A Brief Look at 87 Years of Progress
The A.S.M. was first organized
in
On Monday March 1, 1920, 38 representatives of manufacturing from
William
Gibson-Chairman, from Marlin Rockwell
William K. Shephard-Vice Chairman, from
The first meeting was held on March 4, 1920 in the assembly room of the
On March 5, 1920, a similar group of industrialists met in
In fact, the early by-laws stipulated that the meetings be held as
follows:
Three in
Two in
Two in
One in
Over the past 33 years ( since 1970) the
majority of the meetings have been held at Rapps in
Regular meeting places were the New Haven Lawn Club, Hammond Laboratory
at Yale, Wilcox's Pier at Savin Rock, and the Taft
Hotel in New Haven, just to name a few.
According to the 1929-1930 yearbook:
"The objective of the society is to promote the
arts and sciences
connected with the manufacture or treatment of metals or both."
In 1929 there were 36 chapters nationally with a total of 5,520
members, in 2002 there were 33,000 members and the society had become
international.
The
1925-1926.....58
members 1961-1962....598
members
1935-1936....191
members 1965-1966....618
members
1945-1946....395
members 1968-1969....665
members
1955-1956....482
members 1975-1976....660
members
1980-1981....725
members
1990-1991…
2000-2001…375 members
2006-2007 …305 members
Selected snapshots of information along the 87 year trail are:
1935-1936: The national
society officially became the A.S.M. Meetings were held at the Hotel Guarde in
New Haven, the Stratfield Hotel in
Bridgeport, the Bristol Company cafeteria, and the Singer Manufacturing
Cafeteria.
1939-1940: The meetings and a
six session, special lecture series were held at 8 p.m. Dinner was at 6:30 and was held at the Taft Hotel in
New Haven, University Club in Bridgeport, the Elton Hotel in Waterbury, and the
Derby Gas and Electric Auditorium.
1944: A permanent chapter
secretary was appointed and small stipend was paid.
1945-1946: The 25th Anniversary was celebrated. Dinners were held at the Hotel Eaton, the Chi
Psi Lodge in New Haven, Hotel Clarke in Derby, and
the Hotel Barnum.
1953-1954: Ads in the first yearbook.
1967-1968: A junior chapter was chartered at
1970: The 50th anniversary was
celebrated with dinner at the Waverly Inn in
1977: The name was changed to
the
1978: The first Metallurgy Week
was observed.
1978: The site of the Old
1987: The National organization
changed its name to ASM International.
1993: The Arthur Geary Scholarship was founded at UCONN.
2003: The Eli Whitney Armory
designated as a National Historical Metallurgical Landmark
2006: Sailing Simulator project
with ASM
In addition, the Chapter sponsored:
--A special
metallurgical explorer post at
--Was a member of The
--Established
scholarships of $100.00 at
Waterbury State Technical College,
Bridgeport Engineering Institute,
In recent years the Southern Connecticut Chapter has supported the
(prizes), The
Please note that the Historian is continually seeking information,
memorabilia, books, yearbooks, catalogs, and samples. The archives of the Chapter along with its
significant items have been given to the Mattatuck
Museum, the Hartford Graduate Center, the University of Connecticut Institute
of Material Sciences, and the State Archeologist, and the Seymour Historical
Society.
Any donation of items, information or help would be greatly appreciated
Robert
John Klancko
Past
Chairman, Historian, Founder – Materials Week
203-393-2978