Worcester Polytechnic Institute - Peddler Yearbook (Worcester, MA)

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minutes past the hour. In comes the last of the “ fresh air advocates ” or “ who’s got the makin gs ” crowd. Four and a half minutes past the hour, all watches are out, and in strolls “ Charlie,” hands thrust deep into his trousers’ pockets with his little green copy of “ Russel’s ” under his arm. He appears little relieved from his usual tiredness by a night’s sleep and seats himself comfortably behind the lecture table. “ Is everybody here? ” he asks, and the ever ready answer comes from the front row, “ All here.” That is so much easier than calling the roll. “ What is the lesson? ” is the next question. Then, “ Any questions? ” A pause. “ Well, if you don’t ask any I will.” This customary threat brings forth the questions. One requires some sketching for an explanation, and with much effort “ Charlie ” succeeds in getting some chalk. He puts a number of lines on the board that might represent anything from Porter’s Sewing Machine to a complete H ydro-Electric Station. A smile from the class invariably brings out the explanation, “ Oh, this is just a ‘diagramatic sketch.’ Now,” he continues, “ you have a vane dike unto this.’ ” Then we hear “ the overalls and dinner pail ” story which comes out every other year. Its gray whiskers would show if told oftener. “ Who knows what anchor ice is? ” Silence. “ Well, I don’t know what it is nor does anybody else so I’ll tell you about it.” As the end of the hour draws near a problem is given. “ How much horse power in a mile of ocean? ” Which, say the Electrics, might just as well be, “ How much horse power in a yard of pump water? ” Speaking of the Electrics “ Charlie ” says that if the real old-time Quaker meetings were as bad as those he holds with the Electrics he is glad he didn’t live during those early days. But the Electrics were wise in their silence. It’s a safe thing not to ask too many questions on the start or you’ll have to play “ the goat ” the remainder of the term. “ Sympathy ” was ever the motto of all regarding marks, because it is hard work guessing at so many grades. In contrast to some of his associates “ Charlie ” can change his opinion of a person or subject. A careless disregard for facts and his amusing style of relating his many experiences enables him to drive much gloom from the Seniors and keep him in good standing with them. Joseph 0. Phelon, M.M.E., Professor of Electrical Engineering Professor Phelon was born in Cherry Valley, N.Y. He graduated from W. P. I. in 1887, in the Mechanical Department, and was appointed Assistant in Physics. In 1890 he received the degree of B.S. in Electrical Engineering, and in 1901, after working a year at Cornell, the degree of 25

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Dartmouth he retaliates with an account of his football prowess at Tech; no other representative of that distant time: being present the story is suit¬ ably inflated and he rolls his tongue around and chuckles, saying to him¬ self, “ He can’t beat that one.” “ Piggy ” and Prof. French love each other dearly and are often seen walking about hand in hand, one promising not to “ screw ” the Civils and the other not to “ get ” the Mechanics, never¬ theless, “ Piggy ” says that he does not feel the same toward Prof, since he caught him trying to get the New Olsen out through one of the win¬ dows of the Mechanical Laboratory and into Boynton Hall. The Mechanical Department is indeed fortunate in having at the helm a man of Professor Bird’s calibre. Only those who come into intimate contact with him can realize the self sacrificing interest and attention that he gives to any project which might be a benefit to the Institute. In some of our courses a short, generally suddenly interrupted siesta has been quite common, but such a thing never happened in Prof. Bird’s classes. In fact his good nature has become proverbial, and his kindly feeling for all the upper classmen in particular has won the respect of everyone on the Hill. Alton L. Smith, M.S., Professor of Machine Drawing We have simply got to have a nickname for all our profs, and so Pro¬ fessor Smith changes to “ Dingtoe ” in our third year and this is further shortened by more intimate contact as Seniors to just plain “ Ding.” He puts us through some pretty stiff paces as Juniors, in Kinematics, but he seems to realize that the stuff is hard and he always tries to use the men “ white.” His blunt and direct manner often disconcerts us and makes us feel our serious lack of knowledge along certain lines, but Senior year he gets pretty close to us. Outside the class room you find him at his best, and few students realize h ow interested and interesting he really is as a man. His little peculiarity, when you ask him in Design, how long to make a certain thing, is to jerk that ever present “ six-foot yardstick ” from the rear pocket of his “ jeans ” and casually say, as he holds the rule at arm’s length and slides his finger to the mark, “ ‘Bout three inches.” He is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and very well thought of in the engineering profession. Charles M. Allen, M.S., Professor of Hydraulic Engineering “ You must live with a man to know him.” Let’s take any morning during the first half of the Senior year. Scene, M. E. Lecture Room, two 24

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M.M.E. He was made an Instructor in the Electrical Department of the Institute on its formation in 1896. He was promoted to Assistant Professor in 1901 and to Professor of Electrical Engineering in 1907. He is an Asso¬ ciate Member of the A. I. E. E. “ Uncle Joe ” is a very quiet unobtrusive sort of person, but like many quiet people there’s a twinkle in his eye. His still small voice is heard in many a quiz and lecture during the Junior year. The worst thing he has ever been heard to say is “ Red Label seats; no books or notes,” and even then he sometimes writes it on the board to get out of saying it. Neverthe¬ less he drilled us thoroughly in the fundamentals and gave us a good start in electrical subjects. During the past year, as Acting Head of the Elec¬ trical Department, he has had many a heart to heart talk with us individ¬ ually and has made a firm friend of one and all. Albert S. Richey, E.E., Professor of Electric Railway Engineering Professor Richey was born in Muncie, Ind., in 1874. He graduated from Purdue University in 1894, receiving the degree of E.E. He has held high positions with several Indiana railways, including the Citizen’s St. Ry. Co. of Muncie, Marion City Ry. Co., Union Traction Co. and Indianap¬ olis Northern Traction Co. In 1905 he was appointed Assistant Professor of Electric Railway Engineering at the Institute, being promoted in 1907 to full Professorship. He is a member of the A. I. E. E., Sigma Xi and Tau Beta Pi. For the past few years he has been consulting engineer for several Massachusetts Street Railway companies. Professor Richey has a reputation for being lazy, but only among those who do not know what a large amount of outside work he handles. He spends comparatively little time on the Hill. If he is called away suddenly he never forgets to leave one of the dozens of written quizzes which he has on tap to be served by some other member of the Department. No one was ever known to tell everything he was expected to in one of these exams. One could write a book on the subject and then be sure to have left out at least half the very important points. Nevertheless Prof. Richey’s course in Railways is one of the bright spots in the last year at the Institute. Carleton A. Read, S.B., Professor of Steam Engineering Prof. Read is a graduate of M. I. T., and for several years has had charge of the work in Steam Engineering at W. P. I. Since the first half of Junior 26