Page 8 - 2020 May E-issue

Rochester History A Sampling from the Archives of the

Rochester Engineering Society...1897 - 1972
by Lee M. Loomis

Continuing with the historical sampling of the earlier keeping the membership informed of the actions of
writings on behalf of the Rochester Engineering Society, the Board.
the years following "Te Great War", into and through the
Great Depression, continued to be a time of reaching out January 7, 1972 (Executive Committee
for the maturing Society, both locally and nationally. Te Meeting, RES Ofces)
meeting minutes describe a series of technical discussions and
presentations intended to broaden the technical horizons of the Following extensive discussion of the fnancial status
membership (especially the CE's, ME's and EE's). Te RES of the Society, the Board unanimously approved
afliated itself with a number of National technical societies, a motion to reduce the RES holdings in Eastman
adopted local Afliated Societies, frequently held joint meetings Kodak common stock, to 3,000 shares. Te
with them and continued taking action on a growing list of public matters. Certain proceeds of this would then be used to completely retire the Societys
issues of standardization, some crucial to public safety, became the responsibility of the indebtedness, retain $5,000 as working capital, with the balance to
RES and its afliates. In the pervasive economic downturn of the Great Depression, be reinvested for optimum cash return. Te Board then approved this
the magazine ofered classifed advertising for unemployed engineers, technicians
and draftsmen and took other steps to try to deal with the crisis. Still, it continued action, unanimously.
its efort to shape the function, purpose and infrastructure of the City of Rochester,
and beyond. World War again afected the Society, taking away many of its leaders Te Rochester Engineer (January 1972)
while providing opportunities for others to step forward to fll these vacancies. In an Some of the problems that we have today are too serious to wait much
efort to provide even greater perspective on the happenings and concerns of the day, longer, according to Eastman Kodak President, Gerald B. Zornow.
a synopsis, featuring selected items from "Te Rochester Engineer" has become an Of todays engineers, he said, No group is better qualifed to give
integral part of this series. Te Second World War and the Korean Confict are now defnition to our dreams than the engineers, for they are equipped by
history, and the Vietnam War has recently become a focal point. Tese experiences
have changed the face and, no doubt, the future of the community. Te Rochester ability and training to show us how far our dreams can go. He further
municipal leadership and the industrial community have become immersed in the admonished, And a corollary to this responsible assignment is the
cold-war, growth economy. obligation to point out to us where the nightmares might be lurking.
January 5, 1972 (Board Meeting, Bausch & Lomb) He went on, To those who voice apprehensions that technology has
Te Board approved the applications of eight new Regular Members. gone too far, it hasnt gone far enough, for it has not yet served man
Continued concern for the fnancial well-being of the Society, and the as well as it can. Anticipating a large crowd for Mr. Zornows address
treasurers announcement that additional fnancing would be required, to the RES Luncheon at the Chamber of Commerce, reservations
not-later-than the middle of the month, resulted in the approval of and advance ticket purchases, at $3, were encouraged. Te title of
a motion authorizing the ofcers to sell any of the Societys fnancial his presentation was announced as, Te New Engineering: Giving
assets, toward reducing/eliminating current outstanding debt. Te Defnition to the Dreams. Te 1972 RES Luncheon series was
Board then approved a motion to consider reinvesting some/all of the announced including; Balanced Transportation Needs and Efects by
Kate Gleason Fund, currently all held exclusively in Eastman Kodak Bernard F. Perry, PE, NYSDOT, Artifcial Blood Vessels by Dr. Charles
common stock, toward increasing its yield. Chair of the Employment G. Rob, U of R School of Medicine, Master Plan Concepts and
Committee Graham Chamberlain, and RES Executive Secretary Norm Constraints by Don Martin, Monroe County Department of Planning,
Howden presented plans to establish a unit of V.E.S.T. (Volunteer Automobile Air Bag Restraint Systems by Dr. John H. States, U of R
Engineers, Scientists and Technicians) to support re-employment of School of Medicine.
recently-discharged employees of the US Aerospace Program. (Editor s February 2, 1972 (Board Meeting, Bausch & Lomb)
note: At its peak in 1968, aerospace employment was 1.5 Million Te RES Finance Committee reported that, upon recommendation of
(including 235,000 engineers & scientists). By 1972 total employment the Executive Committee, 900 shares of Eastman Kodak had been sold,
in this industry had dropped to 917,000 (including 157,000 engineers realizing $86,799.70, which was used to pay all debts of the Society,
& scientists). Led by the American Institute of Aeronautics and and the balance deposited into an interest-bearing account at Lincoln
Astronautics (AIAA), the VEST Program was a national efort to Rochester Trust Company. It was also reported that approximately one-
provide job search ofce space and travel/relocation grants to laid-of third of this amount had been invested in convertible debentures of
aerospace workers, for seeking and securing new employment. Te National Cash Register and Reynolds Metals Company, in anticipation
Board approved up to $50 for sponsorship/implementation of this of an approximate 6.2% annual yield.
project by the Society. Te Membership Committee announced plans
to enlist the services of the Remington/Stockdale Agency to develop
a membership recruitment brochure. RES Director Edwin Anthony Subsequent articles in this series will describe the RES' continuing outreach to other
reported on a recent meeting of the Operation RESOURCE leadership technical societies as it considered its role in this and the larger community, along
with Hercules Company, to review current and developing processes with more of the activities of the RES as it moved to be of greater service to its
for reclamation of municipal waste materials. Mr. Anthony further membership, especially those sufering from current economic crises, and adopted a
reported that Mrs. Ann Nelson of Eco-Trans has requested that the greater role in shaping the future of the City and its environs. Noted also, will be the
RES participate in a study of the transportation requirements in the contributions made by RES members in the struggle to meet the challenges coming
out of World War II and the Korean Confict, as well as a hoped-for period of post-
Rochester area. While the Board indicated general consent for this war growth and prosperity. Tese articles will also feature an impressive array of RES
requested involvement, RES Director, Jack Corson, expressed a concern activities in support of post-war re-emergence of Rochester area industry, and the
that the RES was becoming a consulting organization. RES Director ensuing prosperity of the second-half of the 20th Century.
George Landberg expressed the belief that the minutes of each RES We welcome your questions and comments on this series.
Board meeting should be published in Te Rochester Engineer toward
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