Lowell Technological Institute - Pickout Yearbook (Lowell, MA)

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as thorough as in the leading technical schools of this country. The courses in chemistry and dyeing were attracting the most attention from students. About 100,000 square feet of floor space was available for instructional purposes. The valuation of the school had climbed to $500,000 as new and modern machinery was received and installed. About half the valuation was the value of the equipment being used. Two more awards were made to the infant school. A Gold Medal was awarded by the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in 1904, and another Gold Medal by the Lewis and Clarke Cen- tennial Exposition in 1905. Mr. Charles H. Eames became resi- dent secretary of the Trustees in 1905 and was in charge of the administration of the school. Within a few years, he became the first President of Lowell Textile Institute. In 1908, a course in textile engineer- ing was organized which caused the entrance requirements to be raised so that only high school graduates or those with equivalent education could be admitted. In 1 910, the Colonial Avenue Build- ing was built, gymnasium facilities were added, boating facilities were im- proved, and athletic fields laid out around the school. Entrance requirements were stiffened once again for day students by adding required courses to the other require- ments of admission. Post-graduate courses were organized particularly to attract graduates of other technical schools. In 191 1, the student enroll- ment had climbed to 231 day students and about 600 evening students. In 1 91 2, the degrees of Bachelor of Textile Chemistry and Bachelor of Tex- tile Engineering were authorized for students beginning that year and fol- lowing prescribed courses. The enrollment for the next five years dropped down to about 130 in the day school and went up to about 800 in the evening school. During the first World War, many of the students enlisted in the services. In 191 8, the Students Army Training Corps was instituted and lasted until the end of the war. The newly finished second floor of Kitson Hall was used as barracks at that time. In 1 92 1, returned servicemen swelled the enrollment to a record high of 278 in day school and nearly 1000 in night school. The valuation of the school was still rising and in 1923, the entire plant was worth in excess of $670,000. On July 1, 1 91 8, the school was transferred to State custody because of the anti-aid amendment to the State Constitution. In these first 25 years, the school had grown in value and size almost con- tinually, and had shown its strength by surviving the impact of a world war. Early organizations around the school were the athletic teams which had their ups and downs; the Alumni Association; the Olney Chemical Alum- ni; the Pickout staff; two national tex- tile fraternities, and a local fraternity. During the second 25 years, the school began to expand socially, and in extracurricular activities. The Text, the student newspaper, was begun. The Textile Players were formed to sponsor an annual play and dance. Tau Ep- silon Sigma, the honor society, was founded. The Rifle Club, the Textile Associates, and a fourth fraternity were added. Two student professional organ- izations were started, the Engineering Society, and the AATCC student chapter. A Student Cabinet, the Inter- fraternity Council, and the Athletic Council were added. Even a sorority appeared on the scene. [10]

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The object of the school was to give instruction in practical knowledge nec- essary in cotton, woolen, worsted and other textile industries. . . It was not intended to compete with regular col- leges, but rather to train mill personnel in better mill methods. Entrance requirements varied greatly from those of today. A candidate was required to be over 14, of either sex, and any nationality. Graduates of grammar schools or high schools were admitted directly, while others were required to take an entrance examina- tion to show their proficiency. The school was taught in three dis- tinct branches: day school, evening school, and in a popular lecture series. A student could combine any or all of these branches. The formal opening was presided over by Governor Wolcott on January 30, 1897 and classes were commenced on February 1, 1897. In the Fall of that year, a fourth branch was instituted; a women ' s de- partment which specialized in design and art courses. From the beginning women have attended both day and evening school. The valuation of the school already had risen from an original $50,000 to S75, 000. This is in marked contrast to Mr. Smith ' s personal estimate of $1,000,000 as necessary to open the school. The school had 257 students that year, of whom 72 were day students. One foreign country and several South- ern states were represented at that early date, a practice which has in- creased as years went by. In 1899, the General Court of Massa- chusetts voted a grant of $35,000 with the condition that an equal amount be raised by outside sources. Mr. Frederick Fanning Ayer, a leading textile manu- facturer and a native of Lowell, con- tributed the required amount and made the State grant immediately available. In all, Mr. Ayer contributed a total of $100,000 to the school. Southwick Hall has been named in honor of his maternal grandfather, an early textile manufacturer in this vicinity. Large donations were also made by the cities of Lowell and Lawrence. Kitson Hall was donated by the daughters of Richard Kitson, and by the Kitson Machine Company, manu- facturers of textile machinery, which he had founded. Construction of the present campus was begun on a site acquired partly from the Ayer funds and partly from a grant of four acres by the Locks and Canals. Besides Southwick Hall and Kitson Hall, the Falmouth Street Building was also built. The total valua- tion of the lands, buildings, and ma- chinery was $425,000. At the same time that all this activity was going on, the three-year-old textile school was out gathering laurels in far places. In 1900, the Lowell Textile School was awarded the Gold Medal at the Paris Exposition for general excellence. The same year, an award was received from the Merchants and Manufacturers Exhibition. In 1901, another Gold Medal was awarded at the Pan American Exposition. The new campus was occupied for classes on January 12, 1903. The formal dedication was made on February 12, 1903, by Governor Bates. The main addresses were given by the President of M.I. T., the chairman of the National Association of Wool Manufacturers, and Mr. James T. Smith for the trus- tees. The total enrollment at this time was 545, of whom 116 were day students. The level of entering students had im- proved to the extent that the courses in chemistry and mechanics were made [9]

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In 1935, authority was granted for the award of Master ' s degrees in both engineering and chemistry. In 1937, by virtue of a special appropriation of the State, Louis Pasteur Hall was put under construction. This was a three-story addition to the old Colonial Avenue Building. The story of Textile during the years of World War II is told elsewhere in this book. Since the end of the war, Textile has again become a beehive of activity with both improvements and plans for ex- pansion. The retirement of President Charles H. Eames brought about the appointment of one of our own grad- uates as President, Kenneth R. Fox. President Fox is revamping and im- proving the curriculum to meet present day demands on textile graduates. He is assisting in the reorganization of student activities which disappeared during the war. The extremely active and interested Board of Trustees has brought to a successful conclusion its efforts towards expansion of the physical facilities of the school. These plans include the construction of dormitories, a Science Building, an Administration Building, and a Recreational Building. The chairman of the Planning Board, an- other Textile man, Mr. Samuel Pinan- ski, has come to be known as Uncle Sam for his untiring efforts in this direction. In 50 years, Lowell Textile Institute, as it is now known, has more than doubled its floor space and now oc- cupies over 200,000 square feet of floor space. The valuation has gone from an original $50,000 to about $800,000. The staff has increased from 2 to over 50. The student body has increased to about 450 day students with many hundreds more clamoring for entrance. The evening school now has 1450 students and could have many more if there were sufficient accommodations. Fifty years young, and the sky is still the limit! [11]