Club, served on the members council 
of the Worcester Art Museum, and had 
belonged to the Worcester Club, Midas 
Club, University Club, and Tatnuck Coun- 
try Club. An author, he had written for 
several technical publications on engineer- 
ing. He was the father-in-law of William P. 
Densmore, '45. 

William T. Donath, '11, of Pawtucket, 
Rhode Island passed away on September 
30, 1977. He graduated from WPI as a 
mechanical engineer. For many years he 
was a night superintendent at Coats & 
Clark, Inc., Pawtucket. He belonged to 
Sigma Phi Epsilon. 



38 I February 1 978 I WPI Journal 



Harry C. Thompson, '15, died in Hanover, 
New Hampshire on August 29, 1977 fol- 
lowing a long illness. 

He was born in Ludlow, Vt. on March 31 , 
1893. He received his general science de- 
gree from WPI in 1915. For a number of 
years he was in the research department at 
General Electric in Schenectady, N.Y. 

Mrs. Jean Gras writes that her father, 
Donald D. Simonds, '08, died in Bur- 
lington, Vermont at the age of 92 on 
January 29, 1978. "He prepared his 
obituary in 1972 for future use," she says. 
"Atthe time he was still typingon his 1912 
typewriter. I would also like you to know 
that he requested that memorial donations 
be made to the WPI Scholarship Fund," she 
continues. "WPI meant a great deal to him. 
If all alumni felt as strongly as Dad did, your 
worries would be over. I have been inter- 
ested in reading the Journal recently. It 
sounds as though the college is a vibrant 
institution." 

Simonds was born in Westminster, Mass. 
on October 20, 1885. In 1908 he 
graduated with his BSME from WPI. Fol- 
lowing graduation, he went with Reed & 
Prince Mfg. Co. in Worcester, where he 
was machine shop foreman for four years. 
He then became superintendent of the 
fibre case division for Bird & Son in East 
Walpole, Mass. 

In 1916 he helped form the Reed Small 
Tool Works in Worcester, a firm which 
manufactured micrometers. He served the 
company as secretary and manager. Dur- 
ing the depression he withdrew from Reed 
and joined the George C. Whitney Co. as 
assistant to the president. In 1942 he re- 
turned to his old business which had 
merged with the Reed Rolled Thread Die 
Co. He retired in 1 962 after having served a 
total of thirty-three years with the com- 
pany. 

Mr. Simonds belonged to Theta Chi, and 
for four years was a national officer of the 
fraternity. In 1917 he was instrumental in 
acquiring a home for WPI's Epsilon Chap- 
ter. In 1964 he was chairman of the fund- 
raising campaign to expand the facilities of 
the chapter house. He was a York Rite 
Mason and a member of the Shrine. For six 
years he served as superintendent of the 
Sunday School and for eight years as a clerk 
of the church for the First Baptist Church in 
Worcester. He was a past president of the 
Worcester County Chapter of the Alumni 
Association and a former president of the 
Tech Old-Timers. 

During the past few years, Mr. Simonds 
had made his home with his daughter, Mrs. 
Alfred Gras, in South Hero, Vt. 



George C. Graham, '13, an inventor who 
held over 50 patents, died in Paramus, New 
Jersey on October 27, 1977. He was 86. 

Among his earliest inventions was a 
washing machine, which was produced by 
the Acca Corp. of Milwaukee. He also 
designed an electric ice box and became a 
pioneer in installing home refrigeration in 
this country. In 1959 he put a special 
fuel-injection system into a 1957 Chevrolet 
and later designed an air compressor that 
was sold to the Scovill Manufacturing Co. 
of Waterbury, Conn. His last patent (1972) 
was for a fuel pump for automobile en- 
gines. 

Prior to the depression, Mr. Graham 
owned and operated Beaudette & Graham 
Co. of Boston, one of the largest appliance 
businesses in New England. After the de- 
pression he became national sales manager 
of W. S. Libby Co. of Lewiston, Me., from 
which he retired in 1956. He then turned to 
full-time inventing. 

Mr. Graham was born on Oct. 30, 1890 
in Pueblo, Colo. In 1913 he received his 
BSEE from WPI. He belonged to Tau Beta 
Pi, Sigma Xi, and was a 32nd degree Ma- 
son. He was the father of George C. 
Graham, Jr. of the class of 1939. 

Frederick E. Wood, '18, died in Hingham, 
Massachusetts on November 21 , 1977 at 
the age of 85. 

A native of Springfield, Mass., he was 
born on July 10, 1892. He attended WPI 
and was a World War I Army Air Force 
veteran. Prior to his retirement in 1958, he 
had been employed as a mechanical en- 
gineer at National Blank Book Co. of 
Holyoke for thirty years. He belonged to 
SAE, the Masons, and the Golden Age 
Club. 

Paul D. Woodbury, '21, of Richmond, Vir- 
ginia died of cardiac arrest on September 
27,1977. 

He was born on July 1, 1899 in Charlton, 
Mass., and received his BSEE from WPI in 
1921 . During his career he was associated 
with New England Telephone & Telegraph 
Co., Westinghouse, Copperweld Steel Co., 
Birmingham Galvanizing Co., McGraw Hill, 
Metro Products Co., and Buildings Equip- 
ment & Supply Corp. He was a Scottish Rite 
Mason, a Shriner, and an Army veteran of 
World War II. 



Judson M. Goodnow, '23, retired president 
of Huntington, Goodnow, Connors, Inc. of 
Wellesley (insurance brokers), died in Hol- 
den, Massachusetts on December 8, 1977. 
He was 76. 

Before entering the insurance business in 
1945, he was an engineer in the New 
England office of the Improved Risk Mutu- 
als Co. of Boston. He was born on August 
27, 1901 in Northbridge, Mass. and later 
became a student at WPI. 
WPI. 

He was a member of Phi Sigma Kappa, 
the First Congregational Church of Prince- 
ton, the Princeton Historical Society, the 
Princeton School Committee, Organic 
Garden Club, the New England Mutual 
Agents Association, and the Independent 
Agents and Brokers Association of Mas- 
sachusetts. A trustee of the Princeton Li- 
brary, he also served as chairman of the 
Republican Town Committee, of Scout 
Troop I, and the Heart Fund. He was a 32nd 
degree Mason, a member of the Scottish 
Rite, and the Worcester County Shrine 
Club. 

Forrest E. Wilcox, '24, died in Strong 
Memorial Hospital in Rochester, New York 
on June 20, 1977. 

He was born on June 10, 1903 in Har- 
vard, Mass. and graduated with his BS in 
chemistry from WPI in 1924. For many 
years he was with the Carborundum Co., 
where he served as manager of manufac- 
turing in the Electro Minerals Division in 
Niagara Falls, N.Y. He also was an income 
tax consultant for H & R Block Co. in 
Rochester. 

Mr. Wilcox belonged to the Society of 
Industrial Engineers, Sigma Xi, the Niagara 
Frontier Council (Silver Beaver) BSA, and 
the Masons. He was a past treasurer of the 
American Baptist Men of New York State. 

Raymond C. Connolly, '26, died in Port- 
land, Maine on December 14, 1977 at the 
age of 73. 

He retired from the New England Tele- 
phone Co. in 1966 following forty years of 
service as plant manager for the state of 
Maine. He graduated from WPI in 1926 as 
an electrical engineer. 

Mr. Connolly belonged to the Masons, 
the Shrine, the First Congregational 
Church, Theta Chi, and Tau Beta Pi. He had 
been active with church work, the Boy 
Scouts, the Pioneers, and the Portland Ro- 
tary. Hewasbornon July 3, 1904 in Tilton, 
N.H. 



Kenneth M. Finlayson, '27, former en- 
gineer for the Worcester County Engineer- 
ing Department, passed away on Decem- 
ber 16, 1977. He was 73. 

He retired from the Worcester County 
Engineering Department three years ago 
after forty-seven years of service. A regis- 
tered professional engineer and land sur- 
veyor, he also belonged to the Massa- 
chusetts Highway Association and the 
County Engineers Association. He was a 
director of the Association of County En- 
gineering Personnel. 

Mr. Finlayson was born on Dec. 14, 1904 
in Worcester. In 1927 he graduated from 
WPI as an electrical engineer. 

Wilbur H. Perry, '28, a retired research 
technician in the physics department at the 
John Hopkins University, died on January 
4, 1978 in the Greater Baltimore (MD) 
Medical Center after a long illness. He was 
72. 

In 1973 he retired from the university 
after more than forty years as an expert in 
spectroscopy. He was honored for his work 
by the Optical Society of America and by 
the Smithsonian Institution. 

Mr. Perry was a former member of the 
administrative board of the Towson United 
Methodist Church, a past president of the 
Methodist Men, and a former treasurer of 
the Washington Chapter of the Alumni 
Association. He belonged to the Optical 
Society of America and Sigma Phi Epsilon. 
He was born in Woodstock, Vt. on July 9, 
1905 and later studied at WPI. 



Milton A. Swanson, '28, of Nutley, New 
Jersey passed away on September 26, 
1977. 

He was born on June 19, 1906 in 
Brockton, Mass. and graduated as an elec- 
trical engineer in 1928. For forty years he 
was with the Public Service Electric and Gas 
Co. of Newark, N.J., from which he retired 
four years ago as a senior engineer. He 
belonged to Theta Chi, the American Gas 
Association, and served as a former presi- 
dent of the Northern New Jersey Chapter 
of the Alumni Association. 

William W. Jasper, Jr., '30, retired general 
manager of Wickwire-Spencer Steel Co., 
Clinton Division of Colorado Fuel and Iron, 
died December 28, 1977 in Worcester. He 
was 71. 

A Worcester native, he was born on 
September 8, 1 906. He earned his BSME in 
1930. Prior to joining Wickwire, from 
which he retired six years ago following 
eighteen years of service, he was with 
Athena Steel Co. He had been chairman of 
the Zoning Appeals Board in Lancaster, 
Mass. 

Theodore L. Fish, '31 , a retired engineer for 
Columbia Bicycle Manufacturing Co., 
passed away at his home in Chester, Mas- 
sachusetts on November 20, 1977 at the 
age of 72. 

Born in West Springfield, Mass., on April 
1 , 1 905, he later graduated as a mechanical 
engineer from WPI. During his career he 
was with Rising Paper Co., Champion 
Paper & Fibre Co., Bird & Sons Co., and 
Brightwater Paper Co. He was chief power 
engineer for Columbia Mfg. Co. in 
Westfield, Mass. 

Mr. Fish, a registered professional en- 
gineer, belonged to the National Associa- 
tion of Power Engineers and the Engineer- 
ing Society of Western Massachusetts. He 
was a library trustee in Chester and a 
director of the Westfield River Watershed 
Association. He was a member of the 
Gateway Regional School Committee and 
the Western Hampden Historical Society 
Museum Committee, and had served as 
auditor of the Blandford Historical Society. 



WPI Journal I February 1 978 1 39 



John U. Tillan, '32, of Mayfield Village, 
Ohio died on August 20, 1977 after a 
lingering illness. 

He was born June 18, 191 1 in Fitchburg. 
In 1932 he graduated as a civil engineer 
from WPI. During his career he was with 
Fuller Construction Co., Whitman, Re- 
quardt and Smith, A. G. McKee Co., and 
H. K. Ferguson Co. His specialty was with 
oil refineries, which led to varied travel 
assignments. 

Lloyd C. Crane, '33' retired educator, died 
in Northfield, Vermont on December 30, 
1977 at the age of 67. 

He was born in Worcester on October 
17, 1910 and attended WPI. He graduated 
from Clark University, where he also re- 
ceived his master's degree. In 1938 he 
taught and was named principal at 
Waitsfield (Vt.) High School. From 1942 to 
1949 he was principal and a teacher at 
Swanton High School, and from 1949 to 
1956 he held the same posts at Northfield 
High School. From 1956 until his retire- 
ment in 1965, he was associated with the 
psychology and education departments at 
Norwich University. 

Mr. Crane was a village trustee for fif- 
teen years, a former member of the North- 
field Conversational Club, the Rotary Club, 
and the Vermont Headmasters' Associa- 
tion. He had been town moderator in 
Swanton. 

Francis L. Collins, Jr., '36, of Somerset, 
Massachusetts, treasurer of F. L. Collins & 
Sons, Inc., died on November 14, 1977. 

He was born August 14, 1912 in Fall 
River, Mass. and later was a student at 
WPI. In 1933 he joined his father in the 
construction business. In 1937, when the 
firm was incorporated as F. L. Collins & 
Sons, Inc., he became treasurer and a co- 
owner. The company has constructed 
many schools and churches, as well as the 
B.M.C. Durfee Trust Bank building in Fall 
River and the Sheraton-Islander in New- 
port. 

During World War II he was a warrant 
officer with a Seabee unit of the Navy and 
participated in the invasions of Salerno, 
North Africa, and Normandy. 

He was a past president of the Rotary 
Club and vice president and a director of 
the Lafayette Cooperative Bank. 



Philip D. Bartlett, '40, a senior manage- 
ment engineer for Polaroid Corp., died 
November 28, 1977 in Massachusetts 
General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts. 
He was 60 years old. 

He had worked for Polaroid for twenty- 
eight years. Earlier he had been with the 
Torrington Co., Machine Design As- 
sociates, Wilson Engineering, Norton Co., 
and McGowan Engineering. 

Mr. Bartlett, who was born on October 
6, 1917 in Greenwich, Mass., received his 
BSME from WPI in 1940. He also received 
master's degrees from MIT and Babson 
Institute. He belonged to Phi Sigma Kappa, 
Tau Beta Pi, and Sigma Xi. 

Dr. Yazbeck T. Sarkees, '47, associate pro- 
fessor of electrical engineering at the Uni- 
versity of Buffalo, died on October 15, 
1 977 in Buffalo, New York at the age of 56. 

On the university faculty since 1954, 
Prof. Sarkees was a member of the Ameri- 
can Institute of Electrical and Electronic 
Engineers and the New York State Society 
of Professional Engineers. 

He was born on August 26, 1921 in 
Niagara Falls, N.Y. and graduated as an 
electrical engineer from WPI. He served in 
the U.S. Navy. In Buffalo, the Yazbeck T. 
Sarkees Cub Scout Memorial Campership 
Fund has been established in his memory. 

Dr. Norman W. Cook, '68, president of 
Cook Builder's Supply, died in West 
Springfield, Massachusetts on November 
12, 1977 at the age of 34. 

He was born on December 27, 1942 in 
Springfield, Mass. He received his BA de- 
gree from Middlebury College, and then 
earned his master's and PhD at WPI. 

Dr. Cook was a former president of West 
Springfield Rotary Club and a member of 
the Chamber of Commerce. He belonged 
to Sigma Xi. 



40 1 February 1 978 I WPI Journal 



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Volume 81, no. 6 



April 1978 



3 Football stays! 

The trustee committee report is in, and a new athletic director is 
named 

5 Alumni Association 

6 Cookie Price, 1908-1978 

8 Walt Disney's technological world 

John Spolowich, 78, examines the social impact of the 
technology developed by the Walt Disney empire, and specu- 
lates about its implications for the future. 

Special Insert: 

The WPI Plan to Restore the Balance: 

A Final Report 

20 The bookstore man 

22 Organic movements 

24 Your class and others 

25 Positive news about negative feedback 
32 Completed careers 



Editor: H. Russell Kay 

Alumni Information Editor: Ruth S. Trask 

Publications Committee: Walter B. Dennen, 
Jr., '51, chairman; Donald F. Berth, '57; 
Leonard Brzozowski, 74; Robert Davis, '46; 
Robert C. Gosling, '68; Enfried T. Larson, '22; 
Roger N. Perry, Jr., '45; Rev. Edward I. 
Swanson, '45 

Design: H. Russell Kay 

Typesetting: Davis Press, Worcester, Ma. 

Printing: The House of Offset, Somerville, Ma. 



Address all correspondence regarding editorial 

content or advertising to the Editor, WPI Journal, 

Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Ma. 

01609. 

Telephone [617)753-1411 

The WPI Journal is published for the Alumni 
Association by Worcester Polytechnic Institute. 
Copyright © 1978 by Worcester Polytechnic 
Institute. All rights reserved. 

The WPI Journal is published six times a year, in 
August, September (catalog issue), October, 
December, February, and April. Second class 
postage paid at Worcester, Ma. 
Postmaster: Please send Form 3579 to: Alumni 
Association, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 
Worcester, Ma. 01609. 



WPI ALUMNI ASSOCIATION 

President: William A. Julian, '49 

Vice presidents: John H. McCabe, '68; Ralph D. 
Gelling, '63 

Secretary-treasurer: Stephen J. Hebert, '66 

Past president: Francis S. Harvey, '37 

Executive Committee members- at-large: 
Walter B. Dennen, Jr., '51 ; Richard A. Davis, '53 ; 
Julius A. Palley, '46; Anson C. Fyler, '45 

Fund Board: Peter H. Horstmann, '55, 
chairman; G. Albert Anderson, '51 ; Howard I. 
Nelson, '54; Leonard H. White, '41; Henry 
Styskal, Jr., '50; C. John Lindegren, '39; Richard 
B. Kennedy, '65 



The WPI Journal I April 1978 1 



Football stays! 



In the December issue of this maga- 
zine, we talked about a reexamina- 
tion of WPI's football program by a 
trustee committee. We described the 
passions aroused on campus in sup- 
port of maintaining the sport. 

It seems we hit a nerve. Alumni 
secretary Steve Hebert, '66, in recent 
trips visiting alumni, reported that 
only one person failed to ask him 
what the status of the football ques- 
tion was. We even received a letter to 
the editor about it, which is, frankly, 
a rare occurrence these days. 

Well, sports fans, the jury is in and 
the verdict is: Football stays, and 
we're going to try to do it better. 

In early February, committee 
chairman Raymond J. Forkey, '40, 
announced the group's recom- 
mendations to the Board. They pro- 
posed seven points, which were 
adopted by the Trustees' Executive 
Committee: 




■ Employ a qualified football coach. 

■ Reject the practice of tenure for 
football coaches, giving a three- 
year contract to the new football 
coach. At the end of that period, 
the coach's performance would be 
reviewed. 

■ Upgrade the quality of the football 
program to be more consistent 
with WPI's other accomplish- 
ments. 

■ Remain in NCAA's Division III 
but at the same time avoid New 
England's strongest teams, perhaps 
scheduling one or two games out- 
side the region. 

■ Follow the recommendations of 
the 1975 Trustees Committee 
Report on Athletics, which rec- 
ommended greater financial aid for 
athletes. 

■ Place more emphasis on recruiting 
of football players. 

■ Seek greater cooperation between 
the college administration and the 
football program. 

Many questions still remain unan- 
swered, of course. The 1975 report 
referred to above contained, in prin- 
ciple, many of the same recom- 
mendations, yet nothing much hap- 
pened. The team continued to lose. 
So what's different about this new 
report? 

For one thing, chairman Forkey 
insists that this is a total package, 
that it won't work unless all the 
recommendations are carried out. 
lust hiring a new coach won't make 
the difference, Forkey said 



Emphasis is going to have to be put 
on stronger recruitment of players, 
which means more time for the 
coach to recruit, and more financial 
aid for him to offer. This seems to be 
at the heart of the recommendation 
for "cooperation between the admin- 
istration and the football program." 
There have been, over the past few 
years, some differences of opinion on 
campus regarding the disbursement 
of financial aid to student-athletes. 
While all aid at WPI (and all NCAA 
Division HI schools) is awarded solely 
on the basis of proven financial need, 
the aid can take many forms: direct 
grants (scholarships), loans, and em- 
ployment, and usually a mix of all 
three types in varying proportions. 
What the trustees would like to see, 
apparently, is more dollars available 
to football players in the form of 
direct grants. This was clearly ex- 
pressed by retiring athletic director 
Bob Pritchard, who said, "Sometimes 
the aid that they are willing to grant is 
not high enough to compete with the 
aid given by some of our opponents. I 
hope now that the money given will 
be in outright scholarships up to the 
full need of the athlete." 

This financial aid issue has aroused 
some questioning opposition from 
certain other students. WPI News- 
peak editor Tom Daniels argued 
eloquently against special considera- 
tion for football players: "What sin- 
gles football players out? Why not do 
the same thing for basketball, 
baseball, and wrestling? Why don't 

The WPI Journal I April 197813 



Student Government officers, club 
leaders, fraternity presidents, and, 
yes, newspaper editors, get extra 
help? 

"Where is this extra financial need 
money going to come from? Every 
year, we're told that there just isn't 
enough to go around and fill every- 
body's need. All I can guess is that 
we'll all have to take a cut. 

"... What I'm getting at is that 
football isn't the matter of life and 
death to this campus that it's been 
made out to be. It plays a supporting 
role but, as such, is on an equal 
footing with a lot of other things that 
don't tend to get priorities." 

But there's no question that, for all 
the fault one might find with the 
emphasis on and investment in foot- 
ball, this sport does mean a lot to a 
great many people. It maintains a 
hold on people that other sports don't 
seem to match. It's not everything, 
but it's important. 

This was apparent early on to the 
football committee. They quickly 
decided that the program should con- 
tinue, and then turned their attention 
to ways of improving it. In Forkey's 
words, it became "something of a 
financial question, whether there 
were things we could do to get the 
most out of what is WPI's most costly 
sport." 




Now that the decision has been 
announced, two men will play im- 
portant roles in making it work. One 
is the yet- to-be-appointed head foot- 
ball coach. The other, who will hire 
him, is George Flood, recently named 
to succeed Bob Pritchard and become 
WPI's third athletic director in 62 
years. 

George Flood is currently director 
of general physical education at the 
University of Massachusetts in 
Amherst. Before taking that position 
two years ago, he coached football at 
UMass, and spent seven years as head 
football coach and athletic director at 
Union College. He has also coached 
in secondary schools. 

His background is very strong in 
football. "I've been involved with the 
sport since I began to play football in 
junior high, back in 1944," Flood 
recounts. "I've been directly involved 
in coaching in nearly all my profes- 
sional career, mostly as a head coach. 
It means a lot to me. I picked a town 
to live in, near Amherst, partly on the 
basis that the school system offered 
football. I wanted my kids to have 
that choice." 



And Flood is excited about WPI. "I 
hoped I might be hired before the 
football committee made its report, 
so I could give some input. When 
they announced the decision to im- 
prove the program, I was really 
happy." Asked to discuss his goals for 
WPI football, he said, "Well, we're 
not out after bowl bids! And at a 
small college you just can't aim for 
year-in-year-out undefeated seasons, 
either. What we want is to be com- 
petitive. I'm really concerned about 
what the individual players can get 
out of football: they should be able to 
get a lot of satisfaction from the team. 
If not, and they're trying, then we've 
let them down. So what we want to 
do is field a football team that every- 
body — students, players, alumni — 
can be proud of." 



4 I April 19781 The WPI journal 




Trustee nominations now being 
received 

Each year the WPI Alumni Associa- 
tion has the opportunity to nominate 
three alumni to five-year terms as 
Alumni Term members of the WPI 
Board of Trustees. C. Eugene Center 
'30 of Pittsburgh, PA, Chairman of 
the Alumni Association's Trustee 
Search Committee, has recently an- 
nounced that his committee is now- 
receiving petitions for consideration 
and nomination for the terms begin- 
ning in July 1979. Alumni may sub- 
mit petitions on or before May 1 5, 
1978, and they should be mailed to 
Mr. Center, c the WPI Alumni Of- 
fice, Alden Memorial, Worcester, 
MA 01609. Questions regarding pro- 
cedures for the formal submission of 
proposals should be directed to 
Stephen J. Hebert '66, Alumni Direc- 
tor at WPI ( [7/753-1411). 

Two current members of the Board 
are eligible for renomination this year 
for additional five-year terms. They 
are C. Marshall Dann ' 3 5 , a partner in 
Dann, Dorfman, Herrell & Skillman, 
123 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, 
PA 01909, and Hilliard W. Page '41, a 
Senior Consultant and Director of 
International Energy Associates Lim- 
ited, 2600 Virginia Avenue, N.W., 
Washington, DC 20037. In addition, 
at least two more alumni must be 
proposed for the ballot which will be 
voted upon by the WPI Alumni 
Council on October 22, 1978. 





JUNE 8-11,1978 



1918 1928 

192 3 19 33 1943 

7 % 1938 
1953 1 ^8 4* 



ALSO- 

Save the dates 
October 20, 21, 22 

Homecoming & 

Alumni Eadership 
Weekend 



The WPI Journal April 1978 5 



Cookie Price, 1908-1978 



"For Cookie Price, WPI was his life," 
Dean William Grogan, '46 said 
recently in a tribute to his long-time 
colleague. "From the day he entered 
WPI as a freshman until the day he 
died, his devotion to the college was 
boundless." 

M. Lawrence Price, '30, vice pres- 
ident emeritus at WPI, "Cookie" to 
his many friends, died on April 2, 
1978 in Worcester. At the time of his 
death, he was still actively involved 
in a student research project at his 
home in Paxton. 

"For the past two years, he had 
been advising some thirty students 
on the feasibility of alternative en- 
ergy," notes Roger Borden, '61, as- 
sociate professor of mechanical en- 
gineering. Prof. Borden, who worked 
with Dean Price on the project, 
recalls how Cookie had designed and 
built a laboratory building at his 
home with his advisees. Ultimately, 
the group developed a system for pro- 
viding energy for home use by means 
of a windmill and solar panels. The 
windmill, of innovative design, is 
currently undergoing further tests at 
WPI. 

Dean Price, vice president 
emeritus, dean emeritus of the fac- 
ulty, and professor emeritus of me- 
chanical engineering, retired in 1972 
following forty-two years of service. 
He joined the WPI faculty as an in- 
structor, after graduating as a me- 
chanical engineer in 1930. He 
received his MSME from WPI in 
1934. In 1937, he was promoted to 
assistant professor. He became a full 
professor in 1 945 and head of the 
department of mechanical engineer- 
ing in 1 95 6. He was named dean of 
the faculty in 1 9 5 7 and vice president 
of the college in 1962, positions 
which he held simultaneously. 

Prof. Donald Zwiep, head of the 
department of mechanical engineer- 
ing, recalls Cookie and his years of 
service at WPI: "From the time I first 
became acquainted with him in 1 95 7, 
I observed that he exhibited two 



complementary strengths which I 
soon used as a yardstick to measure 
other professional people — his total 
concern for fairness in his dealings 
with faculty and students, and his 
distinctive ability to provide solu- 
tions to difficult technical problems. 
In the first instance, his superb han- 
dling of potentially volatile situa- 
tions during the Viet Nam conflict 
enabled the members of the WPI 
community to retain a mutual 
respect while recognizing that a wide 
divergence of opinion existed. In the 
second instance, his pioneering work 
in the use of photoelasticity tech- 
niques in stress analysis was instru- 
mental in the formation of a new 
professional organization, the Society 
for Experimental Stress Analysis. 

"All of us in the mechanical en- 
gineering department who knew him 
and worked with him realize that we 
have lost a friend and colleague. But, 
he will not be forgotten. The basic 
foundations for excellence in en- 
gineering education, which he articu- 
lated in such a dedicated and under- 
standable way, whether it was his 
teaching of the design of machine 
elements or his endorsement to the 
faculty of the WPI Plan, are time- 
less." 

Also speaking of Dean Price's con- 
tributions to the college, Dean Gro- 
gan said, "He played a pivotal role in 
so many critical issues in the history 
of WPI that it is difficult to even begin 
to fathom their impact. A fine teacher 
himself, he was always deeply con- 
cerned with the quality of under- 
graduate education at WPI, and for 
years before the Plan he did every- 
thing in his power to encourage the 
faculty to improve the process of edu- 
cation. The teaching workshops of 
the early '60s, the first representative 
faculty curriculum study committee 
of the mid '60s, and the WPI Planning 
Committee of 1968-70 all benefited 
enormously from his active support 
and encouragement. 

"Perhaps, in retrospect, the most 



6 / April 1 978 I The WPI Journal 




dramatic personal demonstration of 
his leadership and deep human un- 
derstanding came during the 
passion-filled days of campus turmoil 
that followed the Cambodian inva- 
sion and Kent State shootings. Hour 
after hour, through one tense 
student-faculty meeting after 
another, as chairman of those meet- 
ings his great sense of fairness domi- 
nated the proceedings and set, not 
only then but for years to come, a 
tone which has marked WPI as a 
college where a sense of civility and 
fairness lies deep in its character. 
This sense, developed by Cookie over 
many years at WPI, and so dramat- 
ically climaxed during those troubled 
days, is one of his greatest legacies." 



Dean Price's many contributions 
to WPI did not go unrecognized by the 
college. He was awarded an honorary 
doctor of engineering degree in 1958. 
In 1 97 3 he was named the recipient of 
the Robert H. Goddard Award, pre- 
sented annually by the Alumni Asso- 
ciation to a WPI alumnus for "out- 
standing professional achievement." 

Away from WPI, Cookie was also 
an achiever. A specialist in machine 
design, he served as consultant on the 
cold rolling of precision screw 
threads and other forms. He gained 
national recognition in the field of 
photoelasticity, which involves the 
use of polarized light to observe stress 
concentrations in models made of 
plastics. He was also involved with 



the analytical, experimental, and de- 
velopmental aspects of machine de- 
sign, stress analysis, metallurgy, pre- 
vention of fatigue failure, mecha- 
nisms, lubrication, vibration, and 
mechanical power transmission 
equipment. 

He was a cofounder of the original 
Photoelasticity Conference, which 
later developed into the present Soci- 
ety for Experimental Stress Analysis. 
He belonged to ASME, ASEE, NSPE, 
and the American Gear Manufactur- 
ers Association. A registered profes- 
sional engineer in Massachusetts, he 
also served as an ASME representa- 
tive on the Society of Automotive 
Engineers committee on standardiza- 
tion of power chains and sprockets, 
and as chairman of the Diamond 
Jubilee meeting of the ASME En- 
gineering Division. He delivered 
numerous papers before these 
societies. He was a member of SAE, 
Skull, Sigma Xi, Tau Beta Pi, and Pi 
Tau Sigma. 

A native of Lamed, Kansas, Dean 
Price was bom on Sept. 12, 1908. For 
many years he was a resident of Pax- 
ton, Mass., and had served on the 
town finance board, the school com- 
mittee (chairman for nine years), 
with the fire department, and the 
school building committee. While 
with the recreation committee, he 
designed and helped to build a 
1 ,000,000 gallon swimming pool, a 
ball field, and recreation areas. He 
was chairman of the Massachusetts 
State Board of Registration of Profes- 
sional Engineers and Land Surveyors 
and a member of the governing board 
of Worcester Junior College. 

Dean Price is survived by his wife, 
Helen Tyler Price; a daughter, Gail, 
Mrs. Ralph Kimball, Jr.; a son, Robert, 
of the class of 1 95 9; and five grand- 
children. Also surviving are his 
brothers, Carl Price of Juneau Beach, 
Fla., and Dr. Galen Price of Daven- 
port, Iowa. 

Those who wish may send contri- 
butions to the M. Lawrence Price 
Memorial Fund at WPI. It will be used 
to advance those educational causes 
for which Cookie worked all his pro- 
fessional life. 

WPI 



The WPI Journal I April 197817 



Disney's 

technological world 



by John Spolowich, '78 



Is there a person alive in America today 
who does not know who Walt Disney 
was, who hasn't seen a Mickey Mouse 
cartoon, or who doesn't own a Disney 
product! Millions of people have visited 
the Disney parks, and millions will 
likely visit EPCOT, Disney's vision of 
the future, when it opens in 1 979. 
However, just because Disney is so well 
known, does that mean he can be 
accepted at face value, or are there 
deeper meanings behind the image of 
Walt Disney { This article explores the 
Disney organization and offers some 
insights into what just might become a 
way of life for America and the world. 



This article was originally done as an interactive qualify- 
ing project, one of the author's degree requirements. For 
more than a year, a number of students have been 
involved in various projects studying aspects and impli- 
cations of Disney accomplishments over the years. Mr. 
Spolowich concentrates on the social implications of 
Disney's worlds, but he has drawn on and included 
significant material from other projects, particularly 
regarding the history and animation techniques sections. 

All photographs in this article copyright © Walt Disney 
Productions. 



Walter Elias Disney was bom in Chicago, Illinois on 
December 5 , 1 901 . Besides Walt, his father, and mother, he 
had three brothers: Roy, Raymond, and Herbert; and a 
sister, Ruth. 

Since his father was not prospering as a building con- 
tractor, in 1906 Mr. Disney moved his family to a farm 
near Marceline, Missouri, where Walt and Roy, the 
remaining sons at home, worked with their father. While 
on the farm Walt began to draw. Using a drawing pad that 
had been a gift, Walt drew farm animals and small wildlife. 
This phase of his life did not last long, however; Mr. 
Disney again moved his family, this time to Kansas City, 
in 1910. 

Once in Kansas City, Mr. Disney bought a newspaper 
delivery service, and once again his sons were pressed into 
service. Despite the hard life, Walt developed an even 
greater interest in drawing and theatrical expression. By 
the age of fourteen Walt was allowed to enroll in art classes 
at the Kansas City Art Institute. 

In 191 7, the Disney family moved to Chicago. Walt, 
however, remained in Kansas City to finish school, staying 
with his brother Roy. That summer Walt worked on the 
Santa Fe Railroad, developing an interest in trains that 
would stay with him for the rest of his life. In the fall, Walt 
joined his family and attended McKinley High School, 
where he met a newspaper cartoonist, Leroy Gossett. 

By this time World War I was in progress and Roy 
Disney had joined the Navy. Walt would have liked to 
join, too, but was under-age. By pleading with his mother, 
his birth certificate was forged and he joined the Red Cross 
as an ambulance driver. Before he could be sent overseas, 
however, the Armistice was signed. Nevertheless, there 
was still a need for drivers, and he was sent to Neuf- 
chateau, France. 

In France he augmented his pay by drawing fake medals 
and camouflaging captured German helmets. By the time 
his stint was over, he had saved about 500 dollars. 

The WPI Journal I April 197819 



When Walt returned to the States in 1919, he was 
determined to become a commercial artist. He moved 
back to Kansas City where he got a job in a commercial art 
studio. It was there that he met Ubbe "Ub" Iwerks, who 
later played an important part in Disney Studios. It soon 
occurred to Walt and Ub that they might make it on their 
own, and so they began their own business. 

The business was not making enough money, though, 
so Walt got a job with the Kansas City Slide Company, a 
company which made commercials for local movie 
theatres. These were crude animated films, mainly stop- 
action photography of jointed cardboard figures. Despite 
the crude method, they provided the Disney team with 
valuable background. Walt soon borrowed a camera and 
attempted some animation on his own. He made several 
reels of short gags which he called Laugh-O-Grams. They 
achieved a local popularity and again Walt was able to go 
into business for himself. 

Being ambitious, Walt began work on a series of updated 
fairy tales, among them: Cinderella, Jack and the 
Beanstalk, and Little Red Riding Hood. They were very 
well made, but they did not sell. Walt's staff of six was 
forced into other jobs. In 1923 Disney tried to save his 
company by making Alice's Wonderland, but it cost so 
much to make he had to close the studio. 

In 1923, Walt left Kansas City for California taking 
Alice's Wonderland along as a sample of his work. He was 
to find a distributor, Charles Mintz, and together with Roy 
Disney went into business on a series of films called Alice 
in Cartoonland. He started to increase his staff, and one of 
those he hired, Lillian Bounds, became his wife in July 
1925. 

By 1927, Disney had made nearly 60 episodes of the 
Alice series, and decided to go back to full animation (the 
Alice series featured a live actress as Alice). A new series 
was begun about the adventures of Oswald the Lucky 
Rabbit. 

This proved so successful that when Disney's one-year 
contract with Mintz ended, Walt made his way to New 
York to renew the contract. Mintz, however, surprised 
Disney by decreasing his fees. Mintz, by copyrighting the 
Oswald name, controlled it. Mintz had also convinced 
some of Disney's top artists to leave Disney and work for 
him. Disney gave up the Oswald contract, but he vowed 
thereafter to own full rights to all his films. 

While working on Oswald, Disney had come up with a 
new idea for a main character. Sometime in 1 927 he and 
Iwerks created a mouse — Mickey Mouse — who had a 
definite personality and could get into all kinds of scrapes. 
While work on the Mouse cartoons was still in progress, 
sound hit the film industry. Walt decided that if his 
cartoons were to be successful, they must have sound, and 
the studio began developing the techniques to synchronize 
sound with action for Steamboat Willie (1928). 

This was the beginning of a successful future for the 
Disney Studios. More Mickey Mouse cartoons appeared in 
1929, with slight changes in the character and appearance 
of Mickey; he became less mischievous and acquired 
clothes and shoes. 



By 1930 Mickey Mouse was an international celebrity. 
Several other characters, Minnie Mouse included, had 
become regulars in the cartoons. Meanwhile, Disney 
constantly demanded improvements in the quality of the 
animation, and by 1 93 1 the cost of a single cartoon was 
$1 3,000. Then, in 1932, Disney released Flowers and 
Trees, in color. 

The original footage of Flowers and Trees was in 
black-and-white when Technicolor offered its 
revolutionary three-color process. Disney continued pro- 
ducing Silly Symphonies (his newest series, of which 
Flowers and Trees was a part), now all in color. In 1933 
Disney scored again, this time with The Three Little Pigs. 
The movie was a hit — his biggest up to that time — and 
the title song, "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?" hit the 
national charts. 

The Disney Studios, by this time well known, con- 
tinued to produce more and more cartoons, introducing 
such "stars" as Donald Duck and Goofy. By 1 932, in order 
to maintain the high quality of the studio, Disney began an 
art school to train his employees. This school continues its 
work today. 

By 1935, Disney was planning something which would 
revolutionize the motion picture industry — a full-length 
animated feature. For this new art form Disney chose 
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Several things 
prompted Disney to produce full-length animation: one 
was that short cartoons could never make much money, 
and, two, he wanted to create a type of animation that 
could have a more leisurely, magical quality to it. 

After nearly three years of work, Snow White and the 
Seven Dwarfs was released on December 2 1, 1 937. It was a 
phenomenal success and Disney was a hero. 

After Snow White came a number of feature-length 
films: Pinocchio (1940), which utilized new camera tech- 
niques; Fantasia (1940), with better colors, multiplane 
cameras, and "Fantasound" (stereo); Bambi (1942), with 
many special effects; and many others followed. The 
Disney Studios branched out into live-action motion 
pictures, like Mary Poppins, nature films (the True-Life 
Adventure series), and educational movies. Animation 
was a well-developed art by 1 942, and few significant 
changes have occurred since. 

By the 1950s Walt Disney had become a wealthy man. 
He had furthered his interest in railroads by constructing a 
minature [Vs scale) train in his backyard, and was looking 
for something new and different to develop. In 1952 plans 
were begun for a well-designed amusement park in 
Anaheim, California, to be called Disneyland. It opened in 
1955, and 150 million people have since entered its gates. 
He kept up his work with movies and cartoons, and began 
plans for a new amusement park and vision of the future 
called Disney World. 

Walt didn't see his vision complete. Late in 1966, on 
December 1 5, Walt Disney died. Disney's death shocked 
and saddened the world, but it didn't spell the end for 
Disney Enterprises. First his brother and then his brother- 
in-law took control, and Disney Studios has continued to 
work towards fulfilling Disney's vision for the future. 



1 I April 1 978 I The WPI Journal 




Animation 

To follow what is going on with the Disney Organi- 
zation today and where they might go in the future, it is 
necessary to take a short look at the past. Disney Produc- 
tions grew up through the use of animation and its 
technological innovations. Through the use of advertising 
techniques and new educational processes, Disney paved 
the way for more startling innovations such as Disneyland 
and Walt Disney World. 

Research shows that younger viewers are affected by 
Disney's animated films in a way no other medium, with 
the exception of television, approaches. There is no im- 
agining needed to watch a Mickey Mouse cartoon. All the 
imagination is incorporated into the cartoon itself. Many 
teachers and psychologists believe this can help the child 
learn. There are no extraneous lines to read, no cartoon 
bubbles that distract attention as in comics, and all the 
symbolism needed to understand the action is built into 
the film. All the child has to do is watch. 



Thus, in Disney's use of fairy tales the younger viewer 
receives the imagery and story content more passively 
than if that child had to read a book. Through this passivity 
the child neither openly accepts or rejects the story and 
thus is open to inner teachings. By not choosing sides the 
child receives a fuller understanding of the issue. As this is 
the primary object of education in the use of fairy tales, it 
cannot be but good. As the fairy tale is an important part of 
growing up, the animated film story can be seen as a very 
important part of the teaching process, if only for the fact 
that children (and adults) like to watch cartoons. If a 
person is sincerely interested in what he is learning, the 
learning process becomes that much easier. 

Just as it is important to keep the action going in 
animated films, it became imperative to use color imagery 
as it became available. Technicolor, a company Disney 
has always been associated with in the use of color for 
films, came out with a coloring process for films in 1 92 1 . A 
small company at the time, Technicolor couldn't make 
this process available until 1923. At that time, however, 
film experts and critics raved. However, the first 
Technicolor product was nothing like the color we have 
today. For one thing, the process was only adaptable to 
certain scenes, and, two, the range of colors capable of 
being produced was very limited. The colors red, green, 
and blue predominated. 

However, in the Technicolor process of 1932, light was 
reflected into its three component colors: red, blue, and 
green. Then the light was run through a prism where these 
three colors could be broken into as many shades as the 
eye can perceive. In Technicolor, instead of having one 
negative to contend with, there are three. Shooting a 
picture is done with one negative and then in the 
Technicolor labs that single negative is treated in such a 
way as to form the three component colors and three 
negatives which are then imprinted into the final film. 

The first Disney films to use color effectively were the 
Silly Symphony series. The use of color was so striking and 
effective as an audience-drawer that they out-played the 
Mickey Mouse cartoons, which were in black-and-white. 
The first big hit with Technicolor, however, was The 
Three Little Pigs, released in 1933. This film had such an 
effect on depression-era America that Disney immediately 
adopted the Technicolor process for all his films. With the 
release in 1 940 of Fantasia the full potential of color was 
realized. Disney still uses the Technicolor process today, 
even though there are others available. 

The sound in Disney's films was done by him and his 
studios. In the early days of animation, all noises had to be 
timed to the action and reproduced on the spot, similar to 
drama on radio. Such things as the forest fire in Bambi 
were produced by crinkling cellophane close to a micro- 
phone. Crush a wooden box and you had the sound of 
splintering wooden planks. Crashes were produced by 
tumbling boxes. The sound of someone being hit on the 
head was produced by hitting a head of cabbage and horses 
trotting was accomplished by means of halves of coconut 
shells. Simple whistles, ratchets, and slide flutes were 
used. 



The WPI Journal I April 1978 11 



Disney and his staff managed to perfect a technique that 
would synchronize sound with the animation. It involved 
a series of light flashes put on each frame of film. By 
following the flashes the sound track very nearly syn- 
chronized with that of the action. 

For the movie Fantasia Disney engineers developed a 
series of eight speakers that could be strategically placed 
around a theater to reproduce a very true stereophonic 
sound. The effect was similar to that employed in the 
more recent film Earthquake! The setup was abandoned, 
however, because the cost of setup and removal prohibited 
its use in all but a few theaters. 

Just as Disney engineers developed new sound tech- 
niques, they also developed new techniques in special 
effects. One of these was known as "rotoscoping." It 
involved filming a sequence of film with live actors that 
would be used in a film with cartoon characters. Then the 
animator would trace the outline of the human actors and 
use it to draw the animation figures. This was supposed to 
impart greater naturalism to the cartoons, but actually 
succeeded in producing a jerky kind of motion. This is 
evident in films such as Snow White. The effects of rain 
and snow were accomplished by sprinkling water or 
bleached cornflakes against a dark background. Unbeliev- 
ably enough, this appeared very real. 

Another technique, much more important, was the 
multiplane camera. This camera was introduced to fill a 
technical gap. The animators felt they had no way of 
producing depth. Scale distortions occur when a eel is 
photographed against a flat background. This camera 
made it possible to photograph several levels of back- 
ground and action at the same time to give a proper sense 
of depth. Before Disney, the size of the eel determined the 
size of the field of action. (A eel is a drawing of a part of the 
scene on a transparent acetate base.) Obviously, for some 
of the action in a film like Snow White, the normal eel 
size, 9V2 x 1 2 inches, was too small to accommodate all the 
characters. In addition to new, larger board and eel sizes 
that were adopted, new inking boards, checking boards, 
animation boards, and the camera itself had to be devel- 
oped. Even so, the board size still proved too small in some 
instances, and a method of photographically reducing the 
drawings was devised. All these things led to the develop- 
ment of animation as a high art by 1 942. 

