Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn - Polywog Yearbook (Brooklyn, NY)

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, .,v?:i , - ---- POLY 1 ' Q t WOG '18 - - - ----- on Mthe species of wigglers, electrons, our own Doc. Sheldon. And, because of this last crowning achieve- ment, the Visage of our old friend and teacher was cemented even more lirrnly in the hearts and affections of all Poly men and well-wishers. - I And now, the beginning of the present college year. We returned to the Institute after the summer of 1917, confident in the expectation of finding our new addition complete in all the glory of its renovation and new equipment. Furthermore, there was an additional cause for joy. Wetwere henceforth to be de- prived of the company of the Prep. This in itself was no cause for rejoicing, as the Prep and the College have some things in common. But upon rehecting that hereafter the word Polytech might enter the lexicon of the general public as being synonymous with a first rate, class A, approved school of engineering, instead of being continually confused with the inevitable uPoly Prep, one could not help but think that the parting presaged a more fortunate future for the Institute. W A superficial inspection of the building last September made one's rosy hopes almost sag, such were the effects of a few heaps of rubbish conspicuously strewn along the main avenues of thoroughfare, and a few bare and as yet unpainted walls. The .actual fact was that the place was all but ready, ' and a little polishing and scrubbing, with here and there a dab of bright buff paint, and the new rooms were as habit- able, cheerful, and homelike as any we have. Actually, the old school building had been transformed and we were veritably in a new building. ' h The remodelling was really an excellent work, thoroughly substantial, sans camouflage, a construction that is likely to' last. Replacing the ancient, creaky means of inter-floor communication are two imposing, solid, concrete stairways, with regular stone stepspiand banister that will not give way during a Fresh-Soph tiff. In the basement of the new building-the Administration Building, by the way, is its designation, while the college building becomes the Institute Building-is' a well equipped steam laboratory. The gas power laboratory is here situated, and provision has been made for amheating and- ventilation laboratory. Q A splendid testing materials laboratory occupies the large central room of the basement. ln the rear is a big hydraulic laboratory which is being equipped with modern hydraulic apparatus. On this floor is also situated the foundry of the shop department. ' ' 1 13

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POLY Woo '18 I discovered that the only way to increase in size was to grow upward, and that seemed scarcely feasible after considering the topography of that Alpine roof which separated our earthly domain from infinity and the fourth dimension. There Wasn't much that happened along these lines during the Spring.of that year, but there was a lot more talk when College reopened the following Fall. Our next door nelghbor, the Prep, had somehow extracted ?B800,000 from some private individuals and the public at large, and rumor had lt that the fund was to be used to build a new home for the Prep in the primeval wilds of Dyker Helghts. Then, with the new year of 1917, came somenew news. And it was some news. First of all, the Prep was soon to move and we, the College, were to inherit its old home, or rather, as was recently pointed out by Dr. Rossiter W. Raymond, the oldest living'Poly grad, the college was to come into its own again. Then, some weeks later, at a meeting' of the Boardof Trustees, it was voted to raise T5l00,000 to remodel and equip the building which had 'ccome back so that it would be lit for Institute purposes. It was further decided that all plans and specifications for the rejuvenation of the lnstitute's old birthplace were to he approved by April 1 of that year, and soon' Anthony the Only began to make daily tours of inspection through the Prep building with the inquiring eye of a prospective proprietor. lmmediately the Alumni were heard from. They took upon themselves the raising of a third of the necessary ufirst hundred thousand, once again proving that they are as loyal a crowd as any college can boast of. The plans, when they were finally made public, were admirable. Certain departments had for sev- eral years imperiously demanded expansion, especially in regard to laboratory space, and such laboratory space and facilities were wisely and discreetly alloted. Coordination of the various departments was under- taken and accomplished. A number of luxuries, which seem nevertheless indispensable were provided for -but of these you shall hear later. The main point now is that the one who planned all these changes and I O I I Q 5 addltlons 1S lndeed, 1n our own vernacular of compliments, a HWISC guy of the first order. From the nature anddscope of thle changes it was apparent that the engineer of the whole proceedings understood Institute C t c . ' . ' ' ' on 1 1ons as t ey now exist and antlclpated condltlons WVll1Cl1 are doubtless soon to come ln fact it was . , . . 1 - 9 clearly 6V1fl6l1t that the b1g gun belnnd the whole campaign was none other t.han our famous discourser .12

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i , SQ - I I SQYL Et! PQLY Q 'tt f WCG '18s r ' The front of the first floor is occupied by the handsomely furnished oflices of the President, the Registrar, and the stenographers' room. The Chapel stage has been enlarged, new seats installed, and a new lighting system imparts a tungsten cheerfulness to the scene. On the rear of the floor are located the new C. E. draft- ing room, two C. E. lecture rooms, and the oiiices of the department. r On the second floor are two bright study rooms, a pretty ladies' retiring room, and a student publications' room. The large central room has become the Mechanical Engineering drafting room. The rear of the floor is occupied by the lecture rooms and oilices of the Mathematics Department. ln the front of the third floor, an electro-chemical laboratory, a radio telephone and telegraph labora- tory, and a mechanicians shop are being equipped. A large examination room occupies the center of the floor. ln the rear, the English lecture rooms, the English Department Library, and the offices of the depart- ment are situated. On the fourth floor are several well lighted, new chemical laboratories. ' ln the Institute Building, also, there have been many changes. ln the gymnasium, the basketball court has been improved by the removal of half the track. The shop department occupies the forlner testing materials laboratory and the oHices of the Registrar. On the third floor, replacing the old electrical meas- urements laboratory and the store room, is the beautiful Potts Laboratory of Physics. ln the former Studio drafting room is being constructed a large, modern industrial chemistry laboratory, and a new balance room for quantitative Work has been completed. . These are but the major changes. lnnumerable others have been made, a description of which would be many pages long. Suflice it too say that, since these things have happened, Poly is a better place to live in, a bigger place, and--we hope-a more useful place. p To the Board of Trustees, whose loyalty and generosity have made possible these good and much needed changes, we all,'faculty and students, feel deeply grateful. And perhaps the best way to prove our worthiness of what has been done is to make of the Institute truly a Greater Poly, a place of greater worth, of greater accomplishments, and of greater service. 14