Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 263, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 November 1917 — Valparaiso Regrets Greatly To Lose Popular Teacher [ARTICLE]

Valparaiso Regrets Greatly To Lose Popular Teacher

The following article, taken from The Torch, a Valparaiso University publication shows the esteem in which Ray C. Yeoman, a Rensselaer boy, who has been an instructor at the University for the past several years, is held. Mr. Yeoman recently resigned to accept a position at Purdue The Engineering department received a severe shock when Dean Yeoman announced on Thursday, November 8, 1917, his resignation as Dean to acept the Associate Professorship of Highway Engineering at Purdue University. As far as Dean Yeoman himself is concerned, it is hard to tell whether he is more glad to get back to his Alma Mater, than he is sorry to leave the place where so much hard and good work has been done by his untiring efforts.

Professor Yeoman received his B. C. E. degree at Purdue in 1907 and C. E. in 1909. During these two years he taught Civil Engineering at Purdue and during summer vacations has been connected with the National Bridge company, as a designer of concrete arches. He had experience with the Pennsylvania Railroad Company in track elevation, and has made a reconnaisance survey of a Southern Indiana Interurban line, prior to acceptance of professorship at this University under Dean M. E. Bogarte in 1909. At that time the real work of Professor Yeoman has started. Up to his arrival here, the Engineering department was in its infancy; only Surveying, Mathematics and Physics were taught by M. E. Bogarte, A. A. Williams, and J. H. Cloud. Realizing the need of a good course and the possibilities existing, Prof. Yeoman began to teach advanced work in Engineering and due to his efforts, a three year (12 term> course has been installed, and as a result, the students taught by him are qualified successfully to complete with those from the larger and older Universities. One of Prof. Yeomans’ prime intentions, since he came here, was to develope an intelligent and appreciative interest of the students in their chosen profession, and to this may be accredited the foundation of the Civil Engineering society in 1909, of which he was the moving spirit. The society grew rapidly and in May, 1911 published its first Engineering Annual. In November of 1911, when Mr. Bogarte died, Prof. Yeoman succeeded him as Dean of Engineering and continued to change the course so as to raise the standard, following the plans of the middle-western universities. He taught as high as twenty-six subjects a year. In 1913, to improve the course of surveying and to make it more economical for the students to turn out efficient work, Dean Yeoman with the assistance of E. A. Tucker wrote a field manual in surveying. In perfecting the course Dean Yeoman advocated elimination of foreign languages from Engineering. For the last few years his policy has been received with favor. He is also a poineer in requiring Public Speaking in the Engineering course. In 1914, he conceived, designed and put out the general class schedules so necessary at the opening of the term. In 1916, seeing the good results of it, the University took over the program and it is now being issued regularly every term with a map of the College Hill on the back of it. Outside of his department duties, Dean Yeoman took personal interest in students of his and other departments. He organized the Temple society, composed of Masonic students.

In 1915, the Student Council was organized mostly due to hrs efforts, and he was elected its first president and re-elected three times, He filled his position excellently and as a result of his diligent work, the student body is enjoying the conveniences of ,a large Gymnasium and the good of developed and constantly growing athletic activities. The resolutions following this article will express better the attitude of the Students Council towards his acticivities. His capacities were not limited to teaching and organizing. He was several times called upon for expert adivce in Engineering. In 1912 he designed and superintended a 820,000 Sewer System at Knox, Indiana, the Senior Class assisting him in this work. In 1913 he was elected City Engineer of Valparaiso, Indiana, and served for one year. From time to time he was called up to testify as an expert witness on drainage cases involving the great Kankakee Marsh, and in many similar cases. In the spring of 1917, he served the new postoffice site of Valparaiso for she government, and during the summer of 1917 he was engaged by the Portland Cement Association as an inspecting engineer on concrete roads and traveled for them in Canada under direction of the Canada Cement Company until the opening of the fall term of this year, when he resumed his duties as Dean. Along with the school duties, he

found time to write books on Farm Engineering and Drainage. His training and expedience in teaching and engineering combined with boyhood life on the farm amply qualified him for the task. His latest and most successful organization in school is the Valparaiso chapter of the American Association of Engineers. Soon after the organization of this Chapter, he was elected a National director and a member of the National Executive Committee. .He is also a member of the Indiana Engineering society and an Associate Member of the Western Society of Engineers. The position Dean Yeoman is to take at Pudue will be connected with

Highway work in this state. Professor G. E. Martin, who developed the department of Highway Engineering to a high stage of efficiency, resigned to become a Captain with the 23rd Engineers Regiment, which leaves for France on road service. Dean Yeoman has been selected to take his place and continue the extension work, which is assuming new phases since the Highway Commission has been created. This labor requires that he travel extensively over the state, conduct road schools, and cooperate with the State Highway Commission. He will be in charge of the Highway Engineering department at Purdue University. This opportunity will lead to a position of authority on road questions in the State of Indiana and our Engineering department jreally ought to be proud that it is our Dean who was selected for this work. We deeply regret that we will have to part with our friend and teacher, Dean Yeoman, the most active and popular member of the faculty, and earnestly wish him good uck and the best of health and hope that he will not forget us and let us lave some of the benefits of his new work. Prof. Yeoman is due at Purdue, we understand, December 6th. and Mrs. Theroux, who is well mown here, will take his place until a successor can be selected. The following resolutions were adopted by the Student Council: November 9, 1917. Be it hereby resolved, that Whereas Dean R. C. Yeoman of the department of engineering has been closely associated with the student body of this university for the past five years, and Whereas through his efforts the chaotic condition which formerly prevented concerted action by the students has been reduced to a state of order, and Whereas by his diligence on behalf of the student activities, athletics lave been fostered and this institution has secured a gymnasium and an athletic field as well as other encouragement of physical exercise, and Whereas harmonious contact between the student body and the executive officers of the university, and between the student body and the residents of the city, has been promoted by his exertions in that respect, and Whereas student publications and this Student Council owe their existence largely to the labor of Dean Yeoman, and Whereas Dean Yeoman has been a personal friend and advisor to many of the students, therefore, Notwithstanding we deem ourselves exceedingly fortunate to have received among us as his successor, and anticipate pleasurable our future relations with Dean Bowman of the department of Law, nevertheless We, the Student Council of Valparaiso University, for ourselves and on behalf of the student body which we represent,, do accept with regret the resignation of Dean Yeoman as faculty member of this Council, and do extend to him our cordial thanks for his kind interest and services.