All these technical innovations are fine, but they are not 
alone what made a Disney animated film so different from 
any other producer's. For when someone thinks of Walt 
Disney and what he did for animation and movie-making 
in general, it is usually in light of the way he made fairy 
tales come alive. But there was one period of Disney 
history that was much more somber in nature — World 
War II. On the eve of the war we were nearly in a state of 
chaos. Our educational system was not equipped to instill 
the state of mind necessary for victory. As a result, the 
crippling shortages and misplaced manpower of the early 
stages of the war were anything but what one would 
expect from a nation that was supposed to play such an 
important part in winning the war for the Allies. 




Here Disney stepped in. Although by no means 
responsible for our winning the war, his efforts did help 
overcome one critical problem: education. What Disney 
did for the Allied effort can be explained simply. He made 
propaganda films. Yet he was faced with more problems 
than might first meet the eye. Never before had a film 
producer used his talents as an educator in social change or 
as a major proponent of technological progress. His new- 
found abilities in film technology would be used to link 
aeronautical science to military theory, industry, trade, 
international relations, agriculture, conservation, health, 
and sanitation. He was to be used as educator of the world. 

Disney held enormous power. His films were being 
viewed by as many as 100 million people around the 



1 2 I April 1 978 I The WPI journal 



world. He was in a position where he could use his talent 
to control and change the attitudes of all those people. 
That he didn't use that power for negative ends is a tribute 
to the man's patriotism. He was able to use his films to tell 
the world how to use their armies efficiently, how to 
organize their industrial efforts, how to will themselves to 
win, to maintain order, and to make ordinary-seeming 
people and things appear vital to the war effort. People 
were taught how to ration themselves, how to promote 
goodwill among other countries, how to understand 
America's war strategy, just as they were used to arouse 
latent national loyalty. And Disney's films taught these 
things so eloquently that ten-year-olds could understand 
them. 

By combining the same techniques used in fantasy 
films, i.e., the multi-plane camera, color psychology, 
frosted eels, animation itself, and combining this with 
Gallup poll surveys, maps and diagrams, and appeals to 
authority and human values, Disney was able to make one 
outstanding contribution to the war effort. This was in a 
film called Victory Through Air Power. It centered around 
a complex military concept, that of long-range bombing, 
but it was presented to the public so as not to appear too 
pedagogic. Disney showed that industry, on its own, had 
brought the necessary technology of bombing to such a 
state that, properly applied, the technique could end the 
war in two years with victory going to the Allies. One of 
the film's main points was that military men tended to 
thwart those efforts which would make their own theories 
defunct. The film had such an effect on the American 
people and on the executive branch that the concept was 
put into practice. The result is well known. 

By proving his two main points, the cost in manpower to 
fight a conventional war, and that the American people 
had inherited the most powerful technological civilization 
in the world, Disney was able to implant in American 
minds a very important point: it was better to spill our 
nation's gasoline than to spill our nation's blood. 

Disney's abilities in propaganda filming were so great 
that there is a certain horror in the recollection. If Disney 
had chosen personal power rather than national spirit as 
his motivation, he could have been a major threat to Allied 
victory. What the Japanese could have done with a man 
like Disney on their side is frightening to consider. Dis- 
ney's medium of construction could easily have been 
turned into a medium of destruction. 

Disney's educational abilities were a direct extension of 
his animation abilities. Just as many movements of many 
cartoon figures were necessary to give an air of simplicity 
and magic, many factors in our social institutions and 
technologies combined together to promote the instruc- 
tion of our people. As a result, Disney directed his greatest 
film of all : the panorama of the construction of peace and a 
new Magic Kingdom. 

Once Disney had perfected the theory of education in 
animation, he was ready to perfect the image of what we 
have come to recognize as Walt Disney Productions. In 
order to do this he had to advertise. And in this advertising, 
he managed to commercialize his work. There is no better 



way to illustrate this commercialism than to talk of the 
symbol of Disney Productions: Mickey Mouse. 

What makes Mickey Mouse more popular than any of 
the other Disney characters? Was it because he was the 
first, or was it because he is the best known? Several 
decades ago perhaps one could say that many people had 
not been exposed to such characters as Donald Duck, 
Dumbo, and Goofy, but nowadays most people are famil- 
iar with these characters, too. No, I think the popularity of 
Mickey Mouse is due to commercialism, something 
which Disney, intentionally or not, has succeeded in 
giving us. Disneyland and Disney World are both elabora- 
tions on this theme. This is not to say that commercialism 
is evil; we more or less take it for granted. Commercialism 
is, after all, the way we sell our products. It is natural in a 
capitalistic society. But does Mickey have to be a part of it? 
I think perhaps Mickey Mouse has become so much a part 
of our language, and indeed is so much a part of our own 
fantasylands, precisely because of it. 

One result of the vast commercialism that launched 
Mickey is that he has become an accepted part of our 
society, so much so that Mrs. Nixon could give Mrs. 
Brezhnev a Mickey Mouse watch and it would be under- 
stood as an honorable gift. Another enduring thing about 
Mickey is that he has stood the test of time. His creator is 
long dead, and yet Mickey is not yet nostalgia. At the first 
annual nostalgia fair held in New York, Mickey was not 
even mentioned. He has not gone the way of other cartoon 
characters, not even such recent ones as Bugs Bunny and 
Porky Pig, of whom no films have been made in quite a 
while. 

Mickey endures because he was sold. So much and in so 
many products that a game show on television can now 
ask his name in Spanish and expect to get an answer. Sold 
enough to bring over one hundred dollars for a watch that 
bears his picture. It is extremely unlikely that any of us has 
not seen something that doesn't have a picture of Mickey 
on it, be it a hat with ears, a drinking glass, a magazine. He 
is known, and loved, worldwide. His popularity is due to 
the commercialism that turned an ordinarily dirty little 
creature into an object of fun and fantasy. His is the power 
to bounce back, in advertising and in "life." 



The WPI Journal I April 1978113 




Disneyland, Disney World and EPCOT 



When Disneyland opened in i 95 5 , it might have seemed 
like the culminating point of Disney's work. The theme 
park, so named because the park consists of seven areas, 
each with its own special theme, includes: Fantasy land, 
Frontierland, Adventureland, Tomorrowland, New Or- 
leans Square, Main Street, and Bear Country. Each of these 
areas is designed to create a certain atmosphere and 
contains amusements, exhibits, and other attractions 
which underline the theme of the area. Many of the 
attractions are based on characters and stories from Dis- 
ney's films. 

Fantasyland is primarily the haven of the animated 
story. Such attractions as Snow White and the Seven 
Dwarfs, Peter Pan, and Dumbo are represented here, as 



well as the "It's a Small World" exhibit, seen by millions at 
the 1964 New York World's Fair. Adventureland derives 
from the Disney "True Nature Adventure" films and 
features jungle rides and the Enchanted Tiki Room, named 
for its robot-like audio-animatronical birds, flowers, and 
Tikis. Frontierland represents the United States in its Wild 
West days. Among its features are such things as an 
operating Mississippi River type steamboat. Other parts of 
Frontierland are geared towards the gold rush days and 
pioneers like Davy Crockett. Tomorrowland features the 
future, including: Space Mountain (a roller-coaster sort of 
ride that simulates space flight), Circle- Vision 360° (Dis- 
ney's patented theater in the round), and an audio- 
animatronics production of the musical history of 



141 April 1978 I The Wl'I journal 



>ti> 



America. New Orleans Square is just what the name 
implies, a re-creation of nineteenth century New Orleans, 
and features a pirate ride and a haunted mansion. Main 
Street is a re-creation of a typical main street in the 1 890s. 
Bear Country is the scene of the Country Bear Jamboree, a 
musical revue with robot animals. In each of the areas 
there are themed restaurants, souvenir stands, and 
refreshment stands. 

Several new attractions are in the works, framed around 
a seven-year master plan. A new area called Circusland 
would be a circus peopled with audio-animatronical 
players and animals, and featuring Mickey Mouse car- 
toons from the 1920s and 30s. 

Disneyland is highly successful, and has become the 
model on which many new amusement parks are built. I 
stress the word amusement because Disneyland is a small 
park of 305 acres. It does not have the expansion pos- 
sibilities that Walt Disney World has. Nevertheless, Dis- 
neyland has proved to be a consistent money-maker, 
increasing revenues nearly $40 million from 1 972-1 976 
while increasing attendance 600,000. On June 22, 1976 
Disneyland hosted its 1 50 millionth guest. Yet, the at- 
tendance is still largely composed of California residents. 
This makes it different from Walt Disney World, which 
relies on out-of-state attendance. 

When Walt Disney World opened in 1971 in Orlando, 
Florida, many people thought it would be just another 
Disneyland. They couldn't have been further from the 
truth. Walt Disney World (hereafter called WDW) is huge, 
encompassing an area of about 27,000 acres, over 42 square 
miles. To give an idea of this size, WDW is nearly twice the 
size of Manhattan. The theme park itself is nearly ten 
times the size of Disneyland. Its principal attractions are 
much the same, but in WDW the Country Bear Jamboree 
is not a separate area, and Liberty Square replaces New 
Orleans Square. 

Like Disneyland, WDW is extremely popular, with 1976 
revenues of nearly $25 5 million. That same year, at- 
tendance was 1 3 million, some 3 million more than went 
to Disneyland. What is phenomenal, though, is that from 
1972 to 1976 WDW nearly doubled their revenues while 
raising attendance by only one-fourth. 

The reason for this increase is partly due to the fact that 
WDW is a total recreational area. Besides the Magic 
Kingdom, there are numerous camping facilities, such as 
Fort Wilderness and River Country. River Country fea- 
tures such things as a 260-foot water slide, rope swings, 
and swimming pools. When River Country opened in 1 976 
it hosted 420,000 guests in its first four months. (This was 
with 89 percent occupancy). There are also three major 
hotels in WDW. The Contemporary is an A-frame type 
building, with its center open to allow the monorail to pass 
through it. The Polynesian Village is a hotel themed to the 
South Seas and features such things as luaus and 
Olympic-sized swimming pools. The Golf Resort is just 
what the name implies; it is built around several challeng- 
ing 1 8-hole courses. One of these, the Magnolia course, 
hosts a PGA tournament. These hotels have an average 
occupancy of 97 percent. 



If there is any one thing which sets WDW apart from 
other amusement parks, it is the use of technology to 
boost the entertainment. One of the most striking uses of 
technology in both Disney theme parks is the intelligent 
use of mass transport. Such diverse means of transporta- 
tion as monorails, WEDway People Movers, skyrides, 
steam trains, and boats are used to move people from place 
to place. The monorail at WDW travels the perimeter of 
the Magic Kingdom, giving the rider a preview of the park. 
The WEDway People Mover, named for Walt Disney, is 
essentially a train-on- wheels. It does not run on gasoline, 
though, but rather on electric power or alternative fuels 
like alcohol. The steam train also circles the park in 
WDW, but such rides as the skyride, a gondola strung on 
cables, merely provide transport from one theme area to 
another. The main emphasis on such transport technology 
is that it be clean, cheap, and effective. In WDW all these 
goals are accomplished. 

One must remember that large sections of the parks are 
geared to water, and that Disney Productions maintains a 
large fleet. While many of the boats are small power boats, 
or those used in rides, WDW still has enough boats to hold 
claim to the ninth largest navy in the world (in tonnage), 
an incredible achievement for a single company. 

The transportation shop at WDW employs some 1,200 
craftsmen. There, all the various vehicles are kept in 
working order and new ones built. In 1 97 5, for example, in 
the shop's drydock, a 1 50-ton ferryboat was under con- 
struction. This shop, by the way, uses more fiberglass than 
any other manufacturing activity in the world. 

On an equal footing with transportation are the robotics. 
WDW "employs" thousands of them. Audio-animatronics 
is a complex word meaning talking robots. These can take 
any shape, from President Lincoln talking in the Hall of 
Presidents to an enchanted alligator at the Tiki Room to 
Mickey Mouse in the Mickey Mouse Revue. These robots 
are mainly stationary. They do not move by themselves, 
although they can "walk" across preprogrammed tracks. 
They are capable of as many as 1 1,000 separate move- 
ments, some of which are startling to viewers, such as the 
scratching of an itch. 

Audio-animatronics are essentially a combination of 
wax museum figures with an inner core of microelec- 
tronics. They utilize computer-programming to make 
them move. They are so realistic that they even sweat (due 
to a type of oil in their plastic skins). Basically, the 
audio-animatronic figures are programmable — that is, 
they are programmed to sing or talk. Their lips are synched 
to the song or speech, and a push of a button activates 
them. They cannot as yet move independently, by them- 
selves. Nor can they think. However, it is conceivable that 
in a few years they could be programmed to perform 
menial tasks in place of human employment. 

Aside from such obvious uses of technology, the theme 
parks discreetly make use of other technology which is 
years ahead of its time. This is especially true with the 
AVAC rubbish disposal system, which features primary, 
secondary, and tertiary controls. The activated sludge used 
in the third-stage treatment is also used to fertilize fields. 



The WPI Journal April 1978115 




This mariculture has made it possible to increase the yield 
of soybeans from 600 pounds per acre to nearly thirteen 
times that amount. In addition, the sludge has proved to be 
an excellent source of protein for cattle. Another use of 
technology is being tested in the water control center that 
Disney Productions manages. Projects are being devised to 
take waste gas (methane) and use it to drive the same 
turbines which treat the water in the first place. 

Another planning feature of WDW is one which the 
public probably doesn't even realize exists. All deliveries 
and utilities are underground, as are all workshops, com- 
puters, electronics gear, and lighting controls. Even the 
fireworks which are seen every evening are set off under- 
ground. Underneath WDW is a maze of corridors which 
connect shops and offices, and provide access to attrac- 
tions for employees, who travel long distances in electric 
carts when necessary. 

Also underground is the unique waste disposal system. 
Although the garbage cans in WDW might appear normal, 
many of them are linked to the AVAC system by a series of 
tubes which act like vacuum cleaners. These suck in 
trash, process it through circular blades that separate 
organic trash from inorganic trash and also chop the trash 
into smaller pieces that are easier to treat. 

Physically, the theme parks are marvels of engineering. 
They have both used canals to provide water as well as 
land recreation. WDW includes one of the world's largest 
aviaries, as well as hiking trails and fishing spots. In WDW 
one can buy or rent condominiums, cabins, cottages, and 



boats. The Lake Buena Vista complex includes some 200 
homes that are water-oriented and another 18-hole golf 
course. The homes are located adjacent to WDW in and 
around a 1,200 acre area of man-made lakes, canals, and 
channels. In 1976 the Lake Buena Vista shopping village 
hosted some two million people, who visited some 29 
unique shops and four restaurants. At the site the Disney 
people built a 1 50- ton Mississippi river showboat that 
houses three restaurants, a Dixieland show bar, and exclu- 
sive private dining rooms. 

What might not be so obvious is that WDW is a marvel 
of efficiency and behavioral planning. The social technol- 
ogy involved in creating WDW ranges from studies on 
waiting in line to the "clean" look that WDW has. 
Prominent in the use of social technology is the appear- 
ance of the park. Every night, every single sidewalk, 
walkway, and vehicle is checked for defects and fixed if 
necessary. Everything is cleaned every night, and that 
includes removing chewing gum and washing all the 
windows in WDW. There are innumerable maintenance 
men throughout WDW, some of which follow crowds 
around merely to pick up trash that is littered. A striking 
feature of WDW is that it is spotless. 

Other social technology includes the use of color, the 
right mix of fantasy and reality, and the friendliness of 
employees. Granted it is hard to look at such things 
objectively, but the fact remains that WDW is more than 
an amusement park. It, hopefully, offers something for 
everyone. 



1 6 I April 19781 The WPI journal 







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In 1970, WPI, then a four-year engineer- 
ing and science college of the most rigidly 
traditionalist type, was transformed by 
vote of the faculty into an entirely new 
institution with a completely different 
goal: the education of "technological 
humanists." a new breed of engineers and 
scientists with an active appreciation of 
the social sciences and the humanities, 
with an awareness of the world's scope 
and complexity and with a grasp of the 
larger societal implications of their cho- 
sen professional roles. 

To implement that goal, the faculty 
created a new academic curriculum based 
on four degree requirements. This new 
educational program, known as the WPI 
Plan, places the responsibility on each 
student to design his or her academic 
program with the help of a faculty ad- 
visor. The WPI Plan requires a demon- 
stration of competency and successful 
completion of two independent problem- 
solving situations called "projects." 

From the very outset of the WPI Plan, it 
was clear that the fundamental and mas- 
sive changes required would be costly in 
both time and money. WPFs resolve to 
change and to grow academically, com- 
bined with an uncertain economy, the 
steadily rising costs of almost all goods 
and services, and the inability of most 
students to pay fully for their education, 
resulted in a major imbalance between 
WPFs ambitious goals and its fiscal pos- 
ture at that point. 

To surmount that ominous fiscal 
reality, the Trustees recognized the need 
to mount a major fund raising program of 
heretofore unheard-of proportions in 
WPFs long and distinguished history. 



Appropriately, this five-year effort of- 
ficially was designated as The WPI Plan 
to Restore the Balance campaign. By 
virtue of astute and thorough planning, 
many of the ingredients necessary for 
success were "built in" to the campaign's 
structure even before the first dollar was 
raised. 

Because the '60s had seen a major 
expansion of our academic facilities in- 
cluding construction of Olin Hall, God- 
dard Laboratories, and Gordon Library 
as well as a major athletic facility, Har- 
rington Auditorium, the Trustees' Com- 
mittee for Planning and Resources 
quickly recognized that improving the 
quality of student life was one of the most 
pressing needs facing the college. The 
decision was made to increase dormitory 
space and create a student life center by 
renovating the first floors of Morgan Hall 
and Daniels Hall and linking these build- 
ings together. Thus the top physical facil- 
ity priorities of the Plan to Restore the 
Balance were established. Others in- 
cluded the renovation of Salisbury 
Laboratories and Boynton Hall. 

Our architectural planners were quick 
to point out that we were creating vehicu- 
lar traffic in the heart of our campus by 
locating our Buildings and Grounds De- 
partment in what was the old Foundry 
Building. Following their recom- 
mendations, the Foundry Building was 
remodeled to serve as a Project Center, 
and the campaign to green the campus 
was launched. The results of this effort 
are highly visible on the east campus 
which has been restored to pedestrians 
and beautified through walkways, plazas, 
terraces, and plantings. 



16 



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Having faced a series of annual deficits, 
the Trustees were concerned and deter- 
mined that additional funds be raised to 
reduce the pressure on the annual operat- 
ing budget, thus an endowment objective 
of $4.1 million was established for the 
campaign. In spite of our success in rais- 
ing new endowment money, a falling 
stock market and continuing inflation 
have not substantially reduced the pres- 
sures on the operational budget. We 
have, however, managed to increase the 
endowment and stay just a bit ahead of 
inflation. 

The WPI Plan emphasis on practical 
experience and learning through doing in 
the laboratory coupled with an enlarged 
student enrollment created a problem of 
equipment replacement and upgrading. In 
addition, the rapid changes in technology 
made it imperative we update our equip- 
ment. Recognizing this need we set a 
campaign objective of $1 million. 

When the campaign was launched, the 
concept of the WPI Plan was well under- 
stood by ourfaculty. It, however, was not 
clear as to what the attendant cost would 
be to accomplish our stated objectives. 
Thus, the Plan to Restore the Balance was 
launched knowing that we would need to 
raise money to implement the WPI Plan 
but not knowing precisely what we would 
need it for or when. Our success in at- 
tracting grants from major national foun- 
dations amounted to $1.9 million, which 
was critical in the successful implementa- 
tion of the WPI Plan. 




Looking at proposed plans for the 
campus back in 1972, at the start of the 
campaign, are, from left, Milton P. 
Higgins, chairman of the Board of 
Trustees; Paul S. Morgan, chairman of 
the WPI Plan to Restore the Balance; 
and Irving James Donahue, '44, national 
chairman of the campaign. 



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Physical Facilities 

Goal: $7,903,400 
Achieved: $7,502,107 



Among the components of the campaign, 
the highest priority was given to improv- 
ing the quality of the learning environ- 
ment at WPI through construction of new 
physical facilities where needed and by 
renovating and restoring others. 

Generous early grants from the 
Ellsworth and Fuller Foundations al- 
lowed us to raze property on Institute 
Road across from the campus and to 
begin construction of two new residence 
centers in 1972. 

When finished in the fall of 1973, the 
two residence centers provided modern 
town-house style living accommodations 
for 196 students. They also became the 
first visible evidence of WPFs commit- 
ment to a successful campaign of unprec- 
edented magnitude. 

The Wedge, connecting Morgan and 
Daniels Halls, signaled the completion of 
a badly needed student life center, includ- 
ing a substantially enlarged student dining 
room and kitchen, a campus post office 
and game rooms, and larger quarters for 
the Bookstore. This new setting en- 
hanced the visual appearance of the cam- 
pus and created a '"Campus Main Street" 
for students, faculty, and staff. 



With student projects at the heart of the 
WPI Plan, a Project Center became a 
most urgent need. A grant of $150,000 
from the Kresge Foundation in 1973 un- 
derwrote the cost of transforming the old 
Foundry Building into a useful and effi- 
cient headquarters for student projects. 

One of the most extensive programs 
involving physical facilities was the trans- 
formation of Salisbury Laboratories into 
a modern academic center. Aided sub- 
stantially by a major grant from the 
George I. Alden Trust, the interior of 
Salisbury was converted into a functional 
center for interdisciplinary learning in- 
cluding 4 classrooms, 25 laboratories, 3 
lecture halls, 4 seminar and conference 
rooms, offices for 54 faculty members, 
and several student lounges and study 
areas. Built in 1888, the '"new" Salisbury 
Laboratories were formally rededicated 
in September, 1976. 

Sanford Riley Hall, our oldest dormito- 
ry, was completely renovated to provide 
comfortable and attractive student living 
quarters which conform to current build- 
ing codes. By acting as our own contrac- 
tor on this project, WPI realized cost 
savings of approximately $100,000. 



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16 




At top. Looking through one of the 
courtyards in the Fuller Residence 
toward Sanford Riley Hall: WPls oldest 
and newest student housing. 
Above left, "The Wedge" connecting 
Morgan Hall with Daniels Hall. This link 
is the keystone of the student life 
"campus main street" concept. 
Above right, the dining hall (with a 
refurbished kitchen) was rebuilt as a part 
of the Plan to Restore the Balance, and 
offers more capacity and increased 
flexibility. 



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SALISBURY LABORATORIES 

Named in honor of 

STEPHEN SALISBURY II 

a founder of the Institute and first chairman 

of its Board of Trustees, this building 
is the gift of his son, Stephen Salisbury III. 

From 1865 to 1905, the Salisbury family provided 

WPI with exemplary leadership. Their generosity 

included a gift of the land for the campus. 

Extensive interior renovations were made 

possible by the generous support of alumni 

ind friends and a major grant from the 

George I. Alden Trust. 

Professor Alden. a member of the original 

faculty, was a colleague of Stephen Salisbury II. 

rheir dedicated and untiring efforts to advance 

qrowth and development of the Institute 

jtefully and permanently acKnowledged. 

-rstone Laid-1888 Rededicated-1976 



At left, the magnificent central staircase/ 

skylight that breathes life into the new 

Salisbury Laboratories, and provides 

natural light even down into the lower 

levels. 

Below, one of the new life sciences 

laboratories in Salisbury. 




16 



Top: Guess what building this is? It's 
Boynton Hall in an early stage of the 
nearly-finished reconstruction. 
At bottom, the pedestrian mall between 
Boynton, Washburn, Stratton, the 
Project Center, and the Power Plant. 
Just a few years ago, this was a crude 
alley used mostly for parking and 
jammed with cars. 



Boynton Hall, constructed in 1868 as 
the college's first building, has undergone 
a complete structural, mechanical, and 
electrical system restoration. The build- 
ing's attractive granite exterior has been 
preserved, and Boynton will soon house 
most WPI administrative offices in a com- 
fortable, modern setting. 

Extracurricular activities were not 
overlooked when our campaign priorities 
were established. Among several related 
projects, PTRB funds included construc- 
tion of four new tennis courts adjacent to 
A.J. Knight Field. 

Among the most conspicuously pleas- 
ing results of the campaign, "the greening 
of the campus" has been accomplished in 
several areas which make the campus 
attractive at every season of the year. 

The once austere alley between Strat- 
ton and the power plant used to be a 
popular parking area for faculty and staff. 
Now. it is a handsome, attractive pedes- 
trian mall with raised beds of flowers, 
shrubs, and trees. 

Freeman Plaza, the area between 
Salisbury. Washburn, Gordon Library, 
and the Project Center, is now the attrac- 
tive centerpiece of our campus. Our 
success in creating a better educational 
environment through attractive campus 
landscaping was recognized by a special 
award from the Massachusetts Office of 
Environmental Affairs. 

One final element of the "greening" 
master plan — the closing and landscap- 
ing of West Street — remains to be 
accomplished. Following a temporary 
closing of the street in 1974. we withdrew 
our petition. Once the reconstruction of 
Lincoln Square is completed, we plan to 
resubmit and hope that favorable action 
by the City will allow us to complete "the 
greening of the campus. ' ' 





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Endowment 

Goal: $4,100,000 
Achieved: $4,226,553 



The indispensable cornerstone of the 
WPI Plan has been the remarkable dedi- 
cation of our faculty to this college. Their 
commitment conceived and nurtured the 
Plan and their boundless energy has made 
it workable. Building on these unique 
strengths, we set out to attract and to 
retain other superior teachers who will 
lead our students toward the self-reliance 
and self-confidence which the Plan en- 
courages. 

Our goal was to establish two endowed 
faculty chairs and at least two distin- 
guished instructorships. A substantial gift 
from an anonymous alumnus endowed a 
chair in Mechanical Engineering in honor 
of Professor K. G. Merriam,oneof WPI's 
best known and best liked former 
teachers who died in 1977. Two distin- 
guished instructorships were made possi- 
ble by generous grants from Morgan- 
Worcester, Inc., and the Riley Company, 
who funded an instructorship named in 
memory of Edmund Rothemich, Class of 
1934. A third distinguished instructorship 
was funded with a bequest from the estate 
of Wilber C. Searle, Class of 1907. We 
continue to seek funding for at least one 
additional chair. 

$2.4 million has been added to endow- 
ment for student financial aid. It's dif- 
ficult to imagine a better use for these 
reasons: WPI currently provides more 
than $2.2 million in grants and loans to 
students each year — the equivalent of 
nearly $1,000 for every undergraduate 
enrolled. 



16 



8 



Books and Equipment 

Goal. $1,000,000 
Achieved: $751,075 



In a college of science and technology like 
WPI, the quality of education depends 
directly upon the availability of books and 
modem laboratory equipment. Fortu- 
nately, gifts of more than $750,000 helped 
us to secure some of the most modern 
equipment available, including a trans- 
mission electron microscope and impor- 
tant additions for the growing Life Sci- 
ences department. 

Other gifts enabled us to build a modern 
TV studio and to create TV carrels for 
individual personalized instruction where 
each student may review a subject or 
problem until he or she has mastered it. 
Campaign funds also were used to expand 
collections in Gordon Library. 



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WPI Plan Implementation Operational Funds 



Goal: $2,176,600 
Achieve d: $2,533,234 



Goal: $3,320,000 
Achieved: $3,877,663 



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From the outset, the unique and innova- 
tive components of the WPI Plan at- 
tracted a great deal of notice both within 
and outside the academic community. 
Much of this favorable notice was trans- 
lated into tangible and generous support 
for the considerable costs of implement- 
ing the Plan. We received the largest grant 
made by the National Science Founda- 
tion's College Science Improvement Pro- 
gram for undergraduate education. Other 
major grants in support of educational 
programs under the WPI Plan were made 
by the Sloan Foundation; the Carnegie 
Corporation; the Ford Foundation; the 
Andrew W. Mellon Foundation; the Na- 
tional Endowment for the Humanities; 
the National Foundation for Arts and 
Humanities; the Lilly Endowment; and 
the Rockefeller Foundation. 

The aggregate total contributed during 
the campaign for implementing the WPI 
Plan and related academic programs ex- 
ceeded $2.5 million. 



When the goals for the campaign were 
established, the trustees recognized two 
related facts of equal importance: ( 1) that 
the broad scope of WPFs educational and 
other programs would move ahead at an 
accelerated pace, and (2) that the costs of 
day-to-day operations would not remain 
constant, but would probably increase 
significantly over the five-year period. 

Accordingly, we established a min- 
imum goal of $3.3 million to accommo- 
date the impact of inflation and other 
costs. This estimate proved to be con- 
servative: the five-year total of gifts for 
current operations came to nearly $3.9 
million, including more than $460,000 of 
new endowment income. 



26 



10 



Epilogue 



The concept of a horizontal 
student union or ''Main Street" has suc- 
ceeded beyond our fondest expectations. 
Alden Memorial provides an excellent 
site for concerts, films, and lectures and is 
physically linked to Sanford Riley which 
has been completely renovated. Its lower 
level houses a much used pub which 
frequently offers weekend entertainment. 
Proceeding down Main Street we find the 
bookstore, post office, computer termi- 
nals and Dean of Students Office located 
on the first floor of Daniels Hall linked by 
the Wedge which has quickly become a 
campus meeting and gathering point for 
residents as well as commuter students. 
The improved dining and snack bar 
facilities in Morgan Hall round out our 
Student Union. 

To the north of "Main Street" are 
located the athletic facilities and Alumni 
Gymnasium and Harrington Auditorium, 
while to the south are located the new 
Ellsworth, Fuller and Stoddard residence 
centers. 

The decision to renovate existing build- 
ings has been applauded by the WPI 
community, architects, and economists. 
Renovation, although plagued by restric- 
tive regulations, has proven to be less 
costly than demolition and rebuilding. 
Salisbury Laboratories is a magnificent 
example of how an imaginative architect 
can rejuvenate an old building. Boynton 
Hall, which has graced the Worcester 
scene for over a century, will continue to 
do so for the next while providing modern 
and efficient administrative offices. 



Our increased endowment which we 
had hoped would provide us with a new 
resource has been somewhat reduced be- 
cause of the combined pressures of infla- 
tion and disappointing performances in 
the investment markets over the past five 
years. Our disappointment, however, is 
tempered by the satisfaction we have 
knowing we have substantially increased 
the endowment, and if we had not, our 
fiscal problems would be magnified. 

The optimism of our faculty when they 
voted to adopt the WPI Plan has been 
confirmed by their hard work and gener- 
ous funding from a number of founda- 
tions. Merging these interests and ener- 
gies has resulted in an educational plan 
which has been recognized and 
applauded throughout the country. 

No story about the Plan to Restore the 
Balance would be complete without full 
and unqualified tribute to the WPI family. 
Our Trustees and alumni provided vi- 
sionary leadership coupled with generous 
support. The immediate WPI family, fac- 
ulty, and administration never once 
stopped telling the WPI story to both on 
and off campus guests in a convincing and 
compelling way. Foundation officials 
often expressed incredulity when first 
hearing the WPI story. However, without 
exception, after a campus visit they left 
not only converted but advocates. 

There is a maxim in fund raising circles 
that donors do not give to institutions. 
Never has that maxim been more visibly 
demonstrated than our recent campaign. 
People gave and gave generously to WPI 
because of the creative minds that con- 
ceived the WPI Plan, because of the able 
students who time and time again demon- 
strated it was working, and because of the 
Trustees and alumni leaders who worked 
without pause and gave so generously. 
The campaign succeeded because the 
WPI family believed in the Institute. As a 
result of these efforts, today WPI faces an 
uncertain future with confidence . . . 
confidence based on the knowledge that 
the real strength of the Institute is not the 
buildings but rather the people who are 
the WPI faculty. 

An Honor Roll of all volunteers and 
donors has been placed in the WPI Ar- 
chives, which are held in Gordon Library. 



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Where the gifts came from 



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Source 

Alumni 

Annual Fund 

Capital 

Bequests 



Corporations 

Foundations 

Friends 
Capital 
Bequests 

Parents 

Other 

New Endowment Income 

Government 

Total 



$ 1,055,664 
1,618,242 
3,002,666 

$ 5,676,572 
$ 2,421,859 
$ 5,906,601 

$ 871,136 
689,053 

$ 1,560,189 
$ 98,362 
$ 69,328 
$ 462,414 
$ 2,720,203 
$18,915,528 



Percentage of the Total 



5.58 
8.56 

15.87 



30.01 
12.80 
31.23 



4.61 
3.64 



8.25 
.52 
.37 

2.44 
14.38 



100.00 



16 



Where the gifts went 



Facilities 

Endowment 

Equipment & Books 

WPI Plan Implementation 

Other Restricted Gifts 

Unrestricted Gifts 

Applied to Facilities 
Temporarily Applied to Funds 
Functioning as Endowment 

Current Operations 

Grand Total 



Revised 
(2/76) 
Goal 

$ 7,903,400 

4,100,000 

1,000,000 

1,693,640 

482,960 



3,320,000 



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$18,500,000 



Pledges & 
Cash 




Received 


ir- 


$ 6,855,524 




4,275,699 




754,075 




1,963,261 




589.973 


3 




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(1,893,554) 


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599,333 


is 


3,877,663 




$18,915,528 


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Gift Report 







Approximate 




Number 




Size of Pledge 


Number Needed 


Goal 


Received 


December 30, 1977 


000,000 and 


over 


4 


$ 5,000,000 


3 


$ 4,422,214.13 


500,000 to 1 ,000,000 


5 


2,500,000 


3 


2,032,294.00 


250,000 to 


500.000 


8 


2,250,000 


6 


2,063,282.01 


100,000 to 


250,000 


13 


1 ,250,000 


20 


3,081,405.65 


50,000 to 


100,000 


25 


1,250,000 


19 


1,287,835.02 


25.000 to 


50,000 


40 


1,000,000 


27 


892,177.80 


10,000 to 


25,000 


100 


1 ,000,000 


28 


417,371.22 


5,000 to 


10,000 


180 


900,000 


45 


283,194.14 


under 
nniversary ( 


5,000 
Gifts 


Numerous 


825,000 


2,632 


332,561.03 
225,530.07 




$15,975,000 


2,783 


$15,037,865.07 



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1976-77 

Alumni Fund 
Development Fund 

1975-76 

Alumni Fund 
Development Fund 

1974-75 

Alumni Fund 
Development Fund 

1973-74 

Alumni Fund 
Development Fund 

1972-73 

Alumni Fund 
Development Fund 

New Endowment Income 



Grand Total 

WPI Plan to Restore 

the Balance 



Numerous 
Donors 

Numerous 
Donors 

Numerous 
Donors 

Numerous 
Donors 

Numerous 
Donors 



$ 2,525,000 



$18,500,000 



Numerous 
Donors 

Numerous 
Donors 

Numerous 
Donors 

Numerous 
Donors 

Numerous 
Donors 



284,919.62 
288,854.16 

147,137.91 
290,930.63 

191,818.52 
200,546.34 

192,693.13 

844,353.33 

240,351.98 
733,643.13 

462,414.26 



$ 3,877.663.01 



$18,915,528.08 



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raised through the Annual Fund credited to Capital 




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16 



At left, this aerial view shows two different eras in 
transportation coexisting nicely. 

Below, some of the "audioanimatronic" robots in the Hall 
of Presidents. 



The question remains: Does it offer everything? Is it true 
that Disneyland and WDW make up a kind of Orwellian 
world of the present? Or did they just evolve to become a 
modern classic of fraud amid the rigors of one's daily life? 
For one thing, they cater not to the people that most need 
escape (the poor), but rather to the relatively affluent 
middle classes, who already have a great variety of escapes. 

Yet going to Disneyland or WDW is a wholly different 
experience. One steps out of the Florida landscape into a 
fairy-tale world embracing almost as much of one's imagi- 
nation as is possible — provided that imagination is clean 
and wholesome. Is this paradise? We can go to a haunted 
house, a pirate ship, into the Wild West, or step into the 
future, and still not see ourselves. We can have our own 
fantasies with no one bothering us. Yet there is a subtle 
conditioning that takes place. There can be no variation on 
the fantasies. 

This paradise is artificial, and therefore, small. There is 
no hunting, wars, riots, bar brawls, terrorism, disease, vice, 
gambling, natural disaster, blood, gore, or death in the 
tjieme parks. And thece is no sex, real or implied. The 
theme parks are far from approaching realism except in the 
heroic, second-hand accounts. In short, there is nothing in 
them that makes life, as we know it, interesting. There is 
nothing to complain about. We are only passive onlookers. 
The theme parks are a dream. Is this Big Brother or Brave 




New World? It is definitely efficiency and behavioral 
planning. 

Yet, obviously, someone is doing something right. 
There are plans in the works for a similar theme park in 
Japan. Besides this park, to be located in Tokyo Bay, there 
are plans for a "World Bazaar," which would combine 
international shopping with fine dining and a variety of 
entertainment. There has also been mention of a WDW- 
type theme park in Egypt. 

Other future plans call for the ultimate Walt Disney 
dream to be fulfilled. This is EPCOT (Experimental Pro- 
totype Community Of Tomorrow). Originally planned as 
a sort of futuristic city, EPCOT has evolved into a plan for 
world brotherhood and peace achieved through education 
and technology. Disney Productions has high hopes for 
EPCOT. It is hoped that EPCOT will be: ( 1 ), a proving 
ground for new concepts in space, health, energy, transpor- 
tation, agriculture, communications and the arts; (2), a 
creative forum for business leaders, government and 
academia that would be on-going; (3), an information- 
education center utilizing new communication tech- 
niques; and (4), a permanent international people-to- 
people exchange of ideas, advancing the cause of world 
understanding. 

A major part of EPCOT will be the World Showcase. 
This is designed to be a kind of permanent world's fair, 
with Disney-like attractions, different foods, and culture 
reflected in each exhibit. Each exhibit would be the same 
size and each would be assisted equally in planning a main 
attraction, a shopping center featuring the country's prod- 
ucts, and a restaurant themed to the country. As of now, 
Disney representatives have visited 31 countries, and it is 
hoped that 50 countries will take part in the initial 
opening of the project. 

Integral with the World Showcase is the EPCOT Future 
World Theme Center, which would feature technology of 
the future today. This would include its role as com- 
municator of new ideas and as a research center. Also 
included in EPCOT would be an international youth 
center, a running seminar that would teach young people 
from around the world. The youth center is hoped to 
provide an educational background for tomorrow's lead- 
ers. The international exchange of ideas gained in operat- 
ing EPCOT and the World Showcase would alone justify 
its existence. 

As it is, the countries involved would take out a lease for 
their exhibit. In exchange they would get Disney help in 
planning and designing their exhibit. They would also get 
services and utilities free. As in the theme parks, where 
many leading U.S. companies maintain exhibits, the 
American exhibit is being offered to U.S. companies. 



The WPI Journal I April 1 978 1 1 7 



The Future of Disney 

Early last spring, another member of the Dis- 
ney'sWorlds IQP did a survey of Worcester residents on 
their feelings toward Walt Disney and his works. The 
reply was strong, and definite ideas were voiced as to what 
Walt Disney was and what Disney Productions is now. 
What was found out was that nearly everyone had heard of 
Disney, some of his animated characters, Disneyland and 
Disney World. Disney was well liked; in fact, no one had 
anything bad to say about him. He was well known, and 
encountered everywhere one looked. It would seem as 
though Walt Disney could do no wrong. 

Well, I don't agree. It is interesting to note that people 
are in the habit of calling Disney's far-flung fields of 
endeavor an empire, because that is not far from the truth. 
Take, for example, the mystery-shrouded Mineral King 
project. Disney exerted enough pressure, and dollars, to 
convince Governor Reagan of California that the best 
thing he could do for a national park was to run a road 
through it, spoiling its natural beauty. Now Reagan is not a 
weakling to be pressured lightly, and certainly was not at 
the time of the offer. Is it merely a question of "money 
talks and politicians walk"? I think Disney had a lot more 
going for him than his money. The Mineral King project is 
currently tied up in litigation brought on by a Sierra Club 
lawsuit. Somehow, Disney is not involved. 

It is safe to say that Disney Productions controls Or- 
lando, Florida. Orlando was a somewhat sleepy southern 
town until Disney World invaded it. It is now one of the 
top tourist attractions in the entire world. But the fact 
remains that it is tops because of Disney, not the city 
fathers. It was as though a dictator took over in Florida. 

The problem, however, is not the dictatorship, but the 
scope of its borders. What Disney did in Florida, literally, 
was set up a separate country. He had Orlando sewed so 
tight that he could go beyond normal operating proce- 
dures. He did not have to go through the exasperation of an 
environmental impact statement; he did his own instead. 
He placed WDW so as to take advantage of a separate 
governmental district, then force-fed it with Disney 
money until he effectively ran it. He and the rest of Disney 
Productions have managed to staff this district with 
Disney personnel. This is akin to giving Disney a private 
army, which also happened because Disney didn't trust 
the security of the Pinkerton Organization. 

I suppose Walt felt that he owned the ultimate. Not only 
did he have his own police force, navy, highway depart- 
ment, utilities, and environmental protection agency, but 
he had complete control over housing, schools, and his 
Magic Kingdom. I think it can be argued that Walt Disney 
not only had a new town, but his own separate country. 
The laws that govern WDW are different from the sur- 
rounding area, even the state. He might not have had the 
firepower of a separate country, but he had the tonnage. He 
had a force capable of reducing the world's greatest leaders 
to mere children. He had the most advanced technology in 
the world backing him up as well as the money to attract 
new technologies. 



I do not mean to condemn Disney for his actions, but 
merely to point out that Disney, the man, was much more 
than an imagineer of fun and fantasy. He was cold enough 
and shrewd enough to force his ideas onward through the 
use of money and power. And if this wipes out the false 
front of a great man, then perhaps it is time we knew the 
truth, that the fantasy that was created (for what?) cannot 
last forever. There had to be a reason why Disney Produc- 
tions created a false image for Walt, and I feel it was 
because he had a lust for power. Walt was patriotic, but 
only so far as his own goals were concerned. 

I have now followed Disney for many weeks; I have 
talked with people who have visited Disney World. I have 
come to understand Disney's vision for the future. It is a 
clean, electronic, sophisticated technological reality bol- 
stered by amusement and entertainment, a dream world 
that provides an escape (maybe permanent), from the 
reality of today into a different sort of reality, one 
strengthened by technology and mechanics to provide an 
outlet for human creativity and education. Disney would 
free us from the tedium of everyday life by using technol- 
ogy; he wanted to institute an automated society which 
would allow us to emerge from the chaos of "now" into an 
existence of love, kindness, world brotherhood, and, one 
supposes, world civilization and government. 

This all sounds very idealistic, doesn't it? Such world 
government could only happen after we were freed from 
having to worry about everyday things. This is not to say 
we could not still have jobs and individual commitments, 
but it would mean we would have more "free" time to be 
educated in the manner that Disney has been pursuing all 
along. One notices, except during the "duty" years of 
World War II, that Disney has stayed clear of war, poverty, 
and other bleak issues. He has concentrated instead on the 
pure and innocent of our world: adventure, fantasy, 
dreams. No one ever dreams poverty, war, and the like, not 
when they are dreaming about their own future. Disney's 
educational techniques are at best propaganda and at worst 
preaching. But at least this is positive propaganda. 

One might well ask where this leaves such things as the 
human fighting spirit, soldiers, and opposing political 
factions, to say nothing of religion. There is obviously no 
place in Disney's future for anything really harmful as 
defined by Disney. Thus it may be necessary to channel 
the energy involved in such things into different areas. In 
order for a new reality to appear it would first have to be 
induced through advertising; the theme parks would have 
to become the new reality gradually. They are already 
doing this by offering the general public things which 
cannot be had anywhere else, and this is given as the 
gaudiest, most obvious, and ostentatious show ever pro- 
duced. People are hypnotized by WDW; no one can 
complain, it is too perfect an image. As in the case of 
EPCOT and the World Showcase, mutual cooperation on 
the level that is planned must gradually replace the general 
view that no countries have true allies, that diplomacy is 
the only thing keeping us from each other's throats. This 
will take time, but the future is where it will happen, so 
there is all the time in the world. 



181 April 1978 I The WP1 journal 




Religion would seem to be another impediment to 
Disney's future. There is no reason why religion should be 
abolished, if indeed such a thing could be done. Rather, 
prejudices will have to be set aside. How can one account 
for the bigotry and racism in even our own society? One 
can't, of course, but propaganda (an old standby of world 
religions) will have to be used again. 

