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Page 19 text:
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The Present This brings my story to date. I have tried to bring to you the things as they stood out in my mind and as they can readily be connected with the present. It is obvious that Tech is a young school, her potentialities unlimited and her resources and reputation undisputed. Her climb to the top has been one of many anxieties, joys and sor- rows, but now we are not at the end of the story, but only the crossroads. My story shall be told for many years to come. The names may change, the campus may look different but nevertheless, this is only a milestone in Tech ' s history. I now see the close of recent eras and the beginning of new and surely even greater ones. This then is Tech, the glories and heartaches of its part. Let me now introduce you to its crossroads, the year of changing times; let me now bring to you Tech ' s greatest year in her eventful history. 11
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Page 18 text:
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and California Universities in 1915 and 1920 respec- tively. He studied in Caen, France, in 1919 and in Munich in 1928. In 1943 he received the degree of Doctor of Science from Washington and Jefferson Uni- versity. His military service was extensive and distin- guished in both world wars. From 1932 to 1937 he served as Dean of Engineering at the University of Florida and from 1937 to 1944 in the same capacity at North Carolina State College. On July 1, 1944 he became president of Georgia Tech. With his inauguration began another era in Tech ' s history. A man of tremendous capabilities, Col. Van Leer began a term of office that was to see the entire face of the campus change. In 1948 I saw the comple- tion of the Harrison Hightower Textile Building and in 1952 the Architecture Building and the Price Gilbert Library in 1953. The completion of the Rich Electronic Computer Center in 1955 was a noteworthy step in the rise in research from $50,000 to almost $2,000,000 annually. The addition to the West Stands, the tennis courts and the new Alexander Memorial Coliseum at- test to the fact that he was interested in sports. More- over, he worked tirelessly to obtain and retain fine faculty members, thus improving the quality of the Tech graduate. Coach Dodd In the same year of 1944, Robert Lee Dodd became head coach of Georgia Tech ' s football team. His place in my story, though significant, has not fully materialized. His abil- ities as a coach — a developer of men have not yet been fully realized. For twelve years he has set all sorts of enviable records as a coach. As in the case of Heisman and Alexander, his wins and losses do not tell the story of his greatness. He is a man of genuine, down-to-earth principle, a man dedicated to the proposition that foot- ball and other sports, though played in a big-time fashion at Tech, are in existence primarily for the de- velopment of the individual and not the furthering of any plan for complete domination in the sports field. Truly, he has built an outstanding record while at Tech. In his twelve years at the helm, his charges have won 101 games while dropping only 28; they have played in eight bowl games and won them all, the last six in successive years; they have never been defeated in ten national television performances; and in the past ten years they have won more games than any other major college football team. Certainly this is an indi- cation as to the coaching ability of this man. Again, I say that Coach Dodd, though described as a man of ability and character, has not yet seen the era of his ultimate greatness. His greatness is of the type that continues to grow as time passes. Tech ' s Saddest Day On the afternoon of January 23, 1956 I saw Tech suffer its greatest loss in the untimely death of Col. Van Leer. Suffering from a coronary condition, he passed away late in the afternoon, ending a fabulous era in my story. His death came in his finest hour for he had lived to see work begun on additions to the campus which will, in future years stand as testimony to his adminis- trative genius. Perhaps the greatest memorial to Col. Van Leer has already been built, that is, the Georgia Institute of Tech- nology that he built. He will long be remembered for the many fine buildings he brought to Tech, for the faculty members he attraaed here and for the high quality engineers he graduated from Georgia Tech. But to those who knew him as a person, whether they had the privilege of shaking his hand while crossing the graduation stage, or heard him when he spoke at Fresh- man Camp or just happened to pass him on the campus, he was known and will long be remembered as a gen- tleman and a great man as well as a fine educator. Dr. Paul Weber To replace this great loss. Dr. Paul Weber, Dean of Faculties, was named as Acting President. The former head of the School of Chemical Engineering assumed his dual role with amazing ability. His administrative guidance dur- ing the last year will long be remembered as one of the great services rendered Tech by a faculty member. 10
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