History, UNH Department of Electrical Engineering

by Professor Leon W. Hitchcock (deceased)

(Winter 1973, Tech Alumni Newsletter)

The first mention of ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING study appears in the section of the catalog of Dartmouth College of 1890-91 describing the organization and courses offered by The New Hampshire College of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts. Catalogs issued in 1869-70 through 1876-77 list  "Lectures On Applied Electricity." No mention is made of these lectures in the catalogs of 1886-87 and so preceded that of Electrical Engineering by four years. In 1890, the two curricula, E.E. & M.E., were identical for the freshman, sophomore, and junior years, and this arrangement of courses, common to both curricula up to the senior year, continued through the academic year 1919-20 when the common curricula were limited to the freshman year for students majoring in Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering, an arrangement that continued for a number of years.

The textbook adopted in 1890-91 for use in courses in Electrical Engineering was Thompson's "Dynamo-Electric Machinery." Senior year courses were: Construction and Theory of Dynamos and Motors; Dynamo Design (Elementary design of dynamos and electro-motors); Electric Installations (Lectures and quizzes on the methods and systems of electric lighting and electric distribution of power.)

It is interesting to note that no mention of these courses was made in the catalog of 1892-93 but only the statement that "The college year 1893-94 will begin at Durham, on Thursday, September 7, 1893."

The first faculty member having the title of Instructor in Electrical Engineering and Physics was George L. Teeple, (1891-92). In the previous year, the 1890-91, his title was Instructor in Mechanical Engineering and Physics. He continued as Instructor through the year 1894-95 when Arthur F. Nesbit became Instructor in Physics and Electrical Engineering. Nesbit became Instructor from 1895-96 through 1898-99, as Associate Professor 1899-1900 through 1904-05, and Professor from 1905-06 through 1907-08.

Electrical Engineering and Physics Separated

In September 1908 Electrical Engineering and Physics were made separate departments with Professor Nesbit as Head of the Department of Physics, and Professor Charles E. Hewitt, a graduate in the Class of 1893 of the New Hampshire College of Agriculture and The Mechanic Arts and an M.M.E. degree from Cornell University, as Head of the Department of Electrical Engineering. An inventory of the items which then became the property of the Department of Electrical Engineering consisted of: Apparatus, 49 items value $3,549.00; Fixtures and Furniture, 7 items, value $72.25; Supplies, 212 items, value $4,225.05; Total value, $5,846.30.

During the period 1895-96 through 1907-08 that Professor Nesbit served as Head of the Department of Physics and Electrical Engineering he had no assistance until he was joined by Henning V. Hendricks, as Assistant in 1903-04, and instructor in 1904-05; Frank Wenner, Instructor in Physics and Electrical Engineering 1906-07, Assistant Professor 1907-08; and Charles P. Cooper, Assistant in Mathematics and Electrical Engineering 1907-08.

With the separation of these departments, the teaching staff in Physics was reduced to one member, Professor Nesbit. In Electrical Engineering Alonzo M. Buck was brought in as Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering to assist Professor Hewitt. He remained on the staff for two years, that is, through the years 1908-09 and 1909-10. He was succeeded in 1910 by Leon W. Hitchcock as Instructor in Electrical Engineering. The Department of Electrical Engineering continued with the same two-member staff through the academic year 1918-19 except for the addition of Clyde C. Whipple as Instructor in 1916-17 when a two-year curriculum in Industrial Electricity which began in the fall of 1915 entered its second year.

Two-Year Program

This two-year curriculum in Industrial Electricity was open to any young man, sixteen years or more in age, who had a knowledge of the ordinary subjects taught in the grades. No written examination was required. Each applicant, however, was required to present a certificate of moral character signed by some reliable citizen.

In the fall of 1915 thirty-six students started in the two curricula of Industrial Electricity and Industrial Mechanics. Seven students completed successfully the curriculum in Industrial Electricity and received certificates in June, 1917. Two who entered in this class, G. Wesley Watson and Frederick A. Weigel, showed exceptional ability and were transferred to the four-year curriculum in Electrical Engineering from which both graduated in the Class of 1920. In the fall of 1916 twelve started but only one of these, Lee C. Tyler, returned for the second year in September, 1917. He was registered as a special student and assigned a schedule by Dean C.H. Pettee. Apparently this decrease in enrollment was due to enlistments in the armed forces and employment in industry. The two-year curricula in Industrial Electricity and Industrial Mechanics were then discontinued.

