the 44 year career
of professor gale

by Bob Eckardt

At the end oi this academic year,
Grinnell will lose one of its most
respected educators, In June, Willi—
ston Professor oi Physics Grant 0.
Gale retires from active teaching.
Mr. Gale’s career at Grinnell began
in ms and with forty-four years or
service he retires as the senior
faculty member.

When Mr. Gale came to Grinnell in
1928, John H. T. Main was still Press
ident oi the College. The school had
just dedicated its new swimming
pool. The college was marked by a
carefree attitude. The carefree
years at the 20's did not last long,
however; the college was soon

plunged into the depression.

strange as it may seem, Mr. Gale
remembers the depression years
almost tondly. He proudly points out
that many students during the de-
pression never paid a cent towards
their education. Mr. Gale mentions
that he and Mrs. Gale had students
living in their home, as did almost
all members or the taculty, The
laculty took a 25% reduction in pay,
and this money was then used to
supplement the college’s scholars
ship tunds,

Mr. Gale also recalls that the
depression years allowed students to
occupy positions which were far—
merly occupied by others. Students
basically ran the non-instruction
functions of the College: a student

Pictured here are some or the gadgets on display in the
Physics Department this week in connection with the

Grant Gale Symposium.

Above:

This heliostat can be used to automatically

reflect a beam of light from the sun inaconstant

directionr

Below: A telegraph recorder, which recorded the dots
and dashes an a roll 01 paper tape.

Above right:

This surveying instrument is similar to

the one used by former Grinnell Protessor Buck when he
helped to lay out the Streets of Grinnell.

Below right:

An electric motor, believe it or not.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

managed the bookstore and other
students tilled clerical and main-
tenance positions in all sectors of
the campus. This background, Mr.
Gale feels, was helptul to many stu-
dents, and that it showed that Stu-
dents did have practical talents. The
depression years were hard, but
very satislying for all involved.

The iorties were also very dlsrup»
live times. World war ii reduced
the regular male student body from
about 400 to 17. However, Grinnell
served as the headquarters of sevA
eral armed forces training groups;
North Campus served as barracks
and housed up to 1200 men at one
time. Mr. Gale served as science
director for the war effort at Grin-
nell, during which time the physics
department grew from two iaculty
members to Six in one year and had
to institute laboratories every
morning and afternoon to handle the
large number of soldier—students.
These soldierestudents came and
went on very irregular schedules;
some were here {or months, while
others stayed only a few days, Mr.
Gale had to handle these changes in
the sciences He also had to arrange
for the most efficient use of space,
since the physics department occu-
pied only the second and third doors
of Goodnow. Hence the war time
problems Mr. Gale laced were very
large. Even the summers offered no
hope oi relaxation, for during the
summer teachers Worked lnrindu5v
try to help fill the shortage oi
trained scientists and engineers
Alter the war, the physics {acuity
dropped quickly. In fact, Mr, Gale
served as the only faculty member
in physics for a time. However,
interest in science remained strong
and the department grew until it
peaked atisix faculty members in
1970.

The fifties were a more relaxing
and enjoyable time. The move to the
new science building, for one thing,
greatly improved the lacllities for
all the science departments How—
ever, the fifties were also pleasing
personally. Mr. Gale had always
loved traveling and teaching. In
”54-5 he got a chance to do both
when he became Grinnetl’s first
Fulbright lecturer and taught in
Baghdad, Iraq. In 1957758, Mi‘l
Gale was again on leave, staying in
the United States and serving as a
consultant to the American Insti-
tute of Physics on a program de-
signed to improve the teaching of
physics on the college level. He has
also worked on programs to improve
high school physics instruction.

The ’60's again gave Mr, Gale an

The Scarlet and Black

 

opportunity to teach overseas, In
19634 he taught in Karachi, Pakis~
tan and in 1969310 he was a Visiting
Professor at the University of Ethi»
opia. He also used his teaching posi-
tions overseas to visit several other
countries, and lists about thirty
nations in all where he has traveled.
in addition to guiding the physics
department through a period oirapid
change, Mr. Gale has also served
the school at large. He has been
college marshal and has also served
as chairman of the faculty three
separate times for a total of five
years. He has also served the cola
lege as an ambassadorrat-large, for
instance, over spring vacation he
represented the school at an alumni
meeting.

Mr. Gale has fond memories of
many of the students he has taught

it

a
p

I
tun

i

ll

April H, 1972

and willingly relates stories irom
his long tenure at Grinnell. He re-
marks that he has learned a lot lrom
students, and he is very proud ouhe
achievements of his students alter
graduation, One ofhls mayor regrets
is that he has not been able to know
more students during hiS forty-[our
years.

His hobbies include stamp collect-
ing, gardening, travel and genealogy.
He hopes to be able to devote more
time to these after he retires, but he
also will retain his strong interest in
education. Many of us may disagree
about what a liberal arts education
is, is not, or should be However, i
think almost everyone would agree
that men like Grant Gale are vital.
As an educator and as a friend oi the
college, Grant Gale will leave alal‘ge
gap when he retires.

 

