Seventy Years Of The Worcester Polytechnic Institute: Page 190

H. Ginn, '00, and William J. Quinn, '00, Arthur L. Cook, '01, and George G. Bennett, '01.

Zelotes W. Coombs was promoted to assistant professor in 1895, became professor of French in 1901. Alton L. Smith became assistant professor in 1900; Joseph 0. Phelon in 1901, following a year of study at Cornell. Levi L. Conant was elevated to full professor of Mathematics in 1898.

In the earlier decades there was no office staff. Mr. Coombs, the first part-time clerk under Dr. Fuller, was succeeded by a distinguished personage named John K. Marshall. Mr. Marshall was promoted to the new office of Registrar in 1896, a position which he administered with considerable dignity, if not popularity, for two decades. The first librarian appointed was Miss Elizabeth Francis, in 1896. She resigned in favor of marriage in 1900. Miss Mary E. Liscomb, the second librarian, served for two years, being succeeded for a few months in 1902 by Miss Cora Smith, then by Miss Emily M. Haynes, sister of Dr. George H. Haynes, who continued in charge of libraries beyond the end of this history.

The major changes in curricula during the Mendenhall era were the expansion and coordination of courses in Civil and Electrical Engineering. Under the able direction of Professors French and Smith these departments were elevated to high professional status. After 1895 the work of the first half of the freshman year was made uniform for students in all departments, but few other noteworthy changes were made in the general course.

A committee on admission of students was appointed in 1895, and some changes were made in admission requirements. The Worcester High School was given the certificate privilege, but for a number of years thereafter students from other schools were required to take examinations. Preliminary tests were given in English Grammar and U. S. History, advanced examinations in Algebra, Plane and Solid Geometry, French or German, and English.

190

webmaster@wpi.edu

Last Modified: Fri Jul 30 11:15:25 EDT 1999