This article originally appeared in the Spring 2006 AlphaBet
Palmer C. Ricketts, A84: ‘The Builder of Rensselaer'
When we think of the name Ricketts in association with RPI, most may foremost remember taking classes in the building on campus next to the '87 Gym. For some, a bit of trivia about the Ricketts building would be that its name helps to commemorate a former president of the Institute. Delving further as a Brother, you may discover that President Palmer C. Ricketts corresponds to Palmer Chamberlaine Ricketts, A84, an alumni initiate of the Alpha Chapter of Theta Xi. What seems to be largely forgotten is that Palmer C. Ricketts firmly made the Institute what it is today so much so that towards the end of his tenure as president, Ricketts was hailed as 'the Builder of Rensselaer'. Not bad for a guy who as an undergrad was almost tossed out of school.
Born in Elkton, Maryland on January 17, 1856, Ricketts' interest in science and engineering grew while attending a private school and tutored in Princeton, New Jersey. At the age of 15, he was admitted to RPI to pursue a degree in civil engineering. By all accounts, his academic life as an undergraduate was a spotless success except for one incident. As a junior serving on the Transit's editorial board, he almost found himself expelled for helping to produce a yearbook which poked irreverent fun at the school and student life. The faculty was not amused at the level, or the lack thereof, of respect. Fortunately for Ricketts, this disciplinary action was not pursued.
Examined records do not reveal exactly when Ricketts first became associated with the Brothers of Theta Xi, but it is clear that he graduated in 1875 with a degree in civil engineering. This led to his immediate appointment at the school as an assistant in teaching mathematics and astronomy. It is in this timeframe that Ricketts found himself initiated into the Bonds of Theta Xi on February 25, 1876. From present knowledge, not much is known about his involvement with the fraternity until much later in his career, though it seems he was popular as an instructor with the students. After attaining the rank of assistant professor in 1882, Ricketts was named the William H. Hart professor of rational and tensor mechanics two years later, a position which he held for more than twenty years.
In 1892, Palmer C. Ricketts achieved the post of Director, or academic head, of the Institute. This was followed nine years later by his becoming the first faculty member to be named president by the trustees of RPI. In a feat not matched before or since, Ricketts served in this dual capacity for over thirty years. In this time, the heart of the campus as we know it today came to life.
Thanks to tireless efforts by Ricketts and the support of alumni as well as other notable benefactors of the period, RPI survived the devastating fires that essentially destroyed the downtown classrooms and labs of the Institute in 1904. This led to the purchase of estate land on the hillside above Troy and the construction of the 'green roof 'campus. Starting with the Carnegie Building in 1906 and until his death in 1934, Ricketts oversaw the building and completion of the campus including Walker Chemical Laboratory, Russell Sage Laboratory, the Pittsburgh Building, the '86 Field, the '87 Gymnasium, the Quadrangle Dormitories, Russell Sage Dining Hall, the Troy Building, Amos Eaton Hall, the Greene Building, and the Union Clubhouse. Sadly, Ricketts did not live to see the completion of the last of the ‘green roof' buildings. Finished the year after his death, this last building was dedicated in his memory and named accordingly the Ricketts Building.
During his tenure, the school not only gained a new campus. Foreseeing the need to expand beyond the civil engineering degree and the general science degree that the Institute offered at the time, Ricketts fought and won to develop new courses and offer degrees in other engineering and science disciplines, architecture and business administration as well as to establish a graduate school. With all of this expansion, enrollment swelled from approximately 200 to over 1700 in 1930, the number of faculty grew from 15 to over 120 and the school's assets jumped from roughly $500,000 to over $11,000,000 during the Ricketts era.
Given all this, perhaps it should be no real surprise then that Alpha Chapter gained a new permanent residence to call home while Ricketts was in office. Passing mention in a chapter newsletter is made of using the same building contractor as Ricketts employed in constructing his own house though the low cost of the bid most likely reflected the depressed economy of the time. Other documents from this time show that he was \"very active in all house functions\" and would come to dances with his wife, Vjera. Fittingly, the honor of laying the cornerstone of the new chapter house was given to Ricketts before the house opened its doors in the fall of 1931.
Palmer C. Ricketts' dedication to the school lives on even to this day. Aside from the Institute becoming a true polytechnic school on his watch that his predecessors fell short in their dreams of achieving and aside from the beautiful campus that he created, Ricketts also funded three prizes for seniors. After his death on December 10th, 1934, his widow established two more. Following her death in 1937, and with no children to look after, the Ricketts estate worth over $300,000 was left to the school in their memory. The five prizes are still awarded to this day.
From the Quotations section of the May 19th, 1931 edition of the The Frederick Post, Frederick, Maryland:
\"College men now drink no more than their fathers did, but now they have to carry their liquor on the hip.\" --- Dr. Palmer C. Ricketts, president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Prohibition was not repealed until the ratification of the 21st Amendment in 1933.
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Ricketts with members of the faculty in 1912.
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Aerial view of RPI campus circa 1933. Notice the chapterhouse in the background.
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President Palmer C. Ricketts, A84
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For more information, please click the link below:
http://www.lib.rpi.edu/dept/library/html/Archives/gallery/ricketts/index.html
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