Faith
Integrity
Diligence
Excellence
Service
Winter 2015
Vol. 78, No. 2
Entered as Periodical
at Post Office, Media, Pa.
The Williamsonian
A PUBLICATION for alumni and friends of The Williamson School
Williamson College Of The Trades Announced As New Name
In a momentous occasion in Williamson’s history,
Board Chairman Wayne C. Watson 4W8, announces that
The Williamson Free School of Mechanical Trades will become
Williamson College of the Trades starting July 1, 2015.
Displaying a banner during the Founder’s Day ceremony with the school’s
new name, Williamson College of the Trades, are (from left to right): Jared
Pendleton, Class of 1W6 president; President Michael Rounds; Trustee John
Lawton; Trustee Art Lallo 7W9; Wayne Watson 4W8, board of trustees chairman; Trustee Dr. Richard Lighty; Trustee Steve Kelly; Bill Bonenberger 7W9,
board vice chairman; Michael Schneider, Class of 1W7 president; Trustee
Bob Abbot 8W1, president of the Alumni Association; Matt Roy, Class of 1W5
president; and Trustee Vincent Mancini. The new name goes into effect July
1, 2015.
New Steam Turbine Is Commissioned
A major component of the Energy
Island Project was completed in January when a worker from Skinner Power
Systems commissioned Williamson’s
new 70 kW steam turbine.
John Vogel, a turbine technician,
spent four days commissioning the turbine and instructing students in its use.
John Beaudry, director of power
plant technology said, “This turbine is
a wonderful addition to our program.
The training opportunities it provides
are boundless because it mimics a utility turbine with full instrumentation,
vibration monitoring, and operation.
It will provide our students with broad
career opportunities.
“The installation and commissioning
process has already provided our stuContinued on page 3
Lallo ’79 Joins Board Of Trustees
Art J. Lallo 7W9
Art J. Lallo 7W9, Ph.D., a V-22 engineering manager at the Boeing Co., has
joined Williamson’s board of trustees
as chairman of the Education Committee, announced Wayne C. Watson 4W8,
board chairman.
Watson said, “We are excited to have
someone with Dr. Lallo’s vast experience in education join our board. He is
a wonderful addition to our board and
has much insight and experience to offer. We are fortunate to have him with
us and are looking forward to working
with him as we move Williamson forward.”
Lallo said, “I am honored to be part
Continued on page 6
In a full to capacity chapel assembled
for Founder’s Day, Wayne C. Watson
4W8, chairman of the board of trustees, announced that the Williamson
Free School of Mechanical Trades will
change its name to Williamson College
of the Trades, with the tag line, “Building Craftsmen, Instilling Character,” on
July 1, 2015.
Watson stressed that the only thing
changing is the name. “We still are and
will always be an educational institution that provides deserving young men
with a free education in the trades while
instilling in them the character traits
of faith, integrity, diligence, excellence,
and service.”
He said the name change is an historical milestone and will make a great
school even better. “We [the board of
trustees] are doing this because our new
name will more clearly identify the true
nature of our programs and curriculum
and will portray our mission and tie
our past with our future. We feel very
strongly that Isaiah Williamson would
approve of this change if he were here
today.”
He said Isaiah Williamson died before seeing his dream of founding a
school become a reality, but he did live
long enough to write the Deed of Trust
which clearly states his vision for his
school. And, the Deed states that he
put his trust in the board of trustees to
guide the school and keep it relevant,
up-to-date, and, most importantly, to
keep the graduates employable.
He said since the school’s founding
in 1888 that the board has made occasional changes, all for the good of the
students.
“The school always has and always
will be proud of the young men who
graduate from it and go out into the
world as ‘Williamson men.’ Men with
top notch trade skills and outstanding
character traits.” [The speech in its entirety is on page 4.]
The Founder’s Day celebration began
with an invocation by Rev. Mark Specht
7W7 and then Thomas Wisneski, vice
president of education, welcomed the
crowd and pointed out that “We are
celebrating tonight Isaiah Williamson’s
212th birthday.”
He said, “Mr. Williamson was a man
of faith and wealth and frugality. He
also was a man of generosity. He didn’t
horde his wealth for himself; he used it
to help many.”
In his remarks, President Michael
Rounds said “You can see in how Isaiah
Williamson lived his life that he was a
man with good character traits. Founding the school was his greatest act of
charity and it has helped many for over
125 years.”
Next, Philip Vecchiolli, a construction
technology-carpentry junior, received
the Sons of the American Revolution’s
Willam J. Yearsley 4W1 Award for outstanding service. The award is given
Continued on page 5
Inside
President’s Message........ 2
Flower Show Preview....... 3
Power Plant Review......... 3
Founder’s Day Speech..... 4
Annual Fund Q&A............. 6
Class of 1W7................. 7
Bob Mensch 5W4............. 9
Class Notes............10-21
Class Giving................ 15
Obituaries................... 19
Shop Notes................. 22
Sports........................ 23
Homecoming............... 24