Thayer School
In early November came the blow, snow. Little did we know that snow would continue to fall with regularity and in an amount more than sufficient to provide the best skiing in several decades. Old Timers compare this winter to that of 1937-38 when one could ski on Balch Hill into spring. The Dartmouth ski team that year listed Ted Hunter '39 and a majority of the other members of the 1936 U.S. Olympic Ski Team. Ted is now a leading architect in Raleigh, N. C., and we are sure he has found skiing in the Blue Ridge Mountains down there.
Next July, Dean Myron Tribus will again present his two-week course, "Decision Analysis for Engineers and Scientists." Prof. Barnard Smith will lecture in the course this year. Barney joined the Thayer School faculty in September 1968, following several years in India. He is teaching courses this year in decision theory, industrial simulation and management. This course will provide a fine opportunity to meet Barney and to get a first-hand introduction to Myron's new textbook. Professor of Engineering Paul Shannon, who lectured in this course last summer, is on leave of absence from Thayer School this year to concentrate on the organization and development of his new company, Digital Systems Corporation.
Steve Olko '47 was recently a member of a six-man professional mission to Southeast Asia. The Consulting Engineers Council was responsible for the study mission in cooperation with the U.S. Department of State. On December 11, 1968, Sam Florman '46 was the featured speaker at the meeting of the New York Academy of Sciences' Division of Engineering. The title of his lecture was "The Existential Pleasures of Engineering Engineering." A quote from the abstract is presented here for your serious consideration.
"In our time, technology is being blamed for its destructive and spirit-deadening influence. The hippie movement and similar cultural phenomena have developed largely in protest against an age of technological splendor and apparent spiritual decay. However, there are some artists and intellectuals who have taken a different view, finding in engineering and technology experiences that are spiritually enriching and deeply satisfying from an existential point of view. The sensual and intellectual joys of the technologically riented life will be considered in contrast with the more usual view of engineering as a dull and passionless profession."
Sidney Ruggles '09 has sent us a copy of the Diamond Anniversary publication of the Dartmouth Class of 1908 of which he was editor. This provides us with some notes about the following Thayer School alumni of the Class of 1909.
Arthur Barnes '09 is treasurer of the Class of 1908 and lives in Norwich, Conn. He retired in 1954 as President, continuing as Chairman of the Board, of Ponemah Mills of Taftsville, Conn. He has continued to be active on the boards of two banks and the Norwich hospital. His hobby of pewter work has produced pieces which were exhibited in the New York World's Fair. Harold English '12 of Melrose, Mass., retired in 1952 following 30 years as an engineer with Stone and Webster, where he was a specialist on engineering appraisals. RogerHill '09 lives in Royal Oak, Mich. At the time of his retirement in 1957 he was purchasing and contracting engineer for the W. E. Wood Company of Detroit. It was reported last month in this column that Fred Munkelt '09 continues his active career in Montpelier, Vt. Although he officially retired in 1949, he has since taught mathematics at Montpelier High School, com- pleted special assignments for the Montpelier National Bank, and is chairman of 1908's 60th Reunion. Philip Thompson '09 completed a career in construction in 1954 and retired to Yonkers, N. Y. Among his many responsibilities were construction at the Newark Airport, Navy Supply Depot at Bayonne, and the Brooklyn Navy Yard, In the latter job, Phil must have been in contact with Admiral Paul Halloran '20 who was the Naval officer in charge of dry dock construction at both Brooklyn and at Norfolk, Va.
"News from Kodak" some time ago noted that a new electronic system for evaluating color negatives, reducing both time and labor, has been designed by Photo Electronics Corporation of Byram, Conn. The vice president of Photo Electronics is Alan Staley'55. His company will also manufacture this new equipment for Kodak. John Ballard '56 was recently reported to be in Stanford, Calif., where he is Executive Vice President and General Manager of Technology for Communications International. Peter Lamprou '67 had a great vacation trip to Japan in November. This was some-what of a busman's holiday for he crossed the Pacific in 18 days in a submarine as a new Navy ensign. Upon his return, Peter entered the Navy Nuclear Power School in California.