What especially strikes me is the fact that although 
Disney Productions will make a fantastic amount of 
money from their projects, they are truly sincere in what 
they intend to do. They assume what is basically a 
socialistic stance, that of a classless society whose benefits 
are available to all, equally. The only problem with 
availability is that it is a qualitative concept. Apathy 
stands in its way, as it does in our cities today. Some will 
take advantage of EPCOT, some will not. The way that 
this might be righted remains a mystery to me, but it will 
have to be done, otherwise any of many situations could 
irreparably damage the fragile balance of the system. 

Take, for example, the plight of the uneducated. In order 
for a world society to appear there will have to be a 
minimum level of education imposed on all; there must be 
a base to work from. The question is: Do we want Disney's 
vision to be our own? The answer, for this author, is yes. 
But what of those who have no exposure to Disney, for 
example, Amazonian tribesmen? Are we willing to im- 
pose our culture on all people for the sake of rewards 
perhaps not visible for years and years to come? The 
morality involved in world-scale civilization includes 
problems that will have to be faced. We are talking about 
risking all cultural individuality for a common good that is 
highly debatable. 



An artist's rendering of the World Showcase planned for 
Disney's EPCOT. 



It is fortunate that Disney's vision would leave cultures 
intact, making them subcultures only to a new all- 
encompassing culture. It is therefore an asset that the 
Disney experts have such experience in education through 
technology. Technology in broad terms means ease in our 
lives. It holds our interest because it frees our minds for 
other things. If this ease can be transmuted to the vision of 
a future society, then Disney's future world is the neces- 
sary stepping stone in man's evolution. The future might 
change us, but that is what we have been trying to 
accomplish all along. We could do a lot worse. 

Finally, I feel that the EPCOT project is on the cutting 
edge of humanity. It is as ambitious a project as the United 
Nations. It combines the foremost in technology with the 
minds of some of the world's greatest leaders. If ever 
technology can be reconciled with nature, it will be done 
here. Disney has tried to teach our society that fantasy and 
reality are not so far apart. Either the gap will be bridged in 
EPCOT or it will be too late. While some governments 
have sat back and talked, a medium-sized American 
company founded by a poor Illinois boy is taking action. 
Whether Walt Disney was a businessman, animator, 
educator, or dream- maker has no bearing if he has indeed 
hatched a vision of world peace. 

UIPI 



The WPI Journal April 1 978 / 9 




The 
Bookstore Man 




"Sure. You're welcome to use the tele- 
phone, if you can find it," calls Harry 
Thompson from the inner office adja- 
cent to his in the WPI bookstore. "I'll be 
right back. Just want to tote this up on 
the adding machine." 

Looking for the telephone on the desk 
of Harry C. Thompson, who is manager 
of college store sales and services, as 
well as of the bookstore, can be an 
adventure in itself. First, one must look 
through a maze of college beer mugs, 
around a pile of marking pens, in back of 
a mountain of computer printouts, and 
beside a stack of tumble-down memos. 
Finally, flushed with success, the 
searcher reaches for the receiver, but not 
before Harry returns waving an adding 
machine tape. 

"Got your answer," he announces, a 
grin almost reaching his lips. "We'll be 
handling about 9,000 textbooks for re- 
quired courses for term D." 

He sits down and starts tapping on a 
machine that looks like a cross between 
a typewriter and a telephone — it has 
both keys and a dial. 

"Be right with you. Got to get this 
out." In a few minutes the tapping 
ceases, and he says, "O.K. What would 
you like to know?" 

Well, it would be nice to know about 
that machine. What is it, and what does 
it do? 

"It's a Western Union Telex," Harry 
explains. "We can order from any 
supplier who also has a Telex just by 
typing out an order on the machine. The 
supplier gets the order right away. 
Speeds up delivery." 



WPI had the Telex installed on a trial 
basis several years ago when the 
seven-week term was first instituted. "It 
turned out to be an absolute necessity," 
Harry reports, "because every seven 
weeks we have to be assured delivery of 
new texts. Also, it's helpful in another 
area. It receives every telegram that 
comes on campus." 

Harry, himself, arrived on campus in 
1964 after having spent nearly twenty 
years in industry. He had been assistant 
general sales manager for a Worcester 
manufacturing company. His first post 
at WPI was as manager of business ser- 
vices. 

Today, in addition to his regular 
bookstore duties of purchasing 
textbooks and supplies, he also buys 
items for the general WPI community at 
the lowest prices possible consistent 
with good business practice. Through its 
combined purchasing power, the 
bookstore acts as a purchasing depart- 
ment for the acquisition and distribu- 
tion of supplies. 

"We are responsible for much more 
than a regular college bookstore," says 
Harry. "For example, we supply the 
various departments with office statio- 
nery and other paper goods. Since we 
have no U.S. post office, as such, on 
campus, we stock stamps for both stu- 
dents and the staff." 

The bookstore also carries greeting 
cards, calculators, sundries, souvenirs, 
and the popular WPI chairs. "We always 
keep some chairs in stock," Harry ex- 
plains. "Because of high shipping rates, 
we are advising prospective customers 



20 1 April 19781 The WPI Journal 



to pick up the chairs right here at the 
bookstore and to take them home them- 
selves." 

The busiest days for the bookstore are 
the "rushes" which occur in between 
the five (including summer school), 
seven-week terms. The biggest rush 
usually starts with term A on Labor 
Day. "Inside of two days we have to 
furnish over 2,000 students with 
textbooks and supplies," says Harry. 
"We are on the run from early morning 
to late at night." 

In order to keep the bookstore running 
smoothly throughout the year, there are 
four full-time employees and seven 
part-time student employees, who look 
after things. "One of the full-time em- 
ployees does nothing but handle requisi- 
tions for office supplies," Harry reports. 
The students fill in at odd hours conve- 
nient to their class schedules. 

"Say," he says, suddenly jumping out 
of his chair. "I'm out of cigarettes. I can't 
talk without smoking a cigarette." He 
fishes around for some change. "Be right 
back." 

He soon returns with a cigarette in 
one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. 
He settles down, content, in his chair 
and takes a sip of coffee. (Barbara Hester, 
supervisor in the mailroom next door, 
says that he makes the "best darned cup 
of coffee on campus.") 

Now relaxed, he touches on his per- 
sonal life and warms to one of his favor- 
ite topics, Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. 
Harry is understandably proud of the 
WPI chapter. Presently he is chapter 
advisor and liaison officer of the local 
alumni association. For the past several 
years, the WPI chapter of ATO has won 
the national chapter efficiency award. 
"The award is based not only on how 
efficiently the house is run, but also on 
high academics," Harry says. 

A member of Skull, and a past 
member of the board of the Goat's Head 
Pub, he is the current president of the 
Cluverius Society, which was originally 
established as a social group for alumni 
of all fraternities. "It's more or less an 
adult IFC," he explains. 

Back home in North Brookfield, 
Harry has served as town moderator for 
twenty years. He is also trustee of the 
North Brookfield Savings Bank. "In my 
spare time I run my mini-farm — a veg- 
etable and flower garden," he reveals. 
His fondness for plants is evident in his 
office. On a high shelf near a south- 
facing window, are several pots of ivy. 

"Enough about me," he says. "Want 
to see the storeroom?" 



The storeroom in the basement of 
Daniels is cavernous, windowless, and 
ship-shape enough for Captain Queeg. 
Boxes of office supplies, reams of paper, 
and stationery are piled neatly on steel 
storage shelves. WPI jackets hang in a 
row in a back wall cabinet. A three-foot 
display doll dressed in WPI shorts and 
shirt is stretched out on a top shelf. 
"Can't use that in the bookstore now," 
says Harry. "We don't sell that type of 
children's outfit anymore." 

On the way out of the storeroom, he 
points to a hand-made sign that reads: 
"The WPI Dungeon Bookstore." He 
chuckles. "That brings back memories. 
When they were building the Wedge, 
this storeroom was the bookstore. We 
were down here underground for two 
terms. It was quite an experience. We 
were glad to get back upstairs." 

In order to keep the paper supplies in 
storage in good condition, a de- 
humidifier is run constantly; in order to 
thwart fire, there is a sprinkler system 
overhead; and in order to deter break- 
ins, a sonar system has been installed. 
"Any unauthorized movement in either 
the bookstore or storeroom sets off the 
sonar," Harry reveals. "The high secu- 
rity sound waves give complete secu- 
rity. Should anyone try to break in, 
security would grab him before he got 
fifteen feet inside the door." 

He locks the storeroom, and leads the 
way back upstairs to his office. Once 
there, he inquires, "Have we left out 
anything?" 

How about campus authors? Does the 
bookstore carry their books?" 

"We certainly do," Harry replies. 
"The WPI bookstore not only carries Dr. 
Harit Majmudar'sbook, Introduction to 
Machines, we are the sole distributors. 
Over a half a dozen colleges in the U.S. 
and Canada have ordered the book for 
course work." 

Among other campus authors whose 
books are featured at the bookstore are 
Dr. Robert Fitzgerald, '53, associate pro- 
fessor of civil engineering: Prof. Joseph 
Mancuso, '63, associate professor of 
management; Dr. Arthur Gerstenfeld, 
head of the department of manage- 
ment; and Dr. Norman Sondak, de- 
partment head, and Prof. Ramon Scott, 
associate professor of the department of 
computer science. "We have also carried 
Prof. Ray Johnson's book," Harry con- 
tinues. (Prof. Johnson is with the de- 
partment of mechanical engineering.) 



Other publications, such as student 
course manuals, written by various pro- 
fessors and produced by the mailing and 
duplicating department, are on sale at 
the bookstore, too. 

"We have just about everything that 
students, staff members, and alumni 
might wish to buy," Harry says. "We try 
very hard to keep popular incidental 
items, as well as the necessities, in 
stock." 

He sifts through one of the stacks of 
rumpled papers on his desk, eventually 
finds a pen, and hurriedly jots something 
down. 

Through the partially curtained win- 
dow between Harry's office and the 
bookstore, several students can be seen 
walking single file through the turnstile 
near the entry door. The first stops by 
the well-stocked greeting card rack. 
Another shows interest in a stack of 
packaged graph paper. Everything or- 
derly. Everything neat. Out there. 

Focusing again on the tumbled desk 
top of Harry Thompson, one is tempted 
to remark, "Hey, Harry. Messy desk. 
Messy mind." 

But it is probably better to keep one's 
mouth shut. Harry, in that sweet 'n' 
sour way of his might well retort, "Bet- 
ter a messy desk — than an empty one!" 

UIPI 



The WPI Journal I April 1 978 1 21 



Organic movements 



What is new and electronic is not always the best. When it 
comes to pipe organs, ioo-year-old models often turn out 
to be superior, a fact which students taking an Intersession 
course covering the design and structure of pipe organs 
found out first hand. 

Take, for example, the Baldwin electronic that had been 
giving organist Mark Harley, '78, problems at the United 
Church of Shirley, Mass. A couple of years ago Mark, an 
electrical engineering major, approached the music com- 
mittee of the church and detailed for them what was 
wrong with the instrument. The committee members 
agreed that something should definitely be done. They 
would have to start looking for a replacement. 

"The main problem was money," says Mark. "A new 
pipe organ can cost between $60,000 and $100,000. An 
electronic one can cost over $20,000. We decided to 
contact the Organ Clearing House." 

The Clearing House is an organ relocation service which 
has found homes for 1, 600 old pipe organs since it began in 
1959. Last fall it informed the United Church of two 
instruments for their consideration. One was an historic 
organ in Old Town, Me., which needed extensive repair. 
"We removed it," Mark says, "but the committee turned it 
down." The other organ was located in the soon-to-be- 
razed Sharon Lutheran Church in Selinsgrove, Pennsyl- 
vania. It was reportedly in excellent condition. 

"We bought the organ sight unseen," Mark reveals. On 
the Thursday before New Year's Day several committee 
members, Pastor Leonard Silvester, and Mark rented an 
18-foot Hertz truck, drove to Selinsgrove and loaded all of 
the parts of the organ. The next day they delivered it to the 
church in Shirley. 

"The total price, including trucking, came to $2,520," 
says Mark, smiling. "We had acquired a fine, antique 
instrument, and we hadn't strained the church budget. We 
were grateful for the information that the Organ Clearing 
House had given us." The church was also grateful for the 
subsequent assistance given by Clearing House head Alan 
M. Laufman, president of the Organ Historical Society, 
Inc., and Louis ). Curran, Jr., assistant professor of music at 
WPI. It was under their guidance that the Shirley organ 
was finally installed. 

"They taught a ten-day course during Intersession," 
Mark explains. "I was one of their students. During the 
course we removed two historic organs from Mas- 
sachusetts churches and installed the one we had pur- 
chased for our church in Shirley." 

One of the old organs saved by the eight-man WPI crew 
was built in Boston in 1 889 by Woodberry and Harris. It 
consisted of two keyboards, a pedal board, and 700 pipes 
arranged in twelve ranks. It was located in the former 
Universalist Church in Melrose. 




"Not all of the students helping out were musicians," 
says Mark. "One, however, Andreas von Huene, '78, had 
taken the course two years ago and was again on hand. He 
was a summer employee of the Fisk Organ Co. The 
Melrose project, in which we all participated, proved to be 
quite a learning experience. It was especially interesting 
because the organ we were removing was very similar to 
the one we were to install in Shirley." 

Once the Melrose organ was removed, it was prepared 
for shipment to a church in Avalon, Calif., on Catalina 
Island. Interestingly, the California church had been 
erected in 1 889, the same year the Melrose organ had been 
built. Also, and more unique, it had the exact space 
available for the size of the instrument: 1 3 '10" high, 9 '6" 
wide, and 8' deep. The old Woodberry and Harris organ 
was to replace a newer, electronic model in Avalon. 

The students, having seen the insides of a large organ 
and taken it apart, were then ready to put together the 
Shirley organ. First, the troublesome electronic instru- 
ment was moved to another part of the church. (Earlier, 
the church had had an E. L. Holbrook tracker (direct 
mechanical action) pipe organ, built in 1875 and removed 
in 1950 when the electronic device was installed.) Next, 
the old pipe organ case, which had been left standing when 
the organ was removed, was dismantled. 

"We then had to level the floor in the rear of the organ 
balcony," Mark reports. "We also started cleaning wood- 
work and organ parts with plenty of steel wool, and hot, 
soapy water." Felt parts and leather nuts and bushings 
were replaced. 



22 I April 19781 The WPI journal 




At left, the Fegelmaker lying in pieces. 

Above, reconstruction well underway, with the air chest 
in place and supporting framework over it. 

Below, nearing completion, with the console complete 
and many of the pipes in place. 



The crew took the next day off as a busman's holiday. 
They went to Amherst, where they moved a small, one 
manual William Davis tracker organ from the sanctuary to 
the chapel of Grace Episcopal Church — "for experience." 
They also drove to Williamsburg where they saw a Wil- 
liam Baker restoration of a Johnson tracker. Meanwhile, 
the plasterers were finishing up in Shirley. 

During the rest of the week, the group remained on the 
Shirley project. They erected the heavier pieces on the 
framework and swellbox, then connected the mechanical 
action parts underneath. The keyboard and valves (pallets) 
were connected. The stickers, which do the pushing, and 
the trackers, which do the pulling, were hooked up. On the 
final day, the pipework was set up and the blower in- 
stalled, the latter being the only electric part of the organ. 

"That Friday afternoon," says Mark, "I played the organ 
for the first time so that the rest of the students could hear 
what it sounded like. It proved to be in excellent condition, 
but just a bit out of tune. I also played it in church on 
Sunday." 

Mark will tune the organ himself. He is familiar with 
tuning, because he tunes the Moller pipe organ in his 
home which he installed when he was thirteen. 

"But helping to install this organ in our church has been 
more rewarding," he admits. "It was built by A. B. 
Felgemaker in 1905 in Erie, Pennsylvania. Opus No. 882. 
It has two keyboards, a pedal board, and thirteen ranks of 
pipes. According to the Organ Historical Society, ours is 
the only Felgemaker in the state of Massachusetts." 

UIPI 





1908 

George Ryan, who is currently at a rest home in 
Millbury, Mass., celebrated his 91st birthday on 
February 27th. 

1915 

Maurice Steele writes: "When the oldest class 
listed in "Your Class and Others" in the De- 
cember 1977 Journal is 1933, something ought 
to be done about it! Let's have it for 1915! I have 
been retired for several years, but keep quite 
active." 

1922 

Each October for many years Howard Carlson 
and his wife Claire have sponsored an informal 
reunion of a group of classmates and their wives 
at their home in Sanbornton, N.H. The group has 
included Roy Bennett, "Bing" Bingham, Russ 
Field, Carl Holden, "Deac" Parsons, J. C. Snow, 
and until their deaths, Jim Marston and Jack 
Cassie. Last year a new recruit, Bob Hall, was 
added. "Carl's garden provides us a sumptuous 
banquet to highlight a day of reminiscences and 
new happenings," writes Mr. Bingham. 

When John A. Herr married Mrs. Pauline 
Hamilton on December 12,1 977, he became the 
stepfather of John M. Townsend, Jr., '42. 

1926 

Charles Moran has retired as a director of the 
BMC. Durfee Trust Co. of Fall River, Mass. As a 
partner in the National Contracting Co., he 
previously was responsible for the sandblasting 
done during the restoration of the dome of the 
Capitol building in Washington, D.C. From 1945 
to 1974 he was building committee chairman 
and president of the corporation and chairman 
of the board of trustees at Union Hospital. In 
1971 a new hospital building was dedicated in 
his name. He had served as a director of the 
B.M.C. Durfee Trust since 1947 and will con- 
tinue as an honorary director. 



1928 

Andrew Maston says, "The more I have talked 
to other guys who attended other schools, and 
the more I look back on my four years at Tech, 
the more I appreciate what a good school it 
was— and is. The student-professor relationship 
during my stay was outstanding. The atmo- 
sphere was great." 

1930 

After more than a year of semi-retirement, 
Alfred Vibber is back practicing patent law with 
Klein & Vibber in New York City. He believes that 
" retirement is for the birds. " 

1931 

Now retired after thirty-five years with DuPont, 
John Tuthill is currently a commercial fisherman 
on a small scale. (His father and grandfather 
were also fishermen.) His one fish trap catches 
about 30,000 pounds of fish annually, which he 
sells to Fulton Fish Market in New York City. 
During the winter he works on his nets. He is 
located in Orient, N.Y., a ferryboat ride away 
from New London. 

1933 

Ralph Allen, who is retiring from his own busi- 
ness, Allen Insulation Co., has joined Anson 
Perley's Real Estate Agency in Damariscotta, 
Me. as a broker salesman. . . . Frank and Dee 
Roberts and Don and Eleanor Haskins spent 
Christmas with Ed and Mildred Perkins in Ta- 
vares, Florida. Don and Eleanor, who are from 
Brigham City, Utah, trailer-toured Florida during 
December and spent a week with Dee and Frank 
in Daytona. While in south Florida, they visited 
Al Belcher, '32. The Robertses write: "It didn't 
seem to matter that it rained all day during our 
WPI Xmas — as long as the snow melts in 
Worcester by June 9th and 10th." (Reunion 
time.) 

1934 

After forty-three years in the research and de- 
velopment department at Norton Co., Worces- 
ter, Bertil Anderson retired on Nov. 30th. He 
was involved with mechanical, electrical, physi- 
cal and exploratory testing of abrasive and non- 
abrasive products and processes. His last as- 
signment was that of senior research engineer in 
charge of the precision grinding unit. . ..Clayton 
Hunt, Jr. retired last year from Eastman Kodak 
Co. where he was a senior product development 
engineer. He is still living in Rochester and says 
that he enjoys not having to go to work in the 
snow. 



1936 

A resident of Reading, Mass., for thirty-three 
years, H. Foster McRell, Jr. has recently moved 
to Harwich. Before his retirement he was with 
Monsanto Co. 



1938 

Robert Evans, assistant vice president of North- 
east Utilities, spoke on the topic of atomic 
energy at a Rotary Club meeting in Wallingford, 
Conn, in January. He serves as the assistant vice 
president of the generation engineering and 
construction division at NU. He belongs to 
ASME, the American Nuclear Society, and is past 
chairman of the Connecticut section of the 

American Nuclear Society Allen Cridley, Jr. 

retired on March 1st. He had been director of 
communications at Revere Copper & Brass, Inc., 
Rome, N.Y. He is currently located in Ft. Worth, 

Texas Ravi Kirloskar holds the post of 

chairman and managing director at Kirloskar 
Electric Co. in Bangalore, India. He is the father 
of Vijay Kirloskar, 74. . . . Henry Ritz, president 
of R & R Plumbing Supply Corp., Worcester, was 
recently honored at a party at the Sheraton 
Lincoln Inn for his forty years of continuous 
service with the company. His son, Jesse, who 
has a master's degree from Boston College, is a 
vice president of the company. 



1939 



John Harvey, Jr. has retired after thirty-six years 
with the Allen-Bradley Co. as a sales engineer, 
first in the motor control division, and later in the 
electronics division in the New England area. 
Presently he is doing electronics consulting for 
Allen-Bradley. The Harveys, who have three 
daughters and two grandchildren, are living on 
Cape Cod. ... Dr. William Kay, a retired research 
chemist for DuPont, writes that he has married 
Marilyn Casey, and that he is currently a "non- 
gentleman" farmer Frans Strandberg has 

been named building engineer for Dartmouth 
National Bank in Hanover, N.H. He joined the 
bank in 1 976. A member of the National Society 
of Professional Engineers and ASME, he is regis- 
tered in Alabama and New Hampshire. Formerly 
he was construction manager of the Brook Hol- 
low condominium in Hanover. He and his wife 
Elsie reside in Enfield. 

1940 

Russell Lovell, Jr. is town historian and curator 
of historical materials at the Sandwich (Mass.) 
Glass Museum. He writes: "Friends are cordially 
invited to stop by when visiting Cape Cod." 

Cyril "Cy" Tourtellotte retired late last year 
with "distinction" from the staff of the Labora- 
tory for Nuclear Science (LNS) at MIT. For nearly 
thirty-six years he had served MIT, first as a 
draftsman with the Radiation Lab. during World 
War II, and then as a supervising designer for 
what was to become LNS. 

Cy worked directly with seven Nobel laureates 
in physics, the most recent being Samuel C. C. 
Ting, who in 1976 was honored for leading the 
MIT-Brookhaven collaboration which an- 
nounced simultaneously with another group 
from Stanford-Berkeley the discovery of the J/Psi 
particle — a stunning development in the world 
of high-energy physics. 

During the past seventeen years he often 
worked closely with Bruce Bailey, '51 , principal 
mechanical engineer for LNS, especially in their 
efforts related to the Ting experiments at 
Brookhaven, and more recently at the great 
European accelerator storage-ring facilities at 
CERN in Geneva and at DESY in Hamburg. 

Through the years Cy has been active with his 
musical interests — sax and clarinet for small, 
mostly weekend combos, bass for other groups, 



24 I April 1 978 I The WPI journal 



and barbershop quartet work. He and his wife 
Mary are twice proud grandparents by way of 
their MIT-trained biologist daughter (MS, Yale; 
PhD, Princeton) and her biologist husband. 
Being among other things a skilled model maker 
and craftsman, Cy's colleagues and friends do 
not expect he will find time hanging heavy on his 
hands during retirement. 

1941 

J. Philip Berggren was recently promoted to 
director in the commercial insurance department 
at Aetna Life and Casualty, Hartford, Conn. He 
joined Aetna in 1946 as a safety engineer and 
served in that capacity in Washington, DC, 
Philadelphia, and Hartford. Later he was man- 
ager in Buffalo and Syracuse, and superintend- 
ent of technical services at the home office. In 
1970 he was appointed manager. 

He belongs to the American National Stan- 
dards Institute, AIA, the American Industrial 
Hygiene Association and the National Fire Pro- 
tection Association. He is a registered profes- 
sional engineer, chairman of the Glastonbury 
(Conn.) Sewer Commission, and a certified 
safety professional. 

1942 

Salvatore Bellassai was recently promoted to 
vice president of engineering at Transcontinen- 
tal Gas PipeLine Corporation, a subsidiary of 
Transco Companies, Inc., Houston, Texas. For- 
merly manager of engineering, he was an en- 
gineer with contractors designing and building 
the company's original pipeline before joining 
Transco in 1951 . He is a member of the Ameri- 
can Society of Mechanical Engineers Gas Stan- 
dards Committees, American Society of 
Oceanography, the National Association of Cor- 
rosion Engineers, and the Houston Engineering 
and Scientific Society. 

1943 

Edwin Campbell has been named head of the 
new national level department of human 
resources development for Industrial Risk Insur- 
ers, Hartford, Conn. He will be responsible for 
developing, maintaining, and coordinating train- 
ing programs for engineering, underwriting, and 
clerical personnel and educational courses for 
insureds. He has had over thirty years of experi- 
ence with IRI in engineering and underwriting. 

IRI, an association of forty-five leading insur- 
ance companies, specializes in providing under- 
writing and loss prevention services related to 
industrial, oil, petrochemical, and service risks 
worldwide. It has international property liability 
in excess of $375 billion. 

Jack Durkee currently resides in Camp Hill, Pa. 
and formerly (1976) held a visiting professorship 
at Cornell University. Information in the De- 
cemberJouma/ stating that he lives in 
Bethlehem, Pa. and is presently affiliated with 
Cornell was incorrect. Our apologies. 

Colin Handforth, a partner with his son-in-law 
in Handforth & Larson, Manzanita, Oregon, is 
the only practicing consulting engineer (civil 
engineer and surveyor) on the north coast of the 
state. He writes: "I give fatherly advice to a 
number of small towns . . . and I enjoy it 
tremendously " Last year he built himself a 
house and this summer will build another for 
"Ron and Colleen." He also plans to finish his 
barn. Colin is an Alumni Fund agent. 



Positive news 

about negative feedback 



If you have a computer-controlled sew- 
ing machine in your home, you can 
thank Dr. Harold S. Black, '21. The 
computer-controlled sewing machine is 
one of the latest of many applications of 
the negative feedback amplifier, which 
Dr. Black invented over fifty years ago as 
a 29-year-old systems engineer at the 
Western Electric Company's old West 
Street laboratories in New York City. 

In an article in the December 1977 
issue of IEEE Spectrum, Dr. Black writes 
that at the time "I did not foresee the 
tremendous range of applications that 
would open up for it in almost every 
type of communication and control sys- 
tem, from radio to automatic pilots, 
from computers to artificial limbs." 

The concept of the negative feedback 
amplifier came to him in a flash on 
August 2, 1927 while he was crossing 
the Hudson River on the Lackawanna 
Ferry on his way to work. Suddenly, 
after several years of hard work, he 
realized that if he fed part of the 
amplifier output back to the input, in 
reverse phase, and kept the device from 
oscillating, he would have exactly what 
he wanted: a means of canceling out the 
distortion in the output. He opened his 
morning paper and on a blank page of 
the New York Times he sketched a 
simple diagram of a negative feedback 
amplifier plus the equations for the 
amplification with feedback. 

January 1928 marked the start of the 
development of a carrier system for 
transcontinental cables — the first appli- 
cation of the invention. The system was 
required to transmit nine voice channels 
on a single 1 . 3 mm-diameter nonloaded, 
paper-insulated pair in an underground 
cable. Each cable was to contain 68 such 
insulated pairs, and the spacing between 
the repeaters was to be 25 miles. 

In 1930 Western Electric delivered 78 
of die negative feedback amplifiers for a 
field trial of the system at Morristown, 
N.J. The test used a 2 5 -mile section of 
cable containing 68 pairs, two terminal 
feedback amplifiers, and 68 repeaters. 
The speech quality proved to be excel- 
lent. 

Although the invention was success- 
ful, the U.S. Patent Office didn't issue a 
patent for it until December 21, 1937. 
Initially, the Office did not believe that 
it would work. The British Patent Office 



was also skeptical and asked Dr. Black 
to submit a working model! Finally, in 
1 937, a U.S. patent was granted after 
evidence was submitted proving that 70 
amplifiers were working successfully in 
the telephone building at Morristown. 

With the 50th anniversary of the in- 
vention now behind him, Dr. Black says, 
"It is gratifying to me to observe that 
negative feedback amplifiers and the 
feedback principle have found many 
new applications to all types and forms 
of communications systems — under- 
ground, underwater, in the air, via satel- 
lites, in outer space." 

Equally important is the application 
of negative feedback to a rapidly growing 
number of diverse fields, including 
biomechanics, cybernetics, bioengineer- 
ing, artificial limbs for the disabled, 
computers, medical equipment and in- 
struments, and new consumer products. 

In 1957 Dr. Black was awarded the 
Lamme Medal for his various technical 
achievements, including his contribu- 
tions to the theory and application of 
pulse-code modulation. Among his 
other honors are a U.S. War Department 
Certificate of Appreciation during 
World War II and an honorary doctor of 
engineering degree from WPI ( 1 95 5 ). He 
holds 62 U.S. patents and 271 patents in 
32 other countries. The author of 
numerous technical papers, his defini- 
tive book, Modulation Theory, was pub- 
lished in 1 9 5 3 . He holds 1 o fellowships 
in professional societies. 

Dr. Black, who in 1921 joined the 
Western Electric department which 
later became part of the Bell Telephone 
Laboratories, remained with Bell until 
1963. Later he became Principal Re- 
search Scientist with the General Preci- 
sion Corporation. He has been a com- 
munications consultant since 1966. 

Summing up the impact of Dr. Black's 
career, an industry observer says, "It is 
no exaggeration to say that without 
Black's invention (negative feedback 
amplifier), the present long-distance 
telephone and television networks 
which cover our entire country, and the 
transoceanic telephone cables, would 
not exist." 

UIPI 



The WPI Journal April 1 978 25 



1944 

Arthur Stowe is now district manager for 
Teledyne-Vasco in Agawam, Mass. 

1945 

Anson Fyler, a WPI trustee, was recently named 
president and chief executive officer of Hersey 
Products, Inc., Dedham, Mass. Previously, he 
was president of the Superior Electric Co. in 
Bristol, Conn. . . . Albert Talboys, who had been 
in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, with the Pan Ameri- 
can Health Organization, is now located in 
Longwood, Florida. 

1946 

John Metzger, Jr., a DuPont employee since 
1 946, has been named vice president of the 
photo products department at DuPont Com- 
pany in Wilmington, Delaware. He had been a 
general manager of the department. Earlier he 
was director of the poromeric products division 
of the fabrics and finishes department, director 
of the fluorocarbons division of the plastics 
department, assistant general manager of the 
polymer intermediates department, and assist- 
ant general manager of the photo products 
department. He serves as president of Junior 
Achievement of Delaware, Inc. 

Edmund Oshetsky was recently appointed to 
the new position of vice president of manufac- 
turing for Erving Paper Mills, Erving, Mass. In this 
capacity he is now a member of the executive 
committee. For the past year he has been gen- 
eral manager of manufacturing. Previously he 
had twenty-five years of administrative and 
operational responsibilities with Lincoln Pulp and 
Paper, Boise Cascade and Scott Paper. Erving is a 
leading manufacturer and converter of paper 
products including napkins, towels, printed spe- 
cialties, health care products, and packaging 
industrial papers. 

Charles Richardson serves as director and his 
wife Mildred serves as a co-director and adminis- 
trator of Learning Foundations (The Tutoring 
Center) in Hauppauge, N.Y. The Center provides 
individualized instruction in basic academic skills 
at all levels and has shown positive results in 
clients aged 5 to 55 and from kindergarten 
through college age. Emphasis is placed on 
reading, English, math, speed-reading, exam 
preparation and testing, covering aptitude, 
achievement, and learning disabilities. Staff 
members are certified teachers. 



1947 

John Williams, Jr., vice president of the Tor- 
rington Company's heavy bearings division in 
South Bend, Ind., has been transferred to the 
firm's corporate headquarters in Torrington, 
Conn. Starting as a sales trainee in 1947, Jack 
spent nine years as a district sales engineer and 
manager at Dallas and Los Angeles. He wentto 
South Bend in 1958 where he advanced to 
general manager of the midwest facility. Sub- 
sequently he became vice president of 
worldwide heavy bearings operations and a 
director of the company. 

1948 

Dr. Robert Lerner of MIT and Mrs. Mary Lou 
Lerner, leader of a Cadette troop in Harvard, 
Mass., have returned from a trip to mainland 
China. The Lerners were part of a ten-member 
delegation of IEEE which toured the country as 
guests of the Chinese Electronics Society. They 
were greeted by a National Day Celebration in 
Peking, went sightseeing in five cities, and were 
feted at banquets. The wives of delegates toured 
schools, factories, communes, and children's 
palaces. While in Hong Kong, they visited Girl 
Guide headquarters. The Lerners comment, 
"The Chinese were happy to tell us about their 
way of life; never, however, did they ask about 
ours." 

Richard Noble works for Data General Corp. 
in Westbrook, Me., where he is an industrial 
engineer. . . . Irwin Vanderhoff has been elected 
senior vice president of Equitable Life Assurance 
Society of America, where he is in charge of 
business development and finance. 

1950 

Mark FitzMaurice, son of William FitzMaurice, 
is a freshman at WPI. 



1953 

Dr. John Gregory, director of the cardiopulmo- 
nary department at Overlook Hospital in Sum- 
mit, N.J., also serves as director of the hospital's 
mobile intensive care units (MICU) program. 
During the February blizzard, the mobile units 
responded to an avalanche of emergency calls. 
Each MICU, a mini-hospital on wheels, includes 
a portable EKG machine, suction equipment, an 
oxygen system, and drugs and telemetry gear. 
Most MICU calls are for heart attacks, auto 
accidents, or other serious emergencies. 



1958 

Walter Veith, president of Sterling Precision 
Export Corp., West Palm Beach, Fla., reports that 
being able to speak Spanish, German, French, 
and English is a definite asset to his business. He 
feels that his speaking his customers' language 
establishes a greater amount of confidence and 
goodwill. International trade, however, can be 
frustrating and requires a lot of patience. It often 
takes several days to get an appointment with a 
foreign businessman, plus a few more to start 
business rolling. Strikes and unfamiliar holidays 
can also hold things up, as well as the frequent 
unreliability of transportation. But Veith has 
patience, and points out that he likes to have the 
opportunity to sell products that the buyers have 
confidence in. His company operates four divi- 
sions: replacement automobile parts; industrial 
products; financial services; and real estate. He 
travels some 100,000 miles a year trying to stay 
ahead of both domestic and foreign competi- 
tion. 

Robert Weinberg holds the position of presi- 
dent at Economy Electric Supply, Inc., Manches- 
ter, Conn., the state's largest electrical dis- 
tributor. He also serves as chairman of the board 
of Precision Dynamics, a New Britain manufac- 
turer of solenoid valves and chairman of the 
board of Therma Ray Mfg., Inc., an Old Say- 
brook manufacturer of ceiling radiant electric 
heating systems. The Weinbergs have two 
daughters at home, Karen, 12, and Lisa, 10. 

1959 

Robert Kelley is now a senior manufacturing 
engineer at Maremont Corp., N.E. Division, in 
Saco, Me. For three years he was a consulting 
engineer, mainly in the firearms industry. . . . 
Jack McGinnis serves as production manager at 
Hardigg Industries in South Deerfield, Mass. 
Hardigg is known for engineering excellence in 
plastic rotational molding, molded polyurethane 
foam, reusable plastic containers, and package 
cushioning devices. Jack lives in Westhampton, 
Mass. with his wife Roberta and children, 
Michael, Maureen, and Kathleen. 

1960 

Dr. Robert Condrate, Sr. has been promoted 
from associate professor of spectroscopy to pro- 
fessor of spectroscopy at New York State Col- 
lege of Ceramics at Alfred University. . . . John 
O'Connell serves as principal of Construction 
Engineering Services in Newbury, Mass. 



26 I April 1 978 I The WPI Journal 



1954 

John Greenaway, Jr., SIM, holds the post of 

president of Peterson Steels, Inc., Union, N.J 

Roy Hayward, Jr. was recently promoted to 
manager of marketing services at Astra Phar- 
maceutical Products, Inc., of Framingham and 
Worcester. . . . King Killin has been named vice 
president of engineering for U.S. Reduction 
Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ameri- 
can Can Co. 

1955 

Lt. Col. Dean Carlson (Ret.) is now director of 
training and chief of the property management 
division for Mann Associates, Inc. Last year he 
joined Mann as manager of the firm's Severna 
Park (Md.) office after sixteen months as vice 
president of Price Realty. Mann Associates is one 
of the top realty companies in Anne Arundel 
County. 



1961 

Jim Kachadorian, owner of Green Mountain 
Homes, Royalton, Vt. (05068), reports that one 
of his two-story, solar-designed models was 
heated for just $249 during the severe Vermont 
winter of 1976-77. He has written an article 
concerning the feasibility of passive solar heat 
used in combination with wood heat, which is 
included with the company brochure kits. An 
article describing the firm's unique solar-slab 
method of home construction was featured in 
the December 1976 WPI Journal. 



The Norton Spirit. Winner and 
bearer of the prestigious No. 1 on the 
1978 racing circuit based on its phenom- 
enal performance with Tom Sneva, 
the USAC National Champion. 

Together, this Norton-sponsored 
racing team, headed by Roger Penske, 
has rolled up an impressive number of 
firsts: 

Winner of the 1977 USAC National 
Championship and Citicorp Cup. 

Winner of the Schaefer 500. 

Winner of the Texas 200. 

Winner of racing's Olsonite Triple 
Crown, based on driver-car perform- 
ance in the three USAC 500-mile races. 



Winner of the pole position in the 
1977 Indianapolis 500 and the first car to 
officially break the 200 mph barrier at the 
Indianapolis Motor Speedway. 

But the Norton Spirit is more than a 
championship racing machine. It stands 
as a dramatic symbol of the innovative 
thinking, professional skills and precision 
craftsmanship that have put Norton in 
the No. 1 position as: 

World's largest manufacturer of 
abrasives. 

World's leading producer of diamond 
drilling bits. 

Fastest growing name in industrial 
safety protection products. 



Nation's largest producer of medical 
and scientific tubing. 

Leaders in the development and 
manufacture of insulating sealants and 
industrial ceramics. 

In these and other important 
markets around the world— as well as 
on the 1978 USAC racing circuit— you 
can look to Norton and its experienced 
distributors for a winning performance. 
Norton Company, World Headquarters: 
Worcester, Massachusetts 01606. 



NORTON 







'HMTHA/ 





■ 

4k 





iiWi 



:n. 



GOOD/YEAR 



1962 

Dr. Kenneth Anusavice is presently assistant 
professor of restorative dentistry at the Medical 
College of Georgia. He, his wife, and two chil- 
dren reside in Augusta. . . . Recently Jon Sauter 
was promoted to engineering manager for 
target detectors in the Orlando division of 
Martin-Marietta Corp. in Florida. 

1963 

Carl Freeman is director of marketing at Litton 

Industries in College Park, Md Dr. Robert 

Murphy has accepted a new position as chief of 
planetary atmospheres programs at NASA 
headquarters in Washington, D.C. He is also 
serving as the program scientist for the 
Pioneer-Venus probe scheduled to arrive at 
Venus in December. 



1964 

H. Louis Lion is a manager of quality control and 
product reliability at Fenwal Inc. in Ashland, 
Mass. . . . Peter Marston wrote "Capacitor 
Fusing to Overcome Tank Rupture" which ap- 
peared in the December issue of Transmission 
and Distribution. He is employed in the distribu- 
tion systems department at Northeast Utilities 
Service Co. He joined Connecticut Light & 
Power in 1964. . . . Paul Ramsden, Jr. was 
recently named director of the Cortland (N.Y.) 
Laboratory at Smith-Corona Operations. He will 
be responsible for directing the engineering lab- 
oratory, including product development, en- 
gineering, testing, and analysis. Previously he 
was chief engineer for Centronics Data Com- 
puter Corp. in Hudson, N.H. 

1965 

H. Slayton Altenburg, still with Ametek- 
Westchester Plastics where he is manager of 
engineering, is now located in Nesquehoning, 
Pa. . . . Clinton Kucera serves as manager of 
industrial service at GE in Cleveland, Ohio. . . . 
Continuing with IBM, General Technology Divi- 
sion, Peter McCormick has transferred to Bur- 
lington, Vt. He is involved with LSI circuit devel- 
opment. . . . Steve Sutker holds the post of 
corporate OEM marketing manager at Interdata 
in Oceanport, N.J. He is responsible for all OEM 
marketing efforts, marketing research and com- 
petitive analysis for the corporation. Steve and 
his wife Carol and their beagle, Oliver, reside in 
Middletown, N.J. 



1966 

^■Married: Capt. Eugene R. Dionne and Capt. 
Margaret A. Harris, USAF, last September at the 
U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, 
Colorado. Mrs. Dionne was formerly stationed 
at the Academy before being transferred in 
November. After being involved for five years 
with the Defense Meteorological Satellite Pro- 
gram as launch vehicle project officer, and later 
as spacecraft systems manager, the groom has 
transferred to the Secretary of the Air Force, 
special projects, where he is chief engineer. He is 
stationed in Los Angeles. 



Roland Bouchard currently serves as a project 
engineer at Lear Siegler, Inc., in Grand Rapids, 
Mich. . . . Recovering from a disabling accident 
suffered several years ago while he was working 
for the Navy, William Collentro has taken a 
part-time job in the chemistry department at 
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. ... Dr. 
John Lauterbach holds the post of manager of 
chemistry at the Pillsbury Co. in Minneapolis, 
Minn. 



1967 

>-Born: to Mr. and Mrs. Steve Cotter their first 
child, Stephanie Jean, on November 20, 1977. 
Steve works with Eastern out of Logan Airport 
and the Vermont Air National Guard flying the 
Cranberry. The Cotters are also in the interior 
decorating business (paint, wallpaper, carpeting, 
etc.) in Laconia, N.H. 

Edward Ciarpella continues as a teacher of 
secondary school mathematics at Tiverton (R.I.) 
High School. Currently he is president of the 
local Teachers' Association, which he had for- 
merly served as chief negotiator. ... Dr. M. H. 
Dwarakanath, who received his PhD from 
Brooklyn Polytechnic last year, is now a senior 
specialist engineer at Boeing Computer Services 
in Seattle, Wash. . . . Edward Gallo was pro- 
moted to major in the U.S. Army in February. 
This is his second year in the math department at 
the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, NY., 
where he teaches upper level math electives. 

Jim Lawson is now a business systems consul- 
tant at Hammermill Paper in Erie, Pa. . . . Gary 
Willis has been named manager of home office 
sales operations at Foxboro (Mass.) Co., 
worldwide producer of instruments and systems 
for the process industries. Previously he was 
manager of power sales operations. In his new 
post he will be responsible for the company's 
chemical, food and drug, metals, oil and gas, 
power, pulp and paper, and textile industry sales 
departments, as well as special accounts, sys- 
tems sales development, and international sales 
coord'nation, and marketing services opera- 
tions. He joined Foxboro in 1975 as a major 
project coordinator in power sales operations. 

1968 

Francis Barton holds the post of North American 
field service financial manager at Digital Equip- 
ment Corp., Maynard, Mass. . . . Richard 
Brodeur has left the Army and is now employed 
by the EMTECH division of American Electronic 
Laboratories as a field engineer. . . . John DeMeo 
was recently appointed systems manager and 
coordinator of computer services for Regional 
School District #1 3 in Durham, Conn. For the 
past six years he has been teaching math. Earlier 
he was a statistical analyst for Pratt & Whitney 
Aircraft. He has an MS in mathematics from RPI 
and a sixth year certificate in education from 
Central Connecticut State College. The DeMeos 
have two children, Dawn and Scott. 

Vin Genereux has been promoted to opera- 
tions planner for the Prince Matchabelli division 
of Chesebrough-Ponds in Clinton, Conn. . . . 
Richard Hedge is employed as a process en- 
gineer at American Hoechst in Leominster, 
Mass. . . . Allen Palmer is an electronics engineer 
in the tranducers and arrays division at the Naval 
Underwater Systems Center, New London, 
Conn. He and his wife Rosemary have a two- 
year-old daughter, Amy. ... Jim Raslavsky 
currently holds the post of plant manager at 



Viking Yacht Co., New Gretna, N.J., where he 
also serves as production manager and person- 
nel manager. He does the hiring, reviewing, and 
promoting. He has established a complete job 
grading and evaluation system which involved 
writing job descriptions for the entire 180-man 
Viking operation. He has also set up procedures 
for other manufacturing and personnel matters. 
. . . Richard Rubino, MNS was recently made a 
member of the Civitan Club, a service organiza- 
tion in Meriden, Conn. He is president of Cen- 
tury 21 Mark IV of Bristol, Plainville, and South- 
ington, is a member of the Bristol Board of 
Realtors, and maintains interests in industrial 
education. The Rubinos have four children. 



