Editor's page

Fall 2016

Volume 39 No. 1 Contents »

Editor
Jesse Tuel
Assistant Editor
Mason Adams
Art Director
Robin Dowdy
Graphic Designers
Shelley Cline, Tiffany Pruden, Amanda Robinson '17, David Stanley '95
Contributors
Kim Bassler '12, Charles Cox '73, Juliet Crichton, Shirley Fleet, Richard W. Frye, Katie Gehrt '97, '02, Sookhan Ho, Richard Lovegrove, Charlie Masencup '92, Jacqueline L. Nottingham '88, Allie Oberoi '10, Holly Paulette '13, Albert Raboteau, Erica Stacy, Laura Wedin '84, Sherrie Whaley, Larry Williams '70, Matthew M. Winston Jr. '90
Copy Editors
Juliet Crichton, Richard Lovegrove
Photographers
Jim Stroup, Logan Wallace
Webmaster, Digital Editor
Juliet Crichton
Director of Design & Digital Strategy
Brad Soucy
Senior Associate Vice President for Alumni Relations
Matthew M. Winston Jr. '90
Publisher
Tracy Vosburgh

Senior associate vice president for university relations

Letters


Diplomas in the '40s and '50s

Virginia Tech diploma

The summer edition article "Diplomatic," by Alison Matthiessen, interested me especially. During the time when I received my bachelor's and master's degrees in 1942 and 1943, the process of producing diplomas was quite different.

A classmate and I were students in architectural engineering. We were taught to draw and letter. He lettered the names and majors in Old English and dates in script on all diplomas in 1942 and most in 1943, including his master's degree. The following quarter, I took over the lettering job and lettered my own master's degree. Dean [John Edward] Williams died in the spring and could not sign any requiring his signature. As a result, I learned to write his signature, and his daughter said she could not tell which was real and which was the forgery.

During the 1950s, I was on the faculty of architectural engineering. By then, diplomas were ordered with names, majors, and dates in place. It was not possible to add "with honors" until grades came in. Consequently, Registrar Clarice Slusher had me come to Burruss Hall early on commencement day to add that.

In the 1950s, some graduates from the early 1900s would lose a diploma and ask for a duplicate. Some large blanks from then were available, so it was possible to honor the request. Back then, all the faculty signed the diplomas, so reproducing the signatures was a challenge!

When you stay around a long time, as I have, you do become a historian!

Bertram Y. Kinzey Jr. '42
Blacksburg, Virginia

Story ideas and letters to the editor

Emailvtmag@vt.edu

Mail – Virginia Tech Magazine (0109); Media Building, 205C, Virginia Tech; 101 Draper Rd. NW; Blacksburg, VA 24061

Onlinesubmission form

Class Notes

Emailfleets@vt.edu

Mail – Class Notes, Alumni Association; Holtzman Alumni Center (0102), Virginia Tech; 901 Prices Fork Rd.; Blacksburg, VA 24061

Onlinesubmission form

Address Changes

Emailalumnidata@vt.edu

Phone – 540-231-6285 (M-F, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.)

Mail – Alumni Association; Holtzman Alumni Center (0102), Virginia Tech; 901 Prices Fork Rd.; Blacksburg, VA 24061

Onlineupdates

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Jeanne Coates '88

jcoates@primeconsultingva.com

757-715-9676

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The university's flagship publication, Virginia Tech Magazine forges stronger relationships among alumni, donors, and friends of Virginia Tech. The magazine highlights the vibrancy of a university on the leading edge of technology, service, learning, research, and scholarship and showcases the achievements of alumni, faculty and staff, and students through a rich array of feature stories, alumni profiles, and university and alumni news. Virginia Tech Magazine is published quarterly by the Office of University Relations, with support from Alumni Relations. The Virginia Tech Foundation underwrites most production costs.