Broome Community College - Citadel Yearbook (Binghamton, NY)

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DEDICATION MR. C.C. TYRRELL Director In April, 1946, the New York Legislature passed a bill providing for an Institute of Applied Arts and Sciences to be founded in Bingham¬ ton. The problem of securing the right person, qualified to direct its material, as well as its academic development, was the first task in forming this institute. After four months of search, Mr. Cecil C. Tyr¬ rell was selected as Director of the Institute. Mr. Tyrrell received his Bachelors and Masters Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University. He instructed for three years at the University of Maine and for five years at Pratt Institute, and later was Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Rutgers University. He was also affiliated with the General Electric Company and with the Anthracite Institute as Senior Research Engineer. With this broad educational and industrial background, Mr. Tyrrell was well equipped to mold the skeleton of this Institute into a post-high school agent to provide its students with a highly technical, yet, well rounded education. To this leader and pioneer, we, the first graduating class of The State University of New York, Institute of Applied Arts and Sciences at Binghamton, are proud to dedicate this first volume of “The Citadel”. 4

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PIONEERING FORTY-NINERS Exactly one century ago, as many as 70,000 prospectors traveled across the wilderness in long swaying wagon trains; sailed to Central America and then overland; or sailed around the stormy Cape Horn in proud clippers to the West Coast in search of gushing riches. Although comparatively few actually found large shares of gold, those pioneers, with a “let’s-do-it” spirit, accomplished a far greater goal when they opened a vast new frontier. The pioneering spirit still profoundly shapes American beliefs and attitudes. Americans warmheartedly applaud the man who breaks new ground or attains new heights, regardless of his origin. Only here in America, a land of challenges, can people make such progress, pro¬ vided of course, they display ability, courage, character, imagination and perseverance. Our country is one of constantly expanding prosperity and tech¬ nological advances. As a result, opportunities today are far greater than they were one hundred years ago. Today there are more challeng¬ ing careers for ambitious capable men and women than can be met. There is, for example, an ever increasing demand for personnel with a technical background to assume responsible positions on the sub¬ professional level. To help meet this demand, there have been estab¬ lished in New York State five new institutes to provide intensive train¬ ing in the technolgies and applied arts. On April 1, 1949, these units, by an act of the Legislature, became a part of the State University of New York. On September 23, 1949, one hundred and forty bold young men and women, willing to pioneer new fields of service, will leave the portals of the Institute at Binghamton. Upon these and other young pioneers, the continued growth and prosperity of America depends. 3

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FROM OUR DIRECTOR In these days when we have reached the end of our geographical pioneering, it is in the American tradition that another group of “Forty-niners” should be engaged in a venture which is opening the frontiers of opportunity for the youth of our State and Country. In our democracy it is a fundamental concept that each of us has the right to develop as an individual to the limit of his capabilities and ambition. In a complicated society such as ours, the need for education as preparation for citizenship and a vocation has become increasingly apparent. That the conventional pat¬ tern of the four-year college or professional school was not the entire answer, either as to the type of curriculums offered, or to the economic ability of our youth, has been apparent to many for some time. Just as we in America seek by scientific analysis and experimentation a new source of power ora new automobile transmission, we are seeking in this pioneering experiment a new method of pushing back the ‘T)arriers” to the de¬ velopment of that greatest of our natural resources, our youth. In these first two years we have had the pleasure of going ahead together -- the staff and you, our first class. As in all new ventures, the way has not always been a smooth one. We have often had to improvise, to invent, to initiate a new method. We have had to build equipment, to organize, to work out our rules and regulations together. As we near the end of this first class’ time in the Institute, it is pleasant for me and for the other members of the staff to look back and consider what fine cooperation we have had from you who have been a willing group of frontier men and women. You too, I am sure, must look back with satisfaction and with a feeling of personal gain. In this endeavor, as in all of life, your gain is in proportion to your contribution. You of the class of ’49 have contributed greatly in this pioneering venture. You have blazed a trail that will be helpful to those who follow. 5