Technical High School - Tech Tiger Yearbook (Springfield, MA)

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In Memoriam Mr. Duffin

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| i i! ne i} BUSINESS STAFF: Joanne Bardy Cynthia Ladizk Frank Circosta Mark Corbisiero Ann DeDomenico Angelo Grimaldi Charlotte Janowiec Richard LaBorde Linda Lawler Richard Marola Dianne Yvon PICTURES: Loring Studios STUDENT PHOTOGRAPHER: Phil Sharrard Contents ADMINISTRATION .. 18 STUDENTS aa 34 AGEIVEELES = eee 114 SPORES Seen ee 144 ADVERTISEMENTS . 163 We wish to thank Mr. Forgue, Mr. Mason, and Mr. Reynolds for their valued contributions to the Tech Tiger.

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It is both fitting and proper that this year’s Tech Tiger should devote time and space to offer a memorial testimony to one of its most outstanding teachers, the late Orley L. Duffin. “Duff,” as he was called by his colleagues, was born December 8, 1904, and reared in the farmland district of Whitewater, Wisconsin. Daily chores and tests of ingenuity endowed him with personal characteristics so valuable in later life. Destiny did not decree that Orley, in manhood, would become a Wisconsin grain and dairy farmer but rather a teacher of young men. His trail started at the Stout Institute of Practical Arts. Upon graduation, Kansas State University offered him his first teaching assignment. At this institu- tion he met Miss Ona Knight who, later, was to become his wife. In 1931 the trail wends eastward toward New England as the City of Spring- field, in dire need of practical art teachers, offers “Duff? a contract. After sub- stituting for a short period in several schools, he was permanently assigned to Van Sickle Jr. High. In 1933 he was transferred to the High School of Commerce where he estab- lished a course in practical arts and applied subjects. In 1937 the trail is brightened for us as Orley Duffin is assigned by the school department to teach drafting at Technical. The pulse of the drawing department is enlivened by his presence. His energy carries him to all the shop classes as he assists in producing blueprints, models, and engineering sketches for its many stu- dents and teachers as well as outlines and programs for building renovations. In 1948 “Duff” was named chairman of the Mechanical Drawing unit. In this capacity new outlines for courses of study in the subject were innovated. Drawing teachers new to Tech met a friendly supervisor who would struggle continuously to make their path easier even at the sacrifice of his own free time. “Duff” con- tinued to experiment and to improve the methods of teaching drawing to high school students. Following his star, many of them became engrossed in this sub- ject matter and would spend countless hours in our shops to develop patterns and drawings made under his supervision. Teaching never ended in his room nor in any place he frequented. On August 12, 1964, the mortal trail of Orley Duffin ended. As along his life’s path he was called at each turn for greater deeds, so was he called for his great reward. A testimonial is a token of admiration and perhaps an obligation for services well rendered. Certainly we have admired this model teacher and more certainly the literal thousands of pencils of young men as they are marking today on their respective drawing boards all over this nation are in part obligated to him for guiding their first strokes. The community admires him for his loyalty to family and church. Our school is indebted to him for his ingenuity and his inspira- tional patterns. It was once said of a great baseball player, “He was a players’ player.” With- out reservation it could be said of ‘Duff,’ “He was a teachers’ teacher.” Born to teach, may we rest assured that, as he sits at the celestial drawing table, his hand, his pencil, and his thoughts are still vital factors in shaping the destiny of Technical High School and its young men. His teaching trail has no end.