Armour Institute of Technology - Cycle Yearbook (Chicago, IL)

Page 15 text:

THE DEAN OF THE COLLEGE Looking back at conditions in industry during the past six years, we seem amply justified in facing the future with a high degree of optimism. Three years ago the young engineering graduate had little prospect of being able to secure a foothold in his profession, and there often followed a period of inactivity, discouragement, and disillusionment. The graduate fortunate enough to secure employment was forced to be satisfied with an extremely low salary and little opportunity to secure good professional experience. Engineers, in common with members of the other learned professions, found themselves forced to give up many advances in professional standing, although the percentage of unemployed engineers was always lov er than for other college graduates. At the present time, we can already predict a perfectly normal demand for technically trained men in the near future. An increase in industrial activity has created anew the demand for young engineers in many fields of business. Personnel representatives of large companies are once again contacting the colleges and practically all the backlog of unemployed graduates of earlier years has been absorbed. Some of the normal fields of engineering activity are still somewhat inactive, notably construction, where little private work is being done, but others are taking their place. As engineering employment increases, salaries will return to something like a normal basis although it will in all probability require several years to recover the losses of the depression period. Competition among engineers will be keen, probably keener than during the predepression period. Many industries today are expecting a higher degree of proficiency than ever before. Post-graduate study in engineer- ing has received a tremendous impetus since 1930, and many executives realize the value of this advanced work. The three most important qualities in an engineer are expertness, personality, and character. The en- gineering graduate who ceases to develop as soon as he receives his diploma can scarcely expect to accomplish much in our highly competitive society. The successful engineer of the future will be the man v ho continually strives to increase his knowledge, develop his personality, and strengthen his character.

Page 14 text:

THE PRESIDENT OF THE COLLEGE Armour history will record this year as the one in which the new engineering shops were inaugurated under Dr. Pearl; the year in which a committee of Chicago architects, with John Holabird as chairman, lent its powerful support to a significant move to bring architectural teaching and practice closer together; the year in which the Armour Trustee, General Thomas S. Hammond, President of the Illinois Manufacturers' Association, together with other leaders in that Association and in the Metal Trades' Association, as well as numerous school authorities, joined forces with us in starting the Co-operative Course. History will also record this as the year in which the new comprehensive evening school program came into its stride, the year in which graduate study and research became important items in current operation. The action of the Faculty Council which resulted in an Administrative Graduate Committee, with Professor Freud as chairman, and the underwriting of a research fellowship by the Universal Oil Products Company, with Dr. Komarewsky as fellow, are likely in future years to be recorded as milestones in Armour's progress. Reference to the opportunities for special financing contained in the President's published report suggests the range of both our educational and our financial objectives. We are not waiting for ideal conditions before starting specific projects and there are a number of promising activities that are not yet ripe for incorporation into a published record of events. The key to our approach to long-time objectives is a closer tie-in with the groups of industries in which Armour men are employed, and we are finding that the service performed by graduates is only one of many ways in which Armour is in position to serve industry. Contacts with industry, and especially with industrial research, are multiplying the proofs of Armour's place in the industrial progress of Chicago. That there are challenging difficulties in the way of realizing our opportunities to the full cannot be gainsaid, but progress is unmistakable, and developments, especially during the past year, have called forth responses which indicate clearly that Armour is on the way.

Page 16 text:

JAMES D. CUNNINGHAM Chairman of the Board TRUSTEES George S. Allison, Treasurer, Armour Institute of Technology Alfred S. Alschuler (alumnus), Architect Lester Armour, Capitalist Philip D. Armour, Capitalist Claire L. Barnes, President, Houdaille-Hershey Corporation Vincent Bendix, President, Bendix Aviation Corporation Homer H. Cooper, Attorney James D. Cunningham, President, Republic Flow Meters Company Paul H. Davis, Paul H. Davis and Company Lawrence A. Downs, President, Illinois Central Railroad George B. Dryden, Dryden Rubber Company Alfred L. Eustice (alumnus), President, Economy Fuse and Manufacturing Co. Newton C. Farr, Farr and Company Edwin O. Griffenhagen (alumnus), E. O. Griffenhagen and Associates George I. Haight, Attorney Thomas S. Hammond, President, The Whiting Corporation Robert B. Harper (alumnus), Vice President Peoples Gas Light and Coke Company Roy M. Henderson (alumnus), United Engineers and Constructors, Inc. Ernest A. Henne, Vice-President, America Fore Fire Insurance Companies