Worcester Polytechnic Institute - Peddler Yearbook (Worcester, MA)

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in Oil We are the class of I960. We are the dawn of a new dec- ade, the death of an old one. We are the hopes and disappoint- ments of a hundred decades before us, the precursors of a hun- dred decades after us. Surely, we are significant. When we entered the Worcester Polytechnic Institute we couldn ' t spell it. We were told that we would all be educated and become engineers, except for the two guys beside us. Being very young and naive, we believed everything. But now, four years are past and what is the essence of our past existence? Merely memories. Very expensive mem- ories, but nevertheless, they are permanent and immutable, and should we have never le arned anything, we can still look back, diploma in hand, and say to ourselves, Why? . Yet, should we gaze into the deep, perceptive, red-tinged eyes of our fellow graduates, we read in his sublimely upturned orbs the profound and reverent answer, Why not? . It has taken four years to be entitled to say Why not? . When we first entered we were not unlike other classes, but there was something in our bearing and dignity that hinted of a disdain of the mundane existence. Through condescension we became immersed in college life as authorized by the administration and formulated through many diligent committee meetings. I ' m sure each man cher- ishes his memories of the bridge and hazing and the rushes. Surely, Thomas Wolfe ' s words echoed through our literate little minds, and what man would know his brother. All except for the AEITs of course. We elected our first officers. Our President was Fred DiPippo, who was to retain that office for three consecutive years. Vice president was Ron Pokraka; Treasurer was Dave Johnson, who has retained that office for our entire sojourn, and Secretary was Jack Czertak, who had a typewriter that printed nicely. Certainly, we were a lusty, vigorous group, but above all, we stressed sportsmanship, and our motto was It is not whether you win Oi lose . . . . But they, hard realists, would not under- stand why we wouldn ' t compromise our principles and win something. They begged us, they pleaded with us; Give up your unreal Utopia and accept our decadent ways. We com- promised, but we were careful not to win anything significant in our two years of sophomore- freshman rivalry. The important thing to us was that we had discarded our dependency on symbolism. Probably, besides the class of ' 60 ' s approach to college life, the most significant event for the school in our freshman year, was the announcement of the initiation of a development program for Tech. Through it, major additions in the imme- diate future to the campus would be a new dormitory, Morgan Hall, a new Physics building, Olin Hall, and a new library and field house. In our sophomore year we saw the initiation of this plan with the start of Morgan Hall, and on February 15, 1958, ground was broken for Olin Hall of Physics, through the generous efforts of the Olin Foundation. Our sophomore year also found a new fraternity starting on campus, Sigma Delta. But as important as these events were, it was another event that stunned us and shocked us nearly into disbelief. On Feb- ruary 12, 1958, a national holiday hereafter, for no apparent reason at all, the swimming team won a match by defeating Tufts. A dispatch was received from Moscow stating that they had invented the Worcester Tech swimming team. This was quickly retracted after the next meet. Another significant event and one that showed the in- herent and prescient wisdom of the class of I960 was the elec- tion of Norton Remmer as Class Historian. There was also the election of other new officers, where we chose Joe Baressi as our new Vice-president and Bill Kerr as Secretary because he had a new ribbon in his typewriter. Our sophomore year soon melted into the junior year and new respect as upper classmen. When we returned to school we noticed the dormitory had changed. Many freshmen wrote home jubilantly explain- ing that in their room at school a running track, two bubblers, a weight lifting room, a padded cell, two squash courts, one hundred and fifty room-mates, and a feeling of togetherness. Morgan Hall wasn ' t quite ready. However, it was ded- icated at Homecoming, and soon its occupants all moved into their own little padded cells. Soon after, on November 11, the cornerstone for Olin Hall was laid, as Tech ' s expansion was becoming tangible. We now became aware that assemblies had become con- vocations, since it was more respectable to have a half empty hall at a convocation than at an assembly. We also became aware of new responsibilities, among which was the Junior Prom. The theme was Mississippi Moonlight and the band was Urbie Green ' s which made his mother very happy — she ' s always said Urbie was a good boy. Once again we held elections, which was one of the few things at which we were becoming proficient. The new officers were Buzz Biddle, President; Jerry Gibbs, Vice-president; and Dick Gess, Secretary — he has a typewriter that prints nicely and has a new ribbon, too! Of course, Dave Johnson is our Treasurer; no one could ever get the money out of his clutches. And so the junior year dissolved and we are face to face with the senior year, its responsibilities, and ultimate reward — looking for a job. Perhaps those that staeed to become more proficient in sophomore year II or junior year II III are wiser than we, for we leave the confines and securities of our little mental institution and face a world we did not make. Norton S. Remmer 18

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THE MEN THESE PROFOUND HOPES SHALL BE REALIZED May the members of the Class of I960 forever remember the challenges offered by achievements of such professional engineers and scientists as Dr. Robert Goddard, ' 08, who, in the face of an unbelieving and scoffing world, persistently and courageously pursued and attained his honest objectives within his chosen profession. And, may the members of the Class of I960 consistently and energetically use and project their science and engineering educations so that their professional achievements and civic contributions will irrevocably and honorably reflect upon the association of Techmen among whom it is their privilege now to count themselves.

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Seated: Second row: Senior Class Officers Dave Johnson John Biddle Jerry Gibbs John Vale Norton Remmer Dick Gess Bill Aitken Treasurer President Vice President Tech Senate Historian Secretary Tech Senate 19