Seventy Years Of The Worcester Polytechnic Institute: Page 251

In order to develop college unity it seemed desirable to Dr. Hollis that there should be general assemblies each day. A faculty committee, after studying this proposal, found that no room on the campus would accommodate the entire student body, and expressed the belief that compulsory assemblies would not be favorably considered by students. The committee advocated a voluntary weekly assembly in the Electrical lecture room. The faculty was lukewarm, however, and the inauguration of assemblies was postponed for several years. Another project that was acted upon more immediately was the transfer of the general library from the first floor of Boynton Hall to the old chapel, then used only for English lectures. The vacated rooms were made over into administrative offices, one of them being converted into a faculty room. The first faculty and trustees' meetings were held there in the spring of 1914.

Several changes in personnel of the Corporation took place early in Dr. Hollis' administration. The first was caused by the death, August 13, 1913, of Fred H. Daniels, who in his three-year service on the Board had become one of its most valued members, particularly in his capacity of chairman of the shop committee. To attend the funeral of this distinguished engineer came high officials of the U. S. Steel Corporation from many parts of the country. The vacancy caused by his death was not filled until 1915, when Dr. Hollis was elected, the first President of the faculty to become an official member of the Corporation.

Rev. Austin S. Garver, who for twenty-eight years had been one of the most devoted and active of the ex-officio trustees, resigned in 1913. He was succeeded by his successor in the pastorate of the First Unitarian Church, Rev. Edwin M. Slocombe. James Logan continued as an active member, having served four years prior to 1912 in a dual role while he was mayor of Worcester. Daniel F. O'Connell succeeded him for one year, then in 1913, George F. Wright began a fouryear term as mayor and ex-officio trustee. Late in 1915, 111

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