Georgia Institute of Technology - Blueprint Yearbook (Atlanta, GA)

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I From my constant vigil on the famed ' hill ' I have observed every facet of Tech ' s great history. I have seen students enter wide-eyed and dumbfounded and leave possessing the finest engineering education the South has to offer. I have seen faculty members come and go, each in his own way having contributed something to my story. And I have seen Tech athletic teams graciously accept the acclaim of victory and yet hold their heads high in defeat. Enter Tech My inauspicious entrance on the Georgia scene came about in 1888 through the efforts of three men — the Honorable Nat E. Harris, at that time representative from Bibb County and later governor; Major John F. Hanson, industrialist and manager of the Macon Telegraph; and Dr. Isaac S. Hopkins, president of Emory University and Tech ' s first president. On Oaober 7 of that year my doors opened to one hundred thirty students seeking the degree of Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. In 1890 I saw my first two graduates, G. G. Crawford and H. L. Smith.

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LJESPITE its apparent preoccupation tvith the pres- ent, Georgia Tech is endotved tvith a rich, colorful history. To briefly tell this story the Tech Totver, atop the ageless Administration Building, comes to life and unfolds its eventful story as it looks back through fifty years . . . IN RETROSPECT

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By the turn of the century I saw the establishment of the degrees of Elearical, Civil and Textile Engineer- ing and the completion of two new dormitories, Swann and Knowles. At that time the annual state appropria- tion had reached the then ponderous figure of $40,000. ' Prominence, But it was in the next two decades At Last that I saw Tech truly come to life and claim its rightful place as an outstanding institution of higher learning. In these twenty years were established nearly all the traditiofls that are handed down to the future. It was during this time that academics began to develop, that people began to carve niches for themselves, that sports came into prominence and that as a whole, the campus began to mold itself from a meaningless group of buildings into a spirited, glowing physical plant known as ' the flats. ' Since an educational institution is devoted primarily to the academic development of its pupils, Tech did not neglect this phase of growth during this age of pros- perity. New degrees of Chemistry ( 1906), Architecture (1907), Commerce (1915), Commercial Science and Industrial Education ( 1917 ) were offered and the cam- pus was dotted by the addition of new buildings includ- ing the Lyman Hall Laboratory of Chemistry and the Carnegie Library ( 1906), Joseph B. Whitehead Memo- rial Hospital, Y. M. C. A. Building and New Shop Building ( 1910), West Stands of Grant Field ( 1915 ) and the Mechanical Engineering Building (1920). By 1920 the annual state appropriation had risen to $125,000 and the student enrollment was over 2,200. Bur numbers did not account for the standing that Tech had acquired in Georgia and the South. These t ' o dec- ades composed the era in which Tech grew from a divi- sion of the University of Georgia to an independent in- stitution offering the finest engineering education in the South. Tech Notoriety However all this is not handed to an institution. I watched as men worked, studied and strove so that their dream of future growth and prosperity for Tech might become a reality. As I look back I see the faces of such men as Emerson, Skiles, Robert, Freeman, Griffin, Coon, Field, Smith, Heisman and Alexander. It was these men, who as stu- dents and faculty members, devoted time, energy and talents so that future generations could profit from their efforts. That Georgia Tech was fortunate in having as its first two deans such men as William H. Emerson and W. Vernon Skiles is indeed an understatement. For me to elaborate on their personalities would hardly do them justice; for words can never capture the warmth of heart, the enthusiasm nor the profound state of presence these men possessed. Among my more noteworthy students are included George C Griffin, L. W. (Chip) Robert and Y. Frank Freeman. The contribution that these men have made to Tech directly and indirectly has been astounding. Chip ' Robert, Class of 1909, received Georgia Tech ' s first Distinguished Service Award in 1934. The citation read by President M. L. Brittain perhaps best describes this man. The faculty of the Georgia School of Technology believe rather in earned than complimentary degrees. However, we expect to give meritorious service awards annually to the alumnus marked by eminence in his field and unusual devotion to the institution. Therefore, today, it is my pleasant duty to present the first of these to Lawrence Wood Robert, Jr., who through the elearic spark of individuality is better known as Chip ' Robert. In our opinion, he is the finest example we have of devoted service to the Georgia School of Technology. Year after year, he has expended time and effort in be- half of this institution and his love has not been lessened by reason of his work as one of the South ' s leading engi- neers or his more recent elevation to the high position of Assistant Treasurer of the United States. Another Distinguished Service Award recipient was Y. Frank Freeman, Class of 1910. Told, You ' ll never make an engineer, upon graduation, he took the advice