Purdue Grad Got Into Oak Ridge By Simple Trick Norbert Gagen—a Purdue, Class of '36, graduate—was given a startl ing •command early in the war: "Break into the plant at Oak Ridge, Tennessee!" he was ordered. "Crack it—spy on it. Take pictures, steal documents, make maps speak to people, and ask them questions. Try to find oat what's being made!" These words began one of the strangest, most secret assignments of World War 11. With an almost unbelievably simple ruse, Counter Intelligence Corpsman Gagen actu ally penetrated our atom bomb secu rity defenses before going on to other vital assignments, including •delivery to the West Coast of an atom bomb that shattered a Jap city. Detailing his story, Gagen de scribed the air of Hollywoodish se crecy that characterized his mission. Called out of an intelligence camp staging area, he was ordered to Knoxville, Tennessee. There, in a tigh-lipped interview with an Army Intelligence Officer, Gagen was given a camera, a pistol, and a set of keys to a car—and told to "get into Oak Ridge." Working with another agent, he made and dismissed dozens of plans for entering Oak Ridge illegally but finally pinned all his chances on a 'cheap "Special Officer" badge he'd bought in a pawn-shop. By flashing this badge in an authoritative man ner at the guarded gates of Oak Ridge, he bluffed his way into forbid den territory, took pictures, made maps, stole documents and prepared a thick report on area activities. This report, in enemy hands, could have spelled disaster for Oak Ridge. But in the hands of American Intelli gence, it made the bomb the best kept secret in history. Geology Class On The Road With the advent of fair weather, the Geology 30 class under the in struction of Hobson Zerbe, have been devoting their laboratory period ev ery Tuesday morning to taking field trips around the vicinity in order to study rock formations and geological phenomena. On May 4, the group visited the Lost River Cavern near Hellertown, Pa., and on this past Tuesday, the class was taken on a tour through the Hazleton Brick Company by the su perintendent, Mr. Hugh Campbell. Other interesting locations that were visited recently include the "mile" rocks situated behind the Hazleton Senior High School, and abandoned mine strippings at Cranberry. Advisor: How many studies are you carrying? DeNoia: I'm carrying one and dragging four. HAZLETON COLLEGIAN Twice each month during the entire year, the members of the Gerinan Classes at the Undergraduate . Center held a German Conversational Table at Genetti's. In the picture above, a gioup of the Deutche students can be seen after the meal. The tables were attended by faculty members Anna Erlemann and Helen Dossenbach. An occasional bit of international relations was struck up when Edra Staffiera was a guest. ALUMNI NEWS BETTY PROCCOPIO, a four se mester student of HUC, who has been away from school because of illness, will enter the Misericordia College at Dallas, Tennsylvania, next fall semester. Miss' Procopio's major will be Spanish. LOUIS RAVE, who attended HUC three semesters is continuing his studies at Penn State Campus with Horticulture, as his major. Another three semester alumni of HUC, JAMES MORAN is now ma triculating at Bloomsburg State Teachers College. Mr. Moran's major is Mathematics. TED BROSKI, a student of HUC for three semesters is also, at the present time, a student of. Bloomsburg. State Teachers Col lege. DANNY BLOSS, one of the com petent past members of HUC Student Council is continuing his studies at the Penn State Campus and is major ing in Mechanical Engineering. JACK KOBRICK AND GEORGE SEIDEL, past students of HUC are presently located at the Penn State Campus. Mr. Kobrick and Mr. Seidel are both majoring, in Psychology. Recently admitted as a member of Phi Beta Kappa on Penn State Campus, MRS. NATALIE BIEDER MAN GORDON has been accepted into the New York School for Social Research, where she will work for her MA Degree in Sociology. DAVID KELLER, a member of the Penn State Symphony Orchestra and Band was a representative from that school at the Inter-Collegiate All State Band at Lockhaven last month. ALBERT KELLER, the former's brother is also an active member of THE GERMAN TABLE Music 11 Course At Summer School Miss Pearl Garbrick, music instruc tor, has announced the addition of Music 11, a one credit course, to the schedule of summer courses. Whether or not this course will be available to students is contingent upon the num ber of students requesting it. At the present time there are ten vacancies. Those taking this course during the summer are assured of continu ing it at the beginning of their fall semester. Although a student isn't a music major, it may be taken as a course for the credit. Miss Garbrick stated that evening classes will be given if necessary. A large number of students and school patrons have viewed the art exhibit which has been displayed lo cally by Art Carpenter, local Penn State art instructor. Outstanding among the composi tion is a painting of the Rausch home, well-known Hazleton land mark. the Penn State Band DICK EVANS and DICK BARA GER, both former students of HUC, are presently members of the College Choir at the Penn State Campus. At Misericordia College, Dallas, Pennsylvania, ANN McHUGH is a member of the school 'Glee Club. With Advertising as her major, CLAIRE MURPHY is now studying at Penn State Campus. Miss Murphy spent four semesters here at HUC. SEE EXHIBITS Club "X" Plans Outing; Students Invited To Attend At a mass meeting of Club "X" members last Friday evening, when HUC student Jack Wagner presided, it was decided to hold an outdoor party on Saturday, June 5, at Moyers' Grove. Club "X", a recreation center, is operated by and for young people past high school age and meets every first and third Fridays of each month at the YWCA on West Broad street. The next scheduled meeting will be held on May 21 and will feature, as usual, dancing, darts, table tennis, card games, group dancing and infor mal entertainment. If sufficient interest is shown, it is possible that Club "X" will be con tinued during the summer months and many outdoor meetings will be planned. Mrs. E. Wallace McMullen, wife of HUC Lit instructor, is adviser for the group and 'several HUC stu dents are on the club council. GLEE CLUB SINGS BEFORE KIWANIS Under the leadership of Miss Pearl Gabrick, the HUC Glee Club has accomplished much outstanding and noteworthy • work. As evidence of this, on May 25 the Glee Club will appear at the Kiwanis Luncheon. The HUC Glee Club has already made appearances at a Mother's and Daughter's Banquet of the Emmanuel Reformed Church; at a church dinner held by the Salem Evangelical Church and at the White Haven Sanitorium for the benefit of the patients there. CAMPUS PROF COOK IN DORM Much controversy has been heard on the subject of an increase in teach ers' salaries. Believe it or not, at the Penn State Campus, an Economics teacher found it quite difficult to manage on a teacher's salary, so ac cepted the "position" as cook for one of the dormitories there. However, with the slight increase he is to receive as an instructor, he plans to return to his teaching career. Hear Lecture On Social Relations The various sections of the col lege's sociology classes heard a lec ture on social relations by Syd Rud man of the HUC faculty. The lecture and group discussion took the full hour period. The lectures have also been car ried on in serial form in the health and physical education classes here during the 1947-48 term. In the sociology classes, the lec tures were given in connection with the lesson study on social mores and folk ways which are included in the regular course plan.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers