This document commemorates the centennial anniversary of the Department of Mechanical Engineering. It's preparation has been a labor of love for me and faculty members, past and present, who contributed. I am partially indebted to C. Birnie, Jr., who organized the writing and served as chief reviewer, and to Daniel Zoller, who wrote a history of the department up to World War II for his baccalaureate degree in history. Background information also comes from two splendid books by Michael Bezilla: Engineering Education at Penn State, 1981, and Penn State, an Illustrated History, 1985, both published by University Press. The remaining information was obtained from departmental coorespondance and annual reports and from the personal recollections of R.G. Cunningham, C.C. Dillio, R.D. Fellows, P.B. Lovett, W.E. Meyer, D.R. Olson, W.H. Park, and C.H. Wolgemuth. Photographs were kindley provided by L.J. Stout, head of the Penn State Room, Pattee library.

This volume is dedicated to the 211 faculty members who devoted their lifework to the department and to the thousands of students (6,368 baccalaureate and 758 advanced degree) who gave purpose to this effort. I believe the familiar lines of Fred Pattee express our appreciation of their contributions.

For the glory of old State,
For her founders, strong and great,
For the future that we wait,
Raise the song, raise the song.

Robert Jennings Heinsohn
Professor of Mechanical Engineering