A Narrative By Gary Lowell - Pledged Spring 1964

At the end of the 1930-1931 school year,

•The national and Detroit economy continue to deteriorate despite many leaders saying “we have reached the bottom” and “better times are on the way.” Auto production continues to plummet.

•U. of D. Engineering Department has a five-year co-op engineering program and a more-successful-than-expected free evening Minor Executive program partially taught, also for free, by the day co-op engineering students. Increasingly there are extensions being granted to all paying U. of D. students who are falling in the arrears for tuition payment and events that have university support – financial or otherwise

– are seeing ticket price reductions to help students attend. There also is outright cancellation of some events for “financial” reasons.

•Engineering students at U of D are supportive of the new Minor Executive program. It is ironic that the 5-year co-op regular students, when they do the industry side of the co-op, typically are finding that they work beside the Minor Executive students. The Dynamic Club is formed and holds its first Dinner Dance.

•Dean Lawrence collaborates with industry in the creation of the Minor Executive courses. It is a major success – a success that is not bringing money to a U of D. The university, while not without resources, is finding it necessary to mind its expenses. The wild success of the Minor Executive course may be creating resentment among other departments.

1931-1932 School Year

By the end of September, 1931, 880 foremen are enrolled in the Minor Executive program, the formation of the Dynamic Club last year is finally announced, and its first monthly meeting of the new school year will be on September 23. The character of the Minor Executive’s classes is further described in a Varsity News article.18

Also, announced is that engineering students can now elect to skip the industry co-op portion of their education. Student can earn his degree more quickly and therefore enter the job market more quickly is the stated reason for the change. Alternatively, it is not unreasonable to imagine that, as unemployment increased, co-op students were seen as being less valuable to a business than a full-time family man – a perspective not unusual for the time. Now there are three paths for an engineering education at U of D. Path one is the original five- year co-op program for paying students to obtain a bachelor’s degree. The second path is a four-year degree without industry co-op for paying students to obtain a bachelor’s degree. The third path, resulting in a lesser diploma, is the

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•Thomas Alva Edison submits his last patent application. On October 18, 1931, he dies at the age of 84.

•US suffers worst ever drought in its history, starting the Dust Bowl years.

•Empire State Building is completed in New York City.

•Sir Malcolm Campbell, in

his Blue Bird racer, achieved

the world land speed record

of 253.96 MPH

•Japan invade Manchuria

•Chicago runs out of money and cannot pay its teachers for 2 months.

•The Robin becomes Michigan’s official state bird.

•US Unemployment rate is 15.9%

•Doctor Graeffe reports his observations about China. The article includes a short Biography (30_05_07-TVN- GraeffeMarrage)

1932:

•1932: Franklin Delano Roosevelt defeats Hoover for the presidency.

•Nazis lead in German elections but Adolph Hitler loses run-off election for German presidency.

•Amelia Earhart becomes the first female aviator to successfully fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.

•French President Paul

Doumer assassinated; is