1969 

^■Married: John S. Starsiak and Miss Joan K. 
Leonard in Newton, Massachusetts on October 
1 , 1977. The bride graduated from Boston Col- 
lege and teaches in Wellesley. Her husband is a 
chemist for the state of Massachusetts. 
►Bom:to Mr. and Mrs. Stephen O. Rogers a 
son Brian on September 28, 1977. He joins 
brother Timothy, 3. Stephen is a senior super- 
visor with Du Pont in Gibbstown, N.J. 
is a senior supervisor with Du Pont in Gibbstown, 
N.J. 

Joel Cehn is an energy-environment consul- 
tant at Teknekron in Washington, D.C. . . . 
Continuing with Raytheon, Michael Hart cur- 
rently serves as a radar system analyst in the 
Missile System Division in Bedford, Mass. He has 
his MSEE from Northeastern University. . . . 
Philip Kazemersky holds the post of program 
manager at the Tennessee Valley Authority in 
Chattanooga, Tenn. He has a PhD from Ohio 
State. . . . Presently Gary Leventhal is associated 
with New Tone Amusements, Inc. in Roslyn 
Heights, N.Y. He earned his MBA at Northeast- 
ern. 



1970 

>Born. to Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Bernacki a 
son, Stephen, Jr. on May 15, 1977. Dr. Bernacki 
is a physicist at MIT's Lincoln Laboratory. ... to 
Mr. and Mrs. Alan F. Hassett their first child, 
Brooke Audrey on September 30, 1977. "Chip" 
is manager of the Dover (Del.) office of O'Brien 
and Gere Engineers, Justin and Courtney Divi- 
sion to Mr. and Mrs. Alan J. Nizamoff a son 

David Alan on September 1 , 1977. Alan is a 
project engineer for Exxon Research & Engineer- 
ing Co. He is going to Ft. McMurry, Alberta, 
Canada to work on a startup project for Syn- 
crude Canada, Ltd., which is partly owned by 
Exxon. 

Dr. Frederick Golec, Jr. presently serves as a 
senior chemist I at U.S. Vitamin Pharmaceutical 
Corp. in the chemical research division, process 
research and development. The corporation is 
the pharmaceutical research center of the health 
care division of Revlon, and is located in Tucka- 
hoe, N.Y. It is involved in the anti-hypertensive 
ethical pharmaceuticals market as represented 
by the products Hygroton and Regroton. Dr. 
Golec received his PhD in organic chemistry from 
the University of Washington in January. In 
1974 he was elected to Phi Lambda Upsilon 
Honorary Chemical Society. He is married to 
Susan Robinson Golec, who has her master's 
degree in psychiatric social work from the Uni- 
versity of Washington in Seattle, and her BS from 
Northeastern. 



28 I April 19781 The WPI lournal 



MCHBHfl 



Roger Henze is a senior planner for transporta- 
tion services for Chatham County, Savannah 
(Ga.) Metropolitan Planning Commission. . . . 
Steve Johnson is now employed at the Babcock 
and Wilcox Alliance Research Center, where he 
is the principal investigator in a program aimed 
at minimum emissions of nitrogen oxides from 
coal-fired utility boilers. This program, funded by 
the Electric Power Research Institute, is in re- 
sponse to the government's goal of limiting this 

pollutant to 100p.p.m.orlessby 1985 Capt. 

Alan Prucnal, a company commander with the 
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, is presently lo- 
cated in Germany. 

1971 

Joseph Ausanka is an insurance agent with the 
Ayres Agency (State Mutual) in Worcester. . . . 
Daniel Demers works for GE in Lynn, Mass. . . . 
Previously with Electronic Instrument and Spe- 
cialty, Allen Downs now holds the post of staff 
engineer at Tele-Resources in Ballston Lake, N.Y. 
The Downses are building a log cabin in 
Greenfield, N.H. Recently they enjoyed a trip to 
Oregon. "Sauce," who is setting up a studio in 
their colonial farmhouse outside of Schenectady, 
has been chosen to be a part of the Smithsonian 
Institute Sites show, "New American 
Monotypes." ... Dr. Irving Engelson is associate 
dean of the College of Engineering and Technol- 
ogy at the University of Nebraska in Omaha 

John Pankosky is associated with Nettco Corp., 
Everett, Mass. . . . Presently Anthony Yankaus- 
kas serves as director of capital management at 
Continental Can Co., a company of the Conti- 
nental group, in Stamford, Conn. Previously he 
was assistant director of financial reporting at 
the Continental Group, Inc., New York City. 

1972 

^■Married: James P. Colangelo and Rosanna 
Mondazzion December 17, 1977. The bride 
received her RN from the University of Rochester 
and is currently pursuing a master's degree in 
nursing at Boston College. The bridegroom is a 
medical resident at Hartford (Conn.) Hospital. 
►Born: to Mr. and Mrs. Richard Panton a son 
Richard Russell on August 8, 1977. Panton was 
recently promoted to senior engineer on special 
assignment to Nomex textile manufacturing at 
Du Pont's Spruance plant. The Pantons are lo- 
cated in Chesterfield, Va. . . . to Mr. and Mrs. 
Donald A. Taft twin sons, Benjamin Nichols and 
William Biggins on October 3, 1977. ... to Jack 
and Lee Small Zorabedian, a son, John III, on 
June 12, 1977. Jack has been promoted to 
production engineer for the foam and bellaplast 
departments of Sweetheart Plastics in Wil- 
mington, Mass., where he was formerly foam 
department supervisor. Also, he is a town meet- 
ing member and a member of the finance com- 
mittee in Reading. 

Steven Bauks continues as a senior experi- 
mental engineer for United Technologies Power 
Systems Division at the fuel cell facility in South 
Windsor, Conn. He has a son Jesse, 4, and a 
daughter Sarah, 2. . . . Michael DiBenedetto 
serves as an assistant engineer at E.U.A. Service 
Corp., Lincoln, R.I. Last year he received his 
MSEE from WPI. . . . Adrien Gaudreau, Jr. has 
been promoted to captain in the U.S. Air Force. 
Currently he is working for the Alaskan Air 
Command as a computer programmer for the 
Alaskan Norad Region Command and Control 
Center — Rae Johnson works as an application 
engineer at Waterbury Farrel, Thompson Grin- 
der Division in Cheshire, Conn. 



1973 



1974 



^■Married: Kevin J. Crossen and Kathleen Pow- 
ers on October 9, 1 977. The groom is a research 
chemist at Walter Reed Research Institute. Last 
year he received his master's degree in 
biochemistry from the University of Rhode Is- 
land. . . Robert W. Kibler and Miss Barbara A. 
Buschner on January 21, 1978 in South Hadley, 
Massachusetts. Mrs. Kibler graduated from 
Fitchburg State College and formerly taught in 
Leominster. Her husband is a product engineer 
at Rodney Hunt in Orange, Mass. 
►Born, to Mr. and Mrs. Donald Kray a daugh- 
ter Kara Lynn on January 19, 1978. Don is a 
development superintendent tor Aetna Lite & 
Casualty in their group data processing depart- 
ment in Hartford, Conn. ... to Mr. and Mrs. 
Richard F. Silvestris a daughter Julie Marie on 
December 28, 1977. Richard is presently a pro- 
duction supervisor for Polaroid Camera Division 
in Norwood, Mass. 

Conrad Baranowski continues as an elec- 
tronics design engineer for the Powercube Corp. 
in Waltham, Mass. Presently he is a project 
engineer, redesigning a first generation Off Line 
Switching Power Supply. He has four patent 
applications pending with the U.S. government 
having to do with high density electronics pack- 
aging. . . . Bruce Beverly, a staff engineer for 
Haley & Aldrich, Inc., Cambridge, Mass., is 
currently concerned with geotechnical engineer- 
ing for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation 
Authority. His responsibilities include the Red 
Line Extension NW-Harvard to Davis subway 
extension. . . . Capt. Richard Brontoli has com- 
pleted the Engineer Officer Advanced Course. 
He will be stationed for three and a half years at 
Baumholder, Germany with the U.S. Army 
293rd Engineer Batallion, a rapid runway repair 
unit dealing with concrete and asphalt paving — 
Thomas Cawley is an engineer in the electrical 
division at Stone & Webster in Boston. He 
earned his MS at Northeastern. 

John Cirioni works as a store manager for 
Southland Corp. in Dallas, Texas. . . . Paul Clark 
serves as a senior field service engineer at Digital 
Equipment Corp. in Marlboro, Mass. . . . Jon 
Franson holds the post of weather editor for the 
U.S. Air Force. Presently he is with Croughton 
RAF of the United Kingdom. . Robert 
Haywood, who has received his MBA from 
Harvard, is a DBA student and research assistant 

at Harvard Business School in Newton, Mass 

Roger Lavallee has just completed his first year 
as a programmer-analyst with Life Insurance 
Marketing and Research Association in Hartford, 
Conn. . . . Ruey Sen Lin is employed as an 
instructor at Digital Equipment in Marlboro, 
Mass. . . . Bruce Nunn has been appointed to the 
Middlefield (Mass.) finance committee. He and 
his wife Allison Huse Nunn have been residing in 
Middlefield for over a year. . . . Richard Olson 
holds the post of resident chemical engineer for 
Industrial Risk Insurers in Brussels, Belgium. . . . 
Gerald Otte is finishing his fifth year of teaching 
in Malaysia at Tun Habab Secondary School in 
Johore. He is in charge of modern mathematics 
and additional mathematics for form 4 (like 
tenth grade in the U.S.). His wife Rosni is an RN 

at Kota Tinggi Hospital Clifford Peterson has 

been appointed assistant treasurer of the Bank of 
Tokyo Trust Company in New York. He is also a 

loan officer at the main office Bill Rutherford 

works as a plant engineer at Merrimack (N.H.) 
GRC. The Rutherfords have two children, 
Wendy and Michael. 



Jonathan Barnett now works for Firepro, Inc. 
where he holds the post of fire protection en- 
gineer. . . . Daniel Brune II has been promoted to 
director of manufacturing for Louis Lefkowitz & 
Bro., Inc., Milltown, N.J., a manufacturer of 
camera carrying equipment and leather tennis 
grips. 

Magician Steve Dacri appeared on the Merv 
Griffin TV show on February 8th. Recently 
Worcester Magazine ran a cover article about 
Steve which stated that he plans to move soon to 
California. . . . Vijay Kirloskar is now a quality 
assurance engineer at Germanium Power De- 
vices Corp. in Andover, Mass. He has been with 
the company for two years. He is completing his 
master's degree in management science at WPI. 

Eugene Lukianov presently serves as resident 
engineer at Maremont Corp/Gabriel Shocks in 
Saco, Me. . . . David McGuigan is a member of 
the technical staff at Hughes Aircraft in Culver 
City, Calif. He and his wife, Kathleen, reside in 
Los Angeles. He received his MS in physics from 
the University of Rochester. . . . Richard Mellor 
works as an engineer in mechanical controls 
design with the aircraft engine group at GE in 
Lynn, Mass. . . . Brother Jim Morabito, MNS, will 
be ordained a priest of the Roman Catholic 
Church in Columbus, Ohio on May 19, 1978. He 
is a member of the Salesian Congregation, 
whose principal aim is youth work. He has spent 
three years teaching at Don Bosco Technical 
High School in Boston, Mass. . . . Stanley 
Purington serves as a structures engineer at Rohr 
Marine in Chula Vista, Calif. . . . Al Simonti is an 
estimating engineer for Stone & Webster in 
Boston. 

Robert Slack holds the post of production 
engineer at Dow-Badische Co. in Anderson, S.C. 
. . . Andrew Wemple has been promoted to 
senior actuarial associate at State Mutual Life 
Assurance Company of America, Worcester. He 
began work at the firm in 1974 as an actuarial 
assistant, and was promoted to actuarial as- 
sociate in 1976. . . . Continuing with Procter & 
Gamble, John Young is now electrical manager 
for the firm in Mehoopany, Pa. 



The WPI Journal ! April 1 978 29 



MORGAN 

CONSTRUCTION! COMPANY 



15 Belmont Street. Worcester, Mass. 01605 

Serving the Ferrous and Non- Ferrous World Markets since 1888 as 
Engineers and Manufacturers of Rolling Mills, Morgoil Bearings, 
Wire Drawing Machinery and Furnace Equipment 



iamesbury 

m 1 manufacturers of 

^-^ Double-Seal ® Ball Valves 

Wafer-Sphere® Butterfly Valves 

Actuators 

Control Devices 

Jamesbury Corp • 640 Lincoln Street • Worcester, Mass 01605 



1975 



^■Married: John Aubin to Sheila Moulton of 
Norwich, Vermont in December. Mrs. Aubin is a 
registered nurse at the Newington VA Hospital. 
Her husband is an analyst for the town of West 
Hartford, Conn. He recently completed a mas- 
ter's degree program in public administration at 
the University of Pennsylvania. . . . Gordon D. 
Henley and Miss Carol A. Johnson in Cleveland, 
Ohio on November 26, 1977. The bride 
graduated from Miami University and has her 
MS in library science from the University of 
Illinois. She is currently acquisitions librarian at 
Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. The 
groom, who has his MSEE from the University of 
Illinois, is an aerosystems engineer for General 
Dynamics' Fort Worth Division. . . . Terry W. 
Penner to Donna Padget on Christmas Eve in 
Manchester, New Hampshire. Mrs. Penner 
graduated from Daniel Webster Junior College 
in Nashua and received her medical laboratory 
technician degree from Colby-Sawyer College, 
New London, N.H. Her husband is manager of 
C. S. Woods Co., Inc., in Manchester. . . . Charles 
Riedel and Miss Barbara Yankowski in Beacon, 
New York on October 8, 1977. Mrs. Riedel has a 
degree in veterinary science from Becker Junior 
College. The bridegroom is employed by Region 
I N.Y. State Department of Transportation in the 
Division of Traffic and Safety. 
>Born: to 2/Lt. Robert Howard and Mrs. How- 
ard a daughter Deborah Lynne on November 27, 
1977. Presently Robert is stationed in Warren, 
Mich, with the U.S. Army Tank Automotive 
Materiel Readiness Command. He is the en- 
gineering directorate's executive officer. 

Alan Bergstrom continues his graduate work 
and duties as a research assistant in the depart- 
ment of biochemistry at the University of Mas- 
sachusetts in Amherst. . . . 2/Lt. Kent Berwick is 
starting undergraduate pilot training at Vance 

AFB in Oklahoma Robert Byron was recently 

promoted to the post of group leader of catalyst 
development in the experimental development 
department at UOP in Riverside, III. . . . James 
Costello is a civil engineer at Tennessee Gas 
Pipeline in Houston, Texas. ... A temporary 
assignment with Monsanto at the Avon plant in 
Martinez, Calif., has turned into a permanent 
position for Mario DiGiovanni. . . . Allen Downs, 
who received his MS in chemical engineering last 
spring from the University of Pennsylvania, is 
now a project engineer for Stauffer Chemical 
Co. in Visalia, Calif, at a cottage cheese whey 
processing plant. He is working for his MBA at 
California State University at Fresno. During his 
spare time he enjoys hiking and back-packing. . . . 
F. Douglas DuGrenier has completed his MBA 
at the University of Massachusetts, where he is 
working for his PhD in business administration. 

Robert Fried received his MSEE last year and is 
now working for his PhD at SUNY at Stony 
Brook. He is also doing research on fuel cells for 
the U.S. Department of Energy at Brookhaven 
National Laboratory. . . . Richard Harabedian 
serves as assistant superintendent of construc- 
tion at Associated Construction in Hartford, 
Conn. . . . The Robert Homers have bought a 
house in Glendale, N.Y. Mrs. Horner is a medical 
assistant working with a cardiologist. . . . Gary 
Kiontke has been promoted to actuarial assistant 
in the actuarial department at Monarch Life 
Insurance Co., Springfield, Mass. Last year he 
joined Monarch as an actuarial trainee. 



30 1 April 19781 The WPI Journal 



Raymond Mott was recently promoted to 
group leader in charge of catalytic petrochemical 
development. The job entails supervision and 
planning of research in the petrochemical area at 
UOP, Inc., Riverside, Illinois. . . . Currently 
Richard Murray is a junior optical engineer at 
Itek Corp., Lexington, Mass. He has received his 
MS from the University of Rochester. . . . Robert 
Murray is a mechanical product support en- 
gineer in the equipment division at Raytheon Co. 
in Waltham, Mass. . . . Jay Pulli is a candidate for 
his PhD in geophysics in the department of earth 
and planetary sciences at MIT in Cambridge. . . . 
William Stieritz is a member of the technical 
staff at TRW, Inc., in Redondo Beach, Calif. Last 
year he received his MSEE from the University of 
Massachusetts. . . . Donald Taddia serves as a 
staff engineer for the Department of Aviation, 
Allegheny County, at Greater Pittsburgh Inter- 
national Airport. He and his wife reside in 

Sewickley, Pa Mark Youngstrom is presently 

a project engineer at Wright Engineering in 
Rutland, Vt. 



1976 

►Bom to Mrs. Andra Eslami Finkel and her 
husband Charles, a son Dustin Philip on January 
22, 1978. Andra currently works for Hughes 
Aircraft in Los Angeles, Calif., where she is a 
corporate patent agent. She will attend law 
school next fall. Her husband is a commercial 
pilot for Krueger Aviation in Santa Monica. 

David Andel is now a development engineer 
for AVCO, Lycoming Division, in the lubrication 
systems group. Lycoming is located in Stratford, 
Conn. . . . Mark Coulson is a nuclear test 
engineer for General Dynamics, Electric Boat 
Division, Groton, Conn. 

Thomas Descoteaux is employed as a project 
manager at ENCON, Inc. in Chicopee, Mass. . . . 
Edward Fasulo, Jr. has been promoted to project 
leader at American Cyanamid Co., Bound Brook, 
N.J. With the firm since 1976, he is employed in 
the chemical intermediates manufacturing de- 
partment. He had been a day production super- 
visor. . . . Edward Floyd has joined Kennedy 
Engineers in San Francisco, Calif. . . James 
Hetherman is a graduate research assistant 
doing research on deep-sea sediments. Recently 
he participated in research cruises to Bermuda 
and Hawaii. He expects to receive his MS in 
ocean engineering this summer. . . . Paul Lessard 
works as a planner for the Federal Highway 
Administration in Baltimore, Md. . . . Joseph 
Lucchesi is a Passionist Brother at Holy Family 
Monastery in West Hartford, Conn. . . . Pamela 
Baradine Maynard works as a programmer/ 
mathematician for RCA in Waterford, Conn. 

James Roberge is doing graduate work at the 
University of Rhode Island. . . Gerard Robidoux 
serves as an electronic engineer with the Naval 
Underwater Systems Center in Newport, R.I. . . . 
Jonathan Rourke is a research assistant at MIT in 
Cambridge, Mass. . . . Arthur St. Andre, SIM is 
the new president of Thomson National Press 
Company of Franklin, Mass. He started with 
Thomson in 1975 as general manager of man- 
ufacturing and engineering. Earlier he had been 
associated with Heald Machine Division of Cin- 
cinnati Milacron. Thomson manufactures platen 
presses for the paper and plastic converting 
industry. . . . Mark Smith teaches mathematics at 
Woodstock (Vt.) Country School. Formerly he 
taught at Maine Central Institute. . . . Neal 
Wright has received his MS from North Carolina 
State University. He is a second lieutenant in the 
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and has been 
slated to be stationed at Ft. Devens, Mass. in 
April. . . . Joseph Yu is a design engineer at 
Westinghouse in Hyde Park, Mass. 



1977 

Roman Adrianowycz is an insurance property 
loss adjuster for Alexander & Alexander, Inc. in 
New York City. . . . Bruce Baran serves as a 
teaching assistant in the Northeastern University 
department of physics. His wife, Carol Sigel 
Baran, is an assistant editor at Benwill Publishing, 
Boston. . . . Adolfo Chandek is assistant pro- 
grammer at IBM in Boca Raton, Fla. . . . Donald 
Edwards holds the post of associate vice presi- 
dent of Yankee Atomic Electric in Westboro, 
Mass. . Domenico Grasso is at the School of 
Civil Engineering, Purdue University, West 
Lafayette, Indiana. 

John Greaney has joined the batch facilities 
department of the manufacturing and engineer- 
ing division of Corning (N.Y.) Glass Works. . . . 
Paul Hajec is working for his master's degree in 
transportation planning at Northeastern Univer- 
sity in Boston. . . . Keith Harrison in studying for 
his master's degree in transportation planning 
and engineering at Polytechnic Institute of New 
York in Brooklyn, where he is a full-time research 
fellow. . . . Robert Prettyman is a junior pro- 
grammer at IBM in Boca Raton, Fla. . . . Scott 
Shurr works as an associate software engineer at 
Digital Equipment Corp. in Maynard, Mass. . . . 
Steven Sweeney has joined the Soils Bureau at 
the New York Department of Transportation in 
Albany. . . . Rick Wheeler is currently located at 
Hanover Gardens, Apt. C-3, Pottstown, Pa. He is 
a product sales representative for Firestone Plas- 
tics Company. 



The WPI Journal I April 1978 1 31 




L. Norman Reeve, '06, one of the nation's 
foremost authorities in hydraulic engineering, 
died on February 8, 1978 in Falmouth, Mas- 
sachusetts. He was 93 years old. 

Mr. Reeve, who was concerned with the 
construction of many large power and flood 
control dams, retired in 1948 from Stone and 
Webster Engineering Corp., Boston. At the time 
of his retirement he was an advisory member of 
the U.S. Committee on Large Dams, a part of the 
International Commission on Large Dams. 

He designed the Conowingo Dam and hyd- 
roelectric power plant on the Susquehanna River 
in Maryland, completed in 1928 at a cost of $60 
million. At the time, the plant had the largest 
power generating capacity of any such plant in 
the world, 378,000 horsepower. The water 
wheels and generators were the largest then in 
existence. He also designed dams and power 
plants for the $20 million Shogawa Project in 
Japan in 1923 and served as a consultant on the 
$40 million Jitsugetsutan Project in Formosa in 
1928. 

Mr. Reeve was born in Worcester on March 
14, 1 884. In 1906 he graduated from WPI with a 
degree in civil engineering. 

The first ten years of his professional career 
were spent with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation 
where he was involved in the design of power 
and flood control dams at Yellowstone, Grand 
Valley, Arrowrock, Jackson Lake, and the 
Shoshone River, all in the Rocky Mountain re- 
gion. He then designed a copper plant in Chile. 
With America's entry into World War I, he left 
Chile to design the plant and shipways at the 
famous Hog Island Shipyard, the site of the 
world's first production line for merchant ships. 
Later he was appointed supervisor of shipbuild- 
ing there. 

In 1920, he joined Stone and Webster as a 
hydraulic engineer, specializing in the design and 
construction of hydroelectric power projects in 
and out of the U.S. In World War II he was 
appointed a project engineer in charge of design- 
ing the James River Shipyard for the Navy's 
Bureau of Ships. Also, during the war, he was 
associated with the Manhattan Project at Oak 
Ridge, Tenn., where the first atomic bomb was 
produced. 

Mr. Reeve was a life member of ASCE, a 
member of the Boston Society of Civil Engineers, 
the Northeastern Society of Civil Engineers, and 
the National Society of Professional Engineers. 
He was a registered professional engineer in 
several states, including Massachusetts. 



Through Leon W. Hitchcock, '08, we have 
learned of the recent death of Robert E. 
Dunklee, an alumnus of the former Washburn 
Apprentice School at WPI. 

Mr. Dunklee was born in West Brattleboro, Vt. 
on Sept. 18, 1881. In 1904 and 1905 he at- 
tended the two-year Apprentice School con- 
ducted by the Washburn Shops. He was the 
founder of Dunklee's Machine Shop, the first 
electric welding shop in Vermont. He was 
among the first people in Vermont to use an 
automobile in winter employing light motor oil, 
and one of the earliest to build a personal radio. 

Before starting his own shop, Mr. Dunklee 
was with M.S. Perkins Machine Shop in Keene, 
N.H., where he installed mill water wheels and 
the former L. H. Stellman & Son Machine Shop, 
Brattleboro, where he was involved in the devel- 
opment of the Franklin automobile. He retired 
from Dunklee Machine Shop in 1962 at the age 
of 80. 

Mr. Dunklee was a trustee of Meetinghouse 
Hill Cemetery for 60 years, serving 20 years of 
that time as business manager. He belonged to 
the Masons, the Commandery, Green Mountain 
Club, Vermont Historical Society, and Windham 
County Farm Bureau. He was the father of 
Robert E. Dunklee, '40. 

Walter E. Brown, Sr., '08 passed away recently 
at Somerset Hospital in Somerville, New Jersey. 
He had been a resident of Bound Brook, N.J. for 
many years. 

Ralph G. Gold, '10, of Middletown, Rhode 
Island passed away in Newport Hospital on 
January 22, 1978 at the age of 89. 

He was born on January 3, 1889 in West 
Stafford, Conn, and graduated as an electrical 
engineer from WPI in 1910. During his lifetime 
he was with GE testing department in Schenec- 
tady, N.Y., taught electrical engineering from 
1911 to 1914 at Fukien Technical School in 
Foochow, China (under the auspices of the 
YMCA), and spent a year as a student at 
Hartford (Conn.) Divinity School. For twelve 
years he was a secretary of the YMCA in 
Foochow. When the Chinese Revolution broke 
out in 1927, he returned to the U.S. where he 
became a junior secretary of the YMCA in Lynn, 
Mass. From 1930 until his retirement in 1954, he 
was general secretary of the "Y" in Newport, R.I. 

During World War II Mr. Gold and his wife, 
Helen, entertained servicemen stationed in 
Newport nearly every weekend at their home. 
He had belonged to the Lions Club, the Newport 
Chamber of Commerce, the Governor's Advi- 
sory Committee for the Blind, and was active on 
various church boards and committees. 



Chester W. Aldrich, '20, retired sales director of 
the National Biscuit Co., died in Stamford 
(Conn.) Hospital on January 22, 1978. 

A native of Uxbridge, Mass., he was born on 
June 11, 1899. He was a chemistry major at WPI. 
For over forty years he was with Nabisco. He 
retired in 1964. 

Mr. Aldrich, a member of SAE, belonged to 
the AARP, the Leisure Time Men's Club, Con- 
gregational Church, Meadowview Rod and Gun 
Club, and the Masons. He was a director of 
Pilgrim Towers in Stamford, a church-related 
housing project for the elderly. 

Clifford C. Fifield, '26, of Orford, New Hamp- 
shire passed away recently after a short illness. 

He was born on October 12, 1902 in Man- 
chester, N.H., and later studied at WPI. During 
his career he was with Colorado Fuel and Iron 
Corp., Palmer, Mass., and Wickwire Spencer 
Steel in Clinton, Mass. For a time he was vice 
president of New England Equipment Sales 
Corp. of Contoocook, N.H. 

Mr. Fifield belonged to Phi Gamma Delta. 
Active with the Boy Scouts, he was presented 
with the Silver Beaver award for his contributions 
to scouting. He had also served as master of 
Trinity Lodge (Masons) of Clinton, Mass. While 
a resident of Orford, N.H., he had served on the 
school board, and had been health commis- 
sioner and a member of the cemetery associa- 
tion. 

Frank E. Buxton, '28, died suddenly at his home 
in Wellesley, Massachusetts on Christmas Day. 
He was 72. 

A retired senior engineer for the New England 
Power Service Co. of Westboro, Mr. Buxton was 
also a member for many years of the Wellesley 
Congregational Church. He belonged to Sigma 
Xi and Tau Beta Pi and was a life member of the 
American Wood Preservers Association. He was 
a member of the Massachusetts Society of Pro- 
fessional Engineers. 

Mr. Buxton was born on December 24, 1905 
in Eastford, Conn. In 1928 he received his BSCE 
from WPI. 

Harry M. Bagdigian, '33, died in the Memorial 
Hospital, Worcester on January 18, 1978 at the 
age of 66. 

A Worcester native, for twenty-three years he 
had been a letter carrier for the Worcester Post 
Office. He belonged to the Men's Club of the 
Armenian Church of Our Saviour and Branch 12 
of the National Letter Carriers' Association. 

Earl C. Conant, Jr., '39, died recently in Boynton 
Beach, Florida. 

He was born in Pittsfield, Mass. on July 1 1 , 
1917, and studied at WPI. He had been em- 
ployed by Warren - Bigelow Electric Co. , Worces- 
ter. For a number of years he served as president 
of Electric Maintenance Corp., and treasurer of 
Eadon Realty Corp., Ramcon Corp., and Electric 
Service & Supply Co., Inc. 



Edward T. Kelley, '42, died in Gardner, Mas- 
sachusetts on July 5, 1977. 

He was born on October 3, 1918 in Gardner. 
For many years he served in the U.S. Army. He 
belonged to Phi Kappa Theta. 



321 April 19781 The WPI Journal 



August 1978 



wpfpym/i 





What is smaller than . . .? 





HOMECOMING 78 

FRIDAY & SATURDAY 
OCTOBER 20 & 21 



Mark the dates on your calendar 
and plan to attend. 

The weekend begins with a 
concert on Friday night. Join in 
the Saturday fun at the Tailgate 
Picnic and Barbecue. Then cheer 
the WPI football team on to 
victory at the afternoon game 
against Bates. 

The newest event featured is a 



4-mile Alumni road race which 
will finish at half-time at the 50 
yard line. 

Laugh with comedian Robert 
Klein at the Saturday "Night 
Club" and then dance the night 
away at the Homecoming Party. 

There's more! But why don't you 
come home and find out for 
yourself. 



COME HOME TO WPI 



Volume 82, No. 1[ 



August 1978 



2 What is smaller than .. 

Jack O'Reilly, 75 looks at the strange world of 
contemporary particle physics. 

9 Corporate Contacts 
11 Reunion 78 

18 Who's Who 

WPI's philosopher-artist-writer, Jim Hensel 

20 Your class and others 
32 Completed Careers 



Editor: H. Russell Kay 

Alumni Information Editor: Ruth S. Trask 

Publications Committee: 

J. Michael Anderson, '64, chairman 

Design: H. Russell Kay 

Typesetting: Davis Press, Worcester, Ma. 

Printing: The House of Offset, Somerville, Ma. 



Address all correspondence regarding editorial 

content or advertising to the Editor, WPI Journal, 

Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Ma. 

01609. 

Telephone [617] 753-1411 

The WPI Journal is published for the Alumni 
Association by Worcester Polytechnic Institute. 
Copyright © 1978 by Worcester Polytechnic 
Institute. All rights reserved. 

The WPI Journal is published six times a year, in 
August, September (catalog issue), October, 
December, February, and April. Second class 
postage paid at Worcester, Ma. 
Postmaster: Please send Form 3579 to: Alumni 
Association, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 
Worcester, Ma. 01609. 



WPI ALUMNI ASSOCIATION 

President: William A. Julian, '49 

Vice presidents: John H. McCabe, '68; Ralph D. 
Gelling, '63 

Secretary-treasurer: Stephen J. Hebert, '66 

Past president: Francis S. Harvey, '37 

Executive Committee members- at- large: 
Walter B. Dennen, Jr., '51; Richard A. Davis, '53; 
Julius A. Palley, '46; Anson C. Fyler, '45 

Fund Board: Peter H. Horstmann, '55, 
chairman; G. Albert Anderson, '51 ; Howard I. 
Nelson, '54; Leonard H. White, '41; Henry 
Styskal, Jr., '50; C. John Lindegren, '39; Richard 
B. Kennedy, '65 



The WPI Journal I August 197811 



Within the drawers of my file cabinet are 
bulging manila folders bearing titles such as 
strangeness, charm, truth, beauty and illu- 
sion. The diagrams, notes and papers con- 
tained in these folders pertain not to a field 
such as philosophy but rather to the latest 



and most central theories in elementary 
particle physics. Strangeness, charm, and 
the others serve to characterize quarks — 
particles that may eventually provide the 
ultimate answer to the age-old question: 




What is smaller than. . ? 



by Jack O'Reilly, 75 



Particles and Quarks 

Prior to the i 950s, the situation in the world of particle 
physics, then still a branch of nuclear physics, was rela- 
tively simple. There were just about a handful of known 
sub-atomic particles: the proton, the neutron, the elec- 
tron, the anti-electron (positron), the muon and the 
photon. Although these particles and their interactions 
were, for the most part, not well understood, there was the 
hope that the situation would soon be remedied. And why 
not? Wasn't it true that machines to study these particles, 
namely particle accelerators, were being built larger and 
larger every year? Since accelerator size is a most crucial 
detennining factor in regard to the energy at which these 
particles can be produced, wasn't it logical to expect these 
machines to lead to a more thorough understanding of the 
high energy properties of these particles? Furthermore, it 
was hoped that this examination of the particles' high 
energy properties would lead to an overall elucidation of 
their structure and interactions and then finally to an all 
inclusive theory of matter. 

Unfortunately (fortunately?), there was a flaw in this 
line of reasoning. True, the development of more powerful 
accelerators brought about the desired investigation of the 
known particles at higher and higher energies. However, 
the new machines also led to the production of totally new 
and unexpected particles. These new particles had not 
been previously observed for two main reasons: (1) due to 
their high mass the old accelerators were not energetic 
enough to produce them ; and (2) due to their short 
lifetimes and low production rates they weren't easily 
detected in the only other kind of particle production 
experiment, namely the collision of cosmic rays with 
nuclei in the earth's atmosphere. 

In any case, the discovery of each of the first four or five 
of these higher mass particles was accompanied by the 
hope that the mysteries of the field would NOW finally be 
solved. After all, it was thought, how much longer could 
the rate of discovery continue? There must be some limit 
to the number of possible particles (states) — mustn't 
there? 

In the late 1950s and the early 1960s, with the rate of 
discovery showing no signs of abating, particle theorists 
began looking in earnest for evidence of subtle similarities 
between members of the quickly enlarging family of 
particles. They began to think that maybe — just maybe — 
many of the particles which had now been discovered 
weren't really as elementary as had originally been 
thought. Possibly, some of them weren't actually new 
particles but merely higher mass versions of old ones. The 
analogy with an atom is somewhat appropriate. The 
electrons revolving about a given nucleus can be excited 
and thereby forced to go into higher energy orbits. The 
resulting atom is essentially a new energy state but its 
main properties have changed little. It is still the same type 
of atom as it was before excitation. So it was thought that 
certain particles were just excited versions of other, more 
common particles. 



In this vein, the early 1 960s saw the publication of 
numerous papers purporting to classify most of the then- 
known particles into divisions or groups based on some of 
their common properties. Of these papers, the most signif- 
icant ones were a pair of independently researched papers 
written by two theorists who were later to win the Nobel 
Prize for their work. These papers, written by Murray 
Gell-Mann and George Zweig, both contained the idea 
that the majority of the known particles could be consid- 
ered as being bound states of even more elementary, and 
yet undiscovered, particles. These more basic structures 
are now almost universally called by the name Gell-Mann 
gave them: quarks. 

The Gell-Mann-Zweig proposal had a majestic beauty 
to it. Rather than complicate the then quite messy situa- 
tion, it served to greatly simplify it. It presented a simple 
'deck' of 1 8 quarks out of which the majority of the 40 or so 
then known particles could be constructed. This construc- 
tion process was simply the combining, on paper of course, 
of either a quark/anti-quark pair, a quark triplet or an 
anti-quark triplet. Moreover, the most enthralling aspect 
of the theory was that each of the new 1 8 quarks could be 
considered as different manifestations of but a single quark 
state. Quite a simplification indeed. 

The initial deck contained three quark types or flavors: 
up (denoted by the letter u), down (d) and strange (s) 
(sometimes called sideways). Also, each of the flavors 
came in three 'colors': red, white and blue. This system, 
however, yields only nine quarks — the remaining nine 
were the anti-quarks of the first nine. (Recall the anti- 
electron?) 

If the reader still believes the situation to be complicated 
perhaps he is correct. But, when compared to the pre- 1 964 
situation of many seemingly unrelated particles, the new 
concept was almost a theorist's dream. This is not, how- 
ever, to say that the new theory was perfect. What theories 
are? The major drawback to the new classification scheme 
was that, in order to properly combine to form the known 
particles, the quarks had to be given non-integral values of 
charge. The proton, for example, was said to be formed out 
of two 'up' quarks (each with 2/3 of the proton's charge) and 
a 'down' quark (with-1/3 the charge of a proton). Although 
this was not a new idea — Sakata had proposed a similar 
model in 1 9 5 6 — it still sent shivers down the spines of the 
more conservative members of the physics establishment. 

More complete acceptance of the theory was later 
achieved when Gell-Mann realized that there was one 
quark combination that should exist but could not be 
associated with any of the already discovered particles. It 
was a state composed of three strange quarks, denoted as 
'sss'. By convention, an 's' has a 'strangeness' of-i, thus 
the new particle was thought to have a 'strangeness' of -3. 
Rather than modify his theory, Gell-Mann stated that the 
experimental physicists had failed to uncover a particle. 
Using the relatively simple mathematical relationships 
that his theory led to, he predicted that a new particle with 
specific characteristics should exist. Soon the predicted 
particle, called the omega-minus, was discovered very 



The WPI Journal I August 197813 



close in mass to where it had been predicted to be. From 
this point on, acceptance of the Gell-Mann-Zweig theory 
became more widespread. Over the past decade it has 
managed to weather numerous experimental upheavals 
and, with a few additions, remains in the forefront of 
physics research today. 



More Particles and more quarks 

The additions referred to above pertain to new quarks 
added to the original theory. It is now coming to be 
accepted that there are at least six quark flavors rather than 
the original three. Since, as far as we are now concerned, no 
new colors have been introduced, there are therefore 1 8 
quarks and 1 8 anti-quarks. If the quark situation seems to 
be getting somewhat unwieldly ... it is. But so is the 
known particle situation. There are now over 1 50 so-called 
'elementary' particles — the vast majority of which can be 
constructed from quarks. Moreover, the particles that 
can't be constructed out of quarks aren't supposed to be. 
That is, they really do seem to be elementary. These 
exceptions — the photon, the graviton, the electrons, the 
muons, the neutrinos, the gluons and the intermediate 
vector bosons — supposedly form, together with the 
quarks, the basic building blocks of absolutely all matter. 

Just as the strange quark had a quality referred to as 
strangeness, the three additional flavors also pertain to 
specific particle qualities which have little to do with the 
names given them. The best known of these flavors is 
charm. It was first proposed by Glashow and Bjorken in 
1 964, and evidence of a particle actually containing a 
charmed quark was uncovered in 1974. This particle, 
which managed to achieve front page status in many of the 
nation's newpapers, was called the psi. It was just the 
combination of a charmed quark (c) and a charmed anti- 
quark (c). This state is simply represented as cc. 

Theoretical introduction of the charmed quark along 
with the subsequent discovery of a particle thought to 
contain such a quark naturally led to the prediction of 
other charmed particles. That is, physicists expected the c 
to combine with the other quarks so as to form more 
'charmed' states. Such states might be represented by the 
quark configurations: cu, cd or cs. As it turned out, the past 
few years have seen all of the above mentioned quark 
combinations discovered. For the record, the states in 
question represent the D°, D + and F + mesons. (Mesons are 
quark/anti-quark pairs while particles containing three 
quarks, the proton, for example, are baryons. States con- 
taining four or more quarks and/or anti-quarks may be 
possible but needn't be discussed here.) 

The other quarks which are currently undergoing the 
process of being accepted are labeled truth (t) and beauty 
(b) by the majority of the physics community but top and 
bottom by the more conservative members. Current ex- 
perimental evidence concerning the existence of particles 
with the attributes of truth and beauty is nonexistent and 
sketchy, respectively. This situation, however is not ex- 



pected to remain this way for more than a few years. The 
hope in the verification of their existence lies in the next 
generation of more powerful particle accelerators. (Does 
this sound familiar?) 

Beyond truth and beauty are two other not yet generally 
accepted quarks: illusion (i) and optimism (o) (also called 
inside and outside). The latter has been proposed on purely 
aesthetic grounds and refers to the optimistic statement: 
"Oh, God, I hope this is the last quark." 



What does the quark model tell us? 

Beyond simply providing a method of constructing known 
particles out of supposedly elementary particles, the quark 
model provides an explanation of other phenomena re- 
lated to particle properties. 

A particularly important example involves the decay 
modes of certain particles. As Nature has arranged it, the 
vast majority of the known particles are unstable. That is, 
after a time interval subsequent to their production, they 
decay into other particles. This time period is most 
definitely a function of the particle involved, and ideally, 
its measurement allows physicists to infer a significant 
amount of information concerning the basic structure of 
the particle undergoing decay. 

Prior to the introduction of the quark theory, although 
the decay schemes of the known particles had been 
determined, physicists were most often unable to predict 
the decay modes of a given particle before discovering 
them. However, the Gell-Mann-Zweig theory coupled 
with additional mathematical work of Gell-Mann and 
others, served to provide insights into the decay processes 
of many of the newly discovered particles. 

By considering the decay modes of the constituent 
quarks rather than those of the particles themselves, 
theorists were greatly able to increase their ability to 
predict the decay modes of the new particles. Moreover, 
this method allowed scientists who were in search of yet 
undiscovered particles to predict what the most 
mathematically favorable mode(s) to search for would be. 

A prime example of this last technique involves the 
previously mentioned F + meson. (A similar particle of 
opposite charge, the F~ is also predicted by the model.) 
Recently discovered after having been postulated a few 
years ago, the F + has several possible decay modes. Since it 
is a cs system the state prior to its decay contains only two 
quarks. Of these, consider the case where only the 
'charmed' quark is unstable. In fact, it undergoes the decay 
process c-^usd. Thus after the F + decay has occured, there 
are four quarks: usds. Given that the quarks then form 
mesons (they do), and recalling that a meson is a quark/ 
anti-quark pair we see that there are two possible final 
state quark combinations: ( 1 ) ss + ud; and (2) us + sd. From 
Table 1 it can be seen that these combinations do indeed 
represent known particles. The predicted final states are in 
fact: (l)i77r + ; and (2) K + K°. Thus two possible decay 
schemes of the F + are: 



4 I August 1 978 I The WPI journal 



Table i 

Properties and quark compositions 

of some of the particles mentioned in the text. 



Greek 


Common 


Mass 


Quark 


Charm 


Strangeness 


Symbol 


Name 


(proton = l) 


Composition 






TT + 


pi-plus 


.149 


ud 








K + 


K-plus 


.526 


us 





1 


TC° 


K-zero-bar 


•53o 


so" 





-1 


V 


eta 


.585 


ss 







p 


proton 


1 


uud 








n 


neutron 


1. 001 


udd 








n 


omega-minus 


1-783 


SSS 





-3 


D° 


D-zero 


1.986 


cu 


1 





D + 


D-plus 


1. 99 1 


cd 


1 





F + 


F-plus 


2.164 


cs 


1 


1 


* 


psi 


3-^99 


cc 









p- 

F + - 






The quark diagrams pertaining to these modes are shown 
in Figure 1. 

Using this information, a search last summer found the 
F + by detecting its 1777^ decay mode. The K + K° mode is not 
experimentally easy to locate but experiments to find it 
are currently underway in several parts of the world. In any 
case, the discovery of the F + via the quark theory predic- 
tion of its decay modes provided yet another bit of 
evidence confirming the validity of the quark model. 
Furthermore, as the reader has seen, the theory's method 
of predicting a few of the decay modes of the F + is very 
straightforward. 



Quark slavery via gluons 

Before the reader comes to the conclusion that the quark 
theory provides all the answers to all the questions, let me 
mention that there is one semi-troublesome aspect of the 
model. It is this, in fact, that may be serving to block the 
theory's full acceptance by the physics community. This 
problem is the inability of physicists to find a free, i.e. 
non-bound, quark. To say the least, many person-years of 
work have been expended in the hope of finding a quark 
existing out of the pair or triplet states which characterize 
mesons and baryons, respectively. Examples of the 
searches which have been undertaken in regard to these 
fractionally charged particles include: an examination of 
ancient ocean-bed sediment; composition tests on meto- 
rites; and a study of moon rocks. There have been, of 



11 d 




decay point / / 




u 


- s 




s 




s 

/} 




I/* 

decay point 1/ 




F + (5 


u + 

- K 


Figure i 




Quark diagrams of two possible F + decay modes. 



course, the more standard physics experiments one of 
which will later be discussed. 

