Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Seventy Years

came Walter W. Monroe, draftsman and pattern maker in a Worcester plant. Another resignation the same year that was deeply regretted by his former students was that of Daniel F. O'Regan. Since 1893 "Danny" had been a familiar figure in the Salisbury Laboratories, as instructor and lecture assistant to Dr. Kinnicutt. Immaculate in appearance and always affable, he maintained a reputation of being a comparatively easy taskmaster, and a good man to consult when one was in a jam. The post to which he transferred was the principalship of the Worcester evening high schools. The Mechanical Engineering department also lost the services of John R. McConnell after seven years of not too effective teaching.

So many duties fell on the willing and capable shoulders of Zelotes W. Coombs that the partial relief of his load in 1913 was a humane act. He was then directing all teaching of English, French, and German, carrying on most of the school visitation and admissions work, and was an active adviser of student organizations. In 1912, the trustees had appointed him secretary of the faculty, and during that summer he was acting president while Dr. Conant was away. Dr. Conant had repeatedly urged the trustees to confer upon Professor Coombs a suitable title. The relief accorded him was the division of the language work, and the appointment of Dr. Orie William Long, former professor at M. I. T., as professor of Modern Languages. Professor Coombs retained the title of Professor of English.

Herbert S. Busey came from Purdue as instructor in Drawing in 1912, and Ancel St. John, a graduate of Rochester, became an instructor in Physics. Various others served for terms of one or two years in other departments. Albert W. Hull, in recognition of high ability in teaching and research, was promoted to assistant professor of Physics. Frederic Bonnet, Jr., was elevated to professor of Chemistry, and Daniel F. Calhane to assistant professor of Chemistry in 1913. David L. Gallup became professor of Gas Engineering, and Charles J. Adams assistant professor of English the same year.

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