1938
In March, the stock market reached its lowest point. Slayter and Thomas Perfected the art of
making fiberglass. Carlson invented xerography. Howard Hughes flew around the world in
three days, 19 hours, and 14 minutes. New York became the first state to require medical tests
for marriage license applicants. The National Safety Council reported 32,000 deaths for the
year in automobile accidents. The Munich Pact was signed surrendering the Sudetenland to
Hitler as the "price for peace." On October 27, Orson Welles caused widespread panic with his
production of the radio play,
Invasion from Mars.
Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne opened on
Broadway in Chekhov's
The Sea Gull
. In London, the BBC broadcast television's first game
show,
Spelling Bee.
Johnny Van DerMeer pitched a second no-hit baseball game in a
row. The
US minimum wage was raised to 40 cents per hour and the maximum work week lowered to 44
hours. Benny Goodman played Mozart with the Budapest String Quartet in New York. Kate
Smith introduced Irving Berlin's new song,
God Bless America
on her radio show. Jerry Siegel
and Joe Shuster introduced a new comic book hero,
Superman
. Popular at the movies were
Robin Hood, Angels With Dirty Faces, Jezebel
, and
Boy's Town
. Pearl Buck won the Nobel
Prize for Literature.
• Campus Buildings • Glee Club Reorganized
• First Military Ball • Student Service Station
• Ice Carnival • Five Debate
•Outing Club Building • President's Speaking Tour
• Hockey Champs • Student Apathy
• Covered Rink • Football
• Barnet Played Prom • Unusual Freshman
• Flour Fight
Campus Buildings.
By 1938, the College was housed in five buildings needed to handle its fall
enrollment of 527: Old Main, the Administration Building, the Gymnasium, Sutherland Hall,
and the Recitation Hall. Formerly the president's home, the Administration Building just west
of Old Main, had offices for the president, dean of administration, dean of engineering,
registrar, the two College secretaries, and the College library on the second and third floors.
Sutherland Hall contained the chemical engineering lab and the woodworking shop used by
College maintenance staff. The Recitation Hall, a wooden structure east of Main, contained
classrooms, offices, a large civil engineering drafting room, and an instrument room.
To house the Physics Department and its laboratories, the College purchased No. 8 high
school and grounds on Main Street (where Clarkson Hall now stands) for $2,500. The field
behind Number 8 was graded, levelled, and reseeded for use as the ROTC parade ground. Also
during 1938-39, the east wing of Main was constructed.
First Military Ball.
On January 14, Clarkson held its first military ball. It was held in response
to a "field order," dated January 12, 1938, portions of which follow:
