Class Notes
The 1950s and ’60s featured a Winter Weekend hosted by the junior class, which included all sorts of winter fun.
1951
Carlton Peter Dewitt was named the grand marshal for the 2019 Copperfest Parade in Oconto, Wis., last June. An extensive article about him was published in the Green Bay Press Gazette. Peter had a long and distinguished career in which he worked on rockets and developed high-tech instruments.
At Convair, he was part of a team developing early missile and rocket systems, including ones designed by Wernher von Braun. Peter’s suggestion helped stop rockets from crashing after going into uncontrollable spins.
Peter moved back to his hometown of Oconto in 1957 and founded Holt Instrument Laboratories. The company became a leader in the development of precision measurement instruments, some of which are still used by the National Bureau of Standards. The company’s highest profile work was with NASA, to whom Holt supplied calibration and measurement systems used extensively during the development of the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo systems. Posted 2020-05-14
At Convair, he was part of a team developing early missile and rocket systems, including ones designed by Wernher von Braun. Peter’s suggestion helped stop rockets from crashing after going into uncontrollable spins.
Peter moved back to his hometown of Oconto in 1957 and founded Holt Instrument Laboratories. The company became a leader in the development of precision measurement instruments, some of which are still used by the National Bureau of Standards. The company’s highest profile work was with NASA, to whom Holt supplied calibration and measurement systems used extensively during the development of the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo systems. Posted 2020-05-14
Fred Williamson writes: Some (probably most) of the ’51 class is not on this side of the grass, and that makes sharing news a bit of a problem. Just memories. I have lots. To be sure, most are great. If I may share the biggest one — it is that although I got an excellent education in chemical engineering, the largest one is that mine didn’t stop at graduation — it just began.
Other memories include the opening lecture by Dr. Harry Faigenbaum. “Gentlemen — look to your right and to your left. Neither of those will be here at your graduation.” Interesting to note that there were no women mentioned; I think we had two or three in my class. Contrast this with life at RPI today in which women are a significant part of every class.
The grading system was a real challenge. In each course in the “advance,” you were graded in the two-week period, “the Review.” If your average on a 4.0 basis was 3.4, you didn’t have to take the final. It was a strong incentive to master the material. Along with the memories of playing lacrosse — we were in the top 10 in the NCAA all my years — the thought of Campus Review is still with me.
On Monday nights we had a radio show and it was broadcast to the greater Albany area. We played music records, covered campus life, the sports, and ran a radio skit. Imagine going to a party in Schenectady and hearing one of the dates say she always tuned in. In later years, one of Mary Jane Sunderland’s daughters sent me a copy of the script “The Christmas Story.” MJ was a Sage student and couldn’t participate in RPI activities, but played the part of Mary with a nom de plume. The radio show gave me experience in public speaking, which was as important as the academic studies, and the lacrosse sure taught team play. Posted 2019-10-01
Other memories include the opening lecture by Dr. Harry Faigenbaum. “Gentlemen — look to your right and to your left. Neither of those will be here at your graduation.” Interesting to note that there were no women mentioned; I think we had two or three in my class. Contrast this with life at RPI today in which women are a significant part of every class.
The grading system was a real challenge. In each course in the “advance,” you were graded in the two-week period, “the Review.” If your average on a 4.0 basis was 3.4, you didn’t have to take the final. It was a strong incentive to master the material. Along with the memories of playing lacrosse — we were in the top 10 in the NCAA all my years — the thought of Campus Review is still with me.
On Monday nights we had a radio show and it was broadcast to the greater Albany area. We played music records, covered campus life, the sports, and ran a radio skit. Imagine going to a party in Schenectady and hearing one of the dates say she always tuned in. In later years, one of Mary Jane Sunderland’s daughters sent me a copy of the script “The Christmas Story.” MJ was a Sage student and couldn’t participate in RPI activities, but played the part of Mary with a nom de plume. The radio show gave me experience in public speaking, which was as important as the academic studies, and the lacrosse sure taught team play. Posted 2019-10-01
Bob Fopeano noted that in late April he emailed the annual report for the Class of 1951 Student Entrepreneurship Award, The Class of 1951 Transfer Student Scholarship, and Class of 1951 Teaching Awards Fund to all 1951 class members for whom we have valid email addresses. For those of you who didn’t get this email and are interested in obtaining a hard copy or email version, please contact Bob at rfopeano@gmail.com or at (518) 810-3885. Learn how your generosity is continuing to support excellence at Rensselaer. According to Bob’s report, we have sent many students on to graduation with our scholarship endowment, made numerous awards to teachers for their excellence and inno-vative approaches to teaching, and have awarded funds to promising entrepreneurial projects that in some cases have spawned new businesses.
Posted 2019-10-01
Engineering
Bob Pavan received the Albert Fox Demers Medal at the RAA Awards Dinner held during Reunion & Homecoming weekend in October. The Demers Medal is the second highest award bestowed by the alumni association.
His citation begins: “Robert J. Pavan understands firsthand the importance of providing Rensselaer students with the necessary resources, so they might have the same opportunities that a Rensselaer education afforded him. As a result, our students reap great benefits from his exceptional altruism.”
Bob attended Rensselaer on a four-year alumni scholarship. He credits his Rensselaer experience as the dawning of his professional success. In 2002, in a remarkable act of giving back, he and his wife, Barbara, initiated a scholarship fund, which supports graduates of his alma mater, Brooklyn Technical High School.
Over the years, Bob has served Rensselaer in many capacities, including president of the Rensselaer Chapter of Long Island, board member of the RAA, and phonathon volunteer.
After earning two bachelor’s degrees and a master’s degree from Rensselaer, Bob later earned his doctorate at Harvard. He went on to serve on the faculty there. Now retired, his career path included work as a structural engineer, real estate entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and recipient of a Fulbright Research Fellowship.
Bob, congratulations on a much deserved honor. Posted 2019-09-11
His citation begins: “Robert J. Pavan understands firsthand the importance of providing Rensselaer students with the necessary resources, so they might have the same opportunities that a Rensselaer education afforded him. As a result, our students reap great benefits from his exceptional altruism.”
Bob attended Rensselaer on a four-year alumni scholarship. He credits his Rensselaer experience as the dawning of his professional success. In 2002, in a remarkable act of giving back, he and his wife, Barbara, initiated a scholarship fund, which supports graduates of his alma mater, Brooklyn Technical High School.
Over the years, Bob has served Rensselaer in many capacities, including president of the Rensselaer Chapter of Long Island, board member of the RAA, and phonathon volunteer.
After earning two bachelor’s degrees and a master’s degree from Rensselaer, Bob later earned his doctorate at Harvard. He went on to serve on the faculty there. Now retired, his career path included work as a structural engineer, real estate entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and recipient of a Fulbright Research Fellowship.
Bob, congratulations on a much deserved honor. Posted 2019-09-11
Fred Williamson I lost my wife March 3. We had a relationship that even Hollywood can’t top. My first wife (a Sage grad) decided in 1974 that the assistant minister at our church would make a better mate and left me. Friends at UCC arranged for me to make sales calls while she was packing. It was Christmas time. A friend in Oklahoma City said no point in staying at a motel. This friend was my first wife’s sister. And yes, we put two families together and had a great 43-year marriage.
Posted 2018-10-10
