University of Michigan - Michiganensian Yearbook (Ann Arbor, MI)

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Dean Greene BY A. B. PRESCOTT. The life of Professor Charles Ezra Greene has made itself known to the members of nineteen hundred and four more perfectly if possible than to those of earlier classes. His services in administration, in teaching and in the engineering methods of the world stand out before us now with singular unity of effect and the nearness of per- sonal acquaintance. The new Engineering building appears on the campus as a sub- stantial token of labors in which he has held a steady hand, together with his colleagues, since his appointment as Profesor of Civil Engineering in 1872, at thirty years of age. Mr. Greene graduated from Harvard in 1862, turned first to manufacturing, en- tered the service of United States Volunteers in 1864, and was afterward commis- sioned first lieutenant, decided upon the profession of a civil engineer, studied in Mas sachusetts Institute of Technology and received its degree in 1868. He was at once engaged as an engineer and continued upon the construction of railroads and harbor improvements) declining a proposal for college teaching until he was called to succeed Professor De Volsen Wood in this University. The several elements of his education and experience fitted well his fine natural traits of mind for the duties then before him. As a contributor to the science of engineering Professor Greene has been well known for distinct productions, of practical merit and constant, use, especially for the invention and development of graphical methods of analysis as applied to frames, bridges and arches. These working methods have been applied to determine the stresses in such structures as the steel arch bridges across the great Niagara gorge, and the Washington bridge across the Harlem river at New York. To all who have heard Professor Greene in his presentation of a technical subject the clearness and directness of his style will always be a delightful remembrance. The perfection of his language was in itself attractive, while with even voice and quiet bearing he imparted his own interest in his theme to those who heard him. In set- ting forth notable achievements of engineering construction in this and other lands the deeper currents of his enthusiasm were revealed as he referred again and again to Michigan alumni, naming their classes, who had here and there surmounted diffi- culties and had accomplished what had been accounted the impossible in older coun- tries. Of his work in the University and the world the years ' to come will speak with more effect than anything said at present. But it is of the man himself that words would de desired, if they could portray the charm and strength of his character. Sin- cere and just, kindly and true, prompt and decisive with gracious dignity, faithful to his convictions, his personality has been dear alike to his students and his colleagues. 12

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History of the Class of 1904 I5Y THOMAS B. ROBERTS. The class of 1904! When did these words, now so filled with memories, first come to have a meaning for us ? We were a class long before our first class meet- ing and election. Indeed, the first suggestion in our verdant minds of such a thing as a class was when, simply as single individuals, we stood in the secretary ' s office, with fluttering hearts, and, hesitating hefore the word class on the enrollment blank, timidly wrote 1904, and went away wondering if we had given the right year. We first became self-conscious as a class the memorable night of our first Fresh- Soph rush, following that last athletic mass meeting held in the gym on October 8, 1901. Faint hearted at first but emboldened by the presence of upper class leaders, we soon became assertive, and made the rafters of the old gym tremble to the rever- berations of our improvised yell: F-R-E-S-H ! and how true and appropriate it was ! The facts of that rush stand out vividly in all our memories. The wild confu- sion the incoherent shouts rising above the turmoil the dark compact mass ad- vancing ominously toward us the shock the aching chest and pinioned feet the waver and break, as we triumphantly swept our opponents from the field can we ever forget these ? Then the victorious procession and the huge bonfire ! Truly, it was a beginning worthy of a glorious class. It was on this same night that Naughty Four became dissatisfied with the local methods of operation of the D. Y. A. A. and J. Railway Co., and undertook to carry into execution its own ideas on the subject. As is usual, a few innocent spectators were forcibly requested, by the efficient local authorities, to pay for the car ' s missing ornamentation and for the numerous fares which had been rung up on the register but they were not ' o4 ' s. On November 17, 1900, ' 04 held its first election, and so became a class indeed. At this time we chose Howard Blakeslee to be our president. John R. Brumm be- came our first defeated candidate.. Our reputation as an extraordinary class must have been well established even at this earlv period in our career, for we find in the class records frequent mention of a Cain Committee. The Fresh-Soph meet continued the work of rush and politics in bringing us to- gether and making us better acquainted. On this occasion we raised our voices in a new yell : Who ! Yah ! Hee ! Room-a-lack-a-Roar ! Michigan, Michigan, Naughty- Four ! At this meet, which we lost by a very small margin, ' 04 gave several stars to the University. Thev were Hahn, originally a ' 04, Perry, Hall and Kelloge. Many sre the honors which these men have since won for Michigan. Neddie Kellogg has for three successive years carried off the two-mile run in the Conference meet, each f ; ' ne setting a lower mark. His defeat of Franchot in the Philadelphia relays last ' far, brought him recognition as one of the greatest distance runners in the country. His work was iustly recognized bv his election to the track captaincy this year. Our main freshman accomplishment was in the tonsorial line. The record of this long hair cutting war reflects great credit on ' 04. We were the first freshman class Hiat ever started the hostilities in this field, and our forcible intrusion into a ' 03 smoker at that time created a decided sensation. Varied statements have been fiven ?s to the final score of scalns taken before the affair was brought to a rather abrunt close. The true figure, however, is 28 to 24 in our favor. Beyond the matter of num- 14