Despite all of these angles of attack, the quark has so far 
proven to be totally elusive. A similar occurrence in almost 
any other theory of similar age might well bring about its 
downfall. The quark theory, however, has been so other- 
wise successful that the failure to find free quarks has only 
slightly slowed down the theory's multitude of propo- 
nents. 

The solution to the problem of no free quarks may be 
contained in one aspect of the theory itself called slavery. 
It is thought that it may be essentially impossible for two 
quarks to be separated by a distance greater than about 
10" 15 meters. This confinement would be a logical result if 
the (attractive) force between two quarks increases as the 
two particles get further apart. Like the original quark 



The WPI Journal ! August 1978 5 



The 1 advancing frontier of elementary particle physics 



I910's 



M 



I^MO's 



m 



1950s 



1970s 



G 











/ 



? 



the atom 


the nucleus 


the nucleon 


the ? 


-ICT 8 — 


— IO" 12 — 


- IO ,3 - 


- ICT 14 



Dimensions in ( entimeters 



Graphic representation of the dimensions involved in 
elementary particle physics. Diagram by Walter 
Zawojski. 



6 I August 1978 I The W PI Journal 






concept, this is a novel idea. Indeed, both the forces with 
which the reader is most familiar, the gravitational and the 
electromagnetic, get weaker with increasing distance. 

If indeed, the force between quarks becomes larger as 
the quarks begin to separate, it is possible to conceive of 
the force actually reaching infinity. This value, of course, 
could only be approached asymptotically. Here, the result 
would be that quarks would only be allowed to exist 
in multiples. Thus, prevention of isolated quark states is 
indeed quark slavery. 

In general, if two particles are known to exert forces on 
each other, they do so by exchanging another particle. 
Such is believed to be the situation with quarks. It is the 
exchanged particle that serves to very effectively keep the 
quarks together. In that moment of sheer brilliance which 
occurs once in a person's lifetime, an unnamed physicist 
suggested the name gluon (pronounced 'glue-on') for the 
exchange particle. Actually, there are thought to exist an 
octet of gluons whose properties differ slightly. As might 
be expected, it is not thought that the gluons may exist as 
free particles. But, just as with quarks, searches for free 
gluons are currently being undertaken. 

Having reached this point, the reader is probably shak- 
ing his head. The direction of motion, however, is uncer- 
tain to me. If he has automatically accepted everything 
I've said as merely conf inning the fact that he "never really 
understood what those people were doing anyway," then 
his head might be bobbing up and down. If, on the other 
hand, the reader's head is swinging horizontally he is more 
skeptical and has most likely come to the conclusion that 
there is quite a bit of "fudging" going on. 

To those of you of both directions, I can honestly say 
that your feelings are shared by physicists throughout the 
world. There are many first-rate scientists who ardently 
believe that matters in the field of particle physics are 
getting out of hand. They believe that the answer does not 
lie in complicating the theory by postulating particles 
with strange properties and even stranger names. Rather, 
many of them believe that somewhere behind the red, 
white and blue facade of gluons, intermediate vector 
bosons, and virtuously named quarks, sits a beautifully 
simple model. Based on the universal symmetries of 
nature, this sought after theory would unify all the forces 
of the universe. It would range from the infinite!?) force of 
gluons to the nearly, but thankfully not totally, negligible 
force of gravity — with a few stops in between. 

Given the general title of unified (force) field theory, this 
area of research has taken its toll in years of seemingly 
fruitless human toil. Albert Einstein, in fact, spent a 
considerable fraction of his life somewhat unsuccessfully 
pursuing this topic. He readily admitted that he found it 
more difficult than general relativity to which it is some- 
what related. 

Whether or not you tend to believe the quark theory, a 
final decision on its validity must await the outcome of 
further experiments. Experiments attempting to prove or 
disprove the quark model fall into two general categories: 
(i) searches for free quarks; and (2) searches for more 
mesons (pions, etas, etc.) and baryons (protons, neutrons, 



etc.) and a determination of their properties. In regard to 
the former area, the discovery of a quark would obviously 
serve to cement the quark theory into a permanent 
position in that lattice called physics. However, a failure 
by experimenters to discover such a particle would not 
necessarily lead to the theory's downfall. As we have seen, 
the concept of slavery would then be moved into a 
prominent position in the theory. 



Quark production via accelerators 

Since they were first invented in the 1930s, particle 
accelerators have experienced many changes and im- 
provements. Originally they were designed to cause accel- 
erated particles, mainly electrons, to collide with station- 
ary targets such as liquid hydrogen. Recently however, 
developments in numerous fields of engineering and the 
basic sciences have allowed the construction of ac- 
celerators that cause two beams of moving particles to 
collide with each other. The advantage of this procedure 
over the original one is that more energy is available for 
subsequent particle production. The analogy usually 
drawn is that two cars colliding head on will have more 
energy available for deformation when they are both 
moving at for example, 50 miles per hour than if one were 
stationary and the other moving at 50. At more relativistic 
velocities the difference in the energies available is very 
much larger than it is in this simple case. 

The colliding beam concept has been physically realized 
in several countries during the past ten years. Currently 
the most powerful such facility, The Stanford Linear 
Accelerator Center, or slac as it is called, is one of only 
two United States National Laboratories devoted almost 
entirely to the study of particle physics. 

slac's colliding beam area, shown in the accompanying 
photographs, serves to cause electrons (e~) and their anti- 
particles, positrons (e + ), to collide at velocities essentially 
equal to the speed of light. The result of such collisions is a 
state of pure energy called a 'virtual photon' which soon 
decays into various 'elementary' particles. If indeed, free 
quarks do exist there are few, if any, better ways of 
producing them. 



Quark detection 

It should not be news to any of the Journal's readers that 
particles passing through matter almost invariably trans- 
fer some of their energy to the surrounding material. 
Atomic excitation and ionization along with electron- 
positron pair production are among the major processes by 
which this occurs. Furthermore, in some cases, the elec- 
trons released by these processes often have sufficient 
energy to excite and/or ionize other atoms in the material. 
Thus a chain reaction called an electromagnetic shower is 
produced. 



The WPI Journal I August 1978 I 7 



In 1 947, Dr. Robert Hof stadter who later won the Nobel 
Prize in physics, found that, if the incident particles were 
made to pass through sodium iodide (Nal), the resulting 
electromagnetic shower produced a substantial amount of 
visible light. This light, when amplified and measured, 
was an indication of the total energy the particle had 
transferred to the Nal. Moreover, if the piece of Nal were 
sufficiently large, the electromagnetic shower could be 
fully contained and the total energy of the initial particle 
could be very accurately determined. 

This method of energy measurement has since been 
applied to areas of science as divergent as cancer therapy 
and the satellite monitoring of underground nuclear ex- 
plosions. Needless to say, it has also been applied to the 
energy measurement of particles emanating from colli- 
sions within particle accelerators. 

As a charged particle passes through, for example, Nal, 
its energy transfer is proportional to the square of its 
charge. Since all particles but quarks have integral values 
for their charges the passage of a quark through Nal should 
result in a very distinctive signal. To optimize one's 
chances of detecting such a signal from a quark that is 
produced in an electron-positron collision it is logical to 
have as much of the space around the collision or interac- 
tion area filled with Nal as is possible. Previously pre- 
vented for technical as well as financial reasons, it has only 
recently become feasible to construct a device to almost 
completely surround the interaction region. 

This apparatus, semi-whimsically named the Crystal 
Ball, will begin its study of high energy particle (quark?) 
production at slac this fall. It is the result of a four-year 
project by a team of scientists, currently 30 in number, 
aided by numerous engineers, technicians, and 
machinists. Consisting of a four foot diameter sphere of 
Nal, the ball is divided into some 700 separate modules. 
This modularization supplements the energy measure- 
ment abilities of the apparatus by allowing a precise 
determination of the angular distribution of the particles 
produced from the decay of the 'virtual photon.' Manufac- 
tured by Harsaw Chemical Company of Cleveland, the 
ball, along with the additional Nal used in the experiment, 
accounts for fully 1 5 percent of the world's supply of this 
material in detector form. 

This fall the Crystal Ball, accompanied by approxi- 
mately 1 00 tons of additional detection equipment, will be 
placed in one of the two interaction regions shown in the 
photographs. Soon afterwards, scientists from the institu- 
tions involved with the project: Harvard, Princeton, Cal- 
Tech, slac, and Stanford, will begin work on what is one of 
the most eagerly awaited particle physics experiments of 
this decade. 

There are several ways in which the Crystal Ball will aid 
in the explanation of 'elementary' particle physics. Most 
pertinent to the subject of this article is the way it will 
search for quarks. If quarks are produced their Crystal Ball 
signatures will be unmistakably apparent. Personally, I 
tend to favor the slavery concept and believe that quarks 
will not be produced. In any case, although not initially 
designed to look for the distinctive electromagnetic signa- 



tures of quarks, the Crystal Ball should certainly prove to 
far surpass its rivals in the ability to do so. 

Also, the Ball should prove quite good in regard to 
achieving its originally intended goal, that is, of examining 
photons, electrons, and positrons produced from the de- 
cays of particles such as the 1//, the D + and the F + . Not only 
should it shed light on the properties of these known 
particles but it should also prove extremely capable in 
locating new particles if they do exist. There is little doubt 
that the Crystal Ball will prove to be worth the many 
millions of dollars that has been spent on it. 



So what? 

Despite what deluded students of physics may believe, not 
everyone in America rushes through his evening meal so 
that he can curl up in front of the fireplace and read the 
latest text on quantum electrodynamics. Yes, it took me 
quite a while to realize that there are skeptics who ask that 
horrible question: "So What?" 

A complete answer to that query could well fill this 
journal by itself. I will, however, spare the reader from 
incurring that hardship by condensing my response by a 
factor of several thousand. (The following is best read in a 
very emotional voice to a large pro-science crowd. Pound- 
ing your fist on the podium is optional.) 

I am a firm believer in the concept that mankind must 
eventually overcome the all too encumbering shackles 
placed on him by Nature. This is something that will 
come about as a logical extension of man's innate mind 
processes. It will not be easy nor will it occur quickly. 
Rather, it will come about only after man has subdued 
nature as one army conquers another army: by investigat- 
ing his operations to the fullest and using this knowledge 
to control and change those operations. This action must 
include, as an integral component, a study of the basic 
principles by which Nature controls her movements. That 
is, it must include a study of the most basic particles and 
forces in the universe. For it must be remembered that 
everything else in the universe, from microscopic diatoms 
to the macroscopic supemovae, is merely a manifestation 
of these basic units and can be understood if, and only if, 
these basic units are understood in their entirety. 

UIPI 



8 1 August 1978 I The WPI journal 




Corporate Contacts 



Perhaps you've been to a WPI class 
reunion. Maybe you've attended a 
chapter or club meeting of the 
Alumni Association in your area. 
Aside from publications such as this 
Journal, these are two of the most 
traditional ways the Association has 
used to help alumni keep in touch 
with one another and with WPI. 

Now there's an important new 
program you should know about. It's 
called the "Corporate Contacts Pro- 
gram/' and it brings together alumni 
who work at the same company. Ac- 
tivities were started at ten different 
companies last year, and another 
twenty are scheduled to be added in 
'78-'79. Among the various activities 
(already held or planned) are lunch- 
eons, cocktail hours, slide shows, 
tours, professional recruitment, wel- 
coming of new alumni, faculty con- 
sulting, and presentations of student 
projects. 

The idea for the program came 
from an Alumni Association study 
commission in 1977, which felt that 
WPI's strong professional and techni- 
cal orientation was a natural tie-in to 
alumni in their working lives, and 
that WPI could increase the level of 



alumni involvement and pride by 
reaching alumni at their common 
places of employment. More than 
100 companies currently employ ten 
or more WPI graduates, so there is 
significant room for the program to 
expand. 



If you're interested in the program 
and want to participate, contact Bob 
Anderson, assistant alumni director. 

The companies involved last year 



are: 



Company 

Bell Labs, Holmdel, NJ 
Combustion Eng., Inc. 
Electric Boat Div. 

of Gen. Dynamics 
Foxboro Company 
Norton Company 
Pfizer, New London, CT 
Polaroid Corp., Boston 
Stone & Webster, Boston 
Torrington Co. 
United Technologies 

Pratt & Whitney Aircraft 



Chairman 

John L. Kilguss '67 

David A. Bareiss '59, Supervisor Corp. Mat'ls. 

John R. Hunter '49, Engineering Director 
Gerald Gleason '49, VP &. Director of Sales 
William P. Densmore '45, Vice President 
William J. Hakkinen '70, Production Supervisor 
Robert M. Delahunt '56, Vice President 
Gary Dyckman '66, Structural Engineer 
J. Peter Torrant '59, Research Engineer 

Walter D. Allen, Jr. '49, Reg. Dir. Int'l. Mktg. 



The WPI Journal I August 197819 



Reunion 1978 



Class of 1928 — 50th Reunion 



Our 50th Reunion was glorious! The 
attendance at our Thursday evening 
dinner was something of a record 
with our crowd overflowing the 
Great Hall of Higgins House into the 
adjoining room. 

Unfortunately President Hazzard 
had suffered a heart attack about a 
month before. The reception which is 
normally held at his home on Drury 
Lane was held at the Higgins House. 
We were sorry Mrs. Hazzard and he 
could not attend. We are happy to 
hear that he is recovering nicely and 
will soon be able to undertake the 
responsibilities which he has chosen 
for his retirement. He will move to 
Petersham where he plans to enjoy 
gardening and country living. We 
wish him well! 

The reception was held in the 
beautiful garden of Higgins House 
where a tent had been erected for our 
protection in case of rain. It did not 
take long to recognize classmates and 
renew acquaintances. One after 
another arrived. The Fred Cooks, Art 
Olcotts, and Big Halls came from 
Florida and the Giff Cooks from Au- 
stria. Some we hadn't seen for 50 
years, others a little more recently. 
Everyone was full of pep and the 
tempo of the party continued to in- 
crease. The Worcester Telegram 
termed our class "from the Roaring 
Twenties" and we certainly lived up 
to that connotation from Thursday 
evening through Saturday afternoon. 

It was well after the scheduled 6:00 
p.m. time for dinner that we ad- 
journed to the banquet hall for a 

101 August 1978 I The W 'PI Journal 



delicious roast beef dinner served by 
the food concession at the college. If 
the meal is typical of the food served 
to the students at the college they are 
very fortunate — even though the 
menu may not include roast beef too 
often. 

At the informal program which 
took place after the dinner we were 
welcomed by Julius Palley, '46, repre- 
senting the Alumni Association. Ray 
Bolz, dean of the faculty, represented 
President Hazzard and said he ex- 
pected George Hazzard would be 
playing tennis in September! 

It is interesting to note that there 
are 2400 students at WPI (compared 
to 500 to 600 in 1928) and there are 
280 women now. Ray stated that WPI 
is to remain small and that the total 
may shrink slightly in the future. 

Steve Hebert complimented us on 
the excellent participation of 85 per- 
cent of our living members in the 50 
year gift to the college. We were all 
presented with 50 year diplomas by 
Acting President Ray Bolz. Our class 
president, Andy Wilkinson, re- 
sponded commenting that '28 was 
responsible for starting the Goat's 
Head tradition as well as the custom 
of wearing blazers. 

The evening continued at the 
"Hospitality Room" at the 
Sheraton-Lincoln and the festivities 
did not break up until the early hours 
of the morning. 

Friday was a showery day but we 
managed to move about between the 
raindrops. We all kept busy with re- 
newing friendships, attending lec- 



tures on "WPI Today" and "Estate 
Planning" and tours of the campus. 
Those who hadn't been back for a 
number of years were amazed at the 
transformation and beauty of the 
grounds. We joined with other reun- 
ion classes for an excellent buffet 
luncheon again put on by the college 
food service. 

Friday evening was the highlight of 
our reunion when we assembled at 
the Sheraton-Lincoln for our Class 
Banquet. A social hour preceded the 
dinner and we again continued our 
reminiscing. We were 44 classmates 
present and 39 brought their lovely 
wives. We were sobered a bit by pay- 
ing tribute to those 47 who had gone 
to their reward. We each had an op- 
portunity to relate what we had done 
since graduation, what our hobbies 
are, and brag about our grandchildren. 

At a short business meeting the 
following class officers were elected: 
President, Andy Wilkinson 
Vice President, Gabe Bedard 
Foreign Secretary, Gus Cook 
Domestic Secretary, Ted Englund 
Treasurer, Karl Penney 

It was announced that our repre- 
sentative on the Alumni Council is 
Gabe Bedard. 

It was voted that our class gift be 
used to finance two offices in Boyn- 
ton Hall, namely: Office of Continu- 
ing Education and Office of Graduate 
Studies. Suitable plaques will be 
placed. It was voted that Roger 
Stoughton be commended for his fine 
job of organizing this reunion. Several 
letters from classmates unable to at- 
tend were read. 




Mrs. Gifford Cook, a very accom- 
plished musician, entertained by 
singing and playing the piano. Danc- 
ing followed and the Hospitality 
Room was again an active place. 

Saturday was another busy day 
with tours, lectures, visiting, and a 
meeting of the 50 Year Associates in 
the morning. The reunion luncheon 
was served on the lawn of Higgins 
House. We all enjoyed the chicken 
barbecue served under a cloudless 
sky. The annual meeting of the WTT 
Alumni Association took place and 
awards were given. Gabe Bedard pre- 
sented our gift of $20,903 and an- 
nounced that Bill Lester had estab- 
lished a trust of $25,000. As the 
Worcester Telegram stated, our group 



from the Roaring Twenties waltzed 
off with the Class of 1 9 1 7's reunion 
attendance trophy, with 44 registered 
for attendance at this reunion. 

Thus ended a wonderful reunion 
with everyone pledging to attend the 
5 5 th. Those attending were: 
Mr. & Mrs. Lyman C. Adams, Mr. Milton 
H. Aldrich, Mr. & and Mrs. Carl F. Alsing, 
Mr. & Mrs. Gabriel O. Bedard, Mr. & Mrs. 
Bernard N. Carlson, Mr. & Mrs. Arthur 
M. Cheney, Jr., Mr. & Mrs. Frederick R. 
Cook, Mr. & Mrs. Gifford T. Cook, Mr. & 
Mrs. Charles H. Decater, Mr. & Mrs. 
Chester C. Doe, Mr. & Mrs. John E. 
Driscoll, Mr. & Mrs. Charles G. Durbin, 
Mr. & Mrs. Theodore J. Englund, Mr. & 
Mrs. Frank J. Fleming, Mr. & Mrs. Everett 
W. Fowler, Mr. & Mrs. W. Bigelow Hall, 
Mr. & Mrs. Jacob J. Jaffee, Mr. Francis H. 



King, Mr. & Mrs. Frederick H. Knight, Mr. 
& Mrs. Allen E. Lawrence, Mr. & Mrs. 
Louis F. Leidholdt, Mr. & Mrs. William 
M. Lester, Mr. & Mrs. Walton P. Lewis, 
Mr. & Mrs. William A. Manty, Mr. & 
Mrs. Andrew F. Maston, Mr. & Mrs. Leo J. 
Melican, Mr. Forrest S. Nelson, Mr. & 
Mrs. Arthur W. Olcott, Mr. & Mrs. Har- 
land L. Page, Mr. & Mrs. Karl W. Penney, 
Mr. Donald P. Reed, Mr. Gordon E. Rice, 
Mr. a Mrs. Lester H. Sarty, Mr. & Mrs. 
Paul C. Schmidt, Mr. Roger K. Stoughton, 
Mr. & Mrs. Roger B. Tarbox, Mr. & Mrs. 
Frank C. Taylor, Mr. & Mrs. James W. 
Torrant, Mr. & Mrs. Robert M. Tucker, 
Mr. & Mrs. Harold R. Voigt, Mr. & Mrs. 
Charles A. Warren, Mr. Winslow C. 
Wentworth, Mr. & Mrs. Andrew L. Wil- 
kinson, and Mr. & Mrs. Julian Witkege. 



The WPI journal I August 1978111 



WPI Class of '38 — 40th Reunion 



Wednesday morning, June 7, 1978, 
finally dawned, bright and beautiful, 
and we were on our way to 
Wentworth-by-the-Sea for an all- 
too-short pre-campus reunion holi- 
day, ably arranged for us by Henry 
and Ros Ritz. 

Arrival time was about eleven a.m. 
so that we could be on deck as our 
classmates pulled in, many of whom 
we had not been in contact with since 
that happy but sad day, 40 years ago, 
when we all said farewell to WPI. 
Almost everybody was easily recog- 
nized — really hadn't changed a bit — 
as they came through the door with 
fairly quizzical expressions. Within a 
short time after arrival, some were on 
the golf course, some on the tennis 
court&a few brave souls were in the 
pool, while others, like ourselves, 
were just lazily sitting around com- 
paring notes. By cocktail time all of 
our expected group had arrived with 
Bob and Louise Taf t bringing up the 
rear, carrying word that Bea and Bob 
Day would not be along until Thurs- 
day morning. After a most noisy 
Happy Hour, forty- six jolly souls 
marched to a private dining room 
where a great roast beef dinner was 
served, (accompanied by Lancers — 
compliments of our Classmate, Dick 
Court, Manager of Convention Sales 
at Wentworth, and his lovely wife, 
Jen, who had joined us). After dinner, 
barely able to move and about three 
pounds heavier in spite of the fact 
that every last person was dieting in 
one way or another, we slowly made 
our way to the lounge, where some of 
our more agile members had an op- 
portunity to display the results of 
numerous hours of private lessons or 
just some steps picked up on their 
latest cruise. Most of our number 
made the fabulous buffet breakfast 
Thursday morning, sampled every- 
thing in sight from fresh blueberries 
to Eggs Benedict, and ambled off to 
face a hazy day. 



Before too long, Neil Fitzgerald, 
Dick Stuart, Henry Ritz, Dot and 
Andy Constant, Louise and Bob Taft 
and a few others were following each 
other behind that little white ball, 
some were back on the courts, and a 
three-car caravan was about to take 
off for Strawberry Banke in nearby 
Portsmouth, when Len Kuniholm, 
assisted by Ellen, in an effort to avoid 
creasing the rear bumper on the car in 
front of him — all of 1 o feet away — 
backed up, and down, into the top 
stair of a flight of cement steps. Need- 
less to say, Ruth Tolman, who was 
sitting over the rear right wheel, will 
remember the sudden descent long 
after the reunion has become ancient 
history. Ignoring suggestions of the 
hotel management to Call AAA and 
get the car quickly off the badly-bent 
guard rail and beautiful salmon- 
colored geraniums, which were at 
their early June best, Len quickly 
surveyed the situation and accepted 
the offer of the badly-maimed Ruth to 
use her car. We were soon on our way, 
leaving the obstruction on the stair- 
way to be attended to upon our re- 
turn, not by AAA, but by LMK, some 
rope, a spare tire, Bob Abbe and Dana 
Stratton. 

After a delightful two hours of 
roaming through the various build- 
ings at the Banke, we returned to late 
lunch at the hotel. The hardy folk 
bravely faced a huge repast in the 
main dining room. Those who were 
watching their figures joined the golf- 
ing crowd at the "Fairway," 
Wentworth's attractive club house, 
for a taste of New England clam 
chowder, a delicate, three-decker 
club sandwich, and a sundae (leaving 
off the nuts), then back to tennis, golf, 
jogging, bridge, writing cards or 
perusing the very lovely gift shops 
within the hotel — and before we 
knew it, the hands of the clock had 
reached six — a signal for all to climb 
into slacks and sweaters for a real old 



fashioned shore dinner, wisely 
moved from the shore to a corner of 
the main dining room, decked out in 
red and white checked tablecloths, 
where we picked up our much- 
needed large plastic bibs. The menu: 
steamers, corn on the cob, cold slaw, 
broiled live lobsters (or chicken), 
baked potatoes, hot rolls, watermel- 
on or ice cream. Later, in the lounge, 
while after-dinner drinks were being 
sipped, we were royally entertained 
by Dick and Jen Court, who are 
widely recognized as a talented radio 
and television singing team. 

The velvet lawns and colorful gar- 
dens at Wentworth were well- 
watered from above both nights, but 
the good Lord forgot to turn the 
sprinklers off on Friday morning, so it 
was inside for most of us after another 
visit to the tremendous array, called 
"breakfast" and packing. Fortunately 
(?!) at the suggestion of Rae Stratton, 
husband Dana and Dick Burke had 
both brought slides taken during the 
WPI Alumni trip to Greece last fall. 
The Strattons and Burkes were close 
companions during the trip, and 
while many duplicate scenes were 
shot and shown, almost everybody 
was polite and generous in their 
praise of the semi-professional pro- 
duction! 

Nobody was going to eat lunch, but 
practically everybody did, and it was 
all too soon time to say good-bye to 
the Courts, Wentworth, and a most 
memorable time. 

The temperature and weather were 
just about perfect as we gathered to- 
gether once again — the time, six 
p.m., the place, an attractive tent 
adjoining the Higgins House, the 
event, a delightful cocktail hour 
hosted by WPI with Vice President 
Ray Bolz and his gracious wife, Jean, 
substituting for President and Mrs. 
Hazzard, due to an untimely heart 
attack which had hospitalized Presi- 
dent Hazzard during the busiest time 
of his final year at WPI. All of the 
guests who had supped together in 
New Hampshire were assembled, 
and joined now by a number of new 
faces. We were all happy to have the 
opportunity to visit with Julia 
Graham, who had thoughtfully rear- 
ranged a New England tour so that 
she might briefly renew acquaint- 



12 I August 1978 I The WPI journal 




ances with the many friends with 
whom she and her late husband, 
Tom, had shared the joys of former 
reunions. 

Seven-thirty found us all seated at 
attractive round tables, set up in that 
most unusual and completely cap- 
tivating Higgins House — now pro- 
udly displayed and used as part of the 
Tech campus. The dinner was 
superb, and the brief speeches and 
sociability after, under the congenial 
leadership of our talented Alumni 
Director, Steve Hebert, led everyone 
into the proper mood to push on to 
the Sheraton Lincoln Inn, (some by 
way of the WPI Pub) where a hospital- 
ity room, capably supervised by Lefty 
and Grace Gamache proved to be a 
great way to end a great day — and 
into the next. 

Saturday, bright, breezy and glori- 
ous, made all of the activities on 
campus a joy to participate in. Tours 
of the campus, "WPI Today" with 
Dean William R. Grogan, a trip to the 
Worcester Art Museum and just vis- 
iting, took care of the a.m. The 
alumni luncheon at noon was most 
colorful, spread out on round tables 



under the trees on the grounds of 
Higgins House. Happy and proud 
moments for the class of '38 came 
about when Bob Taft, Chairman of 
the untiring reunion gift committee, 
made up of Dick Burke, Dick Elliott, 
Ray Perreault, Henry Ritz and Fran 
Swenson, presented with a huge 
blow-up of a check for $60,418, the 
largest class gift ever presented to the 
Institute, and when two classmates, 
Bob Taft and Dick Burke, received 
Herbert F. Taylor Awards recognizing 
outstanding involvement with the 
College through the years. Mrs. 
Taylor, charming widow of Herb 
Taylor, gave an excellent speech after 
the presentations and was warmly 
received by all. 

Saturday evening a group of ninety 
gathered at the Sheraton for an ele- 
gant surf and turf dinner. Paul and 
Hazel Bergstrom presented each of us 
with a jaunty, genuine plastic sailor 
"skimmer" sporting a bright red '38' 
and an attractive WPI double old fash- 
ion glass; and Walter and Toni Knapp 
distributed a superb 40th Reunion 
Yearbook — the fruit of many hours 
of preparation by Walter. Walter 



Knapp's election as Permanent Class 
Historian was followed by the pre- 
sentation of silver trays to the ones 
who traveled the farthest — Ravi and 
Indumati Kirloskar, from Bangalore, 
India — with Doris and Dick Cloues, 
from Saudi Arabia a close second; the 
ones with the greatest number of 
grandchildren, again, the Kirloskars; 
the ones with the youngest child, 
Walter Howard; and the one with the 
least amount of hair, Bob Somerville. 

The popular "Ragtime Rowdies" 
provided music for the last chance to 
display our terpsichorean ability, 
then on to the hospitality room until 
early morning when the time had 
come to say the fond "good-byes" — 
and a promise to "do it again" in five 
years. 

One wife's parting remark 
summed up, quite well, the atmo- 
sphere which had pervaded the entire 
four days when she said "I feel as 
though I have eighty-nine new 
cousins" — and the rest of us whole- 
heartedly went along with her senti- 
ments. 



The WPI Journal i August 1978 13 








— — 



.. . 






*■« 




4 



A, 






Page at left, clockwise from upper left: 
Winners of the Herbert F. Taylor award for 
outstanding alumni participation and 
involvement, Richard F. Burke, Jr., '38 and 
Robert M. Taft, '38, shown with Mrs. Taylor. 

David G. Holmes, '53, presents a check for 
$26,814 to Acting President of the Institute 
Ray Bolz. The gift has been applied to the 
Boynton Hall renovation. Also that day 
Gabriel O. Bedard presented $47,704 as the 
50th reunion gift of the Class of 1928. 

Charlie Loveridge, '48, chats with the Karl 
Penneys ('28) during the Reunion Luncheon. 

Bob Day (left) and Dick Burke, Jr. (rt.l, 
both '38, talk with Leon Hitchcock, '08, 
attending his 70th reunion! 

George T. Abdow, '53, president of 
Abdow's Big Boy restaurants, receives the 
Robert C. Goddard award for outstanding 
professional achievement from WPI Board 
Chairman Milton P. Higgins. 

This page, clockwise from top: Acting 
President Bolz receives a symbolic check 
from Class of '38 President Dick Burke, Jr. 

Alan R. Pearlman, '48, recipient of the 
Goddard Award, shown here with Alumni 
Director Stephen J. Hebert, '66. Pearlman is 
chairman of the board of ARP Instruments. 

lohn H. McCabe, '68, pictured with 
William A. Julian, '49, president of the 
Alumni Association. McCabe was the first 
recipient of the John Boynton Award for 
outstanding involvement with WPI by a 





The WPI Journal : August 1978 I IS 



Class of '53 — 25th Reunion 



Friday afternoon and early evening 
found the Fuller Apartments begin- 
ning to fill with some early bird arri- 
vals. The Hospitality Room was in 
full operation offering refreshment 
and relaxation to weary travelers 
with Fred and Irene DeBoer, John and 
Nan Leach, Dave and Bettie Van 
Covern, and John and Joan Morrill 
among the first to partake. The 
Goat's Head Pub that evening hosted 
all classes at a "Good Old Days Get- 
Together" complete with banjo band 
(Sanford Riley Commons was never 
like this)! New arrivals joined the 
early birds including Dick and Janey 
Davis, Paul and Anna May Snyder, 
Dave and Ruth Holmes, Dave and 
Nancy Beach, Jack and Mary Lou 
Gearin, Ted and Carol Fritz, Bill and 
Lorraine Ernst. The renewing of old 
friendships was in full swing. So be- 
gan, for the Class of '5 3, a super 
weekend of congeniality, sharing of 
memories, inspiration, and just plain 
fun. 

Saturday morning dawned bril- 
liant, clear and fresh, providing a per- 
fect backdrop for the events of the 
day. Tours and talks occupied the 
morning for many. Others continued 
the conversations and story telling of 
the previous evemng. More new faces 
appeared with Ken and Norma 
Shiatte, Don and Lenore Campbell, 
and Ray and Patricia Giguere. 

The Alumni Luncheon at the Hig- 
gins House Saturday now was a 
memorable event. All classes 
gathered at tables spread on the mag- 
nificent grounds of the Higgins 
House. Grounds where we once were 
forbidden to tread now welcomed us 
in grand style. Still more 5 3'ers ar- 
rived with Chuck Dechand, Harry 
and Virginia Brown, George and Janet 
Abdow, Bob Lunger, Ken and Diane 
Healy, Chuck and Ann Home, Don 
and Betty Oliver, John and Carol Mo- 
rin, Bill and Jane Nagel. After a de- 
lightful luncheon, the program began 



with a welcome by Acting President 
Ray Bolz on behalf of President Haz- 
zard who was still recuperating from 
his recent heart attack. A highlight of 
the affair was the presentation of one 
of the Robert H. Goddard Awards to 
classmate George Abdow, an honor 
which he rightly deserves for his suc- 
cesses in the business world and his 
service to the community. A second 
highlight was the presentation by 
Dave Holmes of the Class Gift. And it 
was a fine gift in the form of a $37, 1 62 
check to the College. With the clos- 
ing of the luncheon ceremonies, the 
tours resumed, the Hospitality Room 
reopened and the re-living of good 
times continued. 

The crowning event of the 
weekend was the Reception and 
Dinner at the Higgins House Satur- 
day evening. The captivating Old En- 
glish atmosphere of this marvelous 
house provided a perfect setting. 

One-by-one more classmates ar- 
rived for cocktails on the terrace — 
John and Alice Gregory, Ken and 
Norma Haaland, Vyto and Patricia 
Andreliunas, Henry Camosse, Herb 
and Janet Peterson, Mike and Barbara 
Cariglia, John and Mary Flynn, John 
and Sabra Flood, Dan and Ann Hock, 
Phil and Harriet Kaminsky, Whit and 
Carol Mowry, Gene and Faye Rubin, 
Henry and Louise Vasil. Our faculty 
guests for the evening included Ray 
and Jean Bolz, Bob and Jean Pritchard, 
and Carl and Arline Koontz. Ken and 
Betty Scott joined us for the recep- 
tion. 

After extreme difficulty, our very 
patient photographer succeeded in 
getting everyone organized for the 
Class picture . . . and a handsome 
group it was. 

Dinner was served and the rem- 
iniscing continued. About this point, 
it was becoming apparent that this 
was a reunion for many of the wives 
as well as for the '5 3'ers. Many of us 
had married college sweethearts (ab- 



out 50% according to the survey) and 
many wives were from the Worcester 
'area. 

After dinner, all assembled in the 
Great Hall. Acting President Ray 
Bolz, Bob Pritchard, and Carl Koontz 
provided words of wisdom seasoned 
with some salty stories and other 
remembrances of the Class of ' 5 3 . All 
were having such a good time, a straw 
vote indicated we should re-assemble 
for our 30th Reunion. After the 
words, the music and dancing came 
and so ended our visit to the Higgins 
House. At this point, many "retired" 
to the Hospitality Room in the Fuller 
Apartments and continued the fes- 
tivities into the wee hours of the 
morning. 

Sunday morning was a time for 
good-byes at the Brunch in Morgan 
Hall. 

To the members of the Class of '5 3 
who couldn't be with us — we missed 
you. The members who were there 
send our enthusiastic greetings. WPI 
is a great college deserving of our 
involvement and support. Here's 
hoping the 30th Reunion brings more 
of us together. 



161 August 1978 I The WPI Journal 






Above: Gene Rubin, Mike Cariglia, and 
lohn Gregory celebrate their 25th Reunion. 
Here they are chatting with WPI Dean of 
Undergraduate Studies William R. Grogan, 
'46. 

At left: Walter Dennen, '18, models the 
freshman beanie he first wore in the fall of 
1914. 



The WPI Journal August 1978 V 




Jim Hensel agreed, and in 1960 he 
began teaching English at WPI. For 
two years he taught only English, but 
once a philosopher, always a philoso- 
pher, so he sneaked such writers as 
Plato, Kierkegaard, and Camus into 
his English courses. 

The students really cottoned to 
these literary philosophers, as well as 
to such scientific philosophers as A. 
N. Whitehead, F. S. C. Northrop, and 
Hans Reichenbach. They learned 
that scientists, including Einstein, 
Planck, and Eddington, had written 
on such "philosophical" issues as 



WPI's philosopher-artist-writer 



How did a writer for the "slick" mag- 
azines, a blueberry farmer, an artist, a 
photographer, and a furniture builder, 
with a degree in philosophy from 
Yale, first become a member of the 
WPI English faculty? 

"It was like this," says Prof. James 
Hensel, currently a professor of phi- 
losophy and associate head of the 
Department of Humanities at WPI. 
"It was the late 1950s, and the 'slick' 
market was beginning to dry up. Col- 
liers had already folded, and The 
Saturday Evening Post was on the 
skids. Fiction, at which I had made a 
living for twelve years, was definitely 
less in demand. I decided that I should 
look into another profession, perhaps 
teaching." 

Since the Hensels already had a 
home in Friendship, Maine, Jim took 
a creative writing post at the Univer- 
sity of Maine for a year. "Then one 
day my wife, Anita, took out a map 
and pointed to Friendship, where we 
were then living, and then to New 
York City," he says. "She reminded 
me that we still had strong family ties 
in New York (my mother lived there), 
and that we both occasionally en- 
joyed the cultural advantages of the 
city where my writing career had 
begun. She then pointed to Worces- 
ter, which is practically dead center 
between Friendship and New York. 
'There's the perfect place to look for a 
teaching job,' she said. 'We could 
summer in Maine and easily visit 
your mother during the theater and 
ballet season.' " 



idealism vs. realism, determinism vs. 
freedom of choice, and the founda- 
tions of moral, religious, and artistic 
values. They liked Hensel's concept 
of philosophy so much that in the 
mid-1960s they petitioned the dean 
to institute the first philosophy 
course into the curriculum. It natu- 
rally followed that Jim Hensel be- 
came the first professor of philosophy 
at WPI. 

In the May- June 1964 issue of the 
WPI Journal, Prof. Hensel said in his 
article, "A New Dimension in Liberal 
Studies at Tech — Philosophy," that 
the overall objectives of the philoso- 
phy course would be to familiarize 
students with the principal phil- 
osophical issues and the important 
philosophers, and to help them 
clarify, develop, and deepen their un- 
derstanding of themselves and their 
relationships to their work and their 
culture. 

Today there are two full-time pro- 
fessors of philosophy at WPI teaching 
six philosophy courses, plus two 
others teaching courses that 
crisscross over into religion. 

Student enthusiasm is still much 
in evidence on campus. "There is a 
current student of whom I am espe- 
cially proud," Hensel reports. "Tom 
Murray, '79, was an IQP student of 
mine. He taught philosophy to fifth 
graders at Vreeland Street School in 
Worcester in order to meet his project 
requirements. His course was called 
'Thinking About Thinking,' and the 
children were really fascinated with 



it. When the course was finished, 
they didn't want Tom to leave. They 
kept asking when he was going to 
comeback." 

Prof. Hensel has made his mark at 
WPI. In 1968, while he was still 
teaching English as well as philoso- 
phy, he began serving as adviser for 
the student-instigated Creative Writ- 
ing Workshop and literary magazine, 
The Tech Review, a purely voluntary 
post which he held for several years. 
"The Workshop was voluntary for 
all of us from the very beginning," 
Hensel says. "The students received 
no credits, and I donated my time." 

Encouraging her husband in his 
new venture, Anita Hensel said, 
"Well, if you can't sell it [creative 
writing advice] give it away!" 

"Reading one's piece aloud and 
then having it critically analyzed by 
the other members of the group was 
the main business of the Workshop," 
Hensel explains. "Our Wednesday af- 
ternoon meetings, however, had a 
faintly 'subversive' quality about 
them. After all, shouldn't the stu- 
dents really have been doing their 
physics or strength of materials?" 
Prof. Hensel outlined the objec- 
tives of the Workshop in his article 
"An Experiment in Creativity" 
which was published in the WPI 
Journal. Student poems and stories 
also began appearing in the Journal, 
as well as The Tech Review. 

"Everyone connected with the 
Workshop agreed that pieces pre- 
sented before the Workshop for 
evaluation, or for eventual publica- 
tion, showed a definite commitment 
by the writer, a much more positive 
attitude than the mere dashing off of a 
sketch or a poem that would end up 
in a desk drawer," Hensel recalls. 

Meanwhile, Hensel was involved 
in some off-campus writing of his 
own. His article, "Are Engineering 
Students Square?", was published in 
College English. "Just for the record, " 
he says with a grin, "I answered 'no'." 

Prof. Hensel's unique teaching 
methods were recognized in 1973 
when he was named "Teacher of the 
Year" at WPI. He was also a member 
of the committee that put together 
the first faculty constitution, and was 
the first elected secretary of the WPI 
faculty. 



18 I August 1978 I The WPI Journal 




Presently, Hensel serves as as- 
sociate head of the Department of 
Humanities under department head 
Prof. Donald E. Johnson. "We are 
concerned with such things as hiring, 
scheduling, and the entertaining of 
faculty members in our department," 
he explains. 

The latter duty turned into an un- 
expected pleasure for the Hensel fam- 
ily. "A few years ago," he says, "our 
daughter Melissa and her roommate 
from B.U. were on hand when we 
were welcoming two new faculty 
members. One was Dr. Lance Schac- 
terle, a young English professor. 
Lance and Melissa are now married 
and expecting their first child." 

Jim Hensel is not always teaching, 
however, and he and his wife are not 
always welcoming new faculty or a 
prospective son-in-law. Many of their 
happiest days are spent at their 65- 
acre salt water farm in Friendship, 
Maine. 

"We bought the place in 1 948," 
Hensel says. "It was an ideal spot for a 
writer to get away from it all. We 
loved New York, but it was too hectic 
living there day in and day out. And 
those three-martini lunches with 
editors — !" 

So, the Hensels ended up in Friend- 
ship in an 1820 brick house located 
on a point with two inlets, plus their 



own private island. For a while they 
augmented their income by growing 
blueberries. "There was a time," 
Hensel reports, "when we grew two 
tons of blueberries annually and sold 
them to the canning companies. It's 
too expensive to raise the berries on 
such a large scale these days, " he goes 
on. "Now we just raise enough to 
keep us in blueberry pies." 

The family spends every summer 
in Friendship and makes periodic 
trips there during the winter, al- 
though they have a young couple 
"house sit" for them during the off- 
season. "Come June, there's always 
plenty of work to be done on the 
house," Hensel says. "Maine winters 
are hard." 

He does much of the repair work 
himself, and especially loves working 
with wood. He has built chairs, ta- 
bles, and couches from scratch. One 
of his pet projects was his transforma- 
tion of a twelve-foot-long oak table 
into two loudspeaker cabinets, a new 
table, and a commode. He also cut up 
some 12' by 16" cellar boards and 
made, among other things, a 32" by 
48" table, which always arouses the 
curiosity of guests. "Is that an an- 
tique?" they ask, seeing the marks 
from hobnail boots through the pro- 
tective wax layer. 

As Maine has nourished Hensel, 



the writer, it has also nourished Hen- 
sel, the artist. "Mainly I do nudes and 
landscapes over vacation," he says. "I 
paint for myself, but wouldn't object 
to a sale." 

He likes to gather Maine- 
weathered boards, not only for use in 
building furniture, but also for use as 
unusual "canvases" for his paintings. 
"I use a thin layer of acrylic paint," he 
says, "which lets the texture of the 
original wood show through." 

While he does the major share of 
his actual painting during the sum- 
mer in Friendship, his penchant for 
the arts is still evident back at WPI. 
Not only do his pictures hang in his 
office, but he teaches "Philosophy of 
Art," and a course in painting, "Con- 
cepts in the Arts," in the Art, Music, 
Drama, and Cinema series. He is also 
into photography, has his own dark- 
room, and develops "lots of Maine 
pictures." 

Should he retire tomorrow from 
teaching, Jim Hensel could probably 
easily make a living building custom 
furniture, painting, or taking photo- 
graphs. But one cannot help but get 
the feeling that even now he is getting 
writer's itch. Is there an Esquire arti- 
cle in the works? A book, perhaps? 
He enjoys reminiscing about his 
writing days, the days when writing 
fiction was not only fun, but profit- 
able: "When Melissa was a little girl, 
she pulled an envelope I had inadver- 
tently discarded, out of the waste 
basket. It had a $500 check from 
Hollywood inside! — One of my 
stories, 'On a Dark Night,' was trans- 
lated all over the world and had been 
made into a television play. Funny 
thing about that story. It was about a 
college teacher, and I wrote it long 
before I ever dreamed of becoming a 
professor myself." 

(Funny thing about that story. Al- 
though Jim Hensel is now, indeed, a 
college professor, the feeling persists 
that, somewhere at his new home on 
Grove Street, or at his salt water farm 
in Maine, there's a sheet of paper in 
the typewriter, and what's written on 
it has nothing whatsoever to do with 
philosophy!) 



The WPI Journal I August 1978119 




1923 



Warren Bell, former vice president and treasurer 
of Sweeney and Bell, Inc., New York City, is 
retired. 



1912 

Eric Benedict, who retired twenty-three years 
ago to Cape Cod writes: "There's no place to 
compare with it." Currently he resides in Or- 
leans, Mass. 



