Worcester Polytechnic Institute - Peddler Yearbook (Worcester, MA)

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GEORGE HENRY HAYNES Professor of Economics and Political Science A. B., Amherst, 1887; Ph. D., Johns Hopkins, 1893; Instructor in Modern Languages, W. P. I., 1887-88; Mathematics, 1888-89; Modern Languages, 1889-90; Professor of Economics and Po¬ litical Science, 1893- Professor Haynes to some, probably “George” to others and possibly even “Henry” to still others, but to us he always was and always will be just ‘ Jinny. Jin¬ ny’s” task is far from being an easy one. We thought we came here to learn engineering and when we were told that we would never succeed by engineering alone, we smiled knowingly and refused to be worried by the great political and industrial problems of the world. But that was before we knew “Jinny.” It was he that showed us that nothing big is accomplished in this world without con¬ tact at one point or another with these problems. He took hold of us when we were absorbed (?) in the big problem of engineering and showed us that the field of engineering is not the big battlefield of life. To him we owe, not so much what we learned about economics, poly sci and business law, but rather the awakening and stimu¬ lating of an interest in the problems of civilized society. HAROLD BABBITT SMITH Professor of Electrical Engineering M. E., Cornel l, 1891 ; Adjunct Professor of Electrical Engineer¬ ing, Arkansas State University, 1892-93; Professor of Electrical Engineering, Purdue, 1893-96; ' W. P. I., 1896- “H. B.” has had much and varied experience both in teaching and in practice. Only the Electrics have the pleasure of meeting this interesting man. And the Senior Electrics can attest that he is even more interesting in his home than in the class-room. It is a delight to watch the twinkle in his eyes when he tells you, in his own qu:et way, some little humorous happening. In his design lec¬ tures he stimulated our interest (which was entirely un¬ necessary), and he brought us all almost to the verge of despair by considering us as shorthand experts. However, this cannot be held against him, since none of us ever had the courage to confess our shortcomings in that regard. He takes a direct interest in the welfare of every student in his department, not only through his college days, but afterwards, and this man-to-man attitude makes him a friend of all who come in contact with him. m 17

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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

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WALTER LOUIS JENNINGS Professor of Organic Chemistry A. B., Harvard, 1889; A. M., 1890, and Ph. D., 1892; Assistant in Chemistry, Harvard, 1890-92; Parker Fellow at University of Berlin, 1893-94; Assistant Professor of Chemistry, W. P. I., 1894-99; Professor of Organic Chemistry, 1900- If there is any one of Dr. Jennings’ many nicknames which fits him better than the others, it is “the Kaiser.” One does not have to be long in the Chemistry Depart¬ ment to learn who is in authority there. Although Dr. Jennings bears the responsibilities of the head of the de¬ partment, there is no one who takes a more personal in¬ terest in the men under him. In the laboratory he is always free with criticism and ready with suggestions, trying to develop in the men a degree of accuracy and deftness of manipulation such as he himself possesses. By those outside the department. Dr. Jennings will be longest remembered for his hobbies for bicycle riding and tennis playing, but by those who have studied under him, “Beiley” will be remembered for his interesting lectures, his personal interest in the men and for being a good mixer at Chem. Club meetings, on the New York trip, and at the dinner, at which he entertained so royally. ALEXANDER WILMER DUFF Professor of Physics B. A., University of New Brunswick, 1884, and University of London, 1887; M. A., University of Edinburgh, 1888, B. Sc., 1892, and D. Sc., 1901; Professor of Physics, University of Madras, 1889-90; University of New Brunswick, 1890-93; Purdue, 1893-99; W. P. I., 1899- . It will probably never be known whether Dr. Duff went abroad in our Sophomore year in order to escape the terrors of teaching Physics to 1916, or to be in Ger¬ many when the cannon-balls commenced to soar, that he might measure their gravitational constant. At any rate he left us and studied for awhile at the University of Berlin, from which place he returned to the U. S. with difficulty at the outbreak of hostilities. Dr. Duff is revered by the students as an instructor of Physics, and they honor him for his many achieve¬ ments in that science—not the least among which is his book now used as a textbook by many colleges. 18