Maine Alumnus, Volume 18, Number 7, April 1937

The University of Maine DigitalCommons@UMaine University of Maine Alumni Magazines University of Maine Publications 4-1937 Maine Alumnus, Volume 18, Number 7, April 1937 General Alumni Association, University of Maine Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/alumni_magazines Part of the Higher Education Commons, and the History Commons Recommended Citation General Alumni Association, University of Maine, "Maine Alumnus, Volume 18, Number 7, April 1937" (1937). University of Maine Alumni Magazines. 418. https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/alumni_magazines/418 This publication is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@UMaine. It has been accepted for inclusion in University of Maine Alumni Magazines by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@UMaine. For more information, please contact [email protected]. I W %•? di > ..... Wk > jjk.W -Jr ■bJ 1 A brand-new customer used the tele in telephone service. 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'a BELL TELEPHONE SYSTEM HIE MAINE ALUMNUS Vol 18, No 7, April 1937 Published monthly by the General Alumni Association of the University of Maine from October to June inclusive Editorial and business office, Orono, Me Entered as second-class matter at the post office at Bangor, Maine, under act of March 3, 1879 Subscription price $1 per year included in alumni dues. "A Democracy in Scholarship” In the year 1897, as the college term at recognized importance in the field of edu growth. In his office, then in Coburn the Maine State College of Agriculture cation, breaking down barriers of college Hall, therefore, the real founding of Phi and Mechanic Arts was drawing toward and subject, standing, as Dr. Roy M. Kappa Phi as a National Honorary Fra its final months, a small group of senior Peterson of Maine, editor of the Phi Kap ternity took place. The occasion was a students in a corner room in the front of pa Phi Journal, has said, for “A Democ meeting of the Association of American Old Brick Hall discussed an idea. A racy in Scholarship.” Today with 49 Agricultural Colleges, during which young man by the name of Marcus Libby chapters in 36 states, Hawaii, and the President Harris interested the presidents Urann, a serious, far-thinking fellow, was Philippines, Phi Kappa Phi, once only the of Pennsylvania State College and the explaining it to the others, for his was idea of Marcus Urann, looks back over University of Tennessee; chapters were the idea forty years of vigorous growth to the formed at these institutions and shortly It seemed to him important that, at University of Maine as the place of its afterward at Massachusetts Agricultural Maine, high scholarship, in whatever line nativity. College. A constitution and ritual of of endeavor, should be recognized; that initiation were prepared, with the co the men seemingly best fitted for research Early Days operation of Dr. James S Stevens. Dr. and theoretical work should be given The society was thought of at first, (Continued on Page 10) recognition and respect in the eyes of quite naturally, as a local one. At its those with a more practical turn of mind, founding in 1897, it took the name Lambda more fitted for application. He thought Sigma Eta; in addition to Mr. Urann, of a new honor society. “I hoped,” he Charles H. Farnham and Howard E. Stev says, “that this society would be the means ens, all members of 1897, are to be re of showing the interdependence of these garded as the original founders; ten mem two philosophies of life, while at the same bers of that class were finally elected to time broadening each.” Also, “I wanted membership, after the faculty had ap to bring the various groups of students proved and supported the plan. These ten nearer together and it seemed to me that original members were: William T. these men would be drawn from all Brastow, Stanwood H. Cosmey, Lindsay classes and all groups and all societies, Duncan, Charles H. Farnham, Perley F. hence would have a leveling and social Goodridge, William L. Holyoke, Andrew influence.” Such was the idea being ex J. Patten, Joseph W. H. Porter, Howard pounded to a few of his classmates and E. Stevens, Marcus L. Urann. From the friends faculty were elected President A. W. Faculty members and President Abram Harris, Professor G. H. Hamlin, and W. Harris had approved the idea. The Professor J. N Hart. students, too, thought well of it. Some In 1899, two years later, the name of one suggested that Mr. Urann draw up the society, still a local one, was changed a constitution and by-laws. “This,” he to the Morrill Society in honor of the says, “I did one night while sitting in my author of the Morrill Act of 1862 which old room, the second floor, a corner in created the Land Grant Colleges. The Oak Hall.” next year, however, the name was changed From this small beginning was born, once more to its present one, and through Marcus L. Urann, ’97 forty years ago, the honor society of Phi the interest and enthusiasm of President “An Institution is the Lengthened Kappa Phi, now a national fraternity of Abram W. Harris began its national Shadow of One Man”—Emerson 3 THE SUMMER SESSION, A Historical Sketch Dr. Wilber radt by Dean Emeritus James S. Stevens New Chemistry Head Wilber E. Bradt, professor of chemis Among the many innovations which of the College of Arts and Sciences had try and head of the department of chem considerably expanded, and since Mr. came from the fertile brain of President istry and chemical engineering, is one of Stevens was carrying a rather heavy A. W. Harris was the establishment of a the newcomers to our faculty. He came teaching schedule, President Little re summer session. In the catalog for 1895- to this extreme northeast corner of the lieved him from the directorship of the 1896 there appeared an announcement United States from the furthest north session. Dr. Milton Ellis took over the that, beginning June 15, 1896, there would western state, being called to Orono from work and continued until 1930, when it be held a summer school running for the State College of Washington where passed to Dr. Roy M. Peterson, the pres three weeks. It was to be under the joint he was On the faculty for six years. ent director. During these years there control of the president of the college Following his graduation with a B.A. has been a steady increase in attendance, and the superintendent of common schools. in 1923 from Indiana University, Mr. and in 1935 it reached 473, and last sum I am sure it will interest the reader to Bradt took his master’s degree in physi mer it reached the maximum registra print a certificate given to Superintendent cal chemistry the next year and his doc tion of 527. Frank A. Day, now of Princeton, Maine, torate in organic chemistry in 1926. Since During the early years of the summer who attended the sessions of 1896 and then he has published some 35 research session the work of the teachers was 1936. papers in all fields of his science, but more largely a labor of love. Very small sal especially in organic and electro-chemis STATE OF MAINE, aries were paid and for some years there try, and a textbook, “Study Units in EDUCATIONAL DEPARTMENT, was no compensation at all. Dr. Aley General Chemistry.” His most recent AUGUSTA, MAINE proposed in 1920 that the faculty take on studies, which have been published by the the summer work as part of their duties. This is to certify that Frank A. Electro-Chemical Society, have been con This proposal met with no enthusiasm and Day attended the summer school at cerned with the electro-deposition of met it was not pressed. In recent years the Orono during the year 1896, and is als in industrial production. A paper on teaching salaries have been quite satisfac awarded this certificate as a testi a purely organic topic is now awaiting tory and many educators of high stand monial of professional skill and faith publication in the Journal of Organic ing have been brought from other insti ful attendance. In witness whereof Chemistry. He is a contributing editor w tutions. Among these may be mentioned we have hereunto subscribed our of the Journal of Chemical Education. Dean Hoeing and Dr. Slater, of Roches names this second day of September, Prof. Bradt is a member of the Na ter; Dean Leebrick, of Syracuse; Pro A.D., 1896. tional Committee for the Revision of the fessor Hinton, an English economist and A. W. Harris, President of Maine Constitution of Phi Beta Kappa. He is lecturer in a large number of universities; State College. also a member of Sigma Xi. and a number of outstanding professors in As an undergraduate Prof.

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