Who Made Higgins Laboratories Possible?

The Donors to the Construction in 1941

In addition to the generous contribution of the children of Milton Prince Higgins, the construction of this building in 1941 was made possible by gifts from a host of individuals and corporations. Detailed records of the donors to the limited campaign for the original construction of Higgins Labs have not survived, but for many years the names of the major benefactors were displayed on carved wooden plaques mounted in the laboratories and classrooms their gifts made possible. Today, their generosity is remembered on a new plaque outside the entrance to the first-floor lecture hall.

Drafting rooms were given by Heald Machine Company, Leland-Gifford Company, Mrs. Homer Gage (in memory of her husband, who was for many years WPI's treasurer), the widow of John G. Oliver '82 and William B. Smith '08 (as a memorial to his father).

Laboratories were given by James D. Hunter '83, Mr. and Mrs. Harry B. Lindsay '13, George F. Fuller, Norton Company, Frank Harrington '98 and his brother Charles Harrington '95. The first-floor lecture hall, known for half a century as Higgins 109, was a gift of William Franklin Cole '83.

Other major donors included George F. Booth, Harry G. Stoddard, Frank L. Sessions '89, Elizabeth Sessions, and John Coghlin '19 and his brother Edwin Coghlin '23 (whose gift honored their father, John Coghlin '93). The department offices were furnished by WPI President Wat Tyler Cluverius.

The Donors to the Restoration and Expansion in 1994-95

WPI gratefully acknowledges the support of the many individuals, foundations, corporations and government agencies who shared its vision of the future of mechanical engineering at WPI and, through their generous gifts, helped make that vision a reality. Special recognition is extended to leadership gifts from:

The George I. Alden Trust
Fleet Investment Advisors
Trustees of the Richard A. Lufkin Memorial Fund
The National Science Foundation
The Stoddard Charitable Trust<.P>

WPI also acknowledges major gifts from:

The Classes of 1944, 1945, 1954, 1955 and 1969
The Ruth H. and Warren A. Ellsworth Foundation
Janet R. and Raymond J. Forkey '40
Mr. and Mrs. Richard A. Heald '20
The W. M. Keck Foundation
MCAE Inc.
Norton Company, a Saint-Gobain Company
Cecilia S. and Raymond J. Perreault '38
Raytheon Company

In addition, generous gifts from the following individuals and corporations helped make possible the restoration and expansion of Higgins Laboratories:

John S. Adams '92
Lucian T. Allen '38
Alfred E. Barry '57
John W. Biddle '60
Paul W. Booth '34
Martin G. Bromberg '51
J. Richard Bullock
Frederick J. Burg '38
Mrs. Arthur H. Burr '29
Data Translation Inc.
John L. Dehnert '59
Walter B. Dennen '18
Oscar A. Fick Jr. '38
Frederick C. Gilbert '48
The Gillette Company
Jack L. Gorr Sr. '58
Mrs. Joseph F. Goulart '67
O. Vincent Gustafson '29
Dr. Raymond R. Hagglund '56
Mr. and Mrs. Milton P. Higgins
Dr. Allen H. Hoffman '63
Herbert N. Hoffman '35
Franklin K. Holbrook '43
Frederick E. Hyatt Jr. '36
Chester F. Jacobson '59
David H. Johnson '69
Mr. and Mrs. Stephen J. Kaneb '82
Francis E. Kennedy Jr. '63
Victor A. Kolesh '41
Frederick J. Kulas '73
Robert W. Martin '39
Leon M. Meyer '76
Morgan Construction Co.
John S. Mudgett '38
Walter O. Nygaard '38
Karl O. Olson '50
Mr. and Mrs. Juan Miguel Parodi
Howard B. Pritz '58
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Prouty
Dr. Manuel J. Queijo '44
Donna L. Retallick '80
Henry J. Rives '22
Eugene L. Rubin '53
Richard G. Skoglund '65
L. S. Starrett Company
Robert C. Stempel '55
Victor H. Thulin '42*
The Torrington Company
United Technologies Corporation
Elliot F. Whipple '67
Plummer Wiley '35
Wyman-Gordon Co.
Donald N. Zwiep

* deceased