Seventy Years Of The Worcester Polytechnic Institute: Page 97

to undertake the raising of $150,006. There was much correspondence and several interviews. Whether the prospective givers were unimpressed, or Mr. Waters' enthusiasm cooled when his son failed in his studies, nothing ever came of the effort. The Principal also found it his duty to fend off numerous cranks who would have used the school or its trustees to their advantage. He recorded in his memorandum. book that 1. a man from Oxford called to propose that I should solicit from Mr. Salisbury the sum of $12,000 to enable him to start a journal of Common Sense Philosophy - declined!"

Other members of the faculty were also busy with a variety of interests. Professor Alden had married Miss Mary Lincoln soon after he came to Worcester, and they had one daughter. Mrs. Alden died in 1876; a decade later he married again. A painstaking and thorough teacher, though sometimes given to sarcasm, he gave his students a grounding in theoretical and applied mechanics such as few of his generation could impart. He also possessed an inventive mind, which he used both to his own and the Institute's advantage. With Mr. Higgins he early became interested in the production of emery wheels and grinding machinery, and in the development of the elevator business. His interest in schools and educational societies was also keen, and in the Central Church he served as deacon and Sunday School superintendent, a post formerly held by Professor Thompson.

Professor Gladwin's consuming passion was sketching. Whenever he had a free hour he took his camp stool and water colors to some point on the campus or in the city, and his paintings of trees and familiar spots are among the Institute's heritages. His nervous, but seldom irritable, temperament caused much amusement among his students but his enthusiastic and sympathetic teaching endeared him to all.

If Dr. Smith's austerity and driving power did not win the affection of his students, it commanded their respect. Year after year he faced classes, many of whose members were opposed to the idea of appreciating English literature, and

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