The University of Maine DigitalCommons@UMaine University of Maine Alumni Magazines University of Maine Publications 10-1934 Maine Alumnus, Volume 16, Number 1, October 1934 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 16, Number 1, October 1934" (1934). University of Maine Alumni Magazines. 235. https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/alumni_magazines/235 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]. Wednesday morning the cartons were transferred to a Pan-American Airways ship at Miami for the hop across the Caribbean to Kingston, Jamaica. From there, they were flown directly to Aruba in a specially chartered plane. They arrived Saturday morning, just six days after the order had been received by General Electric. STONE-THROWING ROMEOS J.A.H.Torry, Union College, ’ll, and G. H. Magner, The engineers of the General Electric Company Acadia College, Nova Scotia, ’09, of the Inter­ have been asked to solve some unusual problems, national General Electric Company, Inc., made but never before have they had to work against the arrangements for filling the order. Cupid. This is how it came about: Some of the swains who did their courting in parked cars along certain lighted roads in New England found that the lamps crimped their style. With simple but destructive logic they decided to extinguish the lamps with stones. Their aim was so good that repairmen of the utility which serviced the lights could hardly keep up with their depredations. Finally, G-E illuminat­ F A T SP A R K S ing engineers were called in to design a fixture to The artificial lightning boys have beaten natural foil the stone-throwing Romeos. These engineers lightning in one regard, at any rate. Engineers in produced a cast-aluminum guard, which looks very the General Electric high-voltage laboratory have much like a baseball catcher’s mask. It protects the produced discharges of a quarter of a million am­ lamp, and at the same time helps to concentrate peres, which is greater than the current of any direct light on the roadway. lightning stroke yet recorded. This current is dis­ charged at a pressure of 150,000 volts. Just as natural lightning, with amperage almost as great, destroys that which it strikes, so does the laboratory discharge; and just as natural lightning is accompanied by thunder, the laboratory bolts have their ear-splitting crashes. A copper wire a tenth of an inch in diameter is completely vaporized. A HURRY! HURRY! similar piece of iron wire is “ exploded,” the remain­ A flood had crippled three important electric ing ends continuing white hot for several seconds. motors in the refinery of a large oil company on the A section of reinforced concrete is broken into bits. island of Aruba, 50 miles north of the coast of The handle of a silver-plated ice cream spoon van­ Venezuela. The plant had to be shut down until new ishes with a shower of sparks, leaving behind only coils could be installed. Losses caused by the shut­ the bowl discolored by the heat. down ran into thousands of dollars a day. An order These engineers were the first to produce 10,000,000- for the coils and word of the refinery’s predicament volt artificial lightning discharges, and they are con­ reached General Electric in Schenectady, N. Y., tinuing their studies through these high-current on a Sunday morning. Work began immediately, and discharges, in order to find better means of protect­ by dint of night shifts and a great concentra­ ing electric distribution systems. K . B. McEachron, tion of efforts, the two-and-one-half-week job was Ohio Northern, ’13, Purdue, ’20, M.S., is director completed in three days. The 808-pound shipment of the laboratory, and associated with him in these of coils, conveniently packed in small cartons, was tests are: W. L. Lloyd, Rennselaer Polytechnic In­ flown in a chartered plane from Schenectady to the stitute, ’18; J. L. Thomason, U. of Idaho, ’29; G. D. N ewark airport, where it was transferred to an Harding, U. of Arizona, ’29; and J. R. Sutherland, Eastern Air Lines plane bound for Miami. On Yale, ’29. 