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RES History - September - October 1973
Rochester History
A Sampling from the Archives of the Rochester Engineering Society...1897 - 1973 by Lee M. Loomis
Continuing with the historical sampling of the earlier writings on behalf of the Rochester Engineering Society, the years following "The Great War", into and through the “Great Depression”, continued to be a time of reaching out for the maturing Society, both locally and nationally. The meeting minutes describe a series of technical discussions and presentations intended to broaden the technical horizons of the membership (especially the CE's, ME's and EE's). The RES affiliated itself with a number of National technical societies, adopted local Affiliated Societies, frequently held joint meetings with them and continued taking action on a growing list of public matters. Certain issues of standardization, some crucial to public safety, became the responsibility of the RES and its affiliates. In the pervasive economic downturn of the “Great Depression”, the magazine offered classified advertising for unemployed engineers, technicians and draftsmen and took other steps to try to deal with the crisis. Still, it continued its effort to shape the function, focus and infrastructure of the City of Rochester, and beyond. World War, again affected the Society, taking away many of its leaders while providing opportunities for others to step forward to fill these vacancies. In an effort to provide even greater perspective on the happenings and concerns of the day, a synopsis, featuring selected items from "The Rochester Engineer" has become an integral part of this series. The Second World War and the Korean Conflict are now history, and the Vietnam War has recently become a focal point. These experiences have changed the face and, no doubt, the future of the community. The Rochester municipal leadership and the industrial community have become immersed in the cold-war, growth economy.
RES President, Mark H. Sluis (General Railway Signal Company), presented his comprehensive, four-part plan for moving the Society forward in the 1973-74 year. Part one involved enhancing relationships with RES Affiliates, industry, local government and the public. Along with creating a special task force to engage with the Industrial Management Council, this would be the year when the RES Board would set a standing Board meeting agenda item for hearing from the RES Affiliates. In addition, an RES Speakers Bureau would be established for interacting with school, political and other public groups on technical topics.
Part two of the Plan would be focused on encouraging young people to enter the technical professions, including making the new RES Speaker Bureau available to high school groups, and continuing support for the RES Boy Scout Explorer Post.
A third objective, membership growth, would involve surveying the RES membership for new ideas for training opportunities toward attracting new members.
The fourth objective would focus on long-range planning by initiating and empowering a Long-Range Planning Committee to address issues of growing the Society’s financial equity, member benefits and community impact.
The 1973-74 RES Luncheon Series would lead off with a presentation on proposed revisions to the Rochester City Charter, by Charles E. Swan of the Charter Commission. A Publications Committee was established to identify ways in which to enhance “The Rochester Engineer” as a more vibrant, relevant journal for all engineers in the Rochester area. This would include interviews and articles on relevant local technical topics, condensation of articles from other journals, editorial commentary, “letters to the editor” and an improved, more attractive magazine cover. This issue made a point of reaching out to the general membership for input, and volunteers to help “grow the magazine”. This issue featured a background presentation on the “Greater Rochester Transportation Study”, by RIT’s Dean of the College of Engineering, Dr. Richard A. Kenyon. This article included a summary of the guidelines, procedures, nature and scope of a multi-year study that would provide guidelines for evaluating proposed transportation systems toward meeting the accessibility needs of all classes of our society and region, and act as a development stimulant to desired lifestyles and patterns of growth.
Phase I of the study would be co-chaired by Donald J. Bergmann of Bergmann Associates and Dr. Paul Wojciechowski of RIT’s College of Engineering. It would conclude with a Spring 1974 “Transportation Symposium” at which some forty invited papers on transportation planning, by nationally recognized authorities, would be presented. Speaking of transportation; this issue reported that the RGRTA’s experimental “PERT Dial-A-Bus” program, in Northwest Monroe County, was off to a “good beginning” with a first-week ridership of 735 persons. The break-even point for continued operation was anticipated at 1000 riders per week, and this was expected to be achieved by the end of the 1973 calendar year.
October 3, 1973 (Board Meeting, University Club)
The Board approved the applications of five new Regular Members, and the advancement of one Associate Member to Regular Member. Concern for poor attendance at RES Luncheon programs brought the suggestion that different, alternating venues be considered, including Kodak Park, Xerox – Webster, and other locations. It was reported that the Public Information Committee would be meeting with the Hercules Corporation to hear details of its recommendation that Monroe County consider developing a large recycling plant on the site of the former Emerson Street landfill. It was reported that Congressman Frank Horton had provided a copy of the S.4 Pension Reform Bill, recently unanimously approved by the US Senate, and now awaiting House of Representatives’ approval. The bill would establish a graduated fifteen-year pathway to 100% vestment in a “portable pension”, and it would allow for non-covered employees to set aside up to 15% of their income, taxfree, for retirement resources. The Board moved to inform our Congressional Representatives that the RES supports this legislation. It was reported that several RES Affiliates had provided recommendations for RES Luncheon and evening dinner presentations, as recently requested by the RES Personnel Assignment Committee. Finally, and in conjunction with the current “energy crisis” (Fall 1973, oil embargo, by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)…
Subsequent articles in this series will describe the RES' continuing outreach to other technical societies as it considered its role in this and the larger community, along with more of the activities of the RES as it moved to be of greater service to its membership, especially those suffering from current economic crises, and adopted a greater role in shaping the future of the City and its environs. Noted also, will be the contributions made by RES members in the struggle to meet the challenges coming out of World War II and the Korean Conflict, as well as a hoped-for period of post-war growth and prosperity. These articles will also feature an impressive array of RES activities in support of postwar re-emergence of Rochester area industry, and the ensuing prosperity of the second half of the 20th Century. We welcome your questions and comments on this series.
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