Citation: Albert L. Marting, ed., “They Live On,” Baldwin-Wallace Alumnus 22, no. 3 (1944): p. 4.
Staff Sergeant James E. McGue, '33, an alumnus of Baldwin-Wallace College of the class of 1935, was killed in aerial action over New Guinea on May 21 according to information received from the War Department by his wife, Mrs. Dorothy McGue of 315 13th Street, Lorain, Ohio.
McGue served as a gunner-engineer on a Liberator bomber, and had 200 combat hours and 30 missions in the South Pacific to his credit. The son of Mrs. Mary Jane McGue, 1853 Garden Avenue, Lorain, he was employed at the National Tube Company before entering the army air forces in November 1942. He went overseas in November 1943. Survivors in addition to his wife and mother are four sisters, Mrs. Ralph Faris, Mrs. George Gibbons, Lorain; Lt. Ruth McGue stationed at Crile Hospital, Cleveland, with the army nurse corps; and June McGue, in Reedsville, West Virginia; and three brothers, Yeoman 1/c Earl McGue, stationed in England with the navy; Ralph, in Reedsville, West Virginia; and Harry, in Dayton, Ohio.
Citation: Marion Cole, ed., “Missionary Alta Madden Tells of New Guinea Village Life,” Baldwin-Wallace Alumnus 28, no. 2 (1950): p. 13.
Alta Reed Madden, '46, left San Francisco by plane January 16, to begin work in the Finschafen and Madang district of New Guinea under the direction of the Foreign Mission Board of the American Lutheran Church.
Commission services for Mrs. Madden were held at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Berea. She was the first person to be sent out into the mission field from this church. Prior to coming to Baldwin-Wallace she was graduated from Fairview Park School of Nursing, coming on campus in 1944 as college nurse and student, graduating in 1946. Since that time she had been employed at Community Hospital in Berea.
Her trip to New Guinea took only a week by plane. She describes Madang as a nice little village of some 500 people, with fairly good roads built by the Australian Army, a nice Chinese section as well as native and white. It is not like an American village but a surprising place to find practically in the middle of the "bush."
The hospital is some distance from the village and Mrs. Madden's trip there is best described in the words of her letter: "A group of the native boys took me across the river, with my baggage, in a rather primitive canoe. They then started with me to walk to the hospital.
"I can in no way describe that trip exactly. Unless you are acquainted with New Guinea it would be hard to describe. At the end of each mile or so there was a village. Nice, neat little bush houses, flowers growing about, and everywhere native people shouting "Fele," which means "Hello." They shouted to us from every village.
"The seven native boys with me carried on conversation with them, explaining that I had just come from America, I think. I had no way of knowing whether or not they were being complimentary, not being able to understand them at all. It was quite amazing to think that a week before I had been in America and here I was all alone with these seven native boys, walking through the jungle. It seemed like I must be dreaming.
"The beauty of the land here is very great. All of the flowers and plants that people in America spend many hours weeding and tending to make them grow just grow wild along the trail here."
Mrs. Madden can be addressed in care of Lutheran Mission, Madang, New Guinea.
Citation: “Assembly Notes,” The Exponent, November 4, 1919, p. 2.
Mr. Dayton C. Miller, the well-known scientist, an alumnus of Baldwin-Wallace of the year 1886, has now completed the experimental work in regard to sound and it's bearing upon the success of war which he has been carrying on for the past few years for the Government of the United States and is completing his written report of the work done. This report will no doubt be published and is certainly of great value and interest especially to men of science. Mr. Miller is acknowledged to be one of the greatest scientists of the age and Baldwin-Wallace may well be proud of him and his work. He has had numerous splendid offers in a business way but has declined them all in order to devote his time wholly to scientific experiment—in other words he is working for the good of humanity by making experiments which have n bearing upon society. It will be of interest to the students to know that Mr. Miller has promised to visit us sometime in the near future for the purpose of addressing the student body during the Assembly hour.
Citation: “Dayton C. Miller Gives Scientific Lecture,” The Exponent, April 1, 1920, p. 2.
During the war there were great scientific discoveries which could not he disclosed at the time at which they were made. Besides these discoveries there was a vast amount of research performed and data collected. Now that the war is over this material can be made public and the knowledge so gained applied to the pursuits of peace.
On Friday evening, March 26th, an alumnus of Baldwin-Wallace who is now a member of the faculty of Case School of Applied Science, Dr. Dayton C. Miller, spoke to the Science Seminar concerning his research work in the war. His subject was "Great Guns and Sound Waves."
The government organized the specially trained men of the country into a Science and Research Department which should work in conjunction with the army and navy. The various phases of sound formed one of the important subjects of investigation. Much has been heard of the location of airplanes, submarines and guns by means of their sound. In addition to this the war presented the necessity and opportunity for studying the sound produced by explosions: not only the physical character of the waves, but also the physiological effect such as shell shock.
Dr. Miller conducted his experiments as to the nature of these waves chiefly at the Sandy Hook Proving Grounds. The explosions studied were so costly that they could not be created in peace just for the sake of study, but the knowledge gained through wartime necessity will be valuable in time of peace. Dr. Miller's investigation centered around three questions. First, what is the pressure in pounds per square inch produced in the air by the explosion? Dr. Hooker, of Johns Hopkins University was associated with him in this work and had charge of the experiments with dogs and other animals to determine the physiological effects of pressure. Second, what is the velocity of transmission of the explosion wave? Certain scientists claimed that this sound travelled at two or three times the normal rate for great distance. Third, what is the shape of the pressure wave? These last two questions were studied for their scientific rather than military value.
It took three months to develop a device which would move quickly enough to record the pressure and which was rugged enough to withstand service in the field. The baroscope, as this instrument was called, consisted of a framework supporting a metal disk. When subjected to great pressure this disk was bent. The amount of distortion was carefully measured and by previous calibration of the individual disk the pressure to which it had been subjected was known. These baroscopes were placed on the ground at various distances from the gun. For a 12-inch gun fired horizontally the maximum pressure of about 400 pounds per square inch was recorded twelve feet from the muzzle of the gun and a few hundredths of a second after the discharge. As the gun was elevated, the maximum pressure on the ground decreased. The pressure to the sides and rear rapidly approached the normal pressure. It was found that 60 to 100 feet in front of the gun was also safe, so far as excessive pressure was concerned. A pressure of 100 pounds per square inch is not fatal altho a pressure of more than about 25 or 30 pounds is all that can be undergone without: cumulative effects.
There had previously been developed a machine which automatically recorded by means of photographs the exact difference of time a sound was received at various stations. By means of tables the location of the gun which was fired could be determined. These operations were so rapid that a shell could be fired in return, directed to the right spot, two minutes after the enemy shot was fired. With slight adaptions this instrument was used to determine the velocity of the waves caused by the explosion. It was found that this pressure wave as it leaves the gun travels at the speed of the projectile, but for the first 100 feet the velocity decreases, and 500 feet from the gun it is at the normal velocity of sound. At a distance of four miles from the gun it was found that the sound travelled at the normal velocity. Thus the idea that the exceptional velocity continued for any considerable distance was disapproved.
By means of a portable phonodeik Dr. Miller was able to photograph this wave. He found it was a sudden maximum and minimum with no repetition. The whole wave is composed of ripples which are absorbed by the air. The boom of a gun is due to this one strong wave which is not repeated. As yet there has not been time to prepare1 all the data obtained from these experiments so that it may be used in the exact determination of these questions, but it seems certain that the explosive wave is n pressure wave which differs from ordinary sound only in the amount of pressure and the lack of repetition.
More information can be found at www.daytoncmiller.org.
Citation: Charles F. Mott, ed., Palladian (Berea, OH: Baldwin University, 1897), p. 25.
Rev. Mr. Mills was born near Norwalk, Ohio, and was reared on a farm in Huron County, Ohio. In his eighteenth year he entered the preparatory department of Baldwin University. In 1861 he enlisted in the 65th O. V. I. forming part of the famous Sherman's Brigade and served until nine months after the close of the war, returning with his regiment December 25, 1865. He re-entered the University at the opening of the fall term, 1866, and continued a close student until his graduation in 1869. A few weeks later he married Miss Emily M. Foster, Class '66. At the fall session of the Erie Annual Conference of the M. E. C. he entered the Conference and was appointed Principal of the Western Reserve Seminary. In 1871 he was appointed Principal of the Lake Shore Seminary, which positions he filled with marked ability. In 1873 he resigned the position and entered the pastorate that he might have more leisure for study and be more closely connected with evangelistic work. In 1886, at the earnest request of the National Reform Association, he was appointed a Field Secretary and traveled largely, preaching and lecturing for three years. He was then appointed a District Secretary of the American Sabbath Union with his office in Chicago and having eighteen states under his supervision. After three years in this office he returned to the pastorate and is at present thus engaged. Rev. Mr. Mills is an earnest preacher of the gospel and is an accomplished platform speaker.
Citation: James D. Harvey, ed., "Profile: Steve Minter," Pursuit 2, no. 6 (March 1970): 7.
