Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1914-03-27
"POLY" MEN HONOR DIR. SAMUEL
SHELDON.

III nonot oI MS twenty-five years OF
service as professor of physics and cleo
trical engineering in Polytechnic Insti-
tute, DR.. Samuel Sheldon was the guest
last night at the Hotel Astor, Manhat-
tan, of about 200 of the alumni and
friends of the Brooklyn institution.
The speakers of the evening united
in paying high tribute to the abilities
of DR.. Sheldon, to whose efforts the
great success of the "Poly" electrical
engineering department, of which he
himself was the founder, is almost en-
tirely due. Thomas Commerford Mar
tin, ex-president of the American In
stitute of Electrical Engineers, acted as
POSTMASTER.
DIR. Fred Atkinson, president of Poly
technic Institute, told how DR.. Sheldon
started as country boy in Middlebury,
VT, and then sketched his career in
search of knowledge. which finally led
him abroad to study for three years in
Germany under Professor Kohlrausch.
DR.. Atkinson read letter from Pro-
fessor Kohlrausch paying tribute to
the character of Sheldon's work while
with him.
Samuel Owen Edmonds, well-known
patent lawyer, told of DR.. Sheldon S
expert ability as shown in several i'm
portant patent cases in which he ap-
peared as the chief witness. William
Lord Bliss, the oldest student in the first
class DR.. Sheldon ever taught in Poly in
electrical engineering in 1890, told a
number of interesting "reminiscences of
the good old days"
Ralph Wainwright Pope, honorary
secretary of the American Institute of
Electrical Engineers, told of DR.. Shell
don's success as an executive when he
was president of that organization
Dr. Sheldon replied to the addresses
of chs boys" and friends in an affec-
Tomato manner, telling how deeply he
appreciated the kind thoughts and eX
tensive activities which resulted in the
testimonial dinner. He said that the
sentiments aroused in him and the
memories in which one decade dissolves
into another so readily that intelligent
continuity is unrecognizable impeled
him to make an orderly arrane ement
of them. He gave a brief sketch of
his experiences and career prior to ac-
cepting the call of the Polytechnic In
stitute, twenty-five years ago, and of the
development of the Polytechnic Insti-
tute, today one of the foremost schools
of its kind in the country. He said in
part:
when | joined the faculty plans for
the new Institute building were being
made and courses leading to the de-
grees of civil engineer and electrical
engineer had been determined upon.
was asked to take charge of the de-
velopment of the latter course in addi-
ton to directing the work in the de-
partment of physics. Outside of a few
civil engineering instruments and some
apparatus for the experimental illus
tration of lectures, there was no abora-
tory equipment. The problem which
the faculty undertook to solve at that
time and which is even yet under con-
sideration was the elevation of the
scholastic standards without the cessa-
ton of student attendance and without
the expenditure of large sums of money
for the purchase of adequate equip
ment.
"When it is considered that the first
practical electric railroad was put into
operation at Richmond, Va, in 1888;
that the Edison Illuminating Company
of Brooklyn formulated its first annual
report in 1890; that the New York and
New Jersey Telephone Company had
but Z, 800 subscribers in 1889, and that
the electric motor had hardly been ap-
piled to any useful purposes, it will be
seen that the electrical engineering
industry was at that time indeed in its
infancy. One cannot but admire the
alertness of those in charge who deter
mined upon a course of instruction in
this field. The audacity of youth can
alone account for my undertaking to
give this instruction
''The ceaseless struggle for knowl-
edge at first hand of the present condi-
tons of rapidly advancing art brings
one into contact with all sorts and
conditions of men. But to be a pro-
fessor is considered so eminently re-
spectacle that one may withal main
tain his self-respect. No one would
think of asking a professor to I'M
scramble his nest eggs; no one has
ever suggested the passage of law for
the recall of professors; public service
commissioners never force a professor
to prove that his actions and motives