Thayer School

THE FORTY-SECOND and last annual meeting of the "Thayer Society of Engineers of Dartmouth College" was held at the Dartmouth Club in New York on January 19. It was the last meeting of the Thayer Society because by unanimous vote of the members present the name of the Society was formally changed to "Dartmouth Society of Engineers." This action was taken on the recommendation of the Executive Committee based on the belief that the Society should be more closely associated with the College as are the engineering societies of other institutions. The Dartmouth Society of Engineers will continue to function in all ways as it has under its former name for forty-one years.

The following members of the Society attended the New York meeting: (ThayerSchool class unless noted)

G. J. Mclndoe '96, L. Hewes DC '98, E. P. Seelman DC '98, G. H. Nolan '00, T. T. Whittier '00, W. F. Rugg '02, F. B. Marsh '02, L. B. Farr '03, J. E. Porter '03, A. Y. Ruggles '03, W. A. Conley '06, C. F. Goodrich '06, S. C. Bartlett '08, F. H. Munkelt '09, F. E. Schilling '09, P. L. Thompson '09, B. H. Dudley '10, M. Ready '10, H. A. Ward '10, J. R. Kinney '11, F. Rogers '11, E. I. Mitchell '13, F. A. Davidson '15, A. P. Richmond '15, R. H. Ellis '17, R. E. Adams '20 R. P. Miller '20, P. Wilkin '22, J. W. Guppy '24, P. E. Johnson '27, E. R. Sullivan '28, J. H. Minnich '29, W. P. Kimball '29, J. A. Walsh Jr. '30, E. S. Cole '31, G. E. Franson '31, M. P. White '31, E. W. Phinney '33, W. D. Lamson '36, C. Y. Hitchcock 'Jr. '39, J. C. Pritchard '44, F. W. Garran.

The meeting was favored with the following guests: William J. Minsch '07, Trustee of the College, Sidney C. Hayward '26, Secretary of the College, and George W. Burpee, Bowdoin '04 and MIT '06. Following dinner, the toastmaster, Frederick A. Davidson '15, called on Mr. Minsch for a few remarks. Dean Garran then outlined the School's plans for civil, mechanical, and electrical engineering curricula after the war, and I outlined the study now being made to determine the policy of the Tuck-Thayer curriculum. The feature speaker of the evening was Mr. Burpee who is a member of the firm of Coverdale and Colpits, Consulting Engineers, and President of General Aniline and Film Company. Mr. Burpee spoke on the ideal engineering curriculum and noted how closely the proposed Thayer School curricula conformed with his own thoughts.

The following members were elected to the Executive Committee for 1945: F. A. Davidson '15, F. H. Munkelt '09, P. L. Thompson '09, S. C. Bartlett 'OB, R. E. Adams '20.

The following members were elected to serve for a two-year term on the Advisory Board: P. H. Winchester '00, J. S. Macdonald '15, E. H. Elkins '15.

The Society then nominated Richard E. Pritchard '15 as one of its representatives for a four-year term on the Board of Overseers. Mr. Pritchard is President of the Stanley Works at New Britain, Conn. Although he was unable to attend the Society meeting this year, his son, Ensign J. C. Pritchard Jr. '44, who was enrolled in the Tuck-Thayer course before the war, was there.

This letter will be lacking in news from Hanover owing to the fact that I have been traveling for the past five weeks soliciting information and suggestions for the TuckThayer curriculum. In the course of this trip I have been warmly received by Thayer School alumni at several of my stops.

At New Britain, Conn., I spent the major part of the day as the guest of Mr. Pritchard at the Stanley Works. My visit included a partial tour of this large plant which has been devoted in large part during the past few years to war work.

Another war plant visited in New Britain was the Skinner Chuck Company. I was taken on a complete tour of this plant by Paul Rogers '36 who is Vice-President and Treasurer of the company.

In Buffalo I was the guest of Bertha and Herbert Darling '37 in their beautiful new home. Herb is a general contractor with offices in Williamsville, just outside Buffalo, and has had a great deal of work for war plants in that vicinity. Some of his largest jobs have been in connection with a TNT plant, Curtiss Aircraft, and Republic Steel.

In Rochester I enjoyed a good visit with Courtland Young '42. Court was one of the original Tuck-Thayer graduates and is now working in the Planning Department of the Eastman Kodak Company. As liaison man between the sales and production divisions, he finds that he has a full-time job on his hands.

In Norfolk I was the guest of Herbert D. Hinman 'OB both at his office and his home. Mr. Hinman is president of both the Virginia Engineering Company and the Tidewater Construction Company which have constructed many major developments for both the Army and Navy. Their work has included the major portion of the huge Naval Operating Base at Norfolk which I also visited.

In Baltimore I visited the office of the J. E. Greiner Engineering Company as the guest of Carlton M. Soule '07 and Harry M. Brown '14. Both Mr. Soule and Mr. Brown are associates with this firm which has been responsible for the planning and design of several large military installations, and is currently engaged principally in the development of post-war plans.

Also in Baltimore, I enjoyed a visit with Jack Hughes '44 who is an operator at the Relay Plant of the Calvert Distilling Company. Jack is another graduate of the pre-war Tuck-Thayer curriculum.