Thayer School News
Hanover, N. H.
At the time of writing the scholastic year has entered the home stretch, and by the time this letter is published another class of civil engineers will have been graduated from Thayer School. It may be timely to remind the alumni that the School stands by as a sort of clearing house for jobs and men available. Requests for graduate engineers have come in during the past months which could not be met because we have no record of graduates who are unemployed. Conversely, in order that the graduating class may have the best possible employment opportunities, we should be informed of jobs available.
At the spring meeting of the College trustees Prof. Frank W. Garran, acting dean this year, was appointed dean of the Thayer School. The School is fortunate in having Professor Garran in this position, and your correspondent takes the liberty of speaking for the alumni body in welcoming Dean Garran as head of the School.
Some interesting septic tank installations have recently been called to the attention of Professor Fletcher, who published pamphlets ten years ago describing the construction of these tanks for residential sewage as they have been developed in New Hampshire. Mr. D. M. Tefft, who worked with Professor Fletcher in the extensive development at Sugar Hill over twenty years ago, reports that septic tanks of the New Hampshire type have been adopted in Aberdeen, Scotland, and apparently also in Manchester, England, with the aid of the bulletins published here.
Jerry Updyke '30 writes enthusiastically about his whereabouts as follows: "At present I am en route to Manila, P. 1., where Iexpect to spend at least the next three yearsin the employ of the Atlantic, Gulf, andPacific Cos. of that city. About two weeksago I signed a contract for two years withthe third optional to them. They do dredging, land reclamation, building of piers,bridges, etc., and my work will be in theoffice, primarily as detailer and designer."
He also reports that Ralph Moulton '30 is engaged in time studies in the American Bridge Cos. shop at Ambridge, Pa., where he finds business conditions encouraging.
Speaking of improved conditions, it gives this column great pleasure to record the marriage on March 24 of Joan Ellis Getchell to Shaw Cole '31, in Woonsocket, R. I. Shaw, according to latest reports, is working with the Pitometer Company in New York City.
The following letter received recently from W. H. Balch '98, from Paradis, San Domingo, is, in the opinion of your editor the best letter of the year: "For a week Ihave been living here on a coffee plantation on the side of a mountain 1,800 ft.above the Mar Caribe. With an army compass and a Locke level and pacing I havemade a map of the place of 530 acres, 200,000 coffee trees. The map of this section iswrong. It shows Nizaito River valley E andW. It is a large and long valley NW to SEand is between mountains 2,000 ft. high. At2,000 ft. I am at the level of the clouds,above the sea, and at sunrise it is a wonderful sight. Small clouds drift along atyour level, airships of fairyland. Sometimesbefore the sun comes up, there will come ashooting star, sailing along slowly, leavinga brilliant streak of light and then fadingout. I have just two cents in cash and donot ?ieed that. Went into toxon at the footof the mountain the other day, about aweek ago. Town is on a level small plain,30 ft. above sea level, 100 houses, palmboard sides and cana palm thatch roofs. Avelvet grass grows in the streets. Town remarkably cleati. No mosquitoes and nomoney. Nobody in town could change a $5bill. I had to buy eggs, bread, and coffeeand get an old lady to cook for me. Stayedthat night at her house, and she would nottake any pay for my lodging. In the morning a peon carried me across the shallowriver on his back (as I had crossed it thesame way the afternoon before). I expectto get back to the U. S. (si Dios quiere) about the first of May." Who says the romance is gone from engineering?
It is with a sense of loss and deep regret that we record the passing of Arthur A. Adams '95 at his home in Springfield, Mass., on April 6 after a brief illness of two days. A full notice will be found in the Necrology section of this issue.
This is the last letter of the year. In another part of this MAGAZINE you will find the Commencement schedule, which is complete except that it doesn't mention the fact that the Thayer School will be open for visitors at that time, and that the faculty will be on hand eager to show you through the building, where you may renew acquaintance with the testing machine and Transit No. 8, and make the acquaintance of the more recent laboratories and the collected books of General Thayer, etc. This invitation holds throughout the summer as well, and surveying season opens August 16. See you nextOctober.