1916 

Wellen Colburn continues as moderator of the 
historic First Parish Church in Shirley Center, 
Mass. He is town chairman of the Red Cross 
Blood Donor Program and a member of the 
United Church of Shirley choir. He still enjoys 
working with his eleven apple trees. 

1918 

Ivan Coggeshall received the IEEE Service Award 
this year in recognition of his "dedicated contri- 
bution over a span of fifty years to the engineer- 
ing profession through his service to IRE and 
IEEE, and his leadership in integration of wire and 
radio media through his wise counsel and action 
as officer and staff member of technical and 
professional organizations." He has served as a 
director and president of IRE, secretary and 
manager of technical operations of AIEE, and 
editor of IEEE's administrative newsletter. In 
1 942 he helped to organize IRE's New York 
section. He began his career with Western Union 
working on land-line telegraphy and submarine 
cables. In 1953 he received an honorary docto- 
rate in engineering from WPI. He is a retired 
commander in the U.S. Naval Reserve. 

1919 

During graduation ceremonies at St. Joseph's 
College in Standish, Maine on May 14th, Ray 
Heffernan was awarded an honorary degree. 
Mr. Heffernan, chairman of the board of direc- 
tors of H. H. Brown Shoe Company, was recog- 
nized for his commitment to his faith, his busi- 
ness success, and his civic endeavors. In recogni- 
tion of his apostolic efforts, he was made a 
Knight of Malta by Pope Pius XII in 1946 and a 
Knight of the Holy Sepulchre. Mr. Heffernan, 
who received the Goddard Award from the 
Alumni Association in 1972, is also a member of 
the President's Advisory Council at WPI. 

1922 

Edward Colesworthy retired this year from me- 
chanical engineering. He continues to reside in 
Zellwood, Fla. 



20 1 August 1978 I The WPI Journal 



1924 



Formerly a self-employed consultant in Olean, 
N.Y., Edward Beardsley is now retired and living 
in Clearwater, Fla. He serves as president of the 
association of the condominium in which he 
resides. He says that Winfield Gove was "here 
for a while last winter." . . . WillardGallotteison 
a temporary assignment (8 to 12 months) as a 
consultant for Metro Transit in Seattle, 
Washington. "This is a DC. trolley system re- 
habilitation and expansion project," he writes. "I 
average about twenty-four hours of work a 
week." 



1926 

Ken Archibald, executive vice president of the 
Springfield (Vt.) Chamber of Commerce, has 
recovered from cancer and heart surgery, and 
continues to ski downhill and cross country. Ken 
commutes to Springfield each day, a fifty-mile 
round trip from Ludlow, and estimates that he's 
driven the same "lousy" road about 2,000 times 
or 100,000 miles. Presently he is lobbying to 
have the road improved so he can continue his 
"chosen vocation asasenior citizen." . . . "Red" 
Burns is an associate in Betty M. Brothers Real 
Estate in Summerland Key, Florida. 



1929 



Fred McGowan writes that last October, while 
driving alone on Interstate 95 near his home in 
Guilford, Conn., he suffered a heart attack, went 
off the road wrecking his car, and landed in the 
intensive care unit at Yale-New Haven Hospital 
for several weeks. Now recovering, he reports 
excellent results from treatment and expects 
shortly to be in good shape. 

A former licensed professional engineer, he 
had been with Pratt & Whitney Aircraft in East 
Hartford, where he was engaged in designing 
exotic rigs for the testing of advanced jet aircraft 
engines. He took early retirement in 1970, and 
now collects antique prints and restores dam- 
aged prints. 

He has worked on some rare Currier & Ives 
prints, which currently command substantial 
prices. In 1 973 he was cofounder of the Ameri- 
can Historical Print Collectors Society, which is 
devoted to the collection and preservation of 
early prints. 

Fred cautions about the indiscriminate de- 
stroying of old posters and manufacturers' 
catalogs of the nineteenth century, as they often 
contain valuable information. He would be glad 
to hear from companies or individuals with old 
material they wish to discard. His address is: 38 
Peddlers Rd., Guilford, Conn. 06437. 



1930 

Myrton Finney says that he is a proud grand- 
father. His grandson, a senior at Stroudsburg 
(Pa.) High School, was selected as the 1977 
scholar-athlete of the Lehigh Valley chapter of 
the National Football Foundation and Hall of 
Fame. The chapter covers fifty-five high schools 
in central eastern Pennsylvania. 

1931 

Giving truth to the story that you can't keep a 
good man down or retired, Al Demont has just 
completed his second "recall to active duty" as 
acting director of cooperative and career place- 
ment at the Schenectady (N.Y.) County Com- 
munity College. He served from Nov. 1977 until 
April of this year. He writes: "My new retirement 
occurs as the golf season opens here. Good 
timing, don't you think?" Al is a WPI trustee 
emeritus. . . . The Hurant Tashjians are planning 
to visit their daughter, Gloria, who is spending 
the current academic year at the Mathematics 
Institute, Czechoslovak Academy of Sciencies, in 
Prague, where she is an exchange scientist. . . . 
Milton Gleason, who retired from L. S. Starrett 
Co. after more than thirty-seven years, is cur- 
rently museum curator and a director of the 
Athol Historical Society, which is housed in a 
beautiful 1 50-year-old church. He is also direc- 
tor, clerk, and part-time machine repair techni- 
cian for his brother's company, the L. H. Sawin 
Co. in Gardner. He has served for fifteen years 
on the Athol Board of Public Works and is up for 
reelection for another three-year term. 

1933 

Frank Eaton, Jr., writes: "On April 1st we moved 
into our new home in Port St. Lucie, Fla. After 
last winter, it's not hard to take Florida living! 
Hope to see all you '33grads, if you're down this 
way." . . . Donald Haskins has retired as super- 
visor of reliability engineering at Thiokol Corp. 
Prior to retirement, he worked on the Space 
Shuttle solid propellant rocket booster motors, 
the largest production solid rocket motors in the 
world, which are now being flight tested. Al- 
though they have only recently returned from an 
8,300-mile cross country trip, the Haskinses are 
looking forward to another trip east for their 
45th reunion. Don says, "For all those who 
haven't already retired, get with it. It's great!" 

1934 

Charles Dayton is retired as district manager for 
GE electric utility sales, Philadelphia, Pa. 

1935 

B. Austin Coates retired June 1 st from Heald 
Machine, Worcester, following forty years of 
service. . . . Samuel Ehrlich, who has retired after 
thirty-three years in engineering and manufac- 
turing of ordnance, is now "happily engaged in a 
second career as president of Metro Mfg. Co., 
Inc., of Herndon, Va." (The firm manufactures 
contemporary furniture.) His son, Richard, is 
corporation secretary and general manager. . . . 
Russell Fargo has retired from Pratt & Whitney 
Aircraft. C. Gordon Lincoln, who retired 
some time ago after serving eighteen years with 
Morse Twist Drill and twelve years with Union 
Twist Drill, now lives 240 miles north of San 
Francisco, about six miles from Lake Shasta. . . . 
George Makela's third grandchild, Melinda Sue, 
arrived March 24th. He notes: "Everyone is 
doing well." 



1936 

Jack Brand, director of Engineering Develop- 
ment Laboratory, recently chose voluntary re- 
tirement ending over forty-one years' service 
with Du Pont. He originally joined the firm in the 
former Industrial Engineering Division at Rem- 
ington Arms Co., Bridgeport, Conn. Later he was 
transferred to llion, N.Y. In 1943 he was as- 
signed to the Manhattan Project. After studying 
nuclear physics at the University of Chicago, he 
became senior supervisor and superintendent of 
instruments at Oak Ridge, Tenn. In 1948 he 
moved to the former Mechanical Development 
Lab as section supervisor, and in 1955 became 
assistant director. He was promoted to his pres- 
ent post in 1969. 

He was responsible for engineering develop- 
ment programs on improved processes and 
equipment for photo products, plastic products 
and resins, central R&D, biochemicals, fabrics 
and finishes, and textile fibers departments. He is 
a fellow of ASME and a registered professional 
engineer in Delaware. 

Jack and his wife, Dorothy, will remain in the 
Wilmington area. In May they cruised to Spain, 
France, and Britain. Now back home they plan to 
spend more time with their five grandchildren. 
Jack also hopes to be able to concentrate more 
on his greenhouse and photography. 

A. Hamilton Gurnham writes that "My cus- 
tomers, a 200-unit condo and a small construc- 
tion company, keep me from full retirement." 
He and his wife, Martha, live in Pompano Beach, 
Fla., where he does part-time bookkeeping and 
accounting. 

1937 

John Chapman retired last October as manager 
of information services at American Optical Co. 
in Putnam, Conn. 



1938 

J. Randolph Buck retired March 1 st as assistant 
director of the production and reservoir en- 
gineering department at Michigan Consolidated 
Gas Co., where he specialized in oil and gas 
production and gas storage. Presently he is an 
independent petroleum consultant in Pass Chris- 
tian, Mississippi. . . . Raymond Dunn, a GAIU 
representative since 1 948 and a member of the 
union for forty years, has retired. He was presi- 
dent of the former Local 21 of the Amalgamated 
Lithographers of America (ALA), now 
Springfield-Hartford Local 264. In 1958 he ran 
for the office of international president of ALA. 
He spent forty-four years in the lithography 
trade, starting out at Worcester Engraving & 
Litho, and then worked at Polygraphics, Graphic 
Arts, Western Printing, and Hano Co., which he 
helped organize. Upon his retirement, he was 
presented with a gift of a trip to Las Vegas by 
members of Local 264. . . . Peter Koliss is a 
department head at Bell Labs in Whippany, N.J. 

1939 

Roland Anderson, who resigned from the U.S. 
Army in May, is now president of TKI, Limited in 
Warren, Mich., a family holding company. He 
and his brother, Lennart, '46, have edited their 
mother's book, The King Makers, a history of the 
August N. Anderson family. Anderson's son 
Linwood has a farm in Roscoe, III. Daughter 
Linnea will be an RN, and Annika will be a 
commercial photographer. Myron received his 
BSCE from the University of Michigan this year, 
and Roland II is in Sweden working as an en- 
gineer for the federal government. 



Keith McKeeman recently finished his first 
year of retirement from J. C. Penney Co., Inc., 
where he was chief industrial engineer. He and 
his wife Evelyn have moved to Silver Bay on Lake 
George in the Adirondacks, and have found it is 
easy to become involved in a smaller town. He 
writes that their younger son, Bruce, was mar- 
ried last year and that their older son, Alan, will 
be married this summer. Harold White has 
been promoted to the post of corporate vice 
president at Norton Co., Worcester. For the past 
two years he has been serving as managing 
director for the Northern Europe Division. For- 
merly, he was managing director of Norton's 
English subsidiary White, a graduate of WPI's 
School of Industrial Management, joined Norton 
in 1 946, and has held a variety of manufacturing 
management positions in the U.S., Canada, and 
Great Britain. 

1940 

Arthur Koerber, a camp ranger at Girl Scout 
camps since 1972, retired on May 15th. 

1941 

Capt. Norman Klaucke, currently a commercial 
fisherman in Massachusetts, writes: "Since the 
200-mile limit went into effect, fishing is improv- 
ing rapidly. The present controls limiting catches 
were badly needed." . . . James McGinnis is now 
division engineering manager of depreciation 
and separation at New England Telephone & 
Telegraph Co., in Boston, Mass. He has accepted 
the 40th reunion gift committee chairmanship at 
the request of Donald Smith, class president. 

1942 

E. Curtis Ambler has been appointed to the new 
position of vice president-research and product 
engineering for the Stanley Industrial Hardware 
division of the Stanley Works. The new position 
results from the division's increasing involve- 
ment in the original design as well as the man- 
ufacture of parts for other manufacturers. 

Ambler, who holds seven product patents, 
joined Stanley in 1967 as manager of research 
and product engineering for the power tools 
division. Subsequently he became project man- 
ager in the corporate product development de- 
partment, and chief engineer for technical ser- 
vices for the corporate laboratory. In April of last 
year, he was named senior product engineer for 
the Industrial Hardware division. In August he 
was appointed manager of engineering for Stan- 
ley Industrial Hardware. 

Prior to joining Stanley, Ambler had been 
senior product engineering manager for 
Veeder-Root, Inc., had been associated with 
Ingraham Co., and had served as director of 
engineering for Landers, Frary, and Clark. 

He was a three-term member of the 
Newington, Conn. Town Council; is a director of 
the Newington Children's Hospital; safety of- 
ficer of the local volunteer fire department; and 
treasurer of the Central Connecticut Regional 
Authority for Solid Waste Management. He is a 
lieutenant commander in the U.S. Naval Re- 
serve, and has five children. He has served as a 
WPI class agent. 



Still with Electric Boat in Groton, Conn, Philip 
Camp is now ship manager Harold Crane 

says that after five years of jogging, he can 
almost keep up with the girls when the NASA 
Running Club holds two-mile races. With his 
15-year-old son Allen, he has resumed his high 
school hobby of building and flying rubber- 
powered model airplanes. . . . Eric Essen writes 
that he has a new career — teaching and 
business counseling. His youngest son just 
graduated from UMass. "Now we have a 
banker, a salesman, a soil scientist, and a teacher 
wife," he says. 

Jim Fernane, retired from the Federal Com- 
munications Commission after thirty-four years 
of service, is becoming increasingly involved 
with flying and amateur radio operation, both of 
which have been his major hobbies for several 
years. He attends local and cross country prac- 
tice flights, and refresher clinics on updated 
instrument procedures, mountain flying, avia- 
tion weather, and survival training. He plans to 
utilize his commercial pilot's license to carry 
passengers for hire on sightseeing or charter 
flights. 

"As for ham radio," he says, "design of an 
acceptable amateur band antenna entails unique 
problems that I never encountered in Prof. 
Newell's radio engineering courses back in the 
40's." The prime requirement is that the antenna 
maintain a low profile in the 800-unit apartment 
complex where he resides, "otherwise my 
neighbors will be blaming my activities as the 
source of every malfunction that may occur in 
their TV sets." 



1943 

Currently Richard Bonnet holds the post of 
technical assistant to the vice president of opera- 
tions at Avtex Fibers, Inc. in Front Royal, Va. . . . 
William Currie, a Cleveland State University law 
student, has been named chief staff engineer for 
Parker's Hose Products Division in Wickliffe, 
Ohio. . . Arnold Jones, divisional vice president 
and general manager of the materials division at 
Norton Co. since 1974, has been promoted to 
corporate vice president of the Worcester firm. 
Formerly, he was divisional vice president and 
general manager of engineering and construc- 
tion services. He joined Norton in 1946. He is a 
graduate of the Advanced Management Pro- 
gram at Harvard Business School and the WPI 
School of Industrial Management. . . . Friend 
Kierstead, Jr. recently became problems editor 
for the Journal of Recreational Mathematics. 

1944 

Irving James Donahue, Jr., has been elected a 
vice president of Memorial Hospital, Worcester. 
Jim, who is president of Donahue Industries, 
Inc., Shrewsbury, is a WPI trustee, and a past 
president of the Alumni Association . . . Richard 
Holden now serves as senior engineer at Singer 
Co.-Kearfott Division in Little Falls, N.J. . . . 
Kimball Woodbury has been elected to the 
board of managers of the accumulation fund of 
the Paul Revere Variable Annuity Insurance Co. 
The five-person board directs investment policy 
of the fund. Woodbury is president of Wood- 
bury and Co., stationery engravers, Worcester. 



The WPI Journal i August 1 978 1 21 



1945 

Dr. Carl Clark has gone back into safety re- 
search. Currently he is concerned with occupant 
packaging for the Office of Vehicle Structures 
Research at the National Highway Traffic Safety 
Administration in Washington, D.C. . . . Bob 
Duffy says that he is semi-retired, but staying 
active selling real estate through the Century 21 
Gitomer & Co. in Cherry Hill, N.J. 

Lee Seccombe was recently named chief en- 
gineer for Gripnail Corporation of Bristol, R.I. 
Previously he was manager of machine devel- 
opment at Bostitch Corporation, East 
Greenwich. He had also been with the Stanley 
Works and Arthur G. Russel Co. At Gripnail he 
will be responsible for all engineering functions, 
including product design and development, 
manufacturing engineering, material specifica- 
tion, application engineering, quality control, 
drafting, and the metallurgical laboratory. The 
firm makes industrial fasteners for securing insu- 
lation and other materials to metal surfaces. . . . 
Dr. Albert Talboys has just completed a three- 
year assignment on a United Nations water 
project in Trinidad. He is retired and lives in 
Longwood, Florida. 

1946 

Theodore Balaska, director of engineering ser- 
vices for Bishop Electric division of Sola Basic 
Industries, has been named chairman of the tests 
and measurements subcommittee of the Insu- 
lated Conductors Committee, Power Engineer- 
ing Society, IEEE. He served as publications 
chairman for IEEE's UT& D Conference in 1976; 
will serve as executive vice chairman of the 
Atlanta T & D conference next year; and as 
executive chairman of the Minneapolis confer- 
ence in 1981. 

Prior to joining Bishop Electric eight years ago, 
Balaska had been with Hartford Electric Lt. Co.; 
Long Island Lighting Co.; Phelps Dodge Copper 
Products Corp; and Bishop Manufacturing Corp. 
His utility experience has encompassed field 
engineering and supervision of the installation, 
maintenance, and operation of cable systems 
from secondary networks to 1 38 KV transmis- 
sion systems. 

He has written several technical papers, and is 
a member of the Power Engineering, Industry 
Applications and Electrical Insulation Societies. A 
member of CIGRE, he also belongs to the Pacific 
Coast Electrical Association, the National Associ- 
ation of Corrosion Engineers, Northwest Electric 
Light & Power Association, and National Society 
of Professional Engineers. His name is listed in 
Who's Who in the East and in the Dictionary of 
International Biography. Last year, business trips 
took him to, among other places, West Ger- 
many, England, Yugoslavia, Sweden, Australia, 
Singapore, Hong Kong, and Japan. 

In April Dr. John Lott Brown was inaugurated 
as the third permanent president of the Univer- 
sity of South Florida in Tampa. In his inaugural 
speech, Dr. Brown stressed the need for univer- 
sities to close the gap between town and gown 
by devising educational programs to meet com- 
munity requirements. "I have come to the Uni- 
versity of South Florida because I see it as an 
institution which can achieve a leadership role in 
higher education," he said. "If we are to achieve 
this, we must cast our lot with our community. 
We must serve students in a wide range of ages, 



and we must provide special programs for busi- 
ness and industry in our area. At the same time, 
we must accept our responsibility as a university 
for the preservation of our intellectual and cul- 
tural heritage." 

The ceremony, characterized as modest, but 
enthusiastic, was highlighted by a proud proces- 
sion of 200 educators in colorful regalia. U.S. 
Representative Sam Gibbons of Tampa and Dr. 
Robert Q. Marston, president of the University 
of Florida, were speakers. 

Dr. Brown won the U.S. F. presidency over 200 
national candidates. Formerly, he was director of 
the Center for Visual Science at the University of 
Rochester (N.Y.). He is also a WPI trustee. 

Robert Hamilton was recently named general 
sales manager of the abrasives marketing group 
at Norton Company, Worcester. He has been 
with the company for thirty years, and has held 
general management positions in the U.S., 
Mexico, and Great Britain. Earlier he was director 
of market development for the abrasives market- 
ing group. He graduated from the Advanced 
Management Program at Harvard Business 
School. 

1947 

Carrol Burtner is presently area director of the 
San Francisco office for the Occupational Safety 
and Health Administration. He is a professional 
engineer in Massachusetts and California; a 
CPCU (chartered property and casualty under- 
writer); and has a diploma in risk management. 

Dr. Edward George addressed the Wallingford 
(Conn.) Rotary Club in April. In his talk, "Com- 
puters and their Uses," Dr. George gave a brief 
outline of the computer industry growth, de- 
fined terms, and discussed typical business and 
technical applications. He was elected to Who's 
Who in Computers in 1964; American Men of 
Science in 1968; New York Academy of Sciences 
in 1 967 .Leading Men in the U.S. A. in 1967; and 
Who's Who in America in 1974. He developed 
the first on-line admissions and registration sys- 
tem at the University of New Haven, and the first 
computerized simulation of product assembly. 

Dr. William Rice is spending his sabbatical 
year from the chemical engineering department 
of Villanova (Pa.) University at the University of 
Delaware. He is working on sodium sulfate as a 
phase change material for thermal energy 
storage at the Institute of Energy Conversion. 

1948 

Paul Anderson, the regional environmental en- 
gineer for the Massachusetts Department of 
Environmental Quality Engineering, Lakeville, 
was unchallenged as a candidate for a one-year 
term on the board of selectmen in Middleboro. 
Previously he was a selectman from 1952 to 
1959 and from 1963 to 1975. 

Robert Donnan, a senior engineer with IBM, 
recently moved to the IBM Centre d'Etudes et 
Recherches near Nice, France, where he is con- 
tinuing his work in communications systems 
architecture and standards. He has held a variety 
of engineering and managerial assignments with 
the firm, starting in Poughkeepsie, NY. in 1951 
and later in Reno, Nevada; Tacoma, 
Washington; and Kingston, NY. In 1967 he 
became manager of communications products 
architecture with the responsibility for the de- 
velopment of IBM's Synchronous Data Link 
Control in Raleigh, N.C. SDL has since been 
adopted by the American National Standards 
Institute and the International Organization for 



Standardization as a data communications stan- 
dard. Bob and his wife Doris enjoy visits from 
state-side friends and plan to have their two 
grandchildren with them this summer. . . . 
Continuing with Electric Boat, Groton, Conn., 
Sameer Hassan is now a chief of engineering. 

Sal Intagliata has been named general man- 
ager of the Perkin-Elmer Corporation's Wangco 
Division and a vice president of the corporation's 
Data Systems Group. He will direct the division's 
day-to-day operations, including engineering, 
manufacturing, marketing, quality assurance, 
finance and administration. Formerly, he was 
general manager of General Instrument Corpo- 
ration's memory products division. Wangco is a 
leading producer of computer peripheral mass 
storage devices. The Data Systems Group man- 
ufactures, sells and services a fully-integrated 
line of mini-computers, magnetic storage 
peripherals, and CRT and printer-based termi- 
nals. ... Dr. Robert Lerner is a member of the 
Harvard (Mass.) Planning Board and Energy 
Policy Committee. . . . Charles Mouradian is 
presently supervisor of construction engineering 
at Electric Boat. 

1949 

Robert Bareiss has assumed the chairmanship of 
the Management Sciences Division of TAPPI. A 
leader in the division since its formation in 1 972 , 
he had served as chairman of the statistical 
applications committee, and division vice chair- 
man. He is also a member of the process control 
committee of the engineering division, the 1 978 
nominating committee of the board of directors, 
and of the editorial board of TAPPI magazine. He 
is director of process control technology at the 
Technical Center of St. Regis Paper Co. in West 
Nyack, NY. His responsibilities include process 
analysis and control, mathematical and statistical 
services, instrument development, and lumber 
processes. Prior to joining Regis in 1966, Bareiss 
was with Curtiss-Wright; the Torrington Co.; 
Lessells and Associates; and was a member of 
the faculty of the College of Engineering at the 
University of Nevada. He has worked with 
United Way and is on the board of directors of 
the Mental Health Association of Rockland 
County, N.Y. He belongs to the Minisceongo 
Yacht Club on the Hudson River. The Bareisses 
have a daughter, Lisa, and two sons, Seth and 
Alex. 

Samuel Franc, Jr., recently joined Raiser Con- 
struction Co. in San Mateo, California, where he 
is the senior estimator and project manager. He 
reports that it was a great surprise to find fellow 
alumnus Fred Kolack, '73, also working at 
Raiser. Currently the company has a Sheraton 
Hotel, a high rise HUD housing project, and a 
four-story office building on the boards. . . . 
Continuing with Burns & Roe, Inc., Woodbury, 
N.Y., Maurice Nirenstein is now writing specifi- 
cations and administering contracts for nuclear 

power plant projects Dr. Charles Selwitz has 

received a gold service award pin marking his 
25th year of employment with Gulf Science and 
Technology Co., Harmarville, Pa. He was 
awarded his PhD in organic chemistry from the 
University of Cincinnati. In 1953 he joined Gulf 
as a chemist. Today he is director of synthetic 
chemistry. 



221 August 1978 I The WPI Journal 



1951 

Charles Bouchard has been appointed national 
sales manager for metals industry sales at Wes- 
tinghouse in Pittsburgh, Pa., following a major 
restructuring of the firm's industry products 
marketing organization. Bouchard, with the 
company since 1951 , has held sales and mana- 
gerial positions in Boston, Worcester, Buffalo, 

and Pittsburgh Charles Mulrenan is still with 

the Chicago South Shore and South Bend Rail- 
road, the last electric interurban railroad in the 
U.S. (1500 volts, direct current catenary). Last 
year he became a licensed real estate broker 
after having taken the required course of study 
and passing the state examination. . . . Ramsey 
Sheikh is president of Leighton Industries, Inc., 
Phoenixville, Pa. 

1952 

Richard Bennett is back in his old office due to 
the merger with Dean Witter and Reynolds 
Securities. The firm is now called Dean Witter 
Reynolds. . . . Robert Favreau has been elected 
president of the Greater Pottsville (Pa.) Area 
Chamber of Commerce. He is manager of the 
Exxon Chemical plant at Marlin. Earlier he was 
with Du Pont in Richmond, Va. He has been a 
plant executive at Exxon since 1965, and man- 
ager since 1970. He has been a director and first 
vice president of the Chamber of Commerce; a 
director and past president of the Manufacturers 
Association of Schuylkill County; a past presi- 
dent of Schuylkill Country Club; and a member 
of the board of directors of the Children's Home 
in Mechanicsville. The Favreaus have two 
daughters. . . . Lee Tuomenoksa is currently 
director of the Digital Terminal Laboratory at Bell 
Laboratories in Holmdel, N.J. 

1953 

David Beach was recently appointed program 
manager for medical products instrumentation, 
business and professional products, at Kodak 
Apparatus Division (KAD) in Rochester, N.Y. He 
joined Kodak in 1953, and until his most recent 
promotion , was project design manager for con - 
sumer products engineering in the KAD. He 
belongs to the Society of Photographic Scientists 
and Engineers, and the Rochester Chamber of 
Commerce. KAD is the company's center for the 
manufacture of still and movie cameras and 
projectors, optical goods, and other photo- 
graphic equipment. 

Brady Buckley now holds the post of general 
manager of marketing at Keene Corp. in New 
York City. . . . James Merrill, SIM is director of 
industrial engineering at Interlake, Inc., Chicago, 
III. . . . Thomas O'Connor has been named 
chairman of the Central New England College 
Engineering Department in Worcester. He had 
been a faculty member about twenty years and 
had been associate academic dean and director 
of registration . A past president of the Worcester 
County chapter of the WPI Alumni Association, 
he had also served as an officer of the Poly 
Booster Club. He belongs to the Worcester 
Board of Health Advisory Committee on Lead 
Paint and Rodent Control, and the Worcester 
Personnel Managers' Association. . . . Petros 
Petrides works as an engineering specialist at 
General Dynamics-Electric Boat. 



1954 

Joachim (John) Herz holds the post of executive 
vice president of New Hermes, Inc., in New York 
City. . . . Donald McEwan, newly-elected presi- 
dent of ITT Avionics Division, was guest speaker 
at the January meeting of the Management 
Employees Association of ITT Avionics and ITT 
Defense Communications. In December ITT 
Avionics was honored as "Company of the 
Month" at a meeting of the International Man- 
agement Council (Metropolitan New Jersey 
Chapter). 

A new planning and engineering organiza- 
tion, Meckler Energy Group, was launched in 
April by Milton Meckler, P.E., former president 
of the Energy Group, a subsidiary of Welton 
Becket Associates, and long identified nationally 
with major energy-related projects. 

The new firm will offer complete planning, 
consulting, and design services for building au- 
tomation and utility systems, as well as energy 
management programs and related feasibility 
studies for new or existing structures. Headquar- 
ters are in Encino, Calif. 

Meckler has personally designed many signifi- 
cant solar energy and heating developments, 
alternate energy concepts, and related testing 
and measurement disciplines for private industry 
and government. 

In April he addressed the solar evaluation 
conference in Washington, D.C. and presented a 
paper at the Second International Helioscience 
Institute at Palm Springs, Calif. In February he 
presented a paper for a solar workshop in San 
Francisco. 

Active in a dozen professional societies, Meck- 
ler has written over ninety articles in power 
engineering, building, and architectural journals. 
McGraw Hill is publishing his book on energy 
conservation for buildings and industry later this 
year. He is a registered professional engineer in 
ten states, holds U.S. and overseas energy- 
related patents, and has been granted an NEC 
Council certificate. 

1955 

Hugh Bell, president, chief executive officer, and 
founder of Dataline Corporation, has an- 
nounced the move of corporate headquarters 
from 49 Locust Ave. to larger facilities at 4 
Danbury Road in South Wilton, Conn. Bell, 
generally regarded as one of the top twenty 
computer technologists in the country, invented 
and developed the Dataline system, which is 
acknowledged as the first software and com- 
puter applications package available to the 
lumber and building material industry. His fast- 
growing nationwide company has offices in 
Charleston, S.C., Houston, Texas, and San Fran- 
cisco. Previously Bell was a principal of Scientific 
Data Systems before it was sold to Xerox. . . . 
Kirby Ducayet III serves as controller of Kimberly 
Clark Corp ./California Forest Products Business 
Division in Anderson, Calif. 

Brian Kelly, president of the class of 1 955, has 
been promoted to general marketing manager 
for Bell of Pennsylvania. Earlier he had been 
division operations manager for Bell in a five- 
county area extending from Pittsburgh north. 
He joined Bell after graduating from WPI, and 
later attended LaSalle College and Cornell Uni- 
versity. He earned a master of science degree in 
management from MIT, where he was a Sloan 
fellow. In his new post he will be responsible for 
sales and service to business, industry and gov- 
ernment accounts, as well as for the introduction 
of major new services and equipment developed 
by Bell. 



1956 

Continuing with General Dynamics-Electric Boat 
in Groton, Conn., Robert Betchley currently 
holds the post of senior engineer. . . . Paul 
Cnossen has joined ATF-Davidson Co., Inc. of 
Whitinsville, Mass., where he is a senior project 
engineer responsible for new projects with au- 
tomated graphic arts equipment. Previously he 
had worked as a senior manufacturing engineer 
at BIF, a unit of General Signal, and in various 
capacities at Norton Co., Worcester. . . . Richard 
Roberts holds the post of supervisor of engineer- 
ing at Electric Boat. . . . The Rev. Paul Schoon- 
maker has just published a new book, The Prison 
Connection — A Lay Ministry Behind Prison 
Walls. Recently he and his wife, Joan, were 
given a trip to Puerto Rico in celebration of his 
tenth year with the Royersford (Pa.) Baptist 
Church. ... Dr. Roger Tancrell is presently 
principal research scientist for Raytheon Re- 
search division in Waltham, Mass. 



1957 

Warner Clifford remains with Stone & Webster, 
Boston, where he is resident manager. . . . 
Donald Craig is flying as a DC10 and 707 
co-pilot and enjoying San Francisco and the 
Barbados. He also owns and operates Wescon 
Tax Service, which specializes in income taxes for 
airline personnel. Occasionally he builds a house 
to sell. . . . Leon Morgan, an executive vice 
president of United Illuminating Co., New Ha- 
ven, Conn., has been elected a director of the 
utility. He has been with the company since 
1957. . . Art Nedvin and his family are returning 
home to Stamford, Conn, following a four-year 
stint in Japan. Art has a new job as director of 
business systems planning for IBM America/Far 
East Corporation. The Nedvins' oldest son, 
Mark, a National Merit Scholar, will attend Cor- 
nell University this fall. Looking forward to their 
return to the U.S. are Laurie, 15, and Brian, 13. 

1958 

Jasper Freese, owner of Freese Engineering, 
Greeley, Colo., acts as Weld County surveyor 
and serves on the City of Greeley zoning board 
of appeals. . . . Joseph Gill recently announced 
the purchase of Vee-Arc Corporation of 
Westboro, Mass. Vee-Arc designs and manufac- 
tures direct current motor drives and portable 
electric grinders. Previously Gill had been elected 
executive vice president of the C. EM. Company 
of Danielson, Conn., and had held earlier man- 
agement positions with Kaydon Bearing of 
Muskegon, Mich, and Fafnir Bearing Division of 
Textron in New Britain, Conn. Dr. Joseph Man- 
cuso, '63, serves on the company's board of 
directors. Vee-Arc supplies standard and high 
performance DC drives to manufacturers of 
machine tools and other machinery builders 
throughout the country. 

Richard Hammond, president of Hammond 
Engineering Corporation, has announced that 
his firm has purchased J. A. Jubb Company. The 
new company specializes in all types of insula- 
tion, and deals in vinyl and aluminum siding, as 
well as combination windows and doors. Ham- 
mond, who has extensive experience in building 
construction and design, was plant manager for 
the firm of RobertShaw for five years during 
which time he supervised the construction of the 
firm's new facility. His wife, Ruth, a graduate of 
UMass, is treasurer and accountant for the cor- 
poration. . . William Juhnevicz holds the post of 
engineering supervisor at Electric Boat. 



The WPI Journal I August 1 978 1 23 



1959 

John Bonk is now district manager of facilities 
engineering at Bell Telephone of Pennsylvania in 
Philadelphia. ... V. James Cinquina, Jr., has 
formed his own executive search firm, Merlin 
International, Inc., in Ramsey, N.J. The firm 
specializes in health care and life sciences. It 
places physicians, scientists, and technical 
people with the pharmaceutical and health care 
industry. . . . Tim Hurley has left Sangamo 
Weston, Inc. after eighteen years. Currently he is 
involved with commercial real estate with W. H. 
Daum & Staff in Los Angeles, Calif. His respon- 
sibilities include sale and leasing of office build- 
ings, restaurants, and shopping centers, in the 
South Bay, L.A. Airport area, and downtown Los 
Angeles. 

Richard Keats is now a program manager for 
Raytheon Company in Wayland, Mass. . . 
Robert Massad presently serves as a senior 
product engineer for diamond products, at Bay 
State Abrasives, Westboro, Mass. . . . Edward 
McKeon holds the post of manager of product 
development at Farm Bureau Insurance Co., 
Lansing, Mich. ... In February, Robert Price 
joined the L. Hardy Company in Worcester as 
plant engineer. ... In March William Pursell, Jr., 
became vice president of manufacturing for 
Hinderleter Energy Equipment Corporation in 
Tulsa, Okla. He, his wife, Judy, and sons John, 
15, and David, 14, live in Broken Arrow, Okla. 
. . . Richard Ronskavitz serves as an engineer II in 
the traffic engineering division for the Depart- 
ment of Transportation in Broward County, Fla. 
He, his wife Louise and sons, David and Michael, 
reside in Ft. Lauderdale. 



1960 

Martin Beck, who is assistant director of research 
and development for Cabot Corp. in Billerica, 
Mass., was a candidate for the four-year term on 
the Pepperell planning board. Professionally he 
is involved primarily in the areas of long-range 
planning and administration of a multi-million- 
dollar budget. He belongs to AICE, ACS, and 
served in the 26th Yankee Infantry Division for 
eight years. Presently he serves as vice chairman 
of the town's Charter Study Committee. . . . 
Kevin Burke is a strategic planning analyst for 
the U.S. Navy in Armish-Maag Arspo, Iran. 
. . .Richard Loring holds the post of technical 
manufacturing manager in the film division at 
Polaroid Corp., Waltham, Mass. He is involved 

with the SX-70film system Norman Barry 

Mack, a field representative for the New York- 
Arden general agency of National Life Insurance 
Company of Vermont, has won membership in 
the 1978 Presidents Club and is among the firm's 
outstanding agents nationwide. He is located in 
Plainview. Membership in the Presidents Club 
recognizes outstanding client service and sales 
and includes the opportunity to attend a five- 
day educational conference in Bermuda. . . . 
Continuing with Electric Boat, John Pickering III 
is presently a senior engineer. . . . Harry Ray has 
been named field sales manager in the rubber 
chemicals division at Monsanto Industrial Chem- 
icals Co., Cleveland, Ohio. Previously he was 
sales manager for industrial rubber products. He 
joined Monsanto in 1960 in the organic division, 
and advanced through a number of positions in 
the organic, rubber and process chemical, and 
rubber chemicals divisions. Monsanto's rubber 
chemicals division, with manufacturing plants in 
ten countries, is a leading worldwide supplier of 
chemicals, testing instruments, and equipment 
used by the rubber industry. . . . Myron Smith 
works as general manager at Solvents Recovery 
Service in Southington, Conn. 

24 I August 1978 I The WPI Journal 



1961 

^■Born: to Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Staats a 
daughter Monica Jane on April 21 , 1978. Pres- 
ently Staats works as first assistant engineer on 
tankers from International Ocean Transporta- 
tion Corp. of Philadelphia hauling Alaska crude 
oil to refineries in the Gulf and Puerto Rico. Last 
year he and Torill Kamsvaag were married in 
Norway. 

Henry Allessio, vice president of William E. 
Hill & Company, the management consulting 
division of Dun & Bradstreet, was recently 
quoted extensively in the New York Times as 
well as in "Forbes 30th Annual Report on Ameri- 
can Industry." According to Allessio, an industry 
expert, fundamental changes are occurring in 
the automobile replacement parts industry. He 
believes that uninterrupted growth is a thing of 
the past. "Technical obsolescence is the key 
problem today," he says. For example, mass 
merchandising of batteries guaranteed for the 
life of a car has severely cut into the replacement 
battery market, causing an industry slowdown. 
The market for engine oils may be shrinking as 
well, as the small-car trend has meant smaller 
crankcases. Summing up, he says that only the 
most alert, technologically advanced companies 
supplying the replacement market are likely to 
grow in the future. Allessio, a former president of 
the New York chapter of the Alumni Association, 
is currently head agent and admissions chair- 
man. 

Thomas Chace, SIM, is president of Rollmet, a 
division of Wyman Gordon in Irvine, Calif. . . . 
Bradley Hosmer has joined AMF Incorporated, 
White Plains, as director of marketing for indus- 
trial products. His responsibilities include looking 
for business opportunities, investigating market- 
ing trends, and serving as a consultant to the 
business units to assist their growth and devel- 
opment. For the past two years Brad has been 
vice president of special products for the Branson 
Sonic Power Company, makers of industrial and 
biomedical equipment in Danbury, Conn. With 
Branson since 1972, he was responsible for 
developing and marketing special assembly 
equipment. In 1974 he was promoted to vice 
president of manufacturing. Earlier he had been 
with Booz Allen Hamilton. . . . Allen Johnson is 
now a field sales engineer with Intel Corp in 
Dayton, Ohio. 

Herbert Moores, who was appointed to first 
full-time town engineer in Newburgh, NY. four 
years ago, has been appointed interim super- 
visor to fill a vacancy caused by death. Previously 
he was a special management consultant to the 
New York State Division of the Budget and the 
State Narcotic Control Commission. He had also 
been principal engineer with the Orange County 
Department of Public Works. He did graduate 
work at RPI and the Graduate School of Public 
Affairs at SUNY. . . . Still with IBM, John Ryerson 
is now manager of IBM Corporate l/S Decision 
Support Systems in Armonk, NY. John and Toni 
live in Ramapo with children David, 7, and 
Mechele, 4. . . . John Tompkins, Jr., is president 
of Argus Sanitation Service in Troy, N.Y. His firm 
provides site investigation, design, plan ap- 
proval, construction and operation maintenance 
in the fields of water supply, sewage disposal, 
drainage and other site improvements. The 
company deals with existing home and commer- 
cial site owners, as well as community devel- 
opers. Tompkins, a civil engineer and licensed 
real estate broker, served for over eleven years as 
assistant public health engineer in the Rensselaer 
County Health Department, Division of En- 
vironmental Hygiene. 



1962 



>Bom: to Mr. and Mrs. Joel Freedman their first 
child, a son David Jeffrey last July. 

Richard Allen holds the post of supervisor of 
customer software support at Gerber Scientific in 
South Windsor, Conn. ... Dr. Michael Davis is 
participating in a new executive MBA program 
at Northeastern University in Boston. The pro- 
gram, designed for top level managers, meets 
one day a week for a year and a half. . . . Robert 
Hall has been named manager of technical 
services at Johnson Steel & Wire Co. in Worces- 
ter. He previously was with New England High 
Carbon Wire Corp. and has had fifteen years of 
experience in the production and testing of high 
carbon wire. In his new post he will have charge 
of the quality control departments at the 
Johnson steel plants in Worcester, Akron, and 
Los Angeles. He belongs to the Wire Association, 
American Society for Metals. . . . Thomas Hol- 
land, who received his MS in systems manage- 
ment from U .S.C. last year, is presently manager 
of the commercial department at Person & Per- 
son, Inc., Sumner, Washington. He is a general 
contractor for residential and business struc- 
tures. 

Peter Martin is with J. F. White Contracting 
Co. in Newton, Mass. . . . John Matson presently 
holds the post of district sales manager for 
Carrier Air Conditioning Co., New York City. He 
and his wife Sarah have three children and live in 
New Canaan, Conn. . . . Still with 3M Company 
as a sales representative, James Mayer is now 
located in Cleveland. . . . Navy Commander 
Brian J. O'Connell was recently promoted to his 
present rank while serving at the U.S. Naval War 
College in Newport, R.I. He joined the Navy in 
1963, and is now with the U.S. Navy Public 
Works Center, San Francisco. . . . John O'Mal- 
ley, SIM, controller at Holden District Hospital, 
has been accorded advanced member status in 
the nationally-recognized Hospital Financial 
Management Association. He has served as con- 
troller and director of fiscal services at Holden for 
twelve years. Earlier he was assistant treasurer 
and controller at Wain-Roy Corp., Fitchburg. He 
has been working for his MBA at Anna Maria 
College. . . . Peter Parrino presently works as a 
research associate in radiation therapy at 
Washington University School of Medicine, St. 
Louis, Mo. He and his wife Rita have a son Chris, 
1 1 , and daughter, Nici, 7. ... Charles Roessler 
continues with General Dynamics-Electric Boat, 
where he is an engineering specialist 

1963 

^■Married: Dr. Peter F. Lilienthal II and Miss 
Tana Ann Fairfield in Wilton, New Hampshire on 
January 21, 1978. Mrs. Lilienthal attended 
Framingham State College and is with the word 
processing department at Exxon's corporate 
headquarters in New York City. Her husband, 
who received his PhD from the University of 
Illinois, is a research leader at Western Electric's 
Engineering Research Center in Princeton, N.J 
>Born: to Mr and Mrs Robert Gowdy a son 
William Henry on February 25, 1978. The Gow- 
dys have two other children, Jay, 10, and Cel- 
lissa, 9. 

Still with Farrel Co. in Ansonia, Conn., Alfred 
Bartkiewicz is now industry manager for polyoli- 
fens at the firm. . Paul Cahalen is a partner in 
Process Engineers, Inc., Hayward, Calif. . . . 
Roger Flood serves as director of operations for 
Badger's London office. . . . Earl Fratus holds the 
post of president of Fratus Construction Co., 
Inc., in Houston, Texas. 








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For more information, please forward a resume detailing your background and career goals to: 
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We are an equal opportunity employer, m/f. 



Jim Kelly has started his own manufacturing 
representative firm, Kelly Equipment Co. . . . 
Robert Magnant's book, Domestic Satellite: An 
FCC Giant Step, is currently recommended read- 
ing for members of the telecommunications 
industry. A reviewer writes: "Rarely can a book 
about telecommunications and its regulation 
rate high praise for its readability. .. but this book 
is beautifully written. . . It covers much more 
than satellites. ... It reviews the history of 
communications regulation and especially its 
recent development of competition in telecom- 
munications." The 296-page book is available 
from Westview Press in Boulder, Colo. Magnant 
is chief engineer and technical director for the 
U.S. Army Communications Electronics En- 
gineering Installation Agency in Ft. Ritchie, Md. 

