To the Editor:
I had the opportunity to visit the campus