Originally published in The Vidette-Messenger of Porter County on March 7, 1931.
UNIVERSITY PAYS FORMAL TRIBUTE TO NEW COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND HEAD
With the above telegraph greetings from the world’s foremost engineerーHerbert Hoover, president of the United Statesーthe transition of the department of engineering of Valparaiso university into full accreditation as the College of Engineeringーanother epoch-marking milestone in the march of progress of the local educational institution, was formally celebrated last evening.
The affair was in the nature of a greeting to Dr. H. W. Moody, dean of the new department which will start functioning with the opening of the fall term. It was attended by upwards of one hundred student engineers and members of the faculty. Hotel Lembke banquet hall was the setting.
Greetings from President Hoover came as a complete surpriseーeven to President O. C. Kreinheder. They came as the result of the initiative of John Kreinheder, son of the president, and student engineer, who wrote the nation’s chief executive who first gained world fame because of his achievements as a mining engineer, informing him of the new honors that have come to Valparaiso university.
W. S. Johns of Chicago, maintenance engineer of the Pennsylvania railroad, graduate of Lehigh university, was the principal speaker. He told of the improvements advanced engineering is bringing to railroad operations.
President Kreinheder, taking a broader theme, stressed the fact that every young man must be the engineer of design of his own future. He pointed out that the qualities of application, perseverance, absolute honesty that characterize the successful engineer, are the foundations for any career.
J. S. McFarlen, of this city, an alumnus of the Valparaiso Department of Engineering, now on the engineering staff of the Youngstown Sheet and Tube company, East Chicago, spoke impromptu, on the practical aspects of an engineering education.
LeRoy Thede, president of the university Engineering Society, gave the address of welcome. Dean Moody in response to the many testimonials paid him, stressed the future growth of the College of Engineering, with its widely broadened courses which will include training in civil, mechanical, electrical, industrial engineering and industrial arts.
John Kreinheder presided as toastmaster. John Bauer, business manager of the university, was a guest of honor as were Dr. F.V. Lofgren, dean of the College of Pharmacy; John W. Moreland, dean of the School of Law; Dr. F.W. Kroencke, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Prof. A.J. Lynn, head of the School of Commerce.
They all paid tribute to the new College of Engineering. A feature of the banquet were the programsーspecimens of the art of the engineer’s blue-prints, executed by Student Engineer John Bauer, son of the business manager.
Several musical numbers were enjoyed with the entire gathering joining in Bucci’s Valparaiso University Victory March, as the final. Student Engineers Huth, Kreinheder, Aherne and Hartmeister, served on the banquet committee.
