Seventy Years Of The Worcester Polytechnic Institute: Page 89

have shop deficiencies met by the other funds of the Institute.

Stephen Salisbury and David Whitcomb loaned various sums to the shops in the early 'seventies, to cover the deficits. In 1872 the trustees authorized the shop committee to draw $10,000 from the State Fund for working capital, this amount to be accounted for with interest. The notes and accrued interest on about $3,300 of this amount were surrendered by the Institute in 1880. The income from sales of shop products fluctuated between $5,000 and $19,000 up to 1880. Shop expense usually equaled or exceeded this income, and the income from the Washburn fund and from tuition of apprentices barely covered Mr. Higgins' salary and sundry expenses.

Mr. Higgins was constantly under fire, the difficulties of the shop being charged entirely to the superintendent by certain members of the trustees. Even Mr. Hoar did not consider him able and forceful enough for the position. He wrote to Salisbury that "we should feel entirely safe in entrusting the whole management and responsibility of other departments to the teacher to whom it belongs. But I cannot get that feeling in regard to Mr. Higgins." Mr. Morgan and the other members of the shop committee were staunch supporters of Higgins, however. They chided the opposition for criticizing a man who was placed in such a difficult situation, and recommended an increase in his salary by way of encouragement. The trustees complied and the salary was increased from $2,000 to $2,500, where it remained for a decade.

The increase in the number of students seriously overtaxed the capacity of the shop long before Boynton Hall became crowded. As early as 1873, Principal Thompson recommended the building of an additional wing at a cost of $4,500. The country was then in the depths of a major depression, and the resources of the Institute were in such a precarious position that the trustees tabled the proposal. Various alterations and improvements in the shop were authorized, however, at this time. The first addition to the structure came seven years later.

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