Ed Polewarczyk holds the position of resident 
materials manager in the Space Shuttle Program 
for Rockwell International Space Division, Dow- 
ney, Calif. He is currently stationed at Sunstrand 
Corp. in Rockford, III. Active with BSA, Ed also 
gives speeches and slide shows on the Space 
Shuttle Program to various interested organiza- 
tions. . . . Ronald Pueschel was recently pro- 
moted from manufacturing manager to opera- 
tions manager at Philips Medical Systems, Inc., 
Shelton, Conn. . . . Dennis Snay has been named 
assistant to the regional executive of Mas- 
sachusetts Electric at company headquarters in 
Worcester. Previously he was central division 
manager of consumer services in Worcester. In 
1963 he joined the company as a commercial 
sales representative in Maiden. Later he became 
local commercial sales manager for the firm in 
Marlboro. A registered professional engineer, he 
has done graduate work in engineering man- 
agement at Northeastern University. . . . Warren 
Standley is a member of the technical staff at 
TRW-Energy Systems Division in McLean, Va. 
. . . NishanTeshoian serves as manager of mate- 
rials at Gardner Denver Co., Quincy, III. . . . Bill 
Zinno, project manager for inventory manage- 
ment systems at Dresser Clark, spoke about 
manufacturing control in business before the 
Penn-York chapter of the American Production 
and Inventory Society last April in Olean, N.Y. 
He has been with Dresser Clark for two years. 
Previously he was with Industrial Nucleonics 
Corp. in Columbus, Ohio. He and his wife Janice 
and three children reside in Allegany, N.Y. 



1964 

Continuing with Boeing, Robert Bridgman is 
now assigned to the Boeing Co., Del City, Okla., 
at Tinker AFB. . . . William Clark III has been 
named "Engineer of the Year" by the main office 
section of the New York State Association of 
Transportation Engineers. A thirteen-year em- 
ployee of the N.Y.S. Department of Transporta- 
tion and Thruway Authority, Clark is currently 
the technical services engineer in the Bureau of 
Thruway Maintenance. In that post he coordi- 
nates all engineering research at the Thruway 
and also serves as the materials engineer for 
maintenance. Major research accomplishments 
at the Thruway include development and im- 
plementation of : 1 . a quality assurance system 
for asphalt concrete pavement mixes; 2. paving 
techniques especially designed for overlaying 
old pavement; and 3. asphalt concrete mem- 
brane mastic mixtures for waterproofing re- 
habilitated bridge decks. Before joining Thru- 
way's engineering staff, Clark spent six years 
with N.Y.S. Department of Transportation's Re- 
search Bureau. He wrote nine research reports 
then, two of which were presented at meetings 
of the National Academy of Science's Transpor- 
tation Board in Washington, D.C. In 1971 his 
report, "Computer Simulation for Quality As- 
surance in Asphaltic Concrete Production" was 
selected as the best research paper by a young 
engineer. A licensed professional engineer, he 
belongs to the N.Y.S. Association of Transporta- 
tion Engineers, the Transportation Research 
Board, ASCE, and the Association of Asphalt 
Paving Technologists. For six years he has served 
as the Civil Service Employees Association's shop 
steward for the professional, scientific, and 
technical employees in the Thruway's headquar- 
ters in Albany. Clark and his wife Mary Ellen have 
two children. 

Dr. Gary Goshgarian, associate professor of 
English at Northeastern University, gave a lec- 
ture, "Science Fiction — The World Ain't What it 
Used to Be" before the Connecticut branch of 
the Armenian Students' Association in Hartford 
last April. Dr. Goshgarian received his PhD from 
the University of Wisconsin. Last year his book, 
Exploring Language, was published by Little, 
Brown & Co. . . . Dave Healy, a lieutenant 
colonel in the Marine Corps, retired from the 
Corps on July 1st "to commence a new career." 
. . . Continuing with Electric Boat, Groton, 
Conn., Alfred Malchiodi, Jr., is currently chief of 
engineering. . . . Bob Morse, president of Traffic 
Systems Co., Inc., a traffic signal construction 
company in Clinton, Mass. reports that a new 
company, Fiber-Optics Sales Co., Inc., has been 
formed to market Valtec's line of traffic signals 
and related products. (Valtec Corporation, the 
leading manufacturer of fiber-optic equipment 
for traffic control and highway safety, is located 
in West Boylston, Mass. Morse has been repre- 
senting Valtec in New England through Traffic 
Systems Co. for two years.) Fiber-Optics Sales 
Co. will market fiber-optic pedestrian signals, 
lane control signals, two-color vehicle turn ar- 
rows, and otherfiber-optic related equipment in 
the New England area. Increased demand for 
fiber-optic traffic equipment is attributed to the 
efforts of New England cities and towns to save 
money through energy conservation. Generally, 
fiber-optic traffic signals use one-third the en- 
ergy of conventional signals, and offer improved 
visibility, resistance to vandalism, and reduced 
maintenance. 



1965 



Dr. Brad Barber serves as a research associate in 
the division of nuclear medicine at the University 
of Arizona Health Science Center in Tucson. . . . 
Donald Carlson is assistant to the managing 
director of NSK-Torrington Co., Ltd. in Tokyo, 
Japan. The firm is affiliated with the Torrington 
(Conn.) Co. . . . Stephen Cloues received a 
master's degree in religious education from 
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 
May. . . . James Hammett, Jr., recently moved to 
Florida where he is the marketing manager of 
Tesdata-lnmet, a growing systems and in- 
strumentation company. He writes: "The chal- 
lenge is enjoyable." . . . Russell Koelsch works as 
a senior mechanical engineer at EBASCO Ser- 
vices in Newport Beach, Calif. 

The Canton (Ohio) Regional Society of Pro- 
fessional Engineers has awarded the 1978 
"Young Engineer of the Year" award to Larry 
Phillips. Larry, a registered professional en- 
gineer in both Ohio and Pennsylvania, and a 
professional surveyor in Ohio, is presently em- 
ployed as an associate member at Hammontree 
& Associates, Ltd., Consulting Engineers and 
Surveyors. He is primarily responsible for the 
sanitary, environmental, and industrial sections 
of the firm. 

He belongs to NSPE, Canton Regional Society 
of Professional Engineers, Engineering Founda- 
tion of Ohio, and Akron Area Consulting En- 
gineers. He is a membership chairman for both 
the state and Regional Society of Professional 
Engineers, and vice president of the Akron- 
Canton chapter of ASCE. Previously Larry was 
secretary-treasurer of the Akron section of ASCE 
and vice president and president of the Canton 
Joint Engineering Council. One of his published 
articles was "Plastic Bubble Houses Construc- 
tion." 

He has been active with the Kiwanis, the 
Methodist Church, Doylestown Joint Planning 
Commission, Rogues' Hollow Historical Society, 
and Akron Art Institute. Also, he has served as a 
volunteer for the Grand Masters Tennis 
Tournament. He and his wife, Sue, reside in 
Doylestown with their two sons. 

Howard Sachs was recently promoted to as- 
sociate professor of anatomy at the University of 
Illinois in Chicago. He was also appointed as 
assistant dean of the Graduate College, Medical 
Center campus. . . . Chester Slyk, SIM is a 
production manager for American Optical in 
Brattleboro, Vt. . . . Dr. John Wright is now an 
associate professor at UNH in Durham. 



1966 

>Born: to Mr. and Mrs. Robert A. Sinuc a 
second son, Adam, on March 15, 1978. (Adam 
has a brother, John, 8.) Sinuc is currently em- 
ployed by GE/Noryl Plastics in Selkirk, N.Y, 
where he is manager of the resin plant. 

Continuing with Eastman Kodak, Rochester, 
N.Y., John Carosella presently serves as a senior 
optical engineer. . . . Irvin Havens, Jr., SIM, of 
Bay State Abrasives Division, Westboro, Mass., 
has been awarded $200 in conjunction with a 
patent application filed for him as part of a 
corporate patent recognition program spon- 
sored by Dresser Industries, Inc. Havens, man- 
ager of inorganic product development, has 
developed a high strength vitrified bonded 
wheel. He holds a BS in ceramic engineering 
from Alfred University and an MS from Clemson. 
He has been with Bay State since 1957. . . . 



26 / August 1 978 I The WPI Journal 



Michael Mauro is now a senior engineer at 
General Dynamics-Electric Boat in Groton, 
Conn. . . John Morawski graduated last year 
with an MS in industrial administration from 
Union College, Schenectady, NY. ... Dr. Frank 
K. Pfeiffer was recently promoted from assistant 
professor of management to associate professor 
of management at Nichols College, Dudley, 

Mass Stuart Roselle, still with Central Illinois 

Public Service, is presently a special projects 
engineer with the firm in Springfield. . . . Donald 
Ruef serves as a supervisor T & D of the North 
Slope for Sohio-BP Alaska of Anchorage. . . . 
Peter Sommer, a patent attorney with Sommer & 
Sommer in Buffalo, NY., writes that he and his 
wife have purchased a "Big, old house, and are 
busy restoring it." 

1967 

P-Married: Steven J. Frymerand Anne E. Pres- 
cott on September 24, 1977. The bridegroom is 
an assistant civil engineer for the Massachusetts 
Department of Public Works in Boston. 

Fawn Realty (Century 21) of Nashua, N.H., 
with Gregory Goulet as president, recently re- 
ceived four plaques from the Southern New 
Hampshire Multiple Listing Service for sales 
leadership. Goulet is also president of Carey 
Development Corp., a Fawn affiliate, which has 
purchased land in Amherst for a 49-lot subdivi- 
sion featuring fifty acres of open space and 
conservation land. Fawn purchased Jelley As- 
sociated Realty in Hudson and established its 
first branch office there last summer. An addi- 
tional corporation is called Fawn Homes, which 
allows Fawn to build homes on Carey Develop- 
ment Corp. land as well as on land owned by 
others. Goulet expects to build twenty-four 
homes during the next year. He and his wife, 
Barbara, have an adopted son, Timothy Michael, 
one. 

Presently John Kuenzler holds the post of 
senior application engineer at Honeywell, Inc. in 
Fort Washington, Pa. He and his wife Marilyn 
have two children and reside in Chalfont. . . . 
"Pete" Picard is with the construction and main- 
tenance division in the management procedures 
branch at the Federal Highway Administration in 
Washington, D.C., where he is a highway en- 
gineer. 



1968 

>Born: to Mr. and Mrs Robert Pleines a son 
Thomas Joseph, on April 15, 1978. 

Donald Aldrich presently serves as engineer- 
ing supervisor for Du Pont at the F & F depart- 
ment's Philadelphia plant. He and his wife Lois 
have two children, Lori, 4 1 /2, and Bradley, 2 1 /4. 
. . . Michael Babin is now with Tudor Engineer- 
ing Company (consulting engineers and plan- 
ners) in San Francisco David Baxter works as 

a project engineer at Torin Corp., Torrington, 
Conn. . . . John Colognesi, vice president of the 
Southbridge (Mass.) Sheet Metal Co., also 
serves on the board of directors of the Chamber 
of Commerce; is co-chairman of the industrial 
division of the United Way Fund; and a cor- 
porator of the Southbridge Savings Bank. He and 
his wife are active with the Gateway Players 
Theater, with John working behind the scenes as 
technical chairman and Pat as the properties 
chairman. 



William Gross, Sr., SIM, is treasurer and man- 
ager of international sales at Dymo Business 
Systems, Inc., Randolph, Mass. . . . Dave 
Gumbley has been promoted to engineer 3 and 
transferred to Cherry Hill, N.J. with Getty Refin- 
ing & Marketing Co. . . . Steven Halstedt was 
recently named to the board of directors of 
Telesis Corporation, a major cable television 
company. He is chairman of the audit committee 
of the board — Donald Holden is now a project 
engineer at Abbott Laboratories in North 
Chicago, III. . . . Stephen Holub serves as a sales 
engineer with the Davison Chemical Division of 

W. R. Grace & Co., Media, Pa Vincent 

Kubert, SIM, is a project engineer for Harris 
Corp. -Commercial Press Division in Pawcatuck, 
Conn. 

Andrew Lesick is a computer systems analyst 
at the Naval Underwater Systems Center in New 
London, Conn. His current project involves a 
real-time data acquisition system which will be 
used to analyze acoustic data aboard a deep sea 
vessel in the Atlantic Ocean this summer. 

Ray Racine is employed as a rotating equip- 
ment specialist at Aramaco Services Co. in Hous- 
ton, Texas. He and his wife Rebecca have two 
children. . . . Scott Ramsay is now controller and 
assistant treasurer at George C. Shaw Company, 
South Portland, Me. . . . David Rice has been 
promoted to manager of manufacturing systems 
applications at Inmont Corp., a subsidiary of 
Carrier Corporation. He and his wife Linda and 
two children, Jeffrey, 4 1 /2, and Melissa, V/2, 
reside in New Milford, N.J. . . . Still with Mobil Oil 
Corp., Kenneth Roberts now serves as manager 
of crude logistics planning for the firm in New 
York City. . . . Peter Saltz holds the position of 
director of finance and administration in the data 
services division at Informatics, Inc., Fairfield, 
N.J. . . . David Speirs has been named Republi- 
can alternate to the Board of Finance in Old 
Lyme, Conn. He is with Speirs Plumbing. 

David Swercewski is presently a senior en- 
gineer at General Dynamics-Electric Boat. . . . 
Marshall Taylor has been elected treasurer of 
Ryder System, Inc., Miami, Fla. Before joining 
Ryder in 1974 as manager of capital planning, he 
had held managerial posts with Allis-Chalmers 
Corp. and Mobil Corp. In 1975, he was pro- 
moted to assistant treasurer at Ryder. Taylor, 
who has an MBA degree from Babson, is a vice 
commodore of the Biscayne Bay Sailing Fleet, 
and a member of Miami's Coconut Grove Sailing 
Club. He and his wife Nancy and two sons live in 
Miami. . . . Lt. David Williamson is an electronics 
material officer with Naval Security Group Activ- 
ity in Northwest, Va. . . . Presently Bob Woog 
serves as manager of service and technical sup- 
port for American Bell International Inc., South 
Plainfield, N.J. The Woogs are now living in 
Tehran, Iran. 



1969 

^■Married: Stephen W. Press and Miss Mary A. 
Furtek on May 20, 1978 in Chicopee, Mas- 
sachusetts. The bride, a graduate of the College 
of Our Lady of the Elms and of the Yale-New 
Haven Hospital School of Medical Technology, is 
a medical technologist at Yale-New Haven Hos- 
pital. Her husband, who has a master's degree 
from Yale, is a research chemist for Hoffman- 
LaRoche Pharmaceuticals of Nutley, N.J. 
>Born: to Mr. and Mrs. PeterS. Heinsa daugh- 
ter, Sarah Elizabeth, on March 21 , 1978. Jamie, 
7, is in the second grade. Peter continues to fly as 
a Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules aircraft com- 
mander. He was married to Jan M. Keigh on top 
of Mt. Washington (N.H.) on July 2, 1977. 

Thomas Fournier is an associate engineer at 
Puget Sound Power & Light in Bellevue, 
Washington. . . . David Johnson was elected a 
town meeting member for Belmont, Mass. in 
April. . . . Stephen Legomsky, who has received 
his Juris Doctor degree from San Diego School of 
Law, is a postgraduate student at St. Johns 

College, the University of Oxford in England 

Capt. Douglas Nelson is an instructor-pilot for 
the Air Force at Homestead AFB, Florida. . . . 
Donald Rapp recently transferred to Du Pont's 
Seneca Works plant as division engineer. He is 
married and has one son. . . . James Rodier, staff 
engineer in the research department of Public 
Service Co. of New Hampshire, spoke at a Public 
Service Co. forum in Nashua in March. His 
present job responsibilities include rate design 
and administration, special contracts, and fuel 
adjustment clause administration. Formerly, he 
had worked as a utility rate specialist in Boston 
and New York. . . . Barry Shiffrin was recently 
promoted to staff engineer at IBM in Endicott, 
N.Y. He has a master's degree in computer 
systems from SUNY at Binghamton. . . . Marty 
Surabian is still employed with Bechtel Power 
Corporation as mechanical engineering group 
supervisor. He has been married about a year. 
His wife's name is Sylva. . . . After nearly nine 
years with the D.C. Department of Transporta- 
tion, during which time he rose from junior 
engineer to the chief traffic signal engineer for 
the city of Washington-, . . . Paul Wolf has now 
accepted a post as senior transportation en- 
gineer with the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coor- 
dinating Agency, the largest in Ohio. His duties 
will include providing traffic engineering assist- 
ance and guidance to some of the 170 villages, 
townships, municipalities and county govern- 
ments in a five-county area, serving 2.3 million 
people in and around Cleveland. The Wolfs have 
two children. 

1970 

>Born: to Mr. and Mrs. Clark Knickerbocker, 
their second son, Paul, on February 27, 1978. 
Clark is presently serving as sales manager for 
Swift Agrichemicals in Chicago. ... to Mr. and 
Mrs. John Pelli their second daughter, Megan 
Elizabeth on April 13, 1978. Megan joins her 
older sister, Jennifer Ann. John was named vice 
president of Ley Construction Co., Inc., in Feb- 
ruary. ... to Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Polizzotto 
their first child, a son Matthew on March 25, 
1978. Lenny is a principal engineer at Polaroid 
Corp., Waltham, Mass. 

Michael Arslan is employed by UTC at Hamil- 
ton Standard Division as a test engineer for the 
manufacturing engineering department. He is 
also working for his MBA at Western New 
England College. . . . Currently James Bagaglio 
works for Water's Associates in Milford, Mass. 



The WPIfournol August 1978 27 



Peter Blackford has joined Astro Wire and 
Cable Co., Worcester, as chief engineer. He still 
maintains a part-time affiliation with High Fidel- 
ity House, also in Worcester. Active for many 
years in the Worcester Area Sports Car Club, in 
both rallying and auto-slalom, last year Peter 
was manager for a road-racing team sponsored 
by Daniels Brothers Renault. The black and gold 
Renault "Le Car," driven by Mark Saviet, 71 , 
finished third in the national "Le Car" challenge. 

John Cartel, who has been with Riley Stoker 
for five years, is presently district service en- 
gineer for the company in the Baton Rouge 
district. He is responsible for the proper adminis- 
tration of all service department personnel and 
service work done in the district. John belongs to 
ASME and to Mensa, an organization for those 
having an IQ higher than 98% of the country's 
population. 

Congressman David Emery, from Maine's first 
district, was slated to be the guest speaker at the 
University of Maine at commencement exercises 
on May 13th. The selection of the graduation 
speaker is done by the Student Senate. . . . Dom 
Forcella is included in the current edition of 
Who's Who in American Politics. . . . Capt. 
Edward Howe serves as a communications and 
electronics staff officer with the U.S. Army in 
Korea. . . . Sister Louise Lataille, NSF, teaches 
math in St. Louis Parish, Lowell, Mass. . . . 
Continuing with Dewey & Almy Division of W. 
R. Grace, Richard Steeves, Jr. is now manager of 
process development for the firm in Lexington, 
Mass. . . . John Sztuka received his MBA from 
Western Michigan University in April. . . . An- 
thony Toscano is employed as a project manager 
in the Envirotech Corp./Buell Division in Leba- 
non, Pa. . . . Ross Willoughby holds the post of 
programmer-analyst at International Graphics in 
San Diego, California. 

1971 

^■Married: Charles F. Ebbinghaus and Miss 
Alice J. Donohue on March 17, 1978 in Groton, 
Connecticut. The bride, who teaches reading at 
Sacred Heart School, graduated from Nazareth 
College, Rochester, N.Y. and attended graduate 
school at the State University of New York in 
Genesco. The groom is an assistant scientist 
researcher at Pfizer, Inc. . . . Nicola LoStracco 
and Miss Janet F. DeChiaro on April 8, 1978 in 
Worcester. Mrs. LoStracco attended the Art 
Students League, New York City, and graduated 
from the School of the Worcester Art Museum 
and Clark University. She is a self-employed 
artist and photographer, and part-time ski in- 
structor. Her husband teaches mathematics at 
Shrewsbury High School. 
►Born, to Mr. and Mrs. Richard B. Hopewell 
their first child, Jonathan Richard, on February 
23, 1978. Rick is with the Badger Company, Inc. 
in Cambridge, Mass. ... to Dr. and Mrs. Joseph 
J. Spezeski a son Joel David on September 8, 
1977. Dr. Spezeski, who received his PhD in 
physics from Yale in December, is now an in- 
structor and research associate in the physics 
department at the University of Arizona in Tuc- 
son. 



Jim Abraham has just been promoted to 
second vice president of investments at Shear- 
son Hayden Stone, Inc. in Chicago. Previously, 
he was with Dames & Moore. He has an MBA 
from Northwestern University. The Abrahams 
have a two-year-old daughter. . . . Steven Chan 
holds the post of vice president at Adams-Smith, 
Inc. in Boxboro, Mass. . . . Lee Cristy is a senior 
industrial engineer at Singer- Kearfott Division in 
Little Falls, N.J. . . . Still with Koretsky King 
Associates, Daniel Donahue is presently a proj- 
ect engineer for the firm in Richmond, Calif. . . . 
On May 1 st, Gordon Govalet left Bechtel Power 
in Maryland to assume the post of project 
engineer-manager at ALNASCO in Pittsfield, 
Mass. . . . Wayne Holmes serves as district 
supervising engineer for Industrial Risk Insurers 
in Wellesley, Mass. . . . Capt. Michael Hughes 
has been named to head the Army Reserve 
Training Corps extension unit at Fitchburg 
(Mass.) State College. The unit was created in 
conjunction with the ROTC program at WPI last 
fall, and Hughes is the first permanent Army 
officer assigned to the Fitchburg unit. He was 
commissioned a second lieutenant in 1971 , 
promoted to first lieutenant in 1972, and to 
captain in 1975. He has served in Germany and 
at Ft. Carson, Colo. Twice he was awarded the 
Army Commendation Medal for meritorious 
service. He and his wife and two children reside 
at Fort Devens. 

Philip Johnson, who received his MS in man- 
agement science and engineering from WPI last 
year, is now manager of engineering at Om- 
nitech, Inc., in Dudley, Mass. . . . Ernest Joyal 
works as a mechanical engineer at Naval Un- 
derwater Systems in Newport, R.I. 
. . . Robert Mills, Jr., was recently promoted to 
associate actuary at State Mutual Life Assurance 
Company of America in Worcester. He serves in 
the individual life actuarial area. . . . John Petrillo, 
who has a Juris Doctor from Brooklyn Law 
School, holds the post of district market manager 
at AT &T Long Lines in Bedminster, N.J. . . . Ray 
Skowyra serves as a marketing consultant for 
corporate consulting services at GE in 
Bridgeport, Conn. . . . Robert Trachimowicz, 
who was recently promoted to construction 
engineer for EBASCO Services Inc. of New York 
in Houston, Texas, is in charge of instrumenta- 
tion and will coordinate the mechanical en- 
gineering activities for a 565-megawatt coal- 
fired power plant in Thompsons, Texas. . . . Steve 
Watson, with DEC-Europe, is located in Geneva, 
Switzerland. Steve writes: "This job has me 
traveling throughout Europe 50 percent of the 
time, and I'm paid in Swiss francs." 

1972 

>Born: to Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth W. Kolkebeck 
a son Scott on March 3, 1978. Scott joins 
brother, Keith, almost 2. In January Ken was 
transferred to Pittsburgh to set up a sales office 
for Rosemount, Inc. He is senior sales engineer in 
charge at the company. ... to Mr. and Mrs. 
Steven Lutz a daughter Amanda Marie on Feb- 
ruary 6, 1 978. Steve is a product engineer at 
Fram Corp., East Providence, R.I. 

James Andruchow is vice president of Stephen 
Andruchow, Inc. in West Warwick, R.I He and 
his wife Catherine have two children. . . . Robert 
Blackmar, SIM, holds the post of director of the 
manufacturing standards department at Norton 
Co., Worcester. . Charles Brine will receive his 
PhD in chemical oceanography from the Univer- 
sity of Delaware, College of Marine Studies this 



year. . . . Raymond Coleman serves as technical 
director for United Products Corp. in Providence, 
R.I. The company manufactures braided indus- 
trial products. . . . David Cummings has been 
elected a director of Lowell Corp., Worcester. 
His great, great grandfather founded the com- 
pany, which manufactures ratchet arms and 
specialty wrenches, in 1869. Cummings is a 
financial analyst at Norton Co. He earned his 
MBA at Babson. . . . Carl Goldknopf is with 
Electric Boat in Groton, Conn. . . . James Hardy is 
employed as an optical engineer at NCR Corpo- 
ration in Cambridge, Ohio. 

Still with Digital Equipment Corporation, 
Robert Lyons is now a product planning spe- 
cialist for the firm in Merrimack, N.H. . . . Glenn 
Mortoro works as a senior engineer at General 

Dynamics-Electric Boat Dr. James O'Neil is a 

senior resident chemist with Du Pont in Parlin, 
N.J. He, his wife, Jean, and two children, reside in 
Howell. . . . John Powers recently began working 
for Westinghouse as an associate reliability en- 
gineer. He is located in Pittsburgh, Pa. . . . Bob 
Rogers, formerly a mechanical design engineer 
for Pratt & Whitney, commercial products divi- 
sion, United Technologies, has transferred into 
the scientific programming group, where he is 
now a senior scientific programmer-analyst. His 
responsibilities include several programs used by 
mechanical design, coordination of CAD/CAM 
systems with Pratt & Whitney's manufacturing 
division, and the engineering design and devel- 
opment of several new programming applica- 
tions. In May of last year he completed his MBA 
degree at UConn with concentration in the areas 
of operations research and marketing. 

Dr. Brian Savilonis is an assistant professor at 
Widener College, Center of Engineering, Ches- 
ter, Pa. . . . Currently Walter Smith is a graduate 
student in the doctoral program in the depart- 
ment of chemistry at Brown University, Provi- 
dence, R.I Larry Stepenuck, a self-employed 

lobsterman in Rockport, Mass., recently ran for a 
seat on the town planning board. He feels that 
planning board members can object to uncon- 
trolled building plans and suggest by-laws which 
can slow harmful development. Through the 
board, he would also work to protect public 
access to the ocean. . . Continuing with Mon- 
santo, Donald Taft is presently a salesman for 
the firm in Southfield, Mich. The Tafts have two 
children. . . . William Way, still with Kemper 
Insurance Co., North Quincy, Mass., is a fire 
protection consultant. . . . Richard Wolke now 
works as a methods specialist under the man- 
ufacturing management program at GE's small 
A.C. motor department in Hendersonville.Tenn. 
He has held the post since December. 

1973 

^■Married: Michael C. Greenbaum to Miss 
Wendy N. Schwartz in Merion, Pennsylvania on 
August 21, 1977. Mrs. Greenbaum graduated 
from Clark University and received her MD 
degree from the University of Rochester School 
of Medicine and Dentistry. Her husband re- 
ceived his Juris Doctor degree from Rutgers 
School of Law. An associate with the law firm of 
Bacon & Thomas, Arlington, Va., he specializes 
in the law of patents, copyrights, and 
trademarks. He also attends the National Law 
Center of George Washington University where 
he will receive the LLM degree. He is registered 
to practice before the U.S. Patent & Trademark 
Office and has been admitted to practice law in 
Pennsylvania. . . . John H. Ward to Donna L. 
Childress of Fort Wayne, Indiana recently. Mrs. 



28 I August 1 978 I The WPI Journal 



Ward is employed at Purdue University. John 
receives his PhD in atmospheric science this 
August and will begin a one-year National Re- 
search Council postdoctoral fellowship at the 
National Weather Service in Marlow Heights, 
Maryland. 

>Born: to Captain and Mrs. Tom Beckman a 
daughterJamieLynnon February 27, 1978. The 
Beckmans are presently located in Fort Devens, 
Mass. ... to Mr. and Mrs. William Henries their 
first child, Alison Ann, on St. Patrick's Day, 
March 17, 1978. Henries passed his PE registra- 
tion exam last November. 

David Bedard has been promoted to captain 
while serving as a test officer with the U S. Army 
Air Defense Board at Ft. Bliss, Texas. He entered 
the Army in 1973. . . . After three years as data 
processing director at United Restaurant Equip- 
ment Co. of North Smithfield, R.I., Steven Buba 
was recently promoted to the road position of 
institutional sales specialist. . . . Paul Christian 
has received his PhD from Stanford University 
and is now with Bell Labs. His wife, the former 
Laima Pauliukonis, 77, is working for her PhD 
at Princeton. . . . Lee Cooper holds the post of 
plant engineer at CY/RO Industries in Sanford, 
Me. 

Herbert Hedberg was promoted from product 
engineer to project manager at Waters As- 
sociates, Milford, Mass. in January. He is pursu- 
ing his MBA in the evenings. . . . John Homko, 
who received his master of science degree in 
electrical engineering last year at Carnegie- 
Mellon University, is presently with the Union 
Switch and Signal Division of Westinghouse 
Airbrake Company. John, who is located in 
Pittsburgh, works for the computer systems 
development group. He is engaged in research 
involving computer applications in the railroad 
industry. . . . Robert Kowal serves as a diagnostic 
programmer at Data General in Westboro, 
Mass. . . . Robert Levi, a district sales manager for 
Carrier Transicold Co., is located in Danville, 
Calif. . . . Joseph Magri works as a project 
engineer at Bird Machine Co. in South Walpole, 
Mass. . . . Lt. Thomas Masker is a weapons 
officer with the Navy assigned to the U.S.S. 
Snook out of San Diego. In October he will be in 
the San Francisco area. William Mawdsley 
has been promoted to associate actuary at State 
Mutual Life Assurance Company of America in 
Worcester. He is responsible for individual actua- 
rial service within the individual life actuarial 
organization. 

Aram Nahabedian works as a plant supervisor 
at Westinghouse Electric Corp. in Augusta, Me. 
. . . Richard Norlin is employed as a chemist at 

New England Nuclear Corp. in Boston, Mass 

William Nutter is being transferred to the GE 
ordnance office at Electric Boat Division of Gen- 
eral Dynamics. He will be involved with the 
Trident submarine fire control system installa- 
tion. . . . Wayne Pitts serves as a senior scientist 

at Energy Resources Co. in Cambridge, Mass 

Mark Richards reports that he is commissary 
manager for the Pizza Transit Authority. His 
wife, Christina, a student at the University of 
North Carolina, is employed at North Carolina 
Memorial Hospital. . . . Charles Scopelitis has 
fulfilled a four-year engineering internship and 
completed sixteen hours of examination by the 
National Engineering Council, qualifying him for 
licensing as a registered professional engineer by 
the State of Connecticut. He is a staff engineer 
responsible for process computer systems at 
Millstone II Nuclear Power Station. . . . Joe 
Staszowski received his MSEE from Northeast- 
ern University last year. . . . Paul Tassinari holds 
the post of president at Mica-Tron in Braintree, 
Mass. . . . Karl Williams is plant supervisor at 
Sterling Institute, Craftsbury Common, Vt. 



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1974 

^■Married: Carry Balboni to Miss Adele Tiberi of 
Dover, Massachusetts on June 4, 1977. Garry, 
who is a project manager for Perini Corp., is 
currently constructing a wastewater treatment 
facility for Lukens Steel Co. in Coatesville, Pa. . . . 
Thomas I. Burns and Nancy Kelly of Rockville, 
Connecticut on August 27, 1977. Mrs. Burns 
graduated from Anna Maria College and teaches 
math, social studies, and art at the Immaculate 
Conception School in Schenectady, NY. Her 
husband is a control systems engineer in the gas 
turbine department at GE. He is also pursuing a 
master's degree at RPI through a GE program. 
. . . Alan C. Judd to Miss Penelope R. Bost on 
February 4, 1978 in Pennsylvania. The bride 
graduated from Lenoir-Rhyne College, Hickory, 
N.C., and is a travel counselor. Her husband is a 
process control engineer for GE in Hickory. 
^■Married: Dr. Mark Mahoney to Kathryn 
Jakubczyk in New Britain, Connecticut recently. 
The groom began his residency in family 
medicine in June at Abington (Pa.) Memorial 

Hospital Lawrence D. Patty to Miss Nancy R. 

Capozzaon May 13, 1978 in New London, 
Connecticut. Mrs. Patty graduated from South- 
ern Connecticut State College and is a children's 
librarian at Waterford Public Library. The groom 
is with General Dynamics-Electric Boat. . . . 



Thomas J. Socha and Miss Barbara H. Hall in 
Paxton, Massachusetts on May 20, 1978. Mrs. 
Socha graduated from Utica College of Syracuse 
University and is an occupational therapist at St. 
Vincent Hospital, Worcester. The bridegroom is 
production manager at Mercury Wire Products, 
Inc., Spencer, Mass. 

>Born: to Mr. and Mrs. Michael E. Lewan- 
dowski their first baby, Scott Michael, on De- 
cember 19, 1977. Michael teaches at Joseph 
Case High School in Swansea, Mass., where he is 
active in rocketry and science fair programs. . . . 
to John and Michelle (Riel) Lord their first child, 
a son, Benjamin Warren, on December 13, 
1977. The Lords are now in their new house 
"settling in for a long stay in Connecticut." 

Lt./Jg James Asaro is with U.S. Navy Patrol 
Squadron Five. He and his wife Belinda reside in 
Jacksonville, Fla. . . . Erik Brodin is an industrial 
engineer for GM in Framingham, Mass. He has 
an MCP from URI and an MBA from Western 
New England College. . . . Wayne Bryant serves 
as a project leader of the systems programming 
group at Composition Systems, Inc. He lives in 

Mahopac, N.Y Christopher Cigal has served 

as commander of Headquarters Company 544 
Maintenance Battalion for a year and now plans 
on going to UMass Graduate School for an MBA 
this fall. . . . Keith Coakley holds the post of 
manager of quality assurance at Scan-Optics, 



The WPI Journal I August 1 978 1 29 



Inc. in East Hartford, Conn Gene DeJac- 

kome, a research engineer with Monsanto in 
Springfield, Mass., was recently a candidate for 
selectman in Orange, Mass. He is a member of 
the Orange Planning Board. He and his wife 
Pamela have one daughter. 

Still with Grumman Aerospace, Stephen Engel 
is now an associate engineer for the firm in 

Bethpage, N.Y Presently Ronald Fargnoli 

serves as the project engineer for Gilbane Build- 
ing in Providence, R.I. . . . Robert Foley is a 
personnel officer with the U .S. Marine Corps — 
Thomas Frink works as a junior engineer for 
Maiden Mills in Lawrence, Mass. . . . Edward 
Gordon holds the post of engineering pro- 
grammer for RACAL-Milco, Inc. in Miami, Fla. 
. . . James Gow has been promoted to systems 
consultant within the systems development or- 
ganization at State Mutual Life Assurance Com- 
pany of America. He joined the company after 
graduation as a systems analyst. He was named 
senior systems analyst in 1 976. Last year he 
achieved the designation of the fellow, Life 
Management Institute (FLMI). . . . Donald Gross 
has graduated from F-4 RTU at MacDill AFB, Fla. 
He is now assigned to Kunsan AFB, Korea. . . . 
Gary Hills, a senior field cost engineer for Stone 
& Webster in Boston, is presently assigned to 
Long Island Lighting Company's Shoreham Nu- 
clear Power Station. . . . Chester Kokoszka serves 
as an associate engineer at Connecticut Yankee 
Atomic Power plant in East Hampton, Conn. . . . 
Robert Partridge works as an office engineer for 
Stone & Webster in Wading River, N.Y. . . . Peter 
Thacher continues with ARAMCO of Dhahran, 
Saudi Arabia, where he is with project engineer- 
ing services. . . . Jim Wong, Jr. holds the post of 
process engineer at Allied Chemical Corp., 
Philadelphia, Pa. 

1975 

^Married: Robert J. Ankstitus and Miss Patti A. 
Milley on April 22, 1978 in Ashland, Mas- 
sachusetts. The bride graduated from Ashland 
Senior High School and is employed by Lehrer & 
Madden, Inc., Wellesley Hills. The bridegroom is 
employed by the U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency in Lexington John F. Gabranski and 

Miss Carol A. Finney in Westfield, Mas- 
sachusetts on March 18, 1978. Mrs. Gabranski 
graduated from Springfield College and received 
her MS in education of the deaf at Smith College. 
Her husband is a student at Columbia University 
Graduate School of Business. 
>Born: to Mr. and Mrs David H. Kingsbury 
their second child, a daughter, Lesley Anne, on 
April, 12, 1978. Dave is with Monsanto in 
Springfield, Mass., where he is a systems en- 
gineer. 

Jim Aceto has accepted the post of superin- 
tendent at Perini Corp. in Coatesville, Pa. He and 
his wife Melinda will be moving to the Coates- 
ville area soon. . . . Jon Anderson, who has just 
graduated from Yale Law School, is currently a 
law clerk for Caleb Wright, employed by the U.S. 
government. He is located in Wilmington, Dela- 
ware. . . . Thomas Bower has completed re- 
quirements for his master of science and safety 
degree from the University of California. He is 
assistant chief of the Safety Corps of Engineers in 
Baltimore, Md. . . . Barry Braunstein now works 
for Intel Corporation as a field sales engineer. He 
is located in Chestnut Hill, Mass. . . . Mark 
Candello has joined Frederick A. Farrar, Inc. in 
Keene, N.H. . Jane Lataille Carnevale cur- 
rently serves as a supervising engineer at Indus- 
trial Risk Insurers, Philadelphia, Pa. . . . Douglas 
DeWitte works as a mechanical engineer at the 



Naval Air Engineering Center in Lakehurst, N.J. 
Donald Drew, who received his MBA from 
Cornell last year, is now a management consul- 
tant for Arthur Young & Company in 
Washington, D.C. . . . Continuing with Westing- 
house, Charles Embree currently serves as a 
marketing representative in engineering services 
in Hartford, Conn. 

John Fitzgibbons is a graduate student at 
Northeastern University in Boston. . . . Stephen 
Fitzhugh works for I & CE Systems Engineering 
at Combustion Engineering in Windsor, Conn. 
. . . Stanley Goldfarb continues at Digital 
Equipment Co., Maynard, Mass., where he is a 
software engineer. He and his wife Janice reside 
in Shrewsbury. . . . D. Berrien Halstead III holds 
the post of damage control assistant with the " 
U.S. Navy. . . . Still with Wildish Companies, 
Eugene, Oregon, Timothy Hendrix is currently a 
construction engineer. . . . John Holmes serves 
as an engineer technician at Combustion En- 
gineering in Windsor, Conn. . . . Michael 
Malanca is chief of computer services for Dyna- 
trend, Inc. in Burlington, Mass. He has his MS 
from WPI .... Charles May is employed as a sales 
engineer for Dana Corp. in Alanta, Ga. 

Stephen Mealy has been in Puerto Rico work- 
ing with the Navy's East Coast Seal Team. . 
Paul Menard, who is working for his PhD at Ohio 
State University, is currently a research associate. 
. . . Martin Meyers received the degree of doctor 
of philosophy in electrical and computer en- 
gineering from UMass, Amherst in May. He is 
now a member of the technical staff at Bell 

Telephone Laboratories in North Andover 

Frank Moitoza serves as a contract administrator 
for the Naval Underwater Systems Center/Naval 
Sea Systems Command in Washington, D.C. He 

lives in Alexandria Richard Newhouse has 

accepted a position as a structural engineer with 
Roussel Engineering, Inc. of Metairie, Louisiana. 
... In June Barrett Pett was reassigned to the 
U.S. Army cold region center in Ft. Greely, 
Alaska. He is the project manager testing air 
defense missile systems in the Arctic. . Francis 
Schlegel was transferred to Baton Rouge in 
November to the Uniroyal chemical plants in 
Scotts Bluff and Geismar, Louisiana, where he is 
a development engineer. 

Catherine Seymour has completed her first 
year of graduate work at MIT. Last year she was 
a teaching assistant. Currently she holds the 
position of research assistant, specializing in 
organic chemistry. . . . David Shopis is with 
Gilbane Building Co. of Providence, R.I. He has a 
degree in building sciences from RPI. . . . Mar- 
garet St. John continues at St. Vincent Hospital, 
Worcester, where she is now a senior electron 
microscopy technician. . . . Lt/jg Michael 
Sundberg, U.S. Navy, is presently stationed near 
the Indian Ocean, where he is with the Civil 
Engineer Corps. . . . John Watkins is an experi- 
mental engineer at Warner & Swasey Co., 
Worcester. . . . Stephen Werner holds the post 
of senior design engineer at Boeing Wichita 
(Kansas) Company. ... Jeff Wnek finished the 
1 978 Boston Marathon with a time of 2:39:45. It 
was his first Boston race, and only his second 
marathon. He continues at Lilly Chemical Prod- 
ucts, Inc., Templeton, Mass., where he is a paint 
chemist and plant safety director. 



1976 

^Married: Thomas H. Descoteaux and Priscilla 
A. McNamara on May 6, 1 978 in Worcester. The 
bride graduated from the Memorial Hospital 
School of Nursing and is a registered nurse on 
the staff of St. Vincent's Hospital. The bride- 
groom is a civil engineer with ENCON, Inc. in 
Chicopee. . . . Robert Roy IV and Nancy Krusell in 
Marshfield, Massachusetts on May 20, 1978. 
Mrs. Roy graduated from St. Lawrence Univer- 
sity and is an environmental planner employed 
by the GCA Corp. in Bedford. Her husband is an 
electrical systems engineer with GTE Sylvania, 
Waltham. 

Joseph Betro, who received his MSEE from the 
University of Wisconsin in May, has received a 
full fellowship to the University of Illinois, where 
he will study for his doctorate. . . . Raymond 
Calabro, Jr. works as a pipe hanger engineer at 
ITT Grinnell in Providence, R.I. . . . Still with 
Clairol in Stamford, Conn., John Casey is cur- 
rently a production supervisor. . . .Therese 
Cirone holds the post of production supervisor at 

Clairol in Stamford Albert Cooley, Jr., who 

has received his MBA from the University of 
Michigan, works as a marketing associate at 
RCA in Cherry Hill, N.J. . . . Robert Cormier 
serves as an engineer in training at Allan H. 
Swanson, Inc., in Nashua, N.H. . . . Nancy 
Duncanson is a pilot plan engineer for Union 

Carbide-Linde Division in Tonawanda, N.Y 

Kevin Egan works as a structural engineer for 
Allen & Demurjian Inc., Boston, Mass. . . . 
Randall Emerson is employed as a fire protection 
engineer at Kemper Insurance in Quincy, Mass. 
. . . Lt. Christopher Ford, U.S. Army, serves as 
battalion motor officer for the 1st Battalion, 28th 

Infantry at Ft. Riley, Kansas James Galvin, 

who received his MSCE from Stanford last year, 
is now a project cost-schedule engineer at 

Bechtel Power Corp., Ann Arbor, Mich 

Presently Larry Gaspar serves as a design en- 
gineer at GTE Sylvania in Ipswich, Mass. . . . Perry 
Griffin has joined the Trane Company's com- 
mercial air conditioning division in the Boston 
sales office. Recently he completed the firm's 
six-month graduate engineer training program, 
which concentrates on specialized heat transfer 
theory and practice, as well as in-depth coverage 
of Trane products. Trane is a leading manufac- 
turer of air conditioning, refrigeration and heat 
transfer equipment for commercial, residential, 
industrial, transport and special process applica- 
tions and has offices and facilities worldwide. 

Paul Gudaitis holds the post of analytical 
engineer at Pratt & Whitney in East Hartford, 

Conn Robert Harris, SIM, is manufacturing 

manager at Henry L Hanson, Inc., Worcester. 
. . . Barry Heitner, who has received his MS 
degree in chemical engineering from Cornell, is 
now employed by Du Pont at the firm's experi- 
mental station in Wilmington, Delaware. He and 
his wife Prorit Szafran Heitner reside in Clay- 

mont Ray Houle is employed as general 

manager of Precision Products Co., Woonsoc- 
ket, R.I. . . Paul Jaques serves as a plant design 
engineer at Eastman Kodak in Rochester, N.Y. . . 
. Mark Johnson, who received his MSCE from 
the University of Maine in December, has joined 
the Bridgeport (Conn.) Hydraulic Co. . . . Jeremy 
Jones works as a development engineer in the 
R&D department at Polaroid in Waltham, Mass. 
. . . Doug Knowles is a programmer at Applicon, 

Inc. in Burlington, Mass Andrew Kopach is 

now an installation and service engineer working 
on hydroelectric power plants for GE — Charles 
Lauzon, who has received his MS from the 
University of Michigan, is presently a process 
engineer at Union Carbide in Bound Brook, N.J. 



30 1 August 1978 I The WPI Journal 



Rodney Lewis is a scientific programmer at 
MIT Lincoln Laboratory in Lexington, Mass. . . . 
Having completed a two-year training program, 
Thomas May was slated to be assigned to the 
post of district engineer at a Torrington Co. 
district sales office on July 1st. . . . Francis 
McConville, still with the Worcester Foundation 
of Experimental Biology, serves as a research 
assistant. . . . Thomas McNeice has completed 
requirements for an MS in civil engineering at 
the University of Maine in Orono. He has joined 
Camp Dresser and McKee, Boston. . . . Ronald 
Medrzychowski continues at Electric Boat in 
Groton, Conn. 

