Seventy Years Of The Worcester Polytechnic Institute: Page 205

of the Modern Language department, and the appointment of Prof. Zelotes W. Coombs to succeed him. Professor Cutler had served the Institute almost continuously since 1877. He had studied in Europe during the years 1879 to 1881, and at Johns Hopkins University in 1889-90. The faculty gave him a testimonial dinner and presented him with a set of books. For two-year periods thereafter portions of his work were carried by Charles R. Lingley, '00, and Charles H. Holbrook, a graduate of Boston University.

D. Francis Calhane, a graduate of Harvard who was completing work for his Ph.D. degree, became instructor in Industrial Chemistry in 1903, succeeding Benjamin S. Merigold, who had transferred to the faculty of Clark University. In the Civil Engineering department, Howard M. Stout, a graduate of Earlham and former instructor at Wichita University, succeeded Howard C. Ives, who subsequently returned to the Institute as assistant professor of Railroad Engineering after three years in a similar capacity at the University of Pennsylvania. At that time Mr. Stout joined the engineering corps of the Northern Pacific Railway.

Dr. Engler's immediate concern was with the increase in enrollment and revisions of the curriculum. To accomplish the first he appointed a committee on certification of preparatory schools, consisting of Professors Conant and Coombs, who were to visit the schools to determine which of them appeared worthy to receive the certificate privilege. They were supported by a press committee, which aimed to secure more public notice for the Institute. First effects of these activities were a large number of requests for the certificate privilege, establishment of more cordial relations through personal visits to the schools, and an increase in the freshman class enrollment from a low of 81 in 1902 to 114 in 1903, with a steady upward progression thereafter.

The committee on courses of study and degrees, under Dr. Engler's leadership, made a thorough survey of the curriculum and allied matters. It reported in 1902 that the

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