Drexel Institute Engineering Department - Record Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

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Civil Engineers. Gentle reader, view here what remains of 16 men who set sail in September, 1909, to discover what they could in the world of civil engineering. VVe were an ambitious, though somewhat green crowd, and expected to accomplish wonders. Physics and chipping and filing put a crimp in our exuberance, and after we had been maltreated by the Juniors and subdued by the bowl fight, quietly settled to the steady grind of Freshmen. The first class election brought some of our stars to light in the forms of Roop, Williams and Gamber, who were chosen to hold down jobs as class officers. Though 37 hours per week was a rather stiff schedule, we were always glad when Friday after- noons rolled around, for then we took our weekly surveying trip to Fairmount Park. After awkwardly measuring Smith Memorial and doing sundry other chaining jobs, we rose to the dignity of transits and were quick to find that here was an instrument invaluable as a means of viewing the fair occu- pants of the park benches, much to the concern of our friend Mr. Broomall. An interrupted class smoker served to break the dull monotony of the grind during' the first term, and before long the mid-year exams were upon us. After a struggle most of us emerged victor- ious, ' The next term was -rather uneventful, except for the trip to Media during the Easter holidays. There, under Mr. Broomall's guidance, we learned a great deal about practical surveying. Most of the time we were engaged in surveying a farm to be used in a building development, but we were also given some idea of municipal work. The few remaining weeks of school were spent cramming for final exams, which we passed more or less successfully and then parted for the summer, many to take positions in real engineering work until school opened in the fall. n 45

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CIVIL EN GINEERS 44

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CIVILS Cconlinuedj Although we knew that some of our members had found the pace too stiff and had fallen by the wayside, we were not prepared for the shock of finding but three of the original 16 charter meni- bers back to renew their work at Drexel. Williaiiis, Burtis and Thorn were the three. They were rein- forced by Hamilton and Campbell, from the Mechanic Arts Course, and by Rotlie, bequeathed by the 1911 Class of Engineers. Steer, the married man of experience, also joined us at this point and we set out to conquer new worlds. C The job that interested us most during this year was the laying out of a rather worm-shaped trolley road that nieandered o'er hill and dale in Fairmount Park. Wfillianis, Burtis and Thorn, the only originals, formed one party, and Campbell, Rothe and Steer another. Hamilton, who had made quite a hit with us, had early left to accept a position with the P. R. R. Y. M. C. A. Vlfe all struggled through physics, calculus and geology, and safely, but somewhat battle-scarred passed the final exams in june. Another surveying trip was next in order, this time to Collegeville, Pa. VVe all lodged in one big room in the main Ursinus College dormitory and for a neighbor had a nice, little, squeaky-voiced inathematics professor. Each of us were particularly in evidence in one line or another. ldfilliams could lay out a myriad- tracked freight yard on a baseball diamond. Burtis could throw soft lemon pie with great accuracy and broke footboards with impunity. Rothe was strong at handling a solar attachment and a poker deck. Campbell shone with the fair sex and loved to swim and walk in the rain. Steer showed skll at catching early trolley cars and always had a good dinner at the hotel. Thorn was crazy for a game of tennis and was particularly pleased with the wood in his corn! flakes and the bug in his prunes. The weather kept us from doing as much work as we might have, but we went home after having' a bully good time. 46