Springfield Technical Community College - Yearbook (Springfield, MA)

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Dedication To Edmond P. Garvey: D — for the sincere DEDICATION this man had In getting our new college started, E— for the ENTHUSIASM he has in the building and expanding of S.T.I. ' s new programs and de- grees, D— for the DIPLOMATIC manner in which he handles all problems that arise, I— for the INSPIRATION he has given us— the graduating class of 1968, C — for his CONGENIAL attitude; shown towards all his staff and the students of S.T.I., A — for an AFFABLE and friendly man, T — for the TIME he spends working for S.T.I, and the community, I— for his personal INTEGRITY, O — for OBSTACLE; the many that he must over- come as President of S.T.I., N — -for his NUMEROUS accomplishments above and beyond the call of duty. Through their efforts . . . From Left to Right: Rep. Vernon Farnsworth, Rep. Walter Kerr, Rep. John O ' Brien, Mr. Joseph Cooligan, Rep. Philip Kinnball. Governor ' s Council — Mr. Raymond Fontana, Rep. James Grimaldl, Governor John Voipe, Mayor Frank H. Freedman, Mr. Joseph Deliso, Mrs. Charles E. Benson, Mr. Abel Gomes, Dr. Robert W. Emery, Mr. James C. Anderson, Mr. Frank H. Cataldo. 3

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ARMORY LEGEND DRAWS WORLD FAMOUS HERE The star-studded history of the Spring- field Armory was filled with moments of glory which contributed to the greatness of this nation! There were names of prominent peo- ple, doing prominent deeds, in promi- nent positions within and outside the government whose fates touched upon the Springfield-based arsenal and who added to its luster of truly being the first In the keystone bastions which gave the United States of America the international reputation of being the ARSENAL OF DEMOCRACY. Such people as General George Wash- ington and General Henry Knox started the trend of association with the present day Springfield Armory. There were, among others, such lumi- naries as: David Ames, the first super- intendent ... Robert Orr, the first armorer . . Thomas Dawes, who made the first purchases of land which be- came the Springfield Armory ... Lt. Col. Roswell Lee, first military super- intendent ... Thomas Blanchard, de- signer ... Major J. G. Benton, for whom the city ' s Benton Park and this installation ' s small arms museum are named ... William R. Billy Bull, who as an Armory employee, outshot all marksmanship competitors to gain the world title ... Ersklne Allen, James Cranston, and Lucian Bruce who were connected with early development of small arms ... Daniel Shays and Luke Day of Shays ' Rebellion notoriety . . . General Shepard of Westfield who pro- tected the Armory against Shays ' men ... the Marquis de Lafayette, Wash- ington ' s close friend who visited here ... and today a legend for his work In our field is the name of John C. Garand, the inventor of the Ml rifle which bears his name. Some ot the high points In the Armory ' s 174-year history are listed be- low in chronological order. In 1777, manufacture of munitions in Springfield began on an organized scale in rented buildings; 1787, Shays ' rebels launch attack on Armory to secure wea- pons; 1789, President Washington visits Springfield and inspects Armory works; and in 1794, Third Congress names Springfield as site of new national armory. In 1807, the first permanent building in the quadrangle was erected (this former brick storehouse is used for the Officers ' Club today); 1815, Lt. Col. Roswell appointed first military super- intendent of the Armory; 1822, Thomas Blanchard, Armory worker, designs revo- lutionary machine for turning gun stocks, forerunner of all modern lathe machines; 1842, percussion-type weapon replaces old flintlock musket; 1843, Longfellow visits Armory and writes poem, The Arsenal at Springfield ; and in 1849 the floating staircase in Main Arsenal was constructed. Also, in 1852, work began on picket fence that encloses Federal Square to- day (old cannons melted down to pro- vide the iron); 1852, Springfield be- comes a city and includes in its adopted city seal a view of the Armory Main Arsenal; 1853, First National Exhibition of Horses, sponsored by leading local citizens, held on Armory grounds; 1855, manufacture begins on first rifled bore type of military rifle; 1864, attempt made to blow up main arsenal with home-made bomb (plot laid to Con- federate sympathizers); 