CSM Issues
Silver Diplomas
By Charles S. Morris
When 71 graduate and professional engineering
students came forward to get their degrees at the Colorado School of Mines commencement on
Friday morning, May 6, in Golden, Colo., they received the School's cherished silver
diploma.
 Instead
of the traditional parchment "sheepskin" given to the undergraduates completing
their work at Mines, the silver diplomas are 1-64th of an inch thick, 5 1/2 inches wide,
and 4 7/8 inches deep.
The diploma is an engraved sheet of sterling silver, signed by Dr.
Guy T. McBride, Jr., CSM president, with an electric stylus. Each of the diplomas will
have gone through many intricate steps that were initiated last January.
Idea Originated by Student
Awarding of the silver diplomas first began in 1934 when they were conferred on
all members of the graduating class. In recent years, the decision was made to award them
only to students gaining professional, master's, and doctorate degrees.
The idea began
with W.G. (Gaylord) Warren, a member of the class of 1934, editor of the students' weekly
newspaper, The Oredigger, and a metallurgist now living in Manitou Springs.
He advanced his idea through articles in the newspaper and the School
administration. The students also took to the plan, and under the direction of Professor
George W. Salzer, the design and hand lettering were done. Then-President Melville
Coolbaugh signed each of the first 81 diplomas by hand, as Dr. McBride does now, to make
it "official."The diplomas also bear the names of Ted Stockmar, president,
and Bill Coors, assistant secretary, of the School's trustees; Dr. James H. Gary, vice
president for academic affairs; Dean of the Graduate School, Dr. W.C. Copeland; and the
student's faculty department head; these, however, are etched on the plate.
Engraving Process Complicated
The engraving process is a complicated one. Simplified, it began this year in
January when Don Ljungvall, foreman of the CSM Instrument Shop, secured the necessary
supply of silver plates and took them to Acme Silver Plating Work in Lakewood for the
plates to be polished to a mirror finish. Later on, he contacted Sonia Rust of Arvada, who
does hand lettering of the diplomas.
In February, Carol Loos of the CSM Publications Department received the
lettering and proceeded to prepare several master diplomas for Photographer Art Lee to put
on film, along with the names.
Then the process switched to the Instrument Shop, part of the CSM Plant Facilities
building at 14th and Maple, where the silver plate of each diploma is then purniced to
obtain a satin finish and a sensitized glue applied so it could be exposed
photographically.
Technicians "strip on" the students' name and degree on their master
film. "Spotting" is then done to touch up flaws and specks of dust. Ljungvall
screens each plate under a microscope to guarantee perfection.
In addition to Ljungvall, the technicians in the shop are involved in any phase of
the process. They are Harry Benson, Bill Ellerby, and Al Wade. After Mar. 1, the four are
engaged almost full time in the diploma-making process. The "topped" plate is
then etched in silver in a cyanide bath and dipped in a sulphur bath to oxidize the
lettering in black.
Signed with Electric Stylus
 Near the end of the process, Dr. McBride visits the shop to spend about a
half hour signing the diplomas with the electric stylus.
This year the diplomas bear the
name of a new officer of the Board of Trustees. With the retirement of Ed
Eisenach,
secretary of the board for several years, Bill Coors became identified on this year's
silver diplomas as assistant secretary.
The final diploma plate is cleaned and lacquered, placed in a blue vinyl case
bearing the School's spherical triangle symbol and the student's name, and is ready for
presentation at commencement.
In addition to the 71 silver diplomas for the advanced and professional degree
candidates for this year, 38 silver diplomas were prepared for the Class of 1927, whose
members celebrate their 50-year reunion at commencement.
These diplomas, lettered in gold,
are presented to the class during the graduation ceremonies.
Believe-It-Or-Not
It is not known how many other colleges and universities
present such unique diplomas to their graduates, but in the 1 950's the Colorado School of
Mines' silver diplomas were the subject of a Robert L. Ripley "Believe It Or
Not" cartoon then syndicated to daily news.
June 1977
|
