Thayer School
Before condemning Thayer School News editor Russ Stearns ’38 for a breakdown in communications skills as you read this column, glance at the bottom and you will see that it’s due to a change in editor rather than in Russ’s style. The records probably show the date of your new editor’s last Thayer School News column, before this one, but suffice it to say it was long enough ago to account for any rustiness or fustiness which appears in this column. Hopefully, as the months go by the rust, and at least some of the fust, will wear off!
The great news from this summer, of course, is the appointment of Dr. David V. Ragone as Thayer School’s seventh Dean. Dean Ragone has moved into the Dean’s office with an ease and quiet assurance which promise much for Thayer School in the years ahead. A 1951 graduate in metallurgical engineering from MIT, he earned his advance degrees also from that institution. As a metallurgical engineer, he taught for nine years at the University of Michigan, then joined the General Atomic Division of General Dynamics for five years before returning to teaching at Carnegie- Mellon University where he was ALCOA Professor of Metallurgy until a year ago. At that time, he was named Associate Dean of Carnegie-Mellon’s School of Urban and Public Affairs from which position he resigned to become Dean of Thayer School. His current technical interests are related to automotive fuels, air pollution, and electric cars. Dean and Mrs. Ragone, with their two children, have moved into their new home at 5 Tyler Road, Hanover.
Ninety-nine years ago last month, Thayer School’s first dean (director) Robert Fletch- er reported to General Sylvanus Thayer that the school bearing his name had officially opened its door to its first class of three students. Professor Fletcher had spent the preceding nine months preparing both himself and his students for that event. We do not intend to let Thayer School’s 100 th birthday pass unnoticed. Present tentative plans call for a climactic Centennial Sympo- sium in September 1971 and for numerous special events during the current year. Details are being developed by a Centennial Committee consisting of Professors Russ Stearns chairman, Barney Smith, and Bill Kimball, Dean Ragone and Executive Officer Des Canavan. The committee is conferring with students, faculty and alumni concerning appropriate forms of observance and will welcome any and all suggestions from interested people.
Thayer School lost a dedicated and distinguished alumnus in the death on July 24 of Charles Francis Goodrich ’O6. Charlie is affectionately remembered by former business associates as Chief Engineer of the American Bridge Company and by Thayer School and Dartmouth friends as recipient of Dartmouth’s honorary Doctor of Engineering degree in 1939, as a member of the Board of Overseers from 1941 to 1956, and, with Mrs. Goodrich who survives him, as donor in 1949 of a fund establishing the Charles F. And Ruth D. Goodrich Prize. Mrs. Kimball and I were privileged to attend the simple graveside service held for Dr. Goodrich in Pittsfield, N. H.
The Thayer School Reunion breakfast was well attended in' June by some nine members of the 25-year class, five members of Thayer School’s class of 1952, and ten others from assorted reuning classes. Although I was out of town at that time, I enjoyed an impromptu reunion a few days earlier on the Hanover Country Club first tee with FredJaspersen, Bert Sherwood and WayneVan Leer, all ’3l, and later with ShawCole of that class.
A bit more recently, I chatted briefly with Hugh McLaren ’4O who was vacationing with Mrs. McLaren and their two daughters at Bonnie Oaks on Lake Morey. Hugh has been Executive Director of New York City’s Office of School Buildings.
Traditionally, the October column has reported changes in Thayer School’s roster. Starting at the top, we note the retirement of Henry McCarthy from the Board of Over- seers and appointment of three new mem- bers: Gordon S. Brown, Dugold C. Jackson Professor of Engineering at MIT, who previously served on the Board from 1957 to 1965; William F. May, President of the American Can Company; and John E. Schlachtenhaufen ME ’63, Communication Production Division, Xerox Corporation.
Elected Emeritus Professors in June were A 1 Wood, John Minnich ’39 and BillKimball ’29. Each was presented with a handsome paperweight memento of the occasion featuring the Dartmouth College seal and the Bicentennial seal and designed by Thayer School’s Machine Shop Supervis- or Par-Excellence Fred Schleipman.
Receiving well-earned promotions to full professorships were A 1 Converse, Miles Hayes, Tom Laaspere, Carl Long, and Bengt Sonnerup.
Associate Professor Graham Wallis is on leave for the academic year and holds an exchange professorship in the School of Engineering at the University of Warwick, Coventry, England. We are happy to welcome Christopher James N. Ally from the University of Warwick as Visiting Associate Professor of Engineering for the year.
Others on leave are Professors Miles Hayes for the fall term, Bengt Sonnerup for the fall and winter terms. Associate Dean George Colligan for the winter and spring terms, and Professor Paul Shannon for the full year.
REMEMBER Thayer School’s Centennial Symposium in September 1971. Plan to attend.
