Opening the Doors (1868-1908)
The first person to teach mathematics at Worcester Polytechnic Institute was a woman, Harriett Goodrich. She was one of the four original teachers to teach the thirty-two original students when the Institute opened its doors on 10 November 1868.
Miss Goodrich was succeeded the following year by Prof. John E. Sinclair, for whom the Sinclair Professorship in Mathematics is named, and shortly thereafter, he was joined by Prof. Thomas E. N. Eaton, known to his students as "Tenny." In 1870, Prof. Sinclair married Marietta S. Fletcher, who had been the only woman other than Miss Goodrich to teach at WPI. After her departure two years later in 1872, the school would not have another female faculty member for the next 95 years.
Prof. Sinclair was famous for not giving what today would be called partial-credit: "If you solve the problem correctly, I mark you perfect; if there is the slightest error, I mark you zero."
Despite this, Prof. Sinclair was a well-liked member of the faculty, and one of the longest-serving in the school's history, remaining at WPI for 39 years. When he retired in 1908, he was the last of the "original" faculty still on campus.
Maintained by webmaster@wpi.eduLast modified: September 25, 2006 11:49:17