But as a result of missing that quarter of school, I made up almost everything except
two courses. I didn't graduate in June. I had to go another quarter--they're on the
quarter system there--and I graduated in December. There, again, I had the highest
grades in my class, but since I didn't graduate at the regular time I guess the
professors got together and decided that I couldn't have the prize, so they gave the
prize to Collins for having the highest grade record.
That was in December of ''32. It was sort of at the depth of the Depression. I think
by about that time, the fraternity had gotten into poor straights and I was not living
at the fraternity anymore. I was living in a rooming house.
The head of the Civil Engineering Department was C.E. Sherman. He was also the
state representative with the U.S. Geological Survey. I don't know whether you
know how the U.S. Geological Survey operates, but they have cooperations with all
of the states, and he represented the state in the state's relationship with the
Geological Survey. He also was the head of the States mapping: He was just
finishing up a map of the State of Ohio. There'd always been an argument about the
boundary between Ohio and Michigan, the part of it in Lake Erie. He was in the
process of getting that settled. He gave me enough work so I could pay my board
and room. So I worked for him for awhile on mapping and other things.
I was there when they had the Bank Holiday. I was in his office and he went over
to his bookshelf, took a book out, he opened the book up, took a bill out and
gave it to me. He said he didn't know whether I needed it or not, but I could have
the in case I needed something while the banks were closed.
Q ..
Those were very difficult times, weren't they then?
A
Beg pardon?
Camp Hocking
Q ..
Those were very difficult times when you graduated?
A ..
Yes, it was. So I don't remember just when, but that was the time when they started
opening up the CCC [Civilian Conservation Corps] Camps. One of the professors
or instructors, Professor Wyatt, in the Civil Engineering Department had resigned,
and he took the job as Superintendent in charge of Camp Hocking, which was set
up by the Ohio Forestry Department to map the boundaries of some of the state
6
Previous Page
