Seventy Years Of The Worcester Polytechnic Institute: Page 277

members who attended scientific meetings be paid by the Institute. These proposals produced no action, but a faculty committee on research was organized with Dr. Ewell as chairman. It produced a comprehensive report that covered the requirements of the National Research Council.

The faculty, intent on contributing the maximum service to students in the war crisis, yet reluctant to disrupt the college routine, decided that courses be kept to schedule for the remainder of the year. All undergraduates were urged not to break the continuity of their courses, but seniors who entered Army or Navy service were to be excused from further work and were to receive their degrees at the regular time. This action was enthusiastically ratified by the Trustees, who also granted leaves of absence to all teachers who might enter the service during the war.

Such leaves of absence were numerous during the year 1917-18. Before the college year began, Frank C. Brough had enlisted in the Marine Corps. A few months later he was killed in action somewhere in France, one of the first Institute casualties. Prof. John A. Spaulding had been drafted and sent to Camp Devens, where he became a victim of the suspicious attitude of the times. For alleged unpatriotic utterances he underwent trial by court martial, was acquitted, and immediately promoted to sergeant. Prof. Arthur D. Butterfield received a commission as captain in the Aviation Corps, and was sent to France as a member of General Pershing's staff.

Two prominent members of the faculty resigned at this time: Prof. David L. Gallup, whose pioneer work in automotive engineering had brought him an appointment as chief research engineer for a manufacturer of airplane motors; Prof. James A. Davis, an effective and popular teacher, to become head of the machine design department at the University of Oklahoma. Instructors Walter D. Stearns and Ancel St. John also resigned. Raymond K. Morley was promoted to full professor; Farrington Daniels, Francis J. Adams, and Francis W. Roys to assistant professors.

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