World War I Activities

During World War I the Department of Electrical Engineering became deeply involved in the training activities undertaken by the College at the request of the U.S. War Department. Detachments of soldiers were to be trained in the following vocations: Auto Mechanics, Carpenters, Concrete Construction, Electricians, Gas Engines, Machinists, Blacksmiths, Draftsmen, Cooks, and Bakers. To organize facilities and staff, President R.D. Hetzel, on April 17, 1918, appointed the following committee:

Dean C.E. Hewitt, Chairman of General Committee and Director of Vocational Training

Mr. O.V. Henderson - in charge of Feeding and Lodging

Prof. L. W. Hitchcock - in charge of Training Electricians

Prof. E.T. Huddleston - in charge of Construction of New Buildings

Prof. E.L. Getchell - in charge of Gas Engine Work and Training of Auto Mechanics

Mr. H.D. McBride - in charge of Training Machinists and Blacksmiths

Mr. L.J. Batchelder - in charge of Training Carpenters

Additional assistance was procured to give instruction in each of the categories listed. Professor Robin Beach gave instruction in each of the categories listed. In particular, Professor Beach gave instruction to electricians who were assigned to the electrical laboratory to learn the operation and control of electrical machinery and related equipment. Peter F. Casey, Leon W. Crossley, and Bernard A. Lougee gave instruction to those who chose training in electric wiring, and Frank S. Farnham gave instruction to the telephone electricians. Of the total of 1269 soldiers in the five detachments sent to the college, 206 were trained as electricians. The War Department was so well pleased with the results that it requested an increase in the facilities to provide for the training of 300 men who had qualified as telephone electricians over a period of thirteen weeks, to prepare them for over-seas duty in the Signal Corps beginning December 15, 1918 and continuing until September 15, 1919. To provide facilities for this training a three-story wing was added to the north side of the Shops Building (new Hewitt Hall). This addition was never used as intended because of the armistice with Germany and a notice for demobilization and discharge of the soldiers commencing December 1, 1918.

College Reorganized

On July 1, 1915, the College was reorganized into the three divisions of Agriculture, Liberal Arts, and Engineering, with Professor C.E. Hewitt appointed Dean of the Engineering Division. Following the close of the college year in June, 1919, Dean Hewitt was given a leave-of-absence. He returned briefly in the fall of 1919 to submit his resignation and left on October 1, 1919 for Washington, D.C. to accept a position in the Operations and Training Division, G-3, of the War Department General Staff. This left Professor Hitchcock alone to start the college year which opened on September 24, 1919. It was necessary for him to give instruction to all classes in electrical engineering subjects until the arrival of Allen D. Wassall on October 6, 1919.

An increase in the enrollment of engineering students following World War I required the services of an additional staff member and Arthur A. Brainerd was brought in to serve half time in Electrical Engineering and half time in Physics. Mr. Brainerd left the staff at the end of the college year in June 1924 and Frederick D. Jackson joined the staff as a full time instructor in Electrical Engineering. At the end of the college year in June 1923 Professor Wassall resigned to accept an industrial position and was replaced by Thomas J. Maitland who remained on staff until the end of the college year in June 1926. He in turn was replaced by William B. Nulsen. From September 1916 through June 1942, the department staff consisted of Professors Hitchcock, Jackson, and Nulsen.

Post-War Activities

In anticipation of this new "low" in student enrollment and the probable difficulty in providing employment for the staff except by assignment to other types of work, President Harold W. Stoke suggested that instructors take this opportunity to request a leave of absence for graduate study, for a position in industry, or for other employment. Professor F.D. Jackson accepted a position with the Bell Telephone Laboratories where he was employed from August 1944 to August 1945. In May 1945, Professor W.B. Nulsen had been approached by Tufts College and urged to join its Department of Electrical Engineering during the summer months from June 15 to September 15 to help on the Navy V-12 Program. Acceptance of this summer position ultimately resulted in a leave of absence for Professor Nulsen and his remaining at Tufts College until February 25, 1946

All the instruction offered in Electrical Engineering during the academic year of October 10, 1944 to June 9, 1945 was given by Professor W.B. Nulsen. In addition, he assisted in instruction in the Department of Physics for students in the Army Specialized Training Program.

