Worcester Polytechnic Institute - Peddler Yearbook (Worcester, MA)

Page 18 text:

10 Wal ' ier L. Jennin(;s, Ph.I),, . . Assistant Professor of Chemistry. Dr. Jennings is a graduate of Harvard, having received his A, B. in 1889. He then took three years of graduate work, also at Harvard, and received his Ph.D. in 1892. Following this, he studied at Berlin and Heidel¬ berg for two years and, returning to this country, he came to the Tech as a member of the Faculty. We were under Dr. Jennings’s care during two courses, one in Mineralogy and one in Metallurgy, and the Doctor was a general favorite. Zelotes W. Coombs, A. M., . Assistant Professor of Modern Languages. Professor Coombs is another son of Amherst, having graduated from that college a year after Dr. Haynes, in 1888. After graduation, he taught one year at Brooklyn Tech. He then went to the University of Virginia, both as a student and an instructor. From there he came to Tech in 1890, filling the position of President’s Clerk and instructor in the languages. In 1894 he went abroad for a year’s study at the University of Berlin, and upon his return was made Assistant Professor of Modern Lan¬ guages, which position he now holds. Professor Coombs has always taken an active interest in the w ' elfare of the various student organizations, and doubtless owes his popularity to this fact. His speech before the entire student body in the interests of the Athletic Association, during our Junior Year, stands, we believe, without a parallel in Tech history, both as an example of oratory and because of the happy financial result. Sidney A. Reeve, M. E., Adjunct Professor of Steam and Hydraulic Phigineering. Professor Reeve graduated from the Sheffield Scientific School of Yale University in 1887, and in 1889 received the degree of M. E. He went to New York and was connected for a short time with Westinghouse, Church, Kerr ; Co., as a member of their corps of engineers. Later, he was called to a position on the editorial staff of the Progressive - gz’, a paper devoted to the gas industry. He came to ' I ' ech a year and a half ago, and has conducted our courses in Steam and Hydraulics. Professor Reeve was chosen most popidar professor by the Class of ' 97. He has been for some months working on the design and construction of a new gas engine, which is to be a radical departure from any existing type. We wish him the best of success in this enter¬ prise.

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9 George H. kite, S. B., . . Professor of Civil Engineering. Professor White is one of the four members of the Faculty who graduated from Worcester Tech. He engaged in civil engineering work, in 1869, for Mr. W. P. Granger, then of Worcester, who subsequently was appointed chief engineer of the Hoosac Tunnel. Later, Professor White went with him to New York State, where he was engaged on the Adirondack Railroad. He then returned to Worces¬ ter, and entered Tech in advanced standing with the Class of ’73. He left in 1872, however, and engaged in engineering work in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Minnesota. Returning to Tech, in 1875, he took up the Senior studies with ’76, being at the same time tutor in field practice. He graduated in 1876, and then returned to Minnesota, where he engaged in railroad work until 1884, when he was appointed Professor of Civil Engineering at the W. P. I. Professor White is a very thorough instructor. Levi L. Conant, Ph.D., . . Associate Professor of Mathematics. Professor Conant graduated from Dartmouth with the Class of ’79. The following year he taught at Cottage City. The next three years he spent in High School work at Mankato, Minn., and Elkhart, Ind. For four years he was Superintendent of Schools in Deadwood and Rapid City, S. D., and for three years was Professor of Mathematics in the State School of Mines in South Dakota. He then came East, and took post-graduate work at Clark University during 1890 and 1891. Professor Conant received the degree of A. M. from Dartmouth, in 1887, and the degree of Ph.D. from Syracuse University, in 1892. He is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and a member of the New York Mathematical Society. Pro¬ fessor Conant has always taken an active interest in athletics, and during training or contest, he is sure to be seen, giving advice, or shouting encouragement to the athletes. George H. Hayne.s, Ph.D., Professor of History and Economics. Dr. Haynes is another Amherst alumnus, receiving his diploma with the Class of 1887. From Amherst he came to Tech, and taught here from 1887 to 1890. He then took a course at Johns Hopkins, where he received his degree of Ph.D., in 1893. Returning, he was tendered the chair of History and Economics, in which capacity we had the pleasure of knowing him. Dr. Haynes has contrib¬ uted many valuable articles to the scientific journals on topics in American history and politics. We did not espec¬ ially admire studying “ Bryce,” but aside from that, enjoyed our course with him.

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11 Harold H. Smi th, M. E., . . Professor of P lectri cal Engineerings Professor Smith received his degree of M. E. from Cornell University in 1891, remaining as a graduate student, until called, in 1892, to the Professorship of Elec¬ trical Engineering at the Arkansas State University. Was later head designer and electrical engineer for the Elektron Manufacturing Co., Springfield, Mass., and still remains with that firm in the capacity of consulting engineer. Professor Smith occupied the position of Director of School of Electrical Engineering, Purdue University, Lafayette, Indiana, from 1893 to 1896, at the expiration of which time he was given the chair of Professor of Electrical Engineering at the W. P. I. Professor Smith is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, American Institute of Electrical Engineers, and the American Association for the Advancement of Sciences. Clarence A. Chandler, S. B., . Superintendent of Washburn Shops. Perhaps the most important change during our course at Tech, was the appointment of Mr. Chandler as Superintendent of the Washburn Shops. Mr. Chandler is a Tech alumnus, having graduated with Professor Cutler in the Class of ’74. After taking his degree, he entered into partnership with Mr. Henry S. Howe, of the same class. They located in Boston, and built up a prosperous business as designing engineers. A few years ago he accepted the important position of Superintendent of the Carver Cotton Gin Co., of East Bridgewater, and from this place he came to assume his present position at Tech. Although our acquaintance with him has been limited to only a small portion of the class during our Senior Year, yet we have come to know and respect him as a thorough gentleman, well adapted to fill the position he holds. Willia:m L. Ames, S. B., Professor of Drawing and Machine Design. Born in Kingston, Mass.; with the Taunton Loco¬ motive Works, Taunton, Mass., for three years; with Old Colony Rivet Works for three years; S. B., Worces¬ ter Polytechnic Institute, 1882; student at Cincinnati School of Design, Cincinnati, Ohio, for one year; called, in 1883, to the Rose Polytechnic Institute, Terre Haute, Indiana, as teacher of Drawing. To this department was added the work in Stereotomy and Descriptive Geometry, and later. Machine Design. He is the author of the “ Notes on Descriptive Geometry ” at present used in the W. P. 1. He was called, in 1896, to the Professor¬ ship of Drawing and Machine Design at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Professor Ames is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.