It is not surprising that Steven A. Minter '60 was chosen by the Cleveland Junior Chamber of Commerce as the Outstanding Young Man of the Year for 1970 and by the Ohio Jaycees as one of five outstanding young men. His name and face have become increasingly familiar via the news media in the Cleveland area since he was appointed director of the Cuyahoga County Welfare Department last year. This is the second consecutive year that he has been named one of Cleveland's 10 Outstanding Young Men.
Minter, 31, is the youngest director the Welfare Department has ever had and the first Negro to hold the post.
When Steve took a position as caseworker with the county welfare agency following his graduation from Baldwin-Wallace, it did not seem to be an auspicious beginning for a career. He had earned his teaching certificate, but was unable to find a school system ready to hire black teachers.
It did not take Minter long to discover that there was a challenge waiting for him. He did so well the first year with the Department, he was sent to Case Western Reserve University's School of Applied Social Sciences. After earning his master's degree in social administration, he became a casework supervisor in Cleveland's Hough area office.
In rapid succession Steve was promoted to chief casework supervisor, administrative assistant for the Title V Economic Opportunity Program, Title V project director, chief of the Bureau of Special Services, assistant director of the Welfare Department, and in January 1969, director.
Minter, described by a reporter as a good-looking, suave young man, is on seven boards of trustees, including the American Public Welfare Association, Muskingum College, the Cleveland International Program and The Welfare Federation. He is active in the Ohio Synod of the United Presbyterian Church and is vice chairman of the National Council of Local Public Welfare Administrators.
The oldest of eight children and the family's only college graduate, Steve earned his way through B-W, where he was elected to membership in Omicron Delta Kappa.
Steve and his wife, the former Dolores Kreicher '61, have three daughters, Michele, Carolyn and Robyn.
Administering a welfare program for more than 100,000 persons is a job which keeps Minter busy and requires frequent travel from Cleveland to Columbus and Washington. He is also in great demand to speak on the ever-present problems of one of the nation's largest welfare agencies.
He is an outstanding young man. The teaching profession's loss has been the Welfare Department's gain.
Citation: James D. Harvey, “In The U.S. Treasury,” Baldwin-Wallace Alumnus 42, no. 4 (1967): p. 6.
Early in September the name of Dr. David C. Motter appeared on two offices in the U.S. Treasury Building, Washington, D.C., following his recent promotion - this was an indication of the rapid progress of his career.
Motter '50 had just been promoted to the second ranking post in the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, as deputy comptroller to James J. Saxon. His appointment was with the approval of Henry H. Fowler, Secretary of the Treasury. Motter had served for three years as senior economist.
Characterized by Saxon as a "brilliant and dedicated associate," Motter is tall, speaks softly and makes much use of his hands for expressive speech. His work involves reviewing branch charters, office publications, compiling tables reflecting the economic background of the country and collecting data on the national banking system, long term analysis and trouble shooting.
As a student of Dr. Jacob 0. Kamm '40, professor of economics when Motter was in college, he was undecided about his major as a sophomore. Dr. Kamm's contagious enthusiasm persuaded Dr. Motter to major in economics and he graduated magna cum laude. Today he is one of several students of Dr. Kamm's who have earned distinguished reputations of their own in the field of economics and business.
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency was created in 1963. Up until that time the federal government has been very conservative in granting charters and they recognized the need to approve many charters. A record number have been approved in the last four years and there has been only one failure, according to Motter.
Commenting on his work with the Treasury Department Motter said, "Bank chartering authorities do not initiate proposals for new banks. Rather, the authorities react to and act upon charter applications presented to them by a group of private citizens who signify their desire to organize and invest in a new bank."
He continued, "The question of how new banks have fared is highly important for the banking industry, for the bank regulatory authorities, and for the general public. If most of these banks enjoy substantial growth and move rapidly toward the attainment of profitable operations, it is good indication, after the fact, that they are filling a 'need' in their respective communities."
On Dr. Motter's desk is a picture of his daughter, Cathy, mounted on one of her two ponies on the Motter's seven acres in Vienna, Virginia. Dr. Motter commutes daily from their home to his office in Washington. He is married to the former Margaret Malmfeldt '50.
Following his graduation from B-W Dr. Motter worked for an investment firm in Cleveland, then enrolled at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, to do graduate work. He held various teaching assistant and research posts as a graduate student and served as a summer intern with the Economic Cooperation Administration in 1951. He received his Ph.D. in economics from Vanderbilt in 1958.
From 1954 to 1956 Dr. Motter taught economics at Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He was a fellow at the Brookings Institute during 1956-57, then joined the faculty of the Wharton School of Finance and Commerce, University of Pennsylvania, where he remained until 1963.
Dr. Motter, a non-ivory tower academician who approaches banking and the finance industry in a scholarly manner, has done research and written articles for the National Banking Review, the journal of policy and practice of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.