decoration of Chevalier d’Honneur. Alton L. Smith was commandeered to design a special gun for the National Research Council. Professor Harold Smith spent at least half of his time in New London working on submarine detectors and as consultant in industry on high voltage transmission and radio communications. In the early fall of 1918 Dr. Hollis one day found himself sitting in a trolley car beside Percy R. Carpenter, the comparatively new director of physical education. “What would you say if I told you we are going to close the gymnasium to conserve coal?” Close the gymnasium! It had scarcely been opened. “I’d be on my way to France within the week,” replied Percy Carpenter. After so many years of waiting, the gym had never had a real chance to prove its worth. When the building was still no more than a hole in the ground, Percy Carpenter had visited Worcester Tech in the role of referee and had casually remarked, “Athletics here will give someone a good job,” never dreaming he himself would be appointed. After his first two weeks as director he was thoroughly impressed by the insistence and thoroughness with which these serious engineering students tackled their responsibilities either in the classroom or in athletics. “They’re my kind of boys,” he declared, giving them one of the best compliments they were ever likely to receive. It had been a great satisfaction when the gymnasium had been dedicated in 1916. The usual many speeches of appreciation were given with Professor French and his right-hand man, A. J. Knight (who had been named Superintendent of Grounds), receiving special plaudits for their supervision. The few words of congratulation by the Lieutenant Governor, Calvin Coolidge, almost went unnoticed. Conspicuously absent was Charles G. Washburn, who was attending the Republican National Convention at the time. The design of the gymnasium had had all kinds of advisers, solicited and unsolicited. This was a project in which every alumnus had an interest and much of that interest had been transferred to paper. One drawing portrayed a bulk of impressive parliamentarylooking architecture which bore the inscription “Suggestive Gymnasium.” In the finished building there was nothing suggestive. It was a substantial, functional gymnasium. The boys had cleaned out the lockers in the cellar of Boynton Hall and carried their equipment across the street to the new building. Never had the athletic teams had such luxury. For all the previous years there had been no showers; the only dressing room had been the cold, damp basement of Boynton. The most that any athlete could expect, and then only after a winning game, was a brisk rub-down from an enthusiastic freshman. Customarily the boys had exchanged uniforms until they found one of approximate fit. And the number of permanent foot injuries inflicted from wearing shoes too tight or too loose has never been recorded. Some of
Percy R. Carpenter
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