Springfield Technical Community College - Yearbook (Springfield, MA)

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1822- 1842- 1855 1866 1892 1903 Remembrances of Things Past In the early 1940 s a new and different sound was heard coming from the Parade Ground of the Springfield Armory. It was the sound of young voices at play. The Physical Education Department of the Springfield School System had initiated the practice of using this area for outside recreation for the gym classes from the nearby high schools. Up until this time, the only sound heard here was that of marching feet and shouting commands echoing off of the buildings as the soldiers, who were billeted here occasionally, were put through their drills. This wasn ' t the only non-military use of the property at Federal Square. At one time or another between 1811 and 1846, several of the buildings in the complex were the original meeting place for such diverse religious groups as Baptists, Methodists, Episcopalians, Universalists, and Roman Catholics. These groups eventually outgrew their Armory meeting place. They moved on to larger quarters, including St. Michael ' s and Christ Church Cathedrals, leaving the Armory buildings once more to their main purpose of the manufacture of armaments. And, to this purpose, the facility was very effectively used. A glance at the following list of historical dates will more than illustrate this effectiveness. 1807 — The first permanent building in the quadrangle was erected. Thomas Blanchard, Armory worker, designs a revolu- tionary machine for turning gun stocks. Percussion type weapon replaces old flintlock musket. Manufacture begins on first rifled bore type of military rifle. Introduction of breech loading rifle. Adoption of bolt action rifle. The year of the famed 03 Springfield Rifle which played a major role in World War I campaigns. 1937 — The first issue of the semi-automatic rifle (Garand) made to the US troops. 1944 — Production hits enormous total of 122,000 rifles monthly. The M-14 is adopted by US Armory as its new official shoulder arm weapon. Armory designated as a national registered historical landmark. In August Springfield Technical Institute began prep- arations for the Fall semester, utilizing four buildings. April 30th the Springfield Armory closed. The remain- der of the twenty-five buildings on approximately thirty- five acres of Armory land were transferred to Springfield Technical Community College. Mr. Christopher Dvarecka, who was the Information and Historical Officer at the time of the Armory s closing, stated that this act was a pointless sacrifice. However, we don t feel that this is necessarily ture. Perhaps the Armory has outlived its usefulness. As one looks back at the list of historical dates and notes the final entry, a hopeful thought comes to mind. It is best summed up in the Biblical quotation from Mich: 4, 3 — and they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruninghooks. In the case of Federal Square, the swords and spears were guns which were put aside for books and other instruments of learning. Perhaps, in the course of time, the knowledge which the students receive here will bring enlightenment and understanding to others. If this type of transformation from the manufacture of instruments of death to the promotion of the instruments of education were repeated around the wrold, then the realization of the second part of the Micah quotation would also come about and nation truly shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they war anymore. ' ' This is our hope for the future. 1957 1963 1967 1968