The Carbon County news. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1924-1931, 1928-12-13

awarded to representative Of the
state college.
The honor is great fog Montana,
but still greater for the city of Red
Lodge. Matt is considered one of
the brightest young men who ever
graduated from the Carbon County
High school. He is a student who
takes his honors in a quiet manner
and when he visits here at the home
of his parents he has many friends
who do not even hear him speak of
the many things he aocomplishes.
His mother still resides in Red
Lodge. but for some time his father
has been employed in the mines in
Gebo. Wyo
Matt Pakkala was horn in Finland
and son of Finnish coal miner, for
merly of Red Lodge and now in Nyo-
ming. has been awarded the Rhodes
scholarship to Oxford university,
England, one of the highest scholastic
awards open to college students in the
United States. Mats sister. Mrs.
i Charles Kiviaho. lives in Red Lodge,
and he claims this city as his home.
He IS graduate of Carbon County
High school.
Out Of a group of 10 Montana col
/ leee and university students, said to
be one of the strongest delegations OF
i students ever selected to try for the
Rhodes scholarship, the judges with
Chancellor NJ. A. Brannon of the Uni
versitv of Montana as chairman, Sc
lected the Red Lodge boy for the
honor. The selection was made at
Missoula last week.
Matt is senior in electrical engi-
neering at Montana State college and
| is one of the outstanding students at
the state institution. He is said to be
one of the best mathematicians ever
to attend the State college. His seiec-
ton for the scholarship was based
largely upon his clear conception OF
the work he would like to do at Ok
ford if chosen and upon his eXcep-
tional ability in mathematics. His
scholarship carries with it stipend
of $4,000 year for period OF three
years, during which time he will study
mathematics and related science as
foundation for research work IN en-
gineering. His work at Oxford will
start next September. The first two
years will be devoted to foundation
studies leading to B. A. degree. If
he so chooses, the last year will be
given over to graduate study and re-
search, leading to B. S. degree.
The Red Lodge boy is the first to
receive this high honor from Mon
tana State college. In addition to
being outstanding in his classes he is
popular among the students. He takes
part in many different athletic events
at the college and this year is can
didate for the varsity swimming team.
He has represented his fraternity
Delta Tau, in intramura basketball
and baseball.
He is president of the state college
chapter of Tau Beta Pi, national hon
orary engineering society, and repre-
scented his organization at the national
convention of the society at st. Louis
last month. The membership to Tau
Beta RI is limited to the upper one
eighth Of junior engineering students
and the upper one-fourth among the
seniors. Matt made the honor in his
Junior year.
Matt is also a member of Septem
Viri, a local honorary society whose
purpose is to perpetuate traditions at
the college and whose membership is
selected from the outstanding students
by the faculty. He is also a member
Of the State College Engineering
council and of the Electric club.
Matt is the second member Of the
Pakkala family to attend Montana
State college, his brother, William,
graduating from the institution in
1927. He also studied electrical en-
gineering and was an honor student.
He is now in the research department
of the Westinghouse company at
Pittsburgh. For his graduating thesis
he constructed the "gridgraph," which
is now in use in the college gymna-
stun, an electrical device for record
ing, play-by-play, football games
played away from home.
Matt is 21 years of age and came
to this country with his parents in
1909. He is a United States citizen
through the naturalization of his
father, He graduated from Caroon
County High school in the spring Of
1925 and came to Montana State col
lege that fall. He was awarded a
scholarship to the state institution
for being one Of the outstanding
scholars Of his high school.
The outstanding tribute of DR..
Alfred Atkinson, president of Mon
tana State college, to the Red Lodge
boy is that "He is one of those gifted
young men, who no matter what he
undertakes, does it well. Matt PAX
kala has been engaged in many
| IL L L.