General Motors Institute - Reflector Yearbook (Flint, MI)

Page 11 text:

of Many Improvements The 35 acres immediately adjacent to the Institute has long been recognized as the key to future physical develop- ment of General Motors Institute. The family home on the property was occupied for the past several years by Miss Margaret Hasselbring, a cultured and charming lady who took great interest in the Institute until her death at 81 on January 7, 1962. As a final gesture of her friendship for the Institute, Miss Hasselbring incorporated in her will a request that the property be offered for sale to General Motors for the use of the Institute. Miss Hasselbring’s heirs—have made the offer to sell and they and General Motors are negotiating the terms of the sale. The Institute has rented approximately five acres of this property since 1953 for use as a softball field. Three dia- monds are currently being used by students at the Institute for intramural softball. The Hasselbring property would be used as a site for expansion of the Institute building program. Proposed use of the property includes heavy equipment laboratories, student and faculty centers, an auditorium, a possible athletic build- ing, library, and dormitories with parking facilities, all ap- propriately placed and properly landscaped. The proposed use of this property, subsequent to its purchase, will likely occur slowly over a period of time. The wooded Hasselbring property is located directly across Third Avenue from the Institute. The Third Avenue frontage of the Hasselbring property extends from North Garden street to the Flint River.

Page 10 text:

1961-1962: A Year Many changes have taken place at General Motors In- stitute during the past school year. A new addition was added to the second story of the west wing, negotiations for purchase of approximately 35 acres of property for fur- ther expansion are underway, several facilities were reno- vated, the academic program was strengthened, new per- sonnel joined the Institute, several changes affected student activities, and several improvements are currently under construction. The administration of the Institute has indi- cated that only time will tell- if these changes have been “changes for the sake of change” or if good constructive results will come from them. Before... One of the most extensive changes is the addition of the second story to the west wing. This addition houses the facilities of the Electricity and Electronics Department. The west wing, constructed in 1954, was designed to permit the future addition of a second floor. Construction was begun in early 1961 and the EE Department began its new school year in their new quarters. The completion of this addition to the existing building makes the acquisition of additional property the key to future physical development of the Institute.

Page 12 text:

Fall, L961: Electrical Engineering The Circuits and Networks lab areas provide the latest equipment at the students’ fingertips on these new work stations. The addition to the west building is being used to im- plement the expanded Electricity and Electronics program. The new addition houses seven classrooms, approximately 10,000 square feet of laboratory space, offices for the depart- ment’s faculty, and a small lounging area. In constructing the new addition, rearrangement of the adjoining areas of the existing building produced a new projection room seating 100 people. Air conditioning was installed in laboratory areas, Classrooms, and offices which no longer have outside windows as a result of the building addition. The laboratory facilities were designed to accomplish these objectives: versatility of student work areas and equip- ment, efficient use of faculty and student time, safety and ease of maintenance, pleasant atmosphere, good communica- tions, easy identification of work areas, and appropriate laboratory equipment for training electrical, industrial, and mechanical engineering students. The analog computer laboratory offers excellent training in electronics. Thousands of dollars of new electrical and electronic equipment have been added to the E.E. lab.