Thayer School
THE MAIN EVENT at the School since the last letter was written was the Open House put on by the Student Chapter Saturday afternoon, March 22. As in the previous Open House staged a year ago, all laboratories were open and operating under the direction of student squads and there were many special displays, motion pictures and exhibits of an engineering and technical nature. One of the novelties instituted in the Hydraulics laboratory was the popping of corn on an electric hot plate. This was powered by a generator driven by the Pelton Wheel designed and built at the School last year. At this season of the year the drawdown of the reservoir involved in the popping of a pound of corn is not as serious as it would be in the dry months.
At the "grief meeting" dinner at the Outing Club house the following evening, there was the usual flood of suggestions, constructive criticism and recommenda- tions for future events. It was decided that the attendance of 400 was an indication that the Open House should be made a biennial rather than an annual affair. Discussion of the curriculum followed. bringing out many interesting and valuable student reactions. Perhaps the outstanding feature of this discussion was the enthusiastic 100% vote favoring the continuation of the "intensive" schedule substituted two years ago for the conventional semester schedule.
As part of a nationwide study by engineering schools of the possibility of accelerating the engineering curriculum, a schedule was drawn up whereby it would be possible by the addition of a summer term to graduate the Class of '42 in February rather than May and subsequent classes in October rather than May. The results of the study, however, indicated that the value to be received from acceleration would not justify the expense and disadvantages entailed, and practising engineers with whom we have discussed the subject have agreed. For these reasons we have decided against any such effort. The School has considered and investigated at some length the desirability of establishing special defense courses under Federal grant for Engineering Defense Training. Up to the present time it has not appeared desirable to institute any courses here since there is no demand for such training from industries located within reach of Hanover. The advisability of instituting EDT courses for undergraduates of the College is now under consideration. Two courses in Civilian Pilot Training have been operated this year under the guidance of Dean Garran acting as coordinator.
Charles R. Main 'OB, nominee of the Thayer Society to the Board of Overseers and present member of the board, is to be congratulated on his recent election as Vice President of the Boston Society of Civil Engineers, oldest Civil Engineering Society in the country.
Cliff Symancyk '40 and Bill Bailey '40 were, when last heard of, working for the Raymond Concrete Pile Company, Cliff out of the Washington office, Ace out of the New York office. Cliff wrote enthusiastically about his work on a large pile driving job for a telephone company building in Newport News, and he reported having seen classmate Bill Jones who he says is going strong in his position with the Virginia Engineering Company. Cliff met Bill's boss and said he gave Bill and his work a wonderful report. Have just heard that in his spare time Bill has bought an airplane and is learning how to operate the thing. Bob McCarty '40 has been in Trinidad with the U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey.
A1 Richmond '15 is at present in Lincoln, Nebraska, where he has been conducting a personnel survey for the Nebraska Highway Department similiar to the surveys he has previously made for other states as mentioned in this column some months ago.
Bob Johnson '31 has returned from Venezuela and is now working for the engineering firm of Parsons, Klapp, Brink erhoff and Douglas in New York City. Classmate George Simpson has been working for Turner Construction Company for some time.
Dean Garran recently received an interesting letter from Herb Mandeville '31 who is still located in Cape Town, Union of South Africa. Herb is most enthusiastic about his work in municipal engineering and the great variety of work which it offers. He reports the use of American road building machinery and American practice in highway engineering. Referring to the more social aspects of life in Cape Town, he writes, "Life is pleasanter here than in any other place I have known, except perhaps California. The climate is ideal and Nature has provided every opportunity for sport and pleasure here. In spare time I live on the tennis courts and in the ocean."
It is with deep regret that we note the death on March 15 of Malverd A. Howe '86 at his home in Northfield, Vermont. During his thirty years' service at Rose Polytechnic Institute in Terre Haute, Indiana, Professor Howe established himself as an outstanding figure both as a teacher and as a civil engineer. He was the author of many texts and reference works on structural engineering from foundations to trusses which, in both their original and re-issued forms, served as standards of engineering design for many years. With his passing the profession loses one of its most respected members and the School one of its most distinguished alumni.
