University of Pittsburgh - Owl Yearbook (Pittsburgh, PA)

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Tin Chancellor Chancellor Itiifii II. Fitzgerald The Chancellor's Message To Seniors: You who have lx cn .students here the past year have lived at a time of greatness in the history of the Tniversity. In the I’niversity and in the community around it faith and optimism stirred men's imagination and set them working with fresh energy. People have developed new enthusiasm for what the I’niversity is trying to do. An immediate need was some huidlings and equipment for the Iniversity to do better its work of teaching and research. Members of the board of Trustees and of the Faculty. leading citizens of Western Pennsylvania, and many Alumni gave their time and their money, bast June an anonymous gift of $8,000.000 was made for the Medical School: in Septeml»er a gift of $18,600,000 came from the A. V. Mellon Educational and Charitable 'Trust for a Graduate School of Public Health: one Western Pennsplvauia corporation gave as much as $800,000: one Alumnus gave $2.50.000: many others gave generously, according to their more modest means. These gifts of money mean much, but what is behind the giving and what the gifts are to mean to students and teachers in the I niversity is much more. The I’niversity is here to help you and the students who come after you develop the ability to think, values by which you will live, and courage to act. Above all, we hope that this Cniversitv may help you in the great adventure of life to Ik your lx st self. For the understanding, the help, and the loyalty of you. the students. I am deeply grateful. Chancellor Fitzgerald joins the students in enthusiasm at the Penn State victory Hally. Here he mimics Bolkovac who caught the touchdown pass that won the game. 22

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Tin liri siili nl llonora riiis Dr. John GiIIhtI ItoMinnn Aii energetic idealist. President IIoxokakich John i. Bowman lielicved in the present and future students of the University more than anyone else. He dedicated his life to the Cathedral of learning, which he has explained simply, represents on the outside what a man should Ik on the inside. He lielieved and worked on the principle that the student would Ik taught l y his surroundings. Cuided firmly hy this Ix-lief he did not yield from his purpose of Building a University of which we would all Ik proud. Few students from the lass of 194!) know the man whose faith raised this Cathedral of learning, for I)r. Bowman has been living for the past few years in re- tirement at his farm in Hcfdord County. He no longer takes part in the everyday administration of the University he helped build, although he occasionally attends I 'niversity functions. The class of 1949 has left its mark in the stone and mortar of the Cathedral of I .earning. The building too has left some irremovable marks on the minds and hearts of this graduating class. We will forever Ik aware of days of youth and learning when we see this tower from all parts of the eitv of Pittsburgh, or when its vision is recalled in some far off place in the world. Dr. Bowman can truthfully feel that his faith in the students of the University has Ik cii rewarded. 21

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Tlie Sec l)r. John ••her Tin 111 This year every stuilcnt in the University received nn up-to-date cumulative record of his credits and grades. With this step the Registrar's office has at Iasi overtaken the |x st- var rush at l’itt. Actually, the new streamline procedures in I)r. J. (J. Quick’s office will handle the 20.000 enrollment with more speed ami efficiency than was possible in the pre-war days when there were only 12,000 students to process. The answer to the new efficiency is the International Business Machine system which has been installed on the eighteenth floor. Working sixteen hours a day, one of these machines addresses pre-registration kits automatically from master file cards at a speed of 80 lines per minute. Still other I.B..M. machines can turn out 100.000 grade reports in as little as 54 hours. The fastest hand recorder can do only about 2.1 such reports an hour. I ate in 1040. acting on the advice of assistant registrar K.A. Katchcldcr. the University ordered an IBM system specifically designed to handle the situation at Pitt. When the new machines arrived, the Registrar’s office was iM'hind by 350.000 in its grade reports, and losing ground. Now in June. 1049. the grade reports are up to date and cumulative records, not issued since early in 1040. have been distributed. retarv 1048 was a year of fulfillment for many of the dreams of Pitt Secretary Dr. John Weber. Year after year Dr. Weber has looked forward to the time when a new science building, better sports'facilities, libraries. and student buildings would Ik added to the University. The announcement this year of two new building programs was the first tangible evidence that at last Dr. Welter's hopes are to become a reality. A graduate of the University. Dr. Welter served as a captain in the first World War In-forc returning to teach in the Mechanical Kngincering department. After serving as head of the M.K. department. Dr. Welter became business manager of the University in 1020. His other services to Pitt include memltership on the Board of Trustees and many years as supervising engineer in the construction of the Cathedral and Heins1'. Chapel. Although his administrative duties as secretary an exacting. Dr. Weber has still found time to serve on the Board of Managers of Juvenile Court and as a inein-Iter of the City Planning Commission. gist car l)r. J. (allirrl Onirk