1910
The new census reported the United States population to be 91,972,266. Halley's Comet came
into view and caused quite a stir. Mark Twain died. The most popular song was A Perfect Day.
The first Aviation Meet was held in Los Angeles. Barney Oldfield set speed record of 133 mph
in a Mercedes Benz at Daytona Beach. The Boy Scouts of America were chartered in February
and the Campfire Girls were organized in March. American passenger ships were required to
be equipped with radios. The first airplane took off from the deck of a US warship. Jim Jeffries
tried but failed to capture the heavyweight championship from Jack Johnson, the first black to
hold that title.
• Conrad O'Malley • Campus Life
• Modern Languages
Conrad O'Malley.
In a letter to the Alumni Association in 1912, Conrad O'Malley '10 wrote:
Remember me to all the Profs that were on deck in 1910. I believe that one of the officials high in the
employ and direction of the College once said that if he could graduate the 1910 class and get them out of the way
that the College could be run properly. I begin to believe him now, when I look at the number of students
registered now (120) and realize that we of the famous class of 1910 are out in the cool cool world, ha, ha.
Modern Languages.
Dr. Carl Michel taught the two modern languages available to Clarkson
students. In them, he gave no attention to composition, for his purpose, as described in the
Clarkson Bulletin, was:
... to teach the students to avail themselves of French and German works related to their professions, and to give
them the ability to read these languages with such ease that that facility will be a source of pleasure for them
throughout their lives.
He paid special attention to readings in pure and applied science, while including short
works of the best authors also for the students to read. Additionally, these classes were so
conducted as to enable the students to carry on every day conversations, and to arouse the
students' interest in the daily life of French and German peoples.
Campus Life.
Class Day exercises were added to events in graduation week which saw 17
degrees conferred. The Clarkson Tech Tennis Association was organized and built two tennis
courts on the campus. The Clarkson Engineering Assembly sponsored five lectures and two
concerts in its efforts to raise money for the gymnasium.
