Still Going Strong

At a time of life when most college professors begin to dream of retirement, Frank B. Sanborn '87 at the age of 53 resigned his position as head of the Department of Engineering at Tufts College to go into business for himself. From its start in a one- room office set up in 1918, Sanborn Co. has attained an international reputation as manufacturers of medical diagnostic apparatus, with a payroll of over 400 workers and an annual sales record approaching five million dollars. Specializing in the manufacture of metabolism testers and electrocardiographs, the firm also maintains an extensive correspondence course of instruction for the users of its products, with doctors and technicians on the teaching staff.

Now 87 years old, Mr. Sanborn works five days a week as chairman of the board, driving himself to his office, five miles from his home in Cambridge. He adheres to his philosophy which has served him well. This stresses hard work; generous credit to the efforts of others; and the belief that theory should be put to use. Mr. Sanborn's own inventions have won him recognition in the medical and engineering professions, the fire fighting field, and countless modern industries. Among his contributions are new devices for testing the speed of rotary pumps and for gauging the force of fire-fighting streams; a motorboat speedometer, and a recorder for registering variable water levels of ponds and rivers.

In spite of the head start others in business may have had on him, Mr. Sanborn has not let work rule out his enjoyment of friends and outdoor exercise. He has sel- dom missed a Dartmouth reunion; this month he comes back for his 65th. He has also kept in close touch with his classmates, and is class secretary for 'B7. Until last fall when he suffered a mild heart attack and was advised to give up the game, he played golf regularly, winning three cups in the "over 70" class at Oakley Country Club- the last one when he was 84. In a recent interview with a Boston Globe writer, Mr. Sanborn stated, "My electrocardiograph readings now show everything s normal, and I expect to get back into the swing again."

And since he is an authority on electrocardiographs as well as on getting the maximum out of life, he undoubtedly will.

FRANK B. SANBORN '87