Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute - Transit Yearbook (Troy, NY)

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History of '99 T LAST we are seniors! It hardly seems as if that were possible, but nevertheless it is a fact. What a vast difference there is in looking backward instead of forward. Four years ago when we were freshmen and people asked us what class we were in, it really required some nerve to say '99, that date seeming such a long way off to us then. But now, when the time is nearly passed and we look back, it seems such a short time. How we used to look at the seniors and think how much they must know, and now how our opinions of a senior's knowledge are shattered. It appears really true that with each succeeding year one seems to know less than the year before. To continue our history from where it was dropped in last year's volume: We had a few more weeks of study before our examinations and, as I' am a senior, I will not relate how we succeeded. This illustrates one point of difference between a senior history and a history of one of the other classes. After the commencement we had about three weeks' work in the field, but that will be ably described in another part of this volume. When we came back in the fall it was rather strange and unnatural not to have any class above us, but we soon accustomed ourselves to it. On account of the resigna- tion of Prof. Stevens, Prof. Anderson took his place as Professor of Physics and Mr. Lawson occupied the position left vacant by Mr. Anderson, as assistant in Mechanics. This change we feel has been for the best and we congratulate both of the above-named Profs. upon the successwith which they have managed their respective departments. - We started in with Resistances and Astronomy under Ricketts and Crockett. In Resistances we had to remember all about allowed unit stresses in tension and compres- sion members, etc. It is sufficient to say that we used to rush once in a while, because when everyone guesses at a number, one has to get it right after awhile. In Astronomy we obtained a very thin book which is very innocent looking, but we had been warned about it and knew it was no cinch. This course was all about different kinds of time and days and the like. We forgot all about it as soon as it was over, so do n't be alarmed. W'e also had some practical work which was' quite interesting. One thing pleased me greatly 21

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NAME - JEDWARD ADAMS HERMANY, X Q. . . . . . EDWARD DENISON HOOKER, X Q, E A B. . . . . GUSTAVE ADOLPH IQELLER, R S E, C9 NE, E A E. GEORGE WHITNEY KINNE, 1? S E. ....... . LELAND THOMPSON LANE, A Q, GJ NE. . . WLOUIS MCCARTY LITTLE, A Q, Q NE .... HQWILLIABIS SWIFT MAR'l'IN, B L, 2' Q Q N E . . WILLIAM McBride, I3 SE. ..... . . . . 'kJOHN JOSEPH ZNICCARTY ............. WILLIARI FRANCIS lWCCAR'l'HY, A T A, C9 NE, E A HARRY FANCHER BQIITER, A Q, Q NE ...... REDGAR ALBERT lWYER, R S E, Q NE . . WILLIAM AUGUS1'INE NIAL, E SE. . . ARTHUR LANSING NORTHRUP, Q NE . . ROBERT JOSEPH OQBRIEN ...... . EDWARD LAWRENCE ORTH, A Q, Q NE. . . JULIUS WELCH PFAU. ........... . ARCHIE MILLARD PICKERING, Q JV E, E A E. . . ELBEIQT SCRANTON PLATT, A Q, C9 N E, E A E. . QESAMUEL BRUBACIQER RANDABAUGH, Q NE .... WGEORGE BIETZGAR SHAW, C9 5. ..... . N ROGER TAYLOR, A Q, CQJVE, E A E. . . 'FWILLIAII HEPBURN TINSMAN, X Q. . . ELMORE SCOTT VAN ORNAN, X Q. . XWALKER PHELPS WARREN, Jr., A Q . . WGEORGE WALICER WILLIS ...... JAIIEs BEAN WILSON, X Q ........... XFRANCIS JOSEPH YAWMAN, A K E, 9 NE, E A E. CONRAD VICIXOR YUNKER, A TA, B A B. . . . . 5' Left. T Deceased. 20 RESIDENCE Louisville, Ky. Spokane, Wash. ' Troy, N. Y. Ilion, N. Y. Troy, N. Y. New York City. Geneseo, N. Y. Troy, N. Y. Titusville, Pa. Chicago, Ill. Lansingburgh, N. Y San Carlos, Cariz. Troy, N. Y. Ellicotville, N. Y. West Troy, N. Y. I-Iarrisburgh, Pa. Lansingburgh, N. Y Troy, N. Y. Waterford, N. Y. Celina, O. Pittsburgh, Pa. N evvport, R. I. Williamsport, Pa. Buffalo, N. Y. Troy, N. Y. Hoosick Falls, N. Y Louisville, Ky. Rochester, N. Y. Keyport, N.

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in this course, that was to learn about the method of least squares, Since the time we were freshmenthe different Profs. have had a faculty of saying to numerous questions asked them, Oh, you do that by the method of least squares, and it seemed a great relief to know what that was. We had no electrical experiments this year as Prof. Anderson did not have time to get the apparatus ready for us and also keep up his reci- tations with the other classes. Stone-cutting, which is the last course we have with Prof. Thompson, was a subject we had heard numerous things about for a long time, and we were not disappointed as one really has to bone the subject. During the first week we did rather poor work, z'. e., some of us, but Thompy made remarks at the end of the week and as that is quite unusual for him, we took a decided brace. As the course is only two weeks long one may see that it was quite necessary. It was very fortunate for us that the review and examinations came directly after the advance, as we would surely have for- gotten all we knew about it if there had been any intermission. We felt quite fine when Thompy gave -us our little cards with all the fly specks on them, and I do n't doubt but that every man in the class has his card where he can find it in a minute. Bridges, the next course we had with the Director, was a rather stiff subject. The topics were different from all others we ever had, for one could n't sit down and read them over, but it was necessary to take a pencil and paper and work them out. This accounts for some of our poor recitations in the nrst part of the course. This work was quite practical, though, and the computations we made on the plate girder and Pratt truss did much to Hx the whole subject in our minds. Raymond says: Economic theory of railroad location is the hardest easy course I have with you. It was, without doubt, rather lengthy, but, as we are good at guessing, we managed to rush sometimes. Our first lesson was from page 1 to 186 inclusive, and everyone in the class read it over QFD. Hydraulics, as the name implies, was all about water, and, being well posted in that subject, it was n't hard for us. It was noticeable, though, that some of the men took more interest in the flow of liquids through pipes than any other part of the book. This includes all the subjects we took during the first term, with the exception of 22