Leon Meyer is a qualitative assurance en- 
gineer at Sikorsky Aircraft in Stratford, Conn 

Roland Moreau was recently promoted to struc- 
tural engineering project leader at United Nu- 
clear Corp. in Montville, Conn. ... Ed Robillard 
works as a design draftsman at GTE Sylvania in 
Ipswich, Mass. . . . Eugene Savoie serves as a 
sales planner in the semi-conductor products 
department at GE in Auburn, NY. . . . Steven 
Schoen has been appointed actuarial assistant in 
the product department of Sun Life Assurance 
Company of Canada at U.S. headquarters in 
Wellesley , Mass. He is an associate of the Society 
of actuaries and a member of the Actuaries' Club 
of Boston. . . . Paula Stratouly holds the post of 
industrial sales representative for Exxon Corp. in 
Springfield, Mass. . . . Peter Tordo is a counselor 
at New Dominion School, Dillwyn, Va., a wilder- 
ness school for emotionally distrubed boys. He 
was slated to spend May hiking with ten boys 
145 miles on the Appalachian Trail in New 
Hampshire. He expects to move near Salisbury, 
Md. soon to start another such school. . . . Jeffrey 
Triwedi serves as a trainee in the T.M.P. program 
at GE in Cincinnati, Ohio. . . . Roy Willits is a 
graduate student at Rutgers University. . . . 
Thomas Wimbrow is now operations manager 
at Beswick Engineering Co., Inc., Ipswich, Mass. 
. . . Brian Young works as a process engineer at 
Allied Chemical in Marcus Hook, Pa. 



1977 

^■Married: Asta J. Dabrila to Romas A. Pliod- 
zinskas in Worcester on June 1 7, 1 978. The 
bride, formerly a loss prevention consultant at 
Factory Mutual Engineering & Research in Nor- 
wood, Mass., is now working in the company's 
Cleveland District office. Her husband, a student 
at Cleveland State University, is employed in the 
department of engineering and construction for 
the City of Cleveland. . . . Brian A. Soucy and 
Miss Sherry Ann Basch on March 1 1 , 1978 in St. 
Johnsbury, Vermont. Mrs. Soucy graduated 
from Rivier College and received an associate in 
science degree in medical technology. She is 
employed at Lawrence and Memorial Hospitals 
in New London, Conn. The bridegroom is with 
Pfizer, Inc., in Groton, Conn., where he is a 
process supervisor. 



Robert Bowser is a mechanical engineer for 
the Naval Ship Engineering Center in 
Washington, D.C. Recently he has had tempo- 
rary duty in Bremerton, Washington. He resides 
in Alexandria, Va. . . Edward Bromage works as 
a project assistant for the Portland (Me.) Area 
Comprehensive Transportation Study. . . . Jef- 
frey Brown has joined the Trane Company's 
Commercial Air Conditioning Division at the 
sales office in Boston . Recently he completed the 
six-month Trane Graduate Engineer Training 
Program. . . . Gerard Chase is an assistant 
mechanical engineer at the United Illuminating 
Co. in New Haven, Conn. . . . Paul Craffey is 
working for his MS in chemical engineering at 
UMass in Amherst. . . . Robert Dolan is a 
production control specialist for Ford Motor Co. 
at the Cleveland stamping plant. . . . Michael 
Doyle holds the post of quality assurance en- 
gineer for Singer-Kearfott Co. of Little Falls, N.J. 
. . . Kurt Eisenman is the New York State terri- 
tory manager of industrial hydraulics for 
Parker-Hannifin Corp. of Saddlebrook, N.J. He 
and his wife, Tina, live in Rochester. . . . Steven 
Fine is doing research on inorganic ion exchan- 
gers at Texas A & M University, where he is a 
graduate student. 

Eric Hertz writes: "Having fun watching 
technology change at AT & T Long Lines in 
Newark, N.J." . . . 2/Lt. Joseph Hillery has 
completed a medical service corps officer basic 
course at the Academy of Health Sciences of the 
U.S. Army in Ft. Sam Houston, Texas. . . . Richard 
Hopkinson is a property consultant for Em- 
ployers Insurers of Wausau in Atlanta, Ga. . . . 
Chuck Johnson, who is class agent, is with 
Western Electric Co. in North Andover, Mass. . . . 
David Lounsbury is with programming and en- 
gineering at Prime Computer Inc., Framingham, 
Mass. . . . Jerry Melcher now works as a system 
analyst on automatic generation control systems 
for Leeds and Northrup Co. in North Wales, Pa. 
. . . Presently Marc Meunier serves as an assist- 
ant engineer at Industrial Risk Insurers in Atlanta, 
Ga. . . . Bruce Minsky, who has been doing 
cancer research at Boston University Medical 
School and Harvard Medical School, has been 
accepted at the University of Massachusetts 
Medical School. He will start studying for his MD 
degree in September. 

Stephen Potz has been hired as a structural 
engineer by Pratt & Whitney Aircraft in East 
Hartford, Conn. His work involves computerized 

structural analysis of commercial jet engines 

Ralph Sacco III is currently an assistant sales 
engineerforWestinghouse in Washington, D.C. 
. . . Gregory Scott serves as chief systems pro- 
grammer at Applied Logic Corporation, Boston. 
. . . Allan Shear works for the engineering de- 
partment in City Hall at Woonsocket, R.I. . . . 
William Shoop is a manufacturing engineer for 
GE in San Jose, Calif. . . . 2/Lt. David White, Jr. 
has completed an ammunition officer course at 
the U.S. Army Missile and Munition Center and 
School, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama. ... J. 
Gilbert Wilson III holds the post of structural 
design engineer at Varco-Pruden in Evansville, 
Wisconsin. 



The WPI journal August 1978 37 




Forrest G. Kirsch, '08, died on February 23, 1 978 
in Endwell, New York. 

A native of Northampton, Mass., he was born 
on December 18, 1883. During his lifetime he 
was with Springfield Automobile Co. and the city 
of Springfield (Mass.), where he was a deputy 
tax collector. He studied mechanical engineering 
at WPI and belonged to the Western Mas- 
sachusetts Engineering Society. 

Oliver B. Jacobs, '10, of Morristown, New Jer- 
sey, who held patents that made the trans- 
oceanic submarine cable telephone possible, 
died in May at the age of 89. 

He was born on January 23, 1889 in Daniel- 
son, Conn. In 1910 he graduated from WPI as an 
electrical engineer. From 1910 until 1917 he was 
with the American Telephone & Telegraph Co. 
During World War I he rose to the rank of 
captain in the U.S. Army Signal Corps. After the 
war he again joined AT & T. From 1929 to 1954 
he was a member of the technical staff at Bell 
Telephone Laboratories. After he retired in 
1954, he remained at the labs until 1962 as a 
consultant, although his employer at the time 
was Lockheed Electronics Co. 

Mr. Jacobs was co-inventor of the fundamen- 
tal features of repeatered transoceanic tele- 
phone cable systems, and contributed much in 
devising suitable installation, system design, and 
operating procedures. He belonged to IRE, AIEE, 
and Morris County Engineers Club. He had 
served as chairman of the local Red Cross, and as 
a member of several municipal boards. 

David C. Howard, '13, died in Annapolis, Mary- 
land on March 20, 1978. He was 87. 

A native of Townsend, Mass., he was born on 
May 10, 1890. Following his graduation from 
WPI as an electrical engineer, he was with 
Westinghouse in Pittsburgh as a research en- 
gineer for three years. While with Westing- 
house, he obtained a patent on a thermal relay 
and variable speed induction motor, which he 
had invented. 

In 1 91 6 and 1 91 7 he taught at Carnegie 
Institute of Technology. During World War I he 
was a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy assigned as an 
instructor in electrical engineering at the U.S. 
Naval Academy in Annapolis. After the war, he 
became a civilian instructor at the Academy. 
When he retired in 1955, he was a professor of 
electrical engineering, and was named professor 
emeritus. He belonged to Sigma Xi, and was a 
fellow of IEEE. Also, he was a member of the 
American Association for the Advancement of 
Science. 



Frank Aiken, '15, of Havertown, Pennsylvania, 
died on January 16, 1978. 

He was born on December 16, 1892 in 
Bridgewater, N.H. In 1915 he graduated from 
WPI with a BS in electrical engineering. During 
his career, he was with Atwater Kent Manufac- 
turing Co., Emlen &Co., and Wiler& Co., Inc., of 
Philadelphia. He belonged to Skull and Theta 
Chi. 

Sarkis M. Nahikian, '15, of Allegan, Michigan, 
the retired president of Heatube Corporation, 
passed away on January 8, 1978. 

Born in Harpoot, Turkey on October 26, 1891, 
he later studied mechanical engineering at WPI. 
He had been employed by Blood Bros. Machine 
Co., the Federal Resettlement Administration, 
Overton Machine Co., and Heatube Corp., from 
which he retired in 1955. 

Mr. Nahikian belonged to the Masons, the 
Society of Automotive Engineers, and the Ro- 
tary. He served on the local board of education. 
He was an Army veteran of World War I, and a 
graduate mechanical engineer from the Univer- 
sity of Michigan. 

Heyward F. Lawton, '18, a retired assistant sales 
manager for Rohm & Haas Co., died on March 
28, 1978. He was 80 years old. 

A native of Newport, R.I., he was born on July 
2, 1897. After graduating as a chemist from 
WPI, he was employed for a short time at 
Acheson Graphite Co., Buffalo, N.Y. Later he 
was with U.S. Finishing Co. of Pawtucket, R.I., 
Borden & Remington Co., Fall River, Mass., and 
Rohm & Haas of Philadelphia. He retired in 1963 
from the Philadelphia firm, where he had been 
assistant sales manager of the textile chemicals 
department and district sales manager for the 
mid-Atlantic territory and mid-western territory. 

Mr. Lawton belonged to Lambda Chi Alpha, 
The Chemists Club of New York City, and the 
American Association of Textile Chemists and 
Colorists. 

Roland H. Taylor, '18, of Santa Rosa, California 
died on February 10, 1978. 

He was born on March 28,1 894 in Worcester, 
and later studied civil engineering at WPI. He 
had been associated with the Salt River Valley 
Water Users Association, and Taylor Machinery 
Co. (owner), both in Phoenix, Ariz. Later he was 
with Byron-Jackson, Los Angeles; Six Com- 
panies, Inc. (builders of Boulder Dam); and 
Industrial Equipment Co., Oakland, Calif. For a 
number of years, he was a life underwriter for 
John Hancock Life Insurance Co., Santa Rosa. 

Mr. Taylor belonged to Phi Gamma Delta, 
Skull, ASCE, and was active in scouting, the 
YMCA, PTA, and church affairs. 



Malcolm B. Arthur, '20, class president, passed 
away on March 29, 1978. 

He was born on February 24, 1899 in Worces- 
ter and graduated as a civil engineer from WPI in 
1 920. During his lifetime he had been employed 
by FT. Leg Co. , Lima, Peru ; New England Power 
Construction Co.; the U.S. Geological Survey; 
and So. California Edison Co. From 1935 until he 
retired in 1965, he was with the Forest Service of 
the U.S. Department of Agriculture. A specialist 
in dam design and construction and flood con- 
trol, in 1962 he received an award for superior 
service from the Secretary of Agriculture. He was 
honored for "notable results in the engineering 
field in the north central region of the Forest 
Service." 

Mr. Arthur was a fellow and life member of 
ASCE, and an associate in the Society of Ameri- 
can Foresters. He was a member of Lambda Chi 
Alpha and Skull. 

Lionel O. Lundgren, '24, retired chief engineer 
for the Okonite Co., died on February 20, 1978 
in Attleboro, Massachusetts at the age of 74. 

A Worcester native, he was born on Sept. 22, 
1 903 . In 1924 he received his BSEE from WPI. He 
joined the former American Electrical Works 
after graduation and stayed with the firm for 
forty-four years, while the company name was 
changed to Kennecott Wire & Cable Co., and 
then to the Okonite Co. He retired from the 
Phillipsdale, R.I. operation in 1968. 

Mr. Lundgren belonged to Lambda Chi Alpha, 
Tau Beta Pi, and Sigma Xi. He had previously 
belonged to the Seekonk Fire Association, which 
he served as treasurer for twenty-three years, 
and as chief of the Volunteer Fire Department 
for four years. He had been an officer on the 
Seekonk Finance Committee and a member of 
the board of Water Commissioners. A 32nd 
degree Mason, he belonged to the Palestine 
Shrine of Providence. He was a member of the 
permanent diaconate of Central Congregational 
Church. 

Robert H. Dunbar, '25, of Springfield, Mas- 
sachusetts, a retired administrative assistant for 
New England Telephone & Telegraph Co., died 
suddenly on March 2, 1978. 

Born in Syracuse, N.Y. on April 18, 1903, he 
later studied at WPI. He was with NET & T Co. 
for over fifty years, and retired in 1967. He wasa 
member of the Masons, Phi Gamma Delta, and 
the Shrine. 

David M. Shapleigh, '25, died unexpectedly on 
April 12, 1978 in Dover-Foxcroft, Maine. He was 
78. 

He was born on Sept. 10, 1899 in Boston and 
was educated at WPI and the University of 
Maine. Before retirement, he had been a chemi- 
cal engineer in the pulp and paper industry. He 
was a member of TAPPI. 

Donald L. King, '27, of West Nyack, New York 
passed away on March 30, 1978. 

A native of Athol, Mass. , he was born there on 
February 4, 1905. In 1927 he received his BSEE 
from WPI. From 1927 until his retirement in 
1 968, he served as a project engineer for the 
New York Telephone Co. At one time he was 
plant supervisor for the company in New York 
City. He was a member of Tau Beta Pi. 



321 August 1978 I The WPI journal 



Lincoln B. Hathaway, '30, passed away in New 
Bedford, Massachusetts on February 15, 1978. 
He was 70 years old. 

A native of New Bedford, he was born on 
August 30, 1907. He received his degree in 
mechanical engineering from WPI. From 1933 
to 1 938 he was with Continental Screw Co. Later 
he joined Revere Copper & Brass, Inc., from 
which he retired five years ago. 

Mr. Hathaway belonged to ATO, the Masons, 
and the Service Corps of Retired Executives. He 
was also a member of the New Bedford Council 
of Royal and Select Masters, the Sutton Com- 
mandry, and Knights Templar. 

Albert N. Narter, '30, of Dobbs Ferry, New York, 
a retired engineer from the American Bureau of 
Shipping, died in April. 

He was born on Sept. 15, 1907 in Worcester. 
After graduating as an electrical engineer in 
1930, he joined New York Edison Co. in New 
York City. For a time he was with Standard 
Shipping Co. He was employed by the American 
Bureau of Shipping for many years serving as a 
marine surveyor and principal surveyor in charge 
of the machinery technical section. At the time of 
his retirement in 1 97 1 , he was assistant to the 
vice president. 

During World War II, he was a "free agent" 
and traveled to Italy, France, Greece, Tunisia, 
Sicily, and Algeria to assist the U.S. War Shipping 
Administration with repairs of battle damaged 
merchant vessels. His job was to outline the 
extent of repairs required, to supervise and to 
inspect such repairs before letting the vessel 
leave port. After the war, he became involved 
with nuclear powered ships. 

Mr. Narter, who received his MSEE from WPI 
in 1933, belonged to AIEE, the Society of Naval 
Architects and Marine Engineers, and was an 
associate member of the American Welding 
Society. 

Ferdinand A. Trautner, '30, chief engineer and 
executive vice president of New England Con- 
crete Pipe, Inc., died in Newton, Massachusetts 
on January 27, 1978. He was 69. 

He was born in Massachusetts on Feb. 24, 
1909. In 1930 he graduated as an electrical 
engineer from WPI. With New England Con- 
crete Pipe for many years, previously he was 
associated with Rhode Island Concrete Pipe in 
Providence. He belonged to Lambda Chi Alpha, 
the Congregational Church, the Engineers Soci- 
ety of Boston, and the Nobscot Power Squadron. 

Lester Smith, '31, died in Worcester on January 
12, 1978. 

In 1931 he received his BSCE from WPI. He 
had worked for Critchley Machine Screw Co., 
later R.B. Phillips Mfg. Co., and Wright Machine. 
He was born on May 10, 1900 in Worcester, and 
belonged to ASCE. 

John S. Hancock, '33, of Andover, Mas- 
sachusetts passed away recently. 

A native of Lawrence, Mass., he was born on 
Nov. 13, 1910. During World War II he was a 
staff sergeant in the U.S. Army. For many years 
he served as a public accountant in the town of 
Methuen, Mass. He belonged to Phi Sigma 
Kappa. 



Robert S. Grand, '34, of North Plainfield, New 
Jersey died on November 5, 1977. 

He was born in Brockton, Mass. on Jan. 3, 
1912, and graduated with his BSCE from WPI in 
1 934. For many years he was district superin- 
tendent of Austin Co., Roselle, N.J. He belonged 
to AE Pi, ASCE, National Society of Professional 
Engineers, the Masons, and the U.S. Coast 
Guard Auxiliary. He was a professional engineer 
in New Jersey. 

Norman H. Osgood, '41 , a sales engineer for 
Coppus Engineering Corp., Worcester, passed 
away on December 13, 1977. 

A native of Worcester, he was born on May 
13, 1919. He graduated as a chemical engineer 
in 1941 . During his career he was associated 
with RCA in Harrison, N.J.; Reed & Prince, and 
Coppus, both of Worcester. 

Mr. Osgood belonged to ATO and had served 
as water commissioner for the town of Paxton. 

Richard O. Slein, Sr., '43, a retired New England 
Telephone Co. engineer, died January 24, 1978 
in City Hospital, Worcester. He was 58 years old. 

In 1974 he retired as an outside plant engineer 
for the telephone company's Worcester district, 
where he had been employed for thirty-three 
years. He was a major in the Army Air Corps 
during World War II, and held the Distinguished 
Flying Cross, the Air Medal, and ten Oak Leaf 
Clusters. He completed 62 missions as navigator 
of a B-26 bomber in Europe, and saw action over 
Belgium, Holland, and France. On D-Day, June 
6, 1944, he participated in the second air wave. 

Mr. Slein had once been interviewed in a radio 
news program by the late Edward R Murrow, a 
former CBS correspondent in London. Prior to 
his service in World War II, he attended WPI and 
worked for Heald Machine. He was a Worcester 
native. 

Lee G. Cordier, Jr., '44, of Sacramento, Califor- 
nia, manager of plant facilities for Campbell 
Soup since 1 963, died of a heart attack on March 
25, 1978. 

He was born on May 15, 1922 in Philadelphia, 
Pa. In 1944 he graduated as a mechanical en- 
gineer from WPI. During his career he was 
associated with J.T. Baker Chemical Co.; 
Philadelphia Gas Works; and Aerojet-General 
Corp. solid rocket plant, Sacramento, where he 
was manager of facilities planning new plants 
and manufacturing processes. He became man- 
ager of plant facilities for Campbell Soup fifteen 
years ago. 

Mr. Cordier belonged to Phi Gamma Delta, 
ASME, SAM, the Chamber of Commerce, and 
California Manufacturers Association. He was a 
professional engineer in Pennsylvania and 
California, and a WPI class agent. 



Herbert I. Boo, SIM, '63, superintendent of 
manufacturing at Wyman-Gordon, Worcester, 
died in Worcester on January 7, 1978. He was 
59. 

Born in Worcester, he later graduated from 
the School of Industrial Management at WPI. He 
was employed by Wyman-Gordon for thirty- 
nine years. In 1964 and 1965 he was superin- 
tendent of Wyman-Gordon India, LTD. in Bom- 
bay. 

He was vice chairman of Immanuel Lutheran 
Church, a member of the expansion committee 
for the Lutheran Nursing Home in Worcester, a 
32nd degree Mason, and a member of the All 
Scottish Rite Bodies A World War II Air Force 
veteran, he had also belonged to the American 
Forestry Association and the Mendelssohn 
Singers. 

Francis R. Chiarillo, '67, of West Hartford, 
Connecticut died on December 30, 1977. 

He was born in Hartford on August 26, 1945, 
and received his BSMA from WPI in 1967. He 
was an associate statistical analyst for Travelers 
Insurance Co. A member of the Travelers Men's 
Club and chess club, he also belonged to the U.S. 
Chess Foundation. 

Dinesh C. Shah, '67, a product design engineer 
for Ford Motor Co., died recently. 

He was born in Darol Gujarat, India on August 
1, 1943. In 1967 he received his MSME from 
WPI. 



The WPI journal August 1 978 1 33 



CRYSTAR COMES THROUGH 
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01606 
(617) 
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Vol. 82, No. 3 



October 1978 



2 Computers and society: Who's in charge? 

Asking the hard questions about computers. 

4 The questions computers raise 

Joseph Weizenbaum explores the questions that people have 
about computers, but he doesn't attempt to supply answers. 

9 Microprocessing everything 

Robert Solomon discusses some of the myriad uses of the 
newest and smallest computer. 

11 How to keep your computer busy 

Greg Scragg looks at some of the 'smaller' ways computers are 
used. 

1 3 A giant Rorschach test for society 

Sociologist Sherry Turkle talks about the ways in which the 
computer is changing all of us, and how the computer mag- 
nifies, or makes more visible, our society's problems. 

17 Computer games 

20 Roy Seaberg 

22 Your class and others 



Editor: H. Russell Kay 

Alumni Information Editor: Ruth S. Trask 

Publications Committee: J. Michael Anderson, 
'64, chairman 

Design:. H. Russell Kay 

Typesetting: Davis Press, Worcester, Mass. 

Printing: The House of Offset, Somerville, Mass. 



Address all correspondence regarding editorial 
content or advertising to the Editor, WPI Jour- 
nal, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, 
MA 01609. Telephone (617) 753-141 1 . 

The WPI Journal is published for the Alumni 
Association by Worcester Polytechnic Institute. 
Copyright © 1978 by Worcester Polytechnic 
Institute. All rights reserved. 

The WPI Journal is published six times a year, in 
August, September (catalog issue), October, 
December, February, and April. Second class 
postage paid at Worcester, MA. 
Postmaster: Please send for 3579 to: Alumni 
Association, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 
Worcester, MA 01609. 



WPI ALUMNI ASSOCIATION 

President: William A. Julian, '49 

Senior vice president: Ralph D. Gelling, '63 

Vice president: Walter B. Dennen, Jr., '51 

Secretary-treasurer: Stephen J. Hebert, '66 

Past president: Francis S. Harvey, '37 

Executive Committee members-at-large: 
Richard A. Davis, '53; Anson C. Fyler, 45; John 
H. McCabe, '68; Julius A. Palley, '46 

Faculty representative: Kenneth E. Scott, '48 

Fund Board: G. Albert Anderson, '51, chairman; 
Richard B. Kennedy, '65; Gerald Finkle, '57; 
Philip H. Puddington, '59; Leonard H. White, 
'41; Henry Styskal, Jr., '50; C. John Lindegren, 
'39 




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depending — on the use of computers. For science, for 
business, for industry, for government, the use of com- 
puters has become a fact of life in record-keeping, 
calculating, simulation, designing, decision-making . . . 
you name it. What bank or insurance company today 
could even continue to exist without computers? 

But we know too about the dark side of computers. As 
our private space is increasingly crowded by the vast 
amount of data on file about our lives,- as such everyday 
things as supermarket checkouts and payments begin to 
depend on computers (the store's, the bank's, and your 
personal ID card that validates the transaction); as we 
wrestle with the computers that keep track of our 
finances and obligations: then we begin to appreciate 
the influence the computer now exerts on our lives. 

As a college that educates young men and women for 
careers in science and technology, WPI inevitably adds 
to the power of computers in our world. As a school 
concerned about the interface between science, 
technology, and the human values and needs of our 
society, WPI must also help make sure that the com- 
puters respond to us, and not we to them. At WPI we 
must ask the hard questions. We must ask who is in 
charge. 



In March 1978, WPI held a special symposium on the social 
impact of the computer, organized by social science professor 
John Wilkes. The Lawrence Hull Memorial Lecture was delivered 
by Joseph Weizenbaum, and a panel discussion immediately 
following was made possible by a grant from the Lilly Endow- 
ment, Inc. The articles that follow are based on that symposium. 



The questions computers 



by Joseph Weizenbaum 



I find myself occasionally at a gathering where it comes 
out who I am, and then I get inundated with questions in 
much the same way that physicians do. Doctors get told, 
"Oh, you know, my aunt had a very interesting opera- 
tion." and then they hear about the operation; or, "I have a 
pain somewhere. What do you think it might be?" 
Lawyers get told sad stories, usually ending with "Can 
they do that to me?" and the answer is always "Yes." And 
so it is with those of us who are identified as computerniks 
— we get asked certain questions which reveal that the 
computer has generated a stirring among the people, and I 
think this stirring can be identified or characterized by the 
questions we get asked. 

These questions fall into several categories. One is, Can 
computers think? Now, I don't want to answer this 
question. I want to just point out that it consists of three 
words, each one of which is among the most difficult 
words in the English language. Reflect on the word can, 
what it means in all its refinements. And of course the 
word think is enormously problematical. Just try to read 
Husserl or Heidegger on thinking, and you'll see what I 
mean. And then there's computer, which people generally 
think of as a fairly simple word. That is, people think of 
computers as being boxes, roughly like Coca Cola dis- 
pensers or something like that, with perhaps tape rec- 
orders attached to one side and a typewriter sitting in front 
and maybe a television set too. And it's that gadget about 
which the question is asked. Well, in any case, it's a very, 
very difficult question in its many ramifications and it 
comes up constantly. There are other questions in this 
category: questions like, "Is the human mind a com- 
puter?" Sometimes it's "Is the human mind merely a 
computer?" Or sometimes it's "Is the computer a mind?" 
There's a lot of confusion, I think, between mind and 
brain. 



JOSEPH WEIZENBAUM is professor in the Computer 
Science Laboratory of Massachusetts Institute of 
Technology. Author of the book, Computer Power and 
Human Reason, he warns about the power that the use of 
computers can exert over human minds. 



A second category, which already assumes some an- 
swers to the first, is What will intelligent computers be 
able to do soon? or What are they doing now? Take, for 
example, speech recognition. This is a term that's not well 
understood. What it means can be characterized in the 
following way: imagine the output of my microphone is 
fed into a computer. We would say that the computer has 
mastered speech recognition if, while I'm talking or maybe 
a little while later, the computer can type out an English 
transcript of what I said here. This turns out to be an 
incredibly difficult problem, in my view essentially un- 
solvable in its whole generality although solvable in very, 
very narrow domains. But in any case, we get asked that 
question. Sometimes the naivete of the questioner is 
revealed when he or she sees speech recognition by 
computer as merely the other side of the coin of speech 
production by the computer. So we get asked, "Well, we 
know the computer can produce speech, as for example 
when we get a wrong number on the telephone and there's 
a computer behind the scenes which says, 'I am sorry ; 
373-5921 is not in service.' If the computer can do that, 
why can't it do speech recognition?" There is terrible 
confusion about how easy it is to do the one and how 
almost impossibly difficult it is to do the other. 

Another similar question has to do with language 
translation. How soon are we going to get automatic 
language translation? That is, you feed a source text in 
English, say a novel by Hemingway, into a computer and 
out comes the same text in the target language, say 
German, all done by computer. "And how soon will that 
happen" or "Is it happening now? " Very often people say "I 
understand that this is being done routinely, English to 
Russian or vice versa." I'm terribly tempted to answer 
these questions although I really don't want to, but I can't 
resist remarking that automatic language translation, that 
is language translation by computer, is impossible. Having 
made this remark, I want to sharpen it up a little and leave 
out the words "by computer." Language translation is 
impossible. I can give you lots of evidence, but that's not 
what I'm here to talk about. 



4 1 October 1 978 I WPI Journal 



Another category is "How soon will intelligent com- 
puters give us home robots that will serve us, clean the rug, 
and open the window when it begins to rain outside?" I 

emphasize that because one of the great enthusiasts for 
this sort of thing, Professor John McCarthy of Stanford 
University, in defending the idea that this will happen 
very soon, used exactly this example. I hope you noticed 
the slip. Well, I suspect we'll have robots that open the 
windows sooner than we'll have robots that will reliably 
close the windows when it rains outside. 

These first two categories, computers thinking and 
what intelligent computers will do for us, are in the 
dimension of technological optimism, or at least so it 
appears on the surface. The next question assumes that all 
of these wonderful things have happened and now begins 
to worry about them. Will computers take over? Will they 
develop a will of their own, slip from our control, and 
make decisions for us which have consequences to which 
we are then irreversibly bound? Will that happen? One 
good answer is, "Why state that in the future tense? " Still, 
all these three categories are at least vaguely technologi- 
cally optimistic in that they all see computers doing very 
remarkable things, particularly things they don't do now. 

Then comes another category, which goes in the other 
direction. The general question is, Why is my X screwed 
up? where X is what in computer science we call a free 
variable. That is, it can be replaced by lots of other things: 
for example, "Why is my bank account screwed up?" 
"Why is my credit card statement screwed up?" "Why is 
my airline reservation screwed up? " and so on. It has to be 
understood that this gets asked of computer people in a 
rather accusatory way. It's clear that it must be the 
computer's fault. This is a question of fault and responsi- 
bility, which is another whole issue that comes in here. 



In this connection, I want to clear up a misconception 
that exists in the world today. Someone in the audience 
talked about computers that screw up credit cards, and she 
said she knew that it wasn't the computer who screwed 
up, it was the person who put the wrong information in. 
Well, it wasn 't the person who put the wrong information 
in. And no, it wasn't the computer either. It turns out that 
most of those errors result from a conglomeration of 
circumstances having to do with people who wrote pro- 
grams, people who glued together programs that other 
people wrote, and so on, until the final result is a system 
that handles all the data and transactions, but is utterly 
incomprehensible to anyone. Most large systems that 
exist today, that run our businesses and our military 
installations, are in this sense incomprehensible to any- 
one. 

Let me give an example. Some time ago, the President of 
the United States held a telephone call-in, and television 
was there so we could listen in. A lady called up the 
President and told him she was on social security, and she 
wanted a cost of living increase every half year, just like 
her neighbors who were military retirees, instead of only 
once a year. The President said he'd have his staff look into 
it and he'd call her back. Some months later he called her 
back, and magically television was there again and we 
could overhear. The President said, in effect, "I've had my 
boys look into it and what they tell me is that the system 
that runs Social Security is so big and complex that the 
change you are asking for, even if we wanted to make it, is 
essentially impossible to make." Of course, it's not logi- 
cally impossible to change the system. But there's another 
consideration. What the President didn't say is that there's 
an enormous danger in going into a program of this kind, 
making a little fix, because you can't guarantee that 
everything else in the program will work as it did before. 
That's why it would be foolhardy to go in and perform this 
surgery. And that's why I call it an incomprehensible 
system. 

I think that if, five or seven years ago, I asked my 
colleagues what sort of canonical questions they got 
asked, I would have heard the same questions I've referred 
to here. It may be that the questions are asked with a little 
more fervor, a little more certainty today, than they might 
have been seven years ago, but it's fundamentally the 
same list. 

However, another whole set of questions has appeared 
quite recently. The new area has to do with home com- 
puters. All of a sudden, the home computer has entered the 
public imagination. Indeed, to a certain extent, it is here. 
One can go to Radio Shack, for example, and actually buy 
these things for on the order of $500-1 500. Well, what are 
the questions that get asked about home computers? 
Certainly one of the principal ones is, How soon will it be 
before 'everyone' has a home computer? Another question 
is, What will we be able to do with them? The "we" is 
important here; that is, people assume that soon they're 
going to have one, and then wonder what they will do with 
it. 



The WPI Journal I October 197815 



I have given you this list of questions and I'm now at the 
end of it, although I imagine that if I thought a little harder 
I could come up with some more. I don't intend to answer 
these terribly interesting questions. I think these ques- 
tions, from a slightly different point of view, are really 
statements. Not only are they statements about com- 
puters and the state of the art in computers; they're 
statements about people and about people's attitudes 
quite generally, not just with respect to computers. And 
more particularly, these questions seen as statements 
reveal a number of illusions that are worth discussing. 

The first illusion has to do with the word everyone. 
"Pretty soon everyone in the United States is going to have 
a home computer" is more or less the assertion. Just read 
Time magazine and you'll see. And who is the everyone? 
One of my colleagues has a nice little theorem which goes: 
It can't be everybody if it doesn't include me. And I think 
that's a pretty good theorem. Who is this everyone? Well, 
the analogy is often made to television. Isn't it true that 
virtually everyone has a television set? (I just want to 
comment on the word virtually. It's one of those curious 
English words which means exactly the opposite of what it 
says. When you say, for example, that John is virtually six 
feet tall, then one thing you know with certainty is that, 
whatever else he is, he's not six feet tall.) It is in fact true 
that almost all American places of residence have a 
television set, even among the poor and the very poor. 
What isn't so clear is at what cost that television set was 
obtained. That is, what was given up by the people in order 
to get the television set. But that's another matter. What I 
think differentiates the home computer from the televi- 
sion set, in this sense of everyone, is that there are, in the 
United States, millions of people for whom even the $10 
pocket calculator is simply, totally, and absolutely irrele- 
vant. It just doesn't have anything to do with their lives. 
And so the everyone who will have a computer is a very 
different everyone from the everyone who has a television 
set or who has access to a television set. 

I could put a period there and turn to the next item, but I 
want to attach a little more nourishment to that idea. 
There are, of course, causes, which I don't want to talk 
about, and also consequences. The consequences may 
well be (my crystal ball is no clearer than yours) that when 
in fact "everyone" has access to the kind of powerful home 
computers that are currently envisioned, what emerges is 
a brand new fracture in the society, a brand new division 
between those who are comfortable with and can do the 
kind of simple manipulation that one does with these 
things (and have access to the other systems to which 
these things are tied, for example, an electronic funds 
transfer system, and so on) and those who are not. The gap 
between these two will widen in a great many ways, and I 
think it will become increasingly difficult for these two 
segments of American society to communicate with one 
another at all. This may be a little hard to swallow but I 
suggest that any one who is not a computer hacker come 
to the building I work in at mit and see if he or she can 
understand the conversations that go on among the hac- 
kers in that building. The communication difficulties can 




be severe. I've been at mit for 1 5 years now, and I've seen 
generations of students come and go. The exposure to 
computers, to that way of thinking in our building, has 
profoundly changed the way many of those people think. 
And I certainly want to include some of our faculty, who 
explicitly say that all problems are fundamentally techni- 
cal problems, that social problems are analogous to bugs in 
a computer program that need to be repaired and fixed. 

Consider, if you will, the popular example of the charac- 
ter Mr. Spock on Star Trek. He teaches generations of 
youngsters, sometimes not so young youngsters, that life, 
even in those far distant days, is basically paradoxical . . . 
but that paradoxes can be unraveled by a suitable applica- 
tion of logic. In other words, Spock is a kind of computer. 
He does the kind of thinking that we say computers do, if 
we can talk about computers thinking. In fact, of course, 
real life is not simply laced with paradoxes; it's laced with 
dilemmas which no existing suitable logic will unravel. 
Illusions are being foisted upon us and propagated about 
life being essentially computable, that there are no real 
value conflicts, no dilemmas. For example, we now have a 
wonderful verb in our language, problem solving, which 
didn't exist, certainly not in the sense that we use it today, 
thirty or forty years ago. I'm quite convinced that in life, 
real human problems are never solved. Take a bad mar- 
riage — maybe a divorce is indicated, but that doesn't solve 
the problem. What happens to real human problems is that 
they're replaced by other problems which may be easier to 
endure or not. They're postponed, set aside; they're trans- 
formed. But what Mr. Spock teaches us, what the whole 
computer metaphor and the computer culture teaches us, 
is that all of life is computable. Indeed, some of my 
colleagues, in my field and in my institution, actually 
teach precisely that, in just so many words. I think it's 
very, very bad. 



6 / October 1 978 1 WPI Journal 




The next question I get asked is, What will people do 
with home computers? The marketing geniuses who have 
gone to work on this are pretty sure about what people will 
do, what these computers are likely to be for. There's talk 
about robotics, closing the window when it rains and 
turning down the heat in the evening and turning it up 
again in the morning, etc. (A good question, by the way, is 
Why is this such a great problem that it requires all this 
marvelous technology? But that's another matter.) But one 
can hardly call this sort of application of this high technol- 
ogy a vision in the profound sense that that is occasionally 
spoken of, especially by politicians. And yet there's a need 
for a vision. (Just by the way, we insiders in the computer 
business have known for about ten years that the home 
computer revolution is on its way, and we've been study- 
ing this problem and asking what are we going to do with 
these things when they get here. Imagine all that talent for 
ten years applied to this particular problem . . . and we still 
don't know. It's a big mystery.) 

The vision, and you all know what it is, has to do with 
universal education. According to this vision, in every 
home there's going to be a box attached to some sort of 
typewriter console, some sort of television screen (possi- 
bly the very television on which you or your children 
watch Star Trek ), and of course to some sort of telecom- 
munication link, perhaps cable television or even the 
telephone system. You'll be linked to the supermarket so 
you can do your ordering electronically and transfer your 
funds electronically and all that. And of course there are 
going to be games. There's going to be Space War and Tank 
Battle, a lot of kill 'em and smash 'em, and Battleship, etc. 
All that's called killing. We have a euphemism for that. It's 
called entertainment. But there's a more serious purpose. 
There will be an equivalent of National Educational 



Television, in addition to the commercial channels and all 
the killer channels. The home computer will give access 
to the world's great teachers, the world's great literature, 
and the libraries of the world. 

But the analogy to television may be useful here. I'm 
reminded of the vision of then Secretary of Commerce 
Herbert Hoover at the dawn of commercial radio broad- 
casting. That same euphoric vision was again pronounced 
by other people when television became a feasible com- 
mercial prospect. In those days it was foreseen that these 
media would exert an enormously beneficial influence on 
the shaping of American culture. As far as radio was 
concerned, children would be exposed to the spoken word 
in its finest form, the great spoken drama, the great 
teachers, the great literature, and so on. And then televi- 
sion came and again the same dream was resurrected, this 
time with the additional dimension. 

Well, what actually happened? The technical part of 
that dream was fully realized. The scratchy radio was 
replaced by high fidelity FM stereophonic broadcasting. 
The snowy little black and white television tube was 
replaced by gigantic screens in living color. Satellite 
communication systems made it possible to display al- 
most any event taking place on this earth, even in outer 
space or on the battlefield in Viet Nam, right in your 
home. But the cultural dream, the dream of education, of 
the exposure to great teachers, was cruelly mocked. It 
simply failed. We have the most intricate electronics and 
technology, and what does it deliver to us? An occasional 
gem buried in immense and boundless floods of every- 
thing that's most banal and insipid and even pathological 
in our civilization. 

We're beginning to see this same scenario played out 
with respect to the home computer. Again we have the 
euphoric dream. But when we look at the very beginnings 
of it, the little bits of home computer that we see now, 
what do we see? We see Space War, Battleship, kill 'em, 
smash 'em, and so on. I'd like to report something I heard 
very recently in the laboratory where I work. A number of 
graduate students were standing around a console playing 
Space War. Perhaps you know the kind of game Space War 
is. It has to do with space ships shooting each other down 
and that sort of thing. And one of the students said to the 
others, "You know, we ought to get more points for killing 
than for merely surviving." It was a perfectly reasonable 
statement in that context, and I'm afraid it may turn out, 
unhappily, to become a slogan for the era of home com- 
puters. 

People often say to me, especially if they have read my 
book, since I feel as I do about computers, Why am I a 
professor of computer science, at mit of all places? Or to 
put it another way, What are the obligations, in my view, 
of being a professor of computer science. I teach it; that's 
part of the obligation. And there are a lot of good things 
that computers have made possible. For example, take the 
picture of the earth in space — impossible without com- 
puters. There are whole lists of good things. But there's 
another crucial consideration. Suppose I'm driving a car on 
a slippery road and I'm beginning to head over into an 



The WPI Journal I October 197817 



embankment. That's when I have to watch out, and I have 
to try to steer the other way. The danger at this moment, in 
the whole computer business, in the whole technology 
business in our society, is that we're heading for a collision 
and therefore somebody has to take corrective action. All 
the good things will get done anyway. Plenty of people tell 
us about the good things. But only people who thoroughly 
understand all the intricacies of the pathology can sound 
the warning that needs to be sounded. And the warning is 
absolutely necessary, not just about computers but with 
respect to X-rays, other sorts of radiation, dna, whatever. 
It's terribly important to understand the limitations of the 
technology. Somebody has to say that. There are very, very 
few of us who ever speak about it at all. At forums like this, 
I'm usually the only one who says anything about limita- 
tions, while the other speakers are technological op- 
timists. I was stunned when I came here to WPI and I heard 
these other people speaking about limitations. It's at least 
as important to talk about the limitations of science and 
technology as it is to understand the powers. Plenty of 
people speak to the powers. Somebody has to state the 
caution. 

We are often asked to suspend judgment until science 
gives us the data. But that's precisely the kind of entrap- 
ment into the cult of the expert, into the cult of science, 
that I want to escape from. And it's precisely the kind of 
trap that my institution, the Massachusetts Insitute of 
Technology (which prides itself, to quote from the presi- 
dent's speech, on being polarized around science and 
technology) insists on putting students into. 

The truth, I think (and this also comes up in the nuclear 
and dna controversies, for example), is that the really 
important policy questions with respect to science and 
technology are simply not very hard for anyone to under- 
stand. It's an enormous copout for scientists and 
technologists to say, "Oh, this is all very complicated and 
you'll never understand this until you get a degree." The 
details about atomic energy, the details about computer 
systems, those are complicated, difficult, and take years to 
get straight in your head. But the basic policy questions are 
relatively simple. 



8 I October 1 978 I WPI Journal 



Microprocessing 



everything 



by Robert Solomon 



I'd like to bring more into perspective some of the things 
that Professor Weizenbaum mentioned and how they'll 
impact you. And I'd like to discuss some things that worry 
me, and that may start worrying you. 

First of all, the so-called microprocessor revolution 
we're seeing means that we now have computers which 
have the power of computers in the 1950s (and then they 
filled rooms) on little pieces of processed beach sand, 
which we have called silicon wafers, selling for under $2. 
We're talking about computers that cost millions of 
dollars back in the '50s, hundreds of thousands of dollars in 
the early '60s, now available for under $2 on a single chip. 
And these chips are being applied in a whole bunch of new 
ways. All of a sudden, the name of the game has changed. 
People are thinking of smart stoves and intelligent vac- 
uum cleaners. In the computer microprocessor industry, 
we're now trying to sell Detroit two to three microproces- 
sors in each car. In fact, to save wiring, it has been 
suggested that we put a computer in each headlamp to 
control the dimmer. And we're really getting into this era 
of the microprocessor revolution where it's predicted that, 
in the average home, in the next three years, there will be 
three or four computers — hidden in tvs, hidden in such 
complex kitchen devices as blenders. Now, what this 
means, and it's been much more detailed in a lot of the 
work done by Professor Weizenbaum, is that we're going 
to have more controls put on us, and more things can go 
wrong. You get on an elevator and you're wearing a badge 
in a particular office building, and you try to go to the fifth 
floor. The elevator says, No, that's not your floor. And 
similarly with motor vehicles and various other aspects of 
our endeavors. The computer is going to be much more 
commonplace. 

The analogy I love to make, to show you the ludicrous- 
ness of it all, is that if television sets were cheaper than 
light bulbs, what you'd do is you'd rip out the guts of a 



ROBERT SOLOMON is assistant professor of electrical 
engineering at WPI. A graduate of Polytechnic Institute of 
Brooklyn with degrees horn M.I.T., he is also president of 
Solotest, Inc., a private consulting firm. He has been a 
member of the WPI faculty since 1976. 



television set, throw away the tuner, turn up the bright- 
ness, and use them in your house as light bulbs. This is the 
sort of thing that's now happening in microprocessors and 
these small, cheap, very inexpensive computers. Inexpen- 
sive intelligence. A lot of people say that this intelligence 
is wonderful and in some respects it is. You can take the 
intelligence of a human, as long as you keep remembering 
that it's human, and embody it in something. So in other 
words, you have somebody who really knows how to 
operate a blender program in the operations. And you buy 
the machine, even if your fingers are sort of klutzy, and 
now you have the ability of this genius, this so-called 
French chef extraordinaire electronique, come into your 
kitchen. You can make any mistake you want, but you 
can't burn out the blender. So the people who advocate the 
use of microprocessors are saying it's fantastic. A little bit 
of people's genius are now included on these little $2 
chips. 

To my way of thinking, this means that we can all 
become klutzes. We can have our brains atrophied and 
become a lot sloppier in what we do. Other pe