Rocket Society Tower
. To launch its rockets, the Rocket Society erected a tower from a 10-
foot section of a radio tower at its launching site, Cape Carnival near Cape Vincent, N.Y.
Designed by John Klein and Dan Naber, the tower had three adjustable rails, completing the
facilities necessary for launching.
On April 22, 1967, the society scheduled a launch of five rockets. Arriving at 8:30 a.m.,
the members began assembling the rockets, arranging for a recovery vessel, erecting the
launcher, and wiring the telemetry system. Minor difficulties and a 30-40 knot southwest wind
whipping across Lake Ontario delayed the original launch time from 11:00 until 12:00. Further
reports from the Coast Guard about the weather delayed T-time once again until 2:00. When the
weather appeared to be closing in at 2:00, T-time was once again delayed until 3:00.
Finally, at 3:11 p.m. the countdown ended, and the rocket soared into the sky heading
southwest over the St. Lawrence. At 15 seconds into the flight, the parachute had not opened,
the engine had not separated from the cone, and the whole rocket had fallen into the river.
Rough weather conditions and choppy waves down range made recovery impossible, so the
rocket was lost; the remaining flights for the day were cancelled.
Meeting in the Cape Vincent School, the society members decided that despite the
blunder in fueling the rocket, and in the glitch in the parachute circuit of the nose cone, the
$150 spent on the rocket over the past two years had been an investment in time and resources
well made. The $90 telemetry system had worked perfectly.
Astronautical Association Citation
. For his outstanding contributions to the advancement of
the astronautical sciences, President Whitson joined astronauts M. Scott Carpenter and Walter
M. Schirra in being named Fellows of the American Astronautical Society. Dr. Whitson had
served as its president from 1962-63.
$1,000 Check
. Prof. Ed McHugh, chairman of the mechanical engineering department,
received a check for $1,000 from the South American parents of a Clarkson student who was
having difficulty with his courses. The money was to "ensure" that the young man would
graduate.
Caught by surprise, Ed was unsure just what to do with the money. The department
decided to accommodate the parents by hiring a tutor for the young student, and chose a
married graduate student who needed the money badly. As a result, the young South American
graduated. The graduate student, however, almost did not graduate, for the tutoring had
siphoned off so much time that his grades fell sharply.
New Flag Design
. In response to an appeal by President Whitson in fall 1963, Lewis House
Board, one of the primary service groups on campus, sponsored a contest with a prize of $25
for the best design of a new College flag. Harvey Haynes and John D. Werner split the prize
money by submitting designs which the judge, President Whitson, decided to combine for the
final flag design.
Presented to the College for the first time at Moving-Up Day on May 2, this new flag
had a dark green background with two vertical bars framing a knight's helmet centered in the
background. The name Clarkson appeared in block letters below the helmet and to the right of
center, and split the right hand vertical bar; the bars, helmet, and name were in gold.
