ENG INEERING
CENTENNIAL ISSUE


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1853 - 1953

ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1953


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Famous Engineers
Scheduled To Talk
C. E. Wilson, Merker, Parker, Moses
To Speak on Contributions, Future
Featured speakers for the College of Engineering's Centennial
celebration will include Charles E. Wilson, Harvey Milton Merker,
James Wentworth Parker and Robert Moses.
Secretary of Defense, Charles E. Wilson, scheduled to speak on
"The Continuing Frontier," has worked with several large corpora-
tions in positions ranging from chief engineer to president.j
* * * *l
WILSON, A GRADUATE in electrical engineering in 1909 from

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Two Day Campus
CelebrationSlated
Attendance Estimate Reaches 500;
Alumni, Faculty Accept Invitations
In observation of its hundredth year of existence, the College
of Engineering has scheduled a two-day celebration ."Century of
Progress" Friday and Saturday.
In memory of its century of-history now. completed, the engineer-
ing college has invited to the Centennial celebration all living alumni
of the college as well .as its current staff, leading industrialists, mem-
bers of the State Legislature and students now errolled.
AN ESTIMATED 500 will attend proceedings.
According to Prof. Stephen S. Attwood of the chemical engineering
department, general chairman of the celebration, the affair com-

Carnegie Institute of Technology,
Development
Council Aids
'U' Research
Three-hundred industrial cor-
porations have allocated funds for
scholarships and fundamental re-
search in the engineering college.
Because of the correlation be-
tween work done in the engineer-
ing college and in a majority of
these corporations, the funds are
given to aid in further research
which will ultimately aid the pro-
gress of the industry.
* * *
THE DEVELOPMENT Council
aids the departments of the en-
gineering college in securing fin-
ancial support for this research.
Acting as an intermediary, the
Council answers both monetary
and technical needs of the de-
partments by matching them with
corporation interests.
This is accomplished by the
preparation of a report by each
department stating the needs in
equipment and research-funds
which is then submitted to the
Development Council.
The Council then contacts a
corporation who may benefit by
the research to be done in the
particular department. It re-
ports the aims of the college in-
volved in an attempt to receive
a monetary grant with which the
research may proceed.
THOMAS L. DICKINSON, as-
sistant director of the Develop-
ment Council, pointed out that in
addition to the research interest
corporations have in engineers,
they are also interested in the
universities as a source of corpora-
tion personnel.
In addition to the financial
support received by the en-
gineering college from corpora-
tions, occasional donations of
laboratory equipment are re-
ceived as a further means of
encouraging research projects.
Dickinson reported that most
department-corporation contracts
are renewed when further study
or program expansion is deemed
necessary.
College Holds
Entoineer Rally
In an effort to pull the engineer-
ing college together into a single
group the Engineers Rally Com-
mittee is sponsoring a series of:
all-college meetings designed to
unite the students into a unified
whole.
The first rally, held Sept. 30 fea-
tured Regent Leland L. Doan of
the Dow Chemical Co. Regent
Doan discussed the chemical in-
dustry past, present and future
and its connection with our na-
tional economy.

received an honorary degree in
>1949 from Columbia University.
Harvey Milton Merker, now
inventory control director and
consultant on manufacturing
for a prominant chemical con-
cern will speak on "Centennial
History." Merker received a de-
gree in chemical engineering
fromthe University in 1909 and
an honorary master's degree in
engineering in 1940. He also
holds a doctor of science degree
from Wayne University.
"Engineering the Future" is
the subject of James Wentworth
Parker's address. In the past Park-
er has served as Chairman of the
Industrial Advisory Group to .the
Atomic Energy Commission.
* * *
IN 1949 he went to Germany at
the request of General Lucius
Clay, military governor, to investi-
gate the German utility system
and to make recommendations for
its reorganization.
Parker has also served as a
trustee of the Rackham En-
gineering Foundation and as re-
presentative for the American
Society of Mechanical Engineers
of the Engineers Council for Pro-
fessional Development in 1950.
Recently Parker has taken an
interest in the University's auto-
motive laboratory organizing to-
ward provisions for adequate and
modern space and equipment in
the area of mechanical engineer-
ing.
Widely known as City Park
Commissioner of New York, Robert
Moses, speaking on "The Contri-
bution of Modern Engineering To
Our Society," has also served on
many commissions relating to
parks, highways, public improve-
ments, bridges and regional plan-
ning. He has degrees from Yale,
1909; Oxford, 1911 and 1913; Co-
lumbia, 1914 and has honorary
degrees from Syracuse, Union
Bates, Princeton, Hofstra and New
York University. He also has re-
ceived many medals and awards
in recognition of his work.
CHIEF PLANNER:

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THE UNIVERSITY CAMPUS AT IT APPEARED ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO
* * * * * * * * * * * *
College of Engineering Celebrates Centennial

A history of most of the present School and Rensselaer Polytech- Following the resolution Woode
universities in the midwest must nic Institute. asked a question which has never
properly credit their origins to Tappan, who was temporarily been satisfactorily answered bys
in -need of an instructor decided engineering educators when hec
the promulgation of the North-~f to hire Wood who eventually suc- said:k
west Oirdinance of 1787 which pro- ceeded to the position of Professor * * *
vided for the establishment of of Physics and Civil Engineering "SHOULD the{ entire (engineer-i
educational institutions in a rela- when William Guy Peck resigned ing) course be included, in point
the position in favor of a job at of time within the present under-
tive wilderness. Columbia University. graduate course of four years, or
Fifty years after this an act to * * * should a fifth or University year
provide for the organization and l be added to complete the course?"
government of the University of IMMEDIATELY upon getting
Michigan passed the state legisla- fthe post, Wood proposed the first During the next fourteen years
Mich n pfour-year curriculum in engineer- Wood developed and offered

engineering department which
would be distinct from the Liter-
ary College but an estimated cost
of $373,000 to do this deterred
both state and private endowers
from putting Wood's suggestion
into practice.
In the meantime, the engi-
neering curricular continued to
expand. A course in mining en-
gineering was first offered in

memorates "a hundred years of'
engineering education."
The two-day convocation will
inaugurate proceedings schedul-
ed to continue throughout the
academic year of 1953-54. The
college will pay tribute to the
25,000 graduates for their service
to society, government, educa-
tion and industry.
An attempt will be made to re-
port to guests activities of the
college today, and to inform them
of the plans and needs of the
future.

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Engineering
Centennial'
Program

* * *
ODDLY ENOUGH the founding
fathers of the University solemnly
provided for a professor of civil
engineering only if the new school
should happen to "require" his
services,
And two years later Univer-
sity President Henry P. Tappan
established "a Scientific course
parallel to the classical course"
containing "besides other
branches, Civil Engineering ..."

ing and the following year the'
Department of Engineering was
formally established by the Re-1
gents who said:
"An Engineering Course shall
be added to the present curricu-
lum of the Uiniversit . . and

courses on bridge construction,
hydraulic motors and the dis-
tribution of water in cities.
Along with these studies went
training in the more basic dis-
ciplines of surveying, drawing,
descriptive geometry and me-

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1865 and between 1875 and '76 ON THE faculty central plan-
an appropriation was granted ning committee, in addition to
for creating professorships in Prof. Attwood will be Prof. Ernest
mining engineering, metallurgy F. Brater and Prof. Leo. M. Legat-
and chemical technology, ski of the civil engineering de-
partment; Prof. Jay A. Bolt, Prof.
The year 1872 marked the resig- R. Clay Porter and Prof. Wilbert
nation of Wood from his position Steffy of the mechanical en-
and for .thirty years engineering gineering department and Prof.
instruction at the University was Alan B. Macnee, Prof. Jack F.
conducted by. a triumvirate con- Cline and Prof. Richard K. Brown
sisting of Charles Ezra Greene, of the electrical engineering de=
Joseph Baker Davis and Charles partment.
Simeon Denison.

Sul i o1 ~lV y51 . . ". a11 , G7i1)14 GaIGU } Mla 1C
the degree of Civil Engineer be chanical engineering.
conferred upon those who may
pursue the Engineering Course Most of these courses, like those
and pass the approved examina- of the present era, were based on
tion the needs of the day and so it was
quite properly expected by the
governors of the University that
( , D 1o }d- the engineering student be able
U'TO Dedictateto ans"e"'ouest"on."""que"h a '

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And so the antecedents of the A i" ""rn
nreset Collegof nf Zeinerin~y hadi IVT . if !-+

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been laid in a cautious and not N rt1 a---PUS AT WHAT season of the year
altogether visionary manner. :[can our earthen roads be worked
The impetus for the solid foun- M em orial Lab most advantageously." and " In
grading a- hill, is it more econom-
dation of the College of Engineer- icad t cu t mote epth
ing did not ge#newa ni ical to cut at once to the depth s
ing ddno get underway until a By GENE HARTWIG required and to fill at once to the
young man from the East decided#hegtrqidorodo'sby
to risk his future career in the Dedication of the Cooley Me- height required or to do so by
growing city of Chicago. morial Laboratory on the North partial cuttings and fillings?
Campus Saturday will bring to The early classes in engineer-
IN 1857 DeVolson Wood made completion the first phase of a Tig instruction were conducted
up his mind to take a hazardous huge development program en- in the South Wing of Univer-
train ride to the city but when he visioned by the University to meet Hall, in rooms once used to
reached Detroit he suddenly dis- the demands of expanding re- house registered students. Dur-.o
covered that his financial re- search and increased enrollment hg the '60's Wood handled most
sources were spent. in future years. I of the teaching burden himself.
Leaving his baggage in De- Completion of the $1,150,000 re-
troit, Wood hikedintoAnn Ar- search center is only a beginning Classrooms at that time were
bor and introduced himself to of the proposed campus which will stoked by either a teacher or an
President Tappan as a practic- have 20 or more buildings includ- obliging student.
ing teacher, having received de- ing all the housing,' recreational
grees from the Albany Normal ' and dining facilities of a full- * * *
fledged educational unit . IN 1781 WOOD first suggested
*the establishment of a separate

* * *
UNDER THE tutelage of these
professors a separate department
of engineering was established in
1895 and 331 students enrolled in
the department during its first
official operating semester'.
At that time serial numbers
were assigned to each student-
a system which has been con-
tinued to the present time. !
When the cornerstone of the!
West Engineering Bldg: was laid
in 1902 nearly half a century of
engineering building on campus
had preceded it

Also on the Centennial com-
mittee are Prof. G. Brymer Wil-
liams and Prof. William P. Wood
of the chemical engineering de-
partment; Prof. Harry B. Ben-
ford of the marine engineering
department; Prof. Wilbur C.
Nelson and Prof. Robert M.
Howe of the aeronautical en-
gineering department; Prof.
William W. Gilbert and Prof.
Richard Flynn of the production
engineering department and
Prof. W. W. Hagerty, Prof.
Thomas A. Hunter and Prof. Ed-
ward A. Yates on the engineer-
ing mechanics department.
The list concludes with Prof.

1.W.:Earl Britton and Prof. Edmund
 * * P. Dandridge of 'the English de-
THE FIRST engineering build-'!partment and Prof. Robert H.
ing, situated on the southeast cor- Hoisington of the drawing de-
ner of the campus was a mechani- partment,
cal laboratory and was equippedI The committee expressed theI
with a foundry, forge shop, en- feeling that by thus bringing to
gine room, patter sho and' ma-the alumni information concern-
chine shop. ing the functioning of the col-
lege, interest in the word done
In 1885 additional laboratory here might be stimulated and in-I
See CENTURY, Page 4 creased.
0 E* *N Es

Thursday, October 22
4-9 p.m.: Registration, Lobby,
Michigan Union; Departmental Ci-
tation group meetings as arranged.
Friday, October 23
9 a.m.-9 p.m.: Registration, Lob-
by, Michigan Union.
9-12 a.m.: Open House-Engineer-
ing College, but in addition labora-
tories open for inspection all day
Friday and Saturday.
Noon: Luncheon, Ballroom,
Michigan Union, Dean Brown and
President-Emeritus Ruthven
2 p.m.: Robing for Academic
Procession, Rear Rooms, Hill Au-
ditorium.
* * *
2:30 p.m.: Convocation, Hill Au-
ditorium. (Open to the public);
Carillon and Organ; President
Hatcher presiding; Invocation and
Benediction - Rev. Henry Lewis;
Honorable Charles E. Wilson-Ad-
diress "The Continuing Frontier";
Conferring of Honorary Degrees;
Citation of Distinguished Alumni.
4 p.m.: Reception for Alumni
guests to meet friends and faculty
of the College, Michigan League.
6:30 p.m. Banquet, Ballroom,
Michigan Union; Toastmaster,
Mr. L. R. Crandall, President,
George A. Fuller Company; Uni-
versity of Michigan Glee Club;
.Announcements, Dean Brown;
Dr. Robert Moses, Commission-
er of Parks, N.Y.-Address "The
Contribution of Modern Engi-
neering to Our Civilization."
Saturday, Oct. 24
9-12 a.m.: Registration, Rack-
ham Building.
9:30 a.m.: Rackham Lecture
Sijall; Regent Eckert presiding;
Dr. H. M. Merker, "Centennial
History"; "The First Hundred"-
color film of the College; Dean
Brown, "The College Today and
Tomorrow"; Mr. J. W. Parker,
Past President, Detroit Edison
Company "Engineering the Fu-
ture."
10:30-2:30 p.m.:Veteran 'cars of
the Huron Valley Chapter of the
Veteran Motor Car Club of Amer-
ica will be on exhibition in the
Mall, and end with a parade
thrqugh town.
12:30 p.m.: Luncheon, Ballroom,
Michigan League; Regent Boni-
steel presiding: Vice President
Pierpont. "The North Campus De-
velopment"; Mr. M. Blanchard,
"The Origin of the Engineering
Research Institute"; Mr. W. L.
Cisler, President, The Detroit Edi-
son Company, Dedication of The
Mortimer E. Cooley Building; Dr.
R. G. Folsom, "The Engineering
Research Institute."
2:30 p.m.: Opening of The Mor-
timer E. Cooley Building; Buses
will be in the Mall to transport
- guests to the North Campus.
7 p.m.: Class dinners as ar-
ranged.
Engineers Plan
Citation Awards
At Friday afternoon's convoca-

Centennial Chairman
Teaching. 33 Years.

Prof. Stephen S. Attwood,
chairman of the Faculty Centen-
nial Committee, has had a long
and colorful career in the field
of engineering.
The chairman of the electrical
engineering department received
his B.S.E. degree here in mechani-
cal engineering.
When he joined the Naval Re-
serve as an ensign in 1918, he serv-

gineering in 1920. He received his
master's degree in that field in
1923 and a full professorship was
awarded him in 1938.
Working for private companies
during the summers of his early
teaching years, Prof. Attwood
did research on distribution and
research problems, electrical in-
sulation and lightning.
During the last war, Prof. Att-
wood was director of Columbia
University's Wave Propagation
group for national defense, which
was sponsored by the Office of
Scientific Research and Develop-
ment. In 1945 he was consultant
for the Committee on Wave Pro-
pagation. '
AMONG THE many committees
he has served on here have been

LOCATED ACROSS the Huron
River on a site of mud flats and'
rolling brush covered hills, the
Cooley lab will be the University's;
center for engineering research.
Dedication ceremonies for the
new building will be held, in
Rackham Lecture Hall. Follow-
ing the dedication there will be
a tour of the new lab and north
campus site by those attending
the Engineering centennial cele-
bration.
Guest speakers at the dedica-
tioh ceremonies will include Mur-
ray Blanchard, '98, one of the
originators of the Engineering Re-
search Institute idea in 1916,
Walker L. Cisler, president of the
Detroit Edison Company, and
Wilbur K. Pierpont, vice-president
of the University.
PROF. RICHARD G. Folsom,
director of the institute will also
speak on the program with Regent
Roscoe 0. Bonisteel scheduled to
preside over the dedication cere-
'monies.
Announcement of the huge

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riast engineering Bilding

Also at the rally was Dean
George Granger Brown of the
College of Engineering and Presi-
dent Harlan H. Hatcher.
Engineerinci Fil ig

the Executive Committee of the
'a graduate school, Executive Com-
mittee of the engineering college
and the Board of Governors of the
Residence Halls. .
A fellow of the American In- I
stitute of Electrical Engineers,j
Prnf & Atnnd wn,c a n it.V(nm,- I:

North Campus development was
first made in January 1952.
At that time the 267 acre tract
of rolling land north of the Huron
River was designated as a home
for the University's rapidly ex-
panding research program and as


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