On September 1, 1945, L.W. Hitchcock completed his services as Acting Dean of the College of Technology and returned to his former duties as Professor and Chairman of the Department of Electrical Engineering. As he was the only member of the department available, it fell to him to give instruction in all courses in Electrical Engineering during the first semester, September 25, 1945 to February 2, 1946. The teaching load of this semester was expected to consist of only two courses but by registration day it was necessary to provide a schedule for four courses. It soon became evident that the demand for instruction for the second semester would also exceed expectations and it would be necessary to request the return of Professor Nulsen at the end of the winter term of the V-12 Program. The second semester opened on February 4, 1946 but Professor Nulsen was unable to return to the department until February 25. Professor Jackson planned to return on September 8, 1945 but was prevented from doing so because of illness. He died on December 18, 1946. He was succeeded by Dr. James C. Mace, an instructor in Radio Engineering in the Post Graduate School of the U.S. Military Academy at Annapolis. Dr. Mace began his duties by giving instruction in the Summer Session for the 6-week period of August 12 to September 21, 1946, and remained on the staff through June 30, 1949. Professor Nulsen continued giving instruction in the department until his retirement on June 30, 1967. He died suddenly on July 5, 1967.

To illustrate a low point in student enrollment, there were only two students enrolled in Electrical Engineering during the second semester of the sophomore year beginning September 25, 1945. The return to college of students who had started in earlier classes increased this class to six in the first semester of the junior year beginning February 4, 1946 and fourteen graduated in this class on June 8, 1947.

In June 1952 Professor Hitchcock reached the age of required retirement (65) as chairman of the department. He was succeeded as Chairman of the Department of Electrical Engineering on July 1, 1952 by Professor Alden L. Winn, UNH Õ37, who had joined the department in 1948. Professor Hitchcock continued teaching through June 1956 including serving as Acting Chairman during the college year 1955-56 while Professor Winn was on a year's leave of absence. After fifteen years Professor Winn resigned as Chairman and was succeeded on July 1, 1967 by Professor Joseph B. Murdoch, a member of the department since 1952.

Professor John B. Hraba, UNH '48, joined the department on September 1, 1949. From 1958 through 1960 he served as Assistant Dean of the Graduate School. On July 1, 1961 he was appointed Associate Dean of the College of Technology. When Dean of Technology Robert N. Faiman became UNH Vice President for Research on October 1, 1967, Professor Hraba was appointed Acting Dean and also Dean of Institutional Research and Planning. With the arrival of the newly appointed Dean of the College of Technology, Richard S. Davis, in July 1968, Professor Hraba assumed his full-time duties as Dean of Institutional Research and Planning.

Because of the increase in classes during the war years (1941-1945) due to the Defense Training Programs, several (32) temporary appointments to the teaching staff were necessary. Among those in the Department of Physics was Dr. John S. French. With the closing of the army program, on December 30, 1944, Dr. French became deeply interested in the use of television and extension courses as a means of providing greater opportunities for education. Early in 1949 he was successful in organizing a cooperative arrangement between the University and the Apprentice Program of the General Electric Company in Somersworth, N.H. The first class started in September, 1949. Dr. French served as coordinator of this cooperative arrangement until he was forced to retire in 1953 due to illness. In the fall of 1952 the Department of Electrical Engineering was called upon to supply an instructor of a class in electrical theory. Professor Hitchcock was assigned to teach this class at the General Electric Company for one meeting per week during the college year. He served as instructor on this program during the years 1952-1953 and 1953-1954. This cooperative extension program is still active but with changes that provide for the students to receive their instruction at the university as members of regularly scheduled classes.

To be continued in the next issue of Signals and Noise.