Seventy Years Of The Worcester Polytechnic Institute: Page 319

remodeling of the top floor of Boynton Hall to provide more classrooms, roof repairs and painting on several buildings, opening a new entrance driveway to West Street north of Salisbury Laboratories, and the grading of an upper soccer field near the gymnasium.

An important safeguard to Institute property had been installed in 1921. George I. Rockwood, '88, donated complete Rockwood sprinkler equipment and installation for all buildings except the gymnasium and Electrical Engineering laboratories. A saving in insurance premiums was a concurrent benefit of this gift.

The continued interest of George 1. Alden in the hydraulic laboratory that he had been instrumental in founding in 1894 was displayed by numerous gifts for its maintenance. In 1924 he heartily agreed with a proposal from Prof. Charles M. Allen that a new and larger structure be erected on the site of the old main laboratory. He informed the Trustees that he would provide $40,000 for this purpose in his will, so that they might proceed with construction on the assurance that the money expended would be repaid. The plans developed by Professor Allen called for a roomy and attractive frame structure, which was built outside the walls of the old building in order that laboratory operations might be continued during the period of construction. The program also included numerous rearrangements of equipment, channels and weirs, and the grading and beautifying of the grounds. Most of the work was done during 1925.

At the end of the college year 1925, the Institute could review with some satisfaction the financial gains achieved during twelve years of Dr. Hollis' administration. There had also been a gain in independence, for although life under a State subsidy had been easy, the college was now free from the necessity of submitting periodic claims for aid and from the caprices of legislative oppositions. Comparative endowments for the beginning and end of the period include no capitalization of the State grant:

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