1866, introduc- tion of breech-loading rifle. Also, in 1871, Museum established by Col. J. G. Benton, commanding of- ficer; 1892, adoption of bolt-action rifle; 1892, the National Armory at Spring- field becomes the Springfield Ar- mory ; 1903, the year of the famed ' 03 Springfield rifle, which played major role in World War 1 campaigns; 1918, first publication of the plant magazine The Armorer ; 1921, visit of Marshal Foch, famous military commander of World War I. Also, in 1937, the first issue of semi- automatic rifle (Garand) made to U. S. troops; 1939, establishment of appren- tice school; 1940, President Franklin D. Roosevelt tours facilities; 1942, Armory awarded the Army and Navy E cita- tion for first time; 1943, employment reaches all-time peak of 14,000 (wo- men warworkers comprise nearly 70 per cent of work force In World War II); 1944, production hits enormous total of 122,000 rifles monthly; 1951, expansion of developmental and warehouse facili- ties leads to addition of land In East Springfield; 1954, visit of Maxwell An- derson, Pulitzer ' Prizewinning playwright; 1955, Springfield Armory becomes part of Army Ordnance Weapons command. Also, In 1957, the MI4 Is adopted by U. S. Army as its new official shoulder arm weapon; 1957, Senator (later President) John F. Kennedy visits Armory; 1958, the MI4 rifle wins SPRINGFIELD name; 1962, S. A. Rifle and Pistol Club Range opens at Water Shops; 1962, Armory site of 1962 Army Research Conference; 1963 Armory designated as a national registered his- toric landmark; 1964, first Employee- of-the-Month award presented; 1964, Armory closing by April 1968 is an- nounced on November 19th; 1965, De- fense Secretary Robert S. McNamara visits Armory on March 17th; 1966, General Electric takes over portion of Federal Square section; 1967, Research and Engineering mission transfers to Rock Island, Illinois in June. August 1967, Springfield Technical In- stitute began preparations fof the fall se- mester, utilizing four buildings; April 30, 1968, the Springfield Armory closed. The remainder of the twenty-five buildings on approximately thirty-five acres of Arm- ory land are transferred to Springfield Technical Institute, a Massachusetts Re- gional Community College Armorer THE ARSENAL AT SPRINGFIELD This is the arsenal, from floor to celling. Like a huge organ, rise the burnish ' d arms; But from their silent pipes no anthem pealing. Startles the villages with strange alarms. Ah! What a sound will rise, how wild and dreary. When the death-angel touches those swift keys! What loud lament and dismal miserere Will mingle with their awful symphones! I hear even now the infinite fierce chorus. The cries of agony, the endless groan. Which, through the ages that have gone before us. In long reverberations reach our own. On helm and harness rings the saxon hammer. Through clmbrlc forest roars the Norsemen ' s song, And loud, amid the universal clamor. O ' er distant deserts sounds the tartar gong. I hear the Florentine, who from his palace Wheels out his battle bell with dreadful din. And Aztec priests upon their teocallis Beat the wild war-drums made of serpent ' s skin; The tumult of each sacked and burning village; The shout that every prayer for mercy drowns; The soldier ' s revels in the midst of pillage; The wall of famine in beleaguered towns; The bursting shell, the gateway wrench ' d asunder, The rattling musketry, the clashing blade; And ever and anon, in tones of thunder. The diapason of the cannonade. Is it, O Man, with such discordant noises. With such accursed Instruments as these. Thou drownest nature ' s sweet and kindly voices. And jarrest the celestial harmonies? Were half the power that fills the world with terror, Were half the wealth, bestow ' d on camps and courts. Given to redeem the human mind from error, There were no need of arsenals nor forts: The warrior ' s name would be a name abhorred! And every nation, that should lift again Its hand against a brother, on its forehead Would wear for evermore the curse of Cain! Down the dark future, through long generations, The echoing sounds grow fainter and then cease; And I like a bell, with solemn, sweet vibrations, 1 hear once more the voice of Christ say Peace! Peace! and no longer from its brazen portals The blast of war ' s great organ shakes the skies! But beautiful as songs of the immortals. The holy melodies of love arise. — Henry Wadsworth Longfellow