96-71DH ELECTRIC The M aine Alum nus Vol. 16, No. 1 October, 1934 Dr. Hauck Assumes Presidency Larger Freshman an Class—Slight Decrease in Total Registration N July 1, the new president, Dr. C. A. Secretary, who presided. O Arthur A. Hauck, became presi­ Dr. Boardman was received with pro­ dent of the University. All sum­ longed applause. His brief remarks were mer long alumni and students have been most fitting for the occasion, wishing pow­ asking the question what kind of a man er and success to and bespeaking loyal is our new president? The unanimous support and cooperation for his successor. opinion of those who have had the oppor­ Mr. Allen in his first appearance on tunity of meeting and knowing him may such an occasion asked the students in be expressed tersely: “ They came, they forceful and striking terms whether they saw, they were conquered.” The arrival were at the University to receive the of the new President stands as the major benefit and value of all the fine things feature of the new year’s opening. which the institution had to offer, or Registration as shown in the tabulation merely to spend their parents’ funds for on this page shows a decline of twenty- meagre returns. He then in his charac­ five or about 1.7% as compared with last teristic manner presented the new presi­ year on corresponding date. Late regis­ dent of Maine, introducing him as a “reg­ trations will doubtless increase these fig­ ular fellow.” ures somewhat but it seems likely that the Dr. Hauck was greeted by a long, en­ final total will be somewhat under the thusiastic applause. He was impressed by figure for 1933-34. The entering class its earnestness. It meant welcome to is slightly larger with a sharp drop in Maine in no uncertain manner. In a brief the junior class. A considerable number address quoted rather widely in the press of upperclassmen did not return because of Maine, after touching upon problems, of financial problems, while a few who P resident A rthur A. H auck he said— “ Our attitude should be one have been out one or more years regis­ of courage and hope.” He likened the tered. The calls for financial aid have been be— say the students or in other more college to a community, where there expressive language,—a sidewalk from numerous; many well qualified appli­ are opportunities for service. “The col­ Stevens to Alumni Memorial. cants would have enrolled if they could lege community is not a place for giving have been given assurance of loans. orders— the best there is in teaching is In the College of Agriculture the fresh­ First Assembly not the definite assignment of tasks, but man registration total is up sharply, due the stimulating of curiosity which makes Impressive and enthusiastic. Those largely to a jump from 25 to 46 enrolled you wish to go on—to make you success­ words describe the Assembly held the for home economics. The number of ful in your chosen vocation.—The vol­ first day of classes. It was by far the Arts College freshmen is off somewhat unteer spirit has a place in our college best first Assembly of recent years. On over ten per cent while Technology made community.— It takes a spirit of willing the stage in robes were Hon. Harmon G. a slight gain. The number of rejections cooperation on the part of a ll; a sense of Allen, President of the Board of Trus­ for admission this year was decidedly responsibility; a willingness to subordi­ tees ; Former President Boardman; Pres­ greater than a year ago. nate individual desires for the good of ident Hauck; and Rev. Cecil Fielder, M. In addition to the new President there all, to put our community life on a high are a number of new faculty members plane.” including six new department heads which In concluding his first convocation ad­ is the largest number of recent years. Registration by Classes* dress Dr. Hauck said—“Let us resolve Details concerning faculty changes are that what we do for ourselves and for Sept. 19 Sept. 20 contained in a separate article. the University shall be done in the spir­ 1934 1933 it of the volunteer.—When the year has Another outstanding feature which Seniors 294 296 ended may it be said that because of our greeted students was changes which had Juniors 281 310 pride in the University, our search for been made in the physical plant. To Sophomores 324 333 opportunities for unselfish service, our Lord Hall a story had been added in the Freshmen 424 416 friendly cooperation, the University in rear section. Wingate Hall was so com­ 2-yr. r e 9 4 1934-35 took another step forward.” pletely remodeled as to leave one almost Graduate Students 20 26 completely lost. Resulting from the Specials 18 20 So the new college year got underway. changes in Lord, came the necessity for a It is for alumni now to come back to see new building to house the Mechanical Totals 1370 1405 the campus, meet our new “ Prexy” and Engineering Department “Shops,” which renew faculty friendships at Alumni was located near and north of Crosby *For the third day of each Homecoming which occurs this year Laboratory.