Worcester Polytechnic Institute - Peddler Yearbook (Worcester, MA)

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Sra Nrlamt i|nUtH President of the Institute U. S. Naval Academy, 1878; A. M. (Honorary), Harvard, 1899; L. H. D., Union, 1899; D. Sc., University of Pittsburgh, 1912; Professor of Engineer¬ ing, Harvard, 1893-1913; President of Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 1913— Our first year at Worcester Tech had passed before Doctor Hollis came from Harvard, where he had held the Professorship of Engineering, to act as President of the Institute. At that time we were naturally curious as to the type of man we would find him to be. From the very first, however, all the reports seemed to be in his favor. Such newspaper editorials as “Harvard’s Loss is Worcester’s Gain” and “Naval Authority to be Worcester Tech’s Head,” prepared the way for his coming and caused us to realize that we were to become intimately acquainted with a man who had seen Life in every corner of the globe, who had already given up a great amount of time to the teaching of Engineering, and one whose departure from Cambridge left a distinct gap there, which could be filled only with the greatest difficulty, if at all. It was not long after his arrival before we learned that the Office was to be a place of terror no longer, but was to be a place where our difficulties could be cleared up. We had only to state the extent of these troubles and “Prexy” could immediately find a way out of them. Through his energy, a change was made in the attitude of the upper classmen toward the Freshmen. Class rushes were abolished; Freshman rules were toned down, and many other changes made to increase the kindly feeling between classes. During the last three years “Prexy” has lent his assistance to every worthy project called to his attention. In his heart he has had the welfare of every student; a kindly word of encouragement to the disheartened, or a well-meant reproof to the backward student was all that was necessary to point out the way he should go. We shall not soon forget the Sunday afternoon “at homes” of Doctor and M rs. Hollis, where students and faculty were brought together, each to learn some¬ thing of the attitude of the other. We feel, as a Class, that we will go out in the world to be better Engineers and citizens for having come in contact with a man of the calibre and character of “Prexy” Hollis.

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PRESIDENT IRA N. HOLLIS

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LEVI LEONARD CONANT John E. Sinclair Professor of Mathematics A. B., Dartmouth, 1879, and A. M., 1887; Ph. D., Syracuse, 1893; Professor of Mathematics, Dakota School of Mines, 1887- 90; Assistant Professor of Mathematics, W. P. I., 1891-92; Associate Professor, 1892-99; Professor, 1899- ; Acting Pres¬ ident, 1911-13. Despite his reticent nature, “Conie” has earned the right to add quite a little alphabet after his name. Our first class-room impression was that we had a terribly fussy “prof” on our hands, for we found that we were expected to have ALL of our previous knowledge at our tongue’s end. But even when this quiet spoken gen¬ tleman was making very evident one’s entire ignorance of even the rudiments of the English language and when the rest of the class was in spasms (at what they had es¬ caped), one found it absolutely impossible to take the slightest offence. And so we came to look forward to the “Calc” period almost with joy. ZELOTES WOOD COOMBS, A. M. Professor of English and Secretary of the Faculty A. B., Amherst, 1888, and A. M., 1895; Instructor in English, Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute, 1888-89; University of Virginia, 1889-90; Clerk and Assistant in Languages, W. P. I., 1891-92; Instructor in Modern Languages, 1892-95; Assistant Professor, 1895-1901; Professor of French, 1901-03; Modern Languages, 1903-13; Professor of English and Secretary of the Faculty, 1913- . All of us remember that morning back in September, 1912, when our class was assembled in the “Libe” for registration, and the two stately men who started us off on our journey of education. To us, the little man in the black coat was the President, while the tall, straight, Van Dyked gentleman was a clerk of something or other. However, it was not long before our ideas were shifted around and we came to know “Zelotes” as our Eng¬ lish “prof.” With all his varied accomplishments as an athlete, killer-of-bugs a la Prince Albert, Wachusett hiker, queller of class-riots, etc., etc., the characteristic which remains nearest to us was his ability to distinguish between a fellow’s real voice and one from his empty seat. “Coombsie” was seldom fooled, to our discom¬ fort and his satisfaction. 16