1900
According to the census, among the US population of almost 76 million, therewere .i fewer
than 8,000 automobiles but over 1.3 million telephones in use. McKinley defeated William
Jennings Bryan again in the presidential race. The Wright brothers built the first full-sized
glider and flew it successfully at Kitty Hawk, N.C. In Germany, Max Planck propounded his
Quantum Theory, and Ferdinand von Zeppelin built the first rigid airship. The Olds Company
in Detroit built the first factory to produce automobiles in quantity. Kodak Brownie cameras
appeared on the market for the price of $1. Byron Bancroft Johnson began the American
Baseball League with teams in six cities: Boston, Baltimore, Milwaukee, St. Louis, Detroit, and
Chicago to compete with the 24-year-old National League. Brandenburger developed
cellophane in Switzerland.
Commencement
Clarkson Seal
Clarkson Athletic Association
Football
“Big Bill” Palmer
Student Pranks
Special Courses
Commencement.
On June 22, Clarkson awarded its first four bachelor of science degrees, one
in ME and three in EE to: Robert H. Fenn, ME; Julius Jacobson, EE; Charles H. Lawrence, EE;
Carlton E. Smith, EE; and six certificates in Home Science to: Margaret M. Bowen, Grace
Matteson, Alice Perrigo, Georgiana Pflaum, Jeanette Scruton, and Mabel Whittier.
Clarkson Seal
. Designed by Tiffany and Co. in New York, Clarkson's seal depicting a steam
engine was adopted by the Trustees. A framed copy of that seal taken from a Clarkson banner
currently hangs in the Board Room in Snell Hall.
Clarkson Athletic Association.
To promote and control all athletics, the Clarkson Athletic
Association was organized in October. Run by the students and supported by student
subscriptions, it had the object to "promote the physical welfare and activities of the students by
outdoor games and to encourage and maintain a proper spirit in favor of hearty manly sports."
Given the authority to have general supervision of all athletic sports and contests, pass on the
eligibility of players, arrange the schedule of games, and foster honesty and fairness in all
athletic sports, the C.A.A. was managed by a council composed of the chairman of the Athletic
Committee of the faculty, the president and treasurer of the Association, a secretary, and six
students elected annually by the student body. Every member of every team representing
Clarkson had to be a regular full-time student.
Football.
Clarkson was chosen to serve as a practice team for the Watertown professional
football team of the Athletic AssociationáPthe Red and Black (as they still are known). The
1900 encounter was described in 1948 by a member of the team, Harry Waite '04. Coached by a
