Thayer School

With the start of the second (winter) term, the Thayer School faculty held a two-day, informal conference on January 9-10 at the Montpelier Tavern. This overnight stag retreat provided an excellent forum for review of the plans and programs of Thayer School. Following an extensive report by Dean Tribus on the state of the School, there was discussion of personnel plans, undergraduate affairs, graduate programs, and other related subjects. This was the first time such a concentrated, uninterrupted appraisal by the faculty has been possible. Also it provided a welcome opportunity for individual members of a growing and constantly changing faculty to become better acquainted with each other.

By the time these notes are read, Professor Bill Kimball '29 and I will have attended the Highway Research Board Meeting in Washington, D. C., on January 11-15. We hope to see many of you at the Thayer Alumni dinner that Thursday evening. A report on this get-together will be presented next month.

Jim Decker '54 has returned to the States after extensive overseas assignments in New Zealand and Australia - "and is hopefully settled in Columbia (S. C.) for an extended period." Jim is with the firm of Wilbur Smith and Associates and his projects in transportation and traffic engineering have taken him to England, Greece, and many places in the United States in addition to down-under.

Thorndike Saville '15 continues to receive honors from his profession. At the 1964 annual meeting of the American Society for Engineering Education at Orono, Maine, Dean Saville was presented the citation for Honorary Membership, having been chosen "from among those who have rendered eminent service to mankind in engineering education or other engineering fields." A picture of Thorndike and an extensive account of his accomplishments appeared in the September '64 issue of the Journal of Engineering Education. His professional activities at this time include membership on several advisory boards in New York and Florida, and an extensive consulting practice at the local, national and international level.

Clark Griffiths '58, as head of the Product Engineering Department, Split Ball Bearing, Lebanon, N. H., is responsible for solving design problems involving special bearings, and for the development of applications for the standard line of bearings. Clark was most generous in providing assistance and bearings for the sophomore ES-21 course. Bob Winter '58 stopped at Thayer School while on the move from. California to Germany. As a Captain, U.S. Army, he is in charge of an anti-aircraft artillery unit which in this day and age means, I guess, anti-missile artillery. Bob will be stationed in Germany for at least two years.

A unique and extensive publication titled "Our Baby's Here, It's a Boy!" has been received from Lt. (jg) Frank Crouse '63. The new product announced, and named Keith Alan, was introduced November 10, 1964 in the Philippines where Frank is project manager to the Naval Magazine and the Air Station. On his own initiative he has completed a study of the Public Works Center operations and has made extensive recommendations for change to a more business-like operation which were well received. Frank is one of our better correspondents whom I wish more would copy. Yong SukChae '57 and your reporter had a short reunion at the ASCE meeting last October. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan last June in the field of Soil Mechanics, particularly dynamic loading of soil, and has now joined the Rutgers University faculty as Assistant Professor. Yong was married two years ago.

Joel Ash '58 has been promoted to Supervising Engineer in charge of plans and designs at the New York Telephone Co. Wayne Van Leer '3l stopped at Thayer School in October. Wayne's company, Graham & Van Leer Co., is located in Washington, D. C., and deals in architectural building products.