Seventy Years Of The Worcester Polytechnic Institute: Page 223

of numerous college presidents, including those of Woodrow Wilson at Princeton, Nicholas Murray Butler at Columbia, and A. Lawrence Lowell at Harvard. During his absences, and even while he was at the Institute, much responsibility was taken by his adjutant and buffer, J. K. Marshall. Somewhat pompous and impatient with students, Marshall was not popular on the campus. There were few regrets when his resignation was announced in January, 1910. His departure left a vacancy in the post of secretary of the faculty, to which the trustees promptly elected Prof. Zelotes W. Coombs.

The following year the trustees received Dr. Engler's resignation. It was accepted in February, 1911, to be effective in July. It was evident that he was discouraged, that the duties of the presidency had become year by year more distasteful to him, chiefly perhaps because of his inexpertness in human relations. Viewed from a longer range, his administration was successful in two directions along which progress at that time was most essential. He had supplied the leadership that produced a coordinated course of study on a higher level, and he had established a policy that, with abundant help from the faculty, had not only doubled the enrollment but materially improved the quality of the student body. It was announced sometime after his resignation that he would return to St. Louis as treasurer of Washington University. He held this post until his death, January 16, 1918, at the age of sixty-one.

In the ten years during which Dr. Engler was President there were numerous changes and improvements in undergraduate life. The scope and intensity of work required of students was materially increased, yet they found more outlets for their energies in extracurricular activities. On the whole, there was little warmth of college spirit, because the faculty permitted themselves to be considered as harsh taskmasters, and the administration offered little in the way of friendliness. There was, however, a general respect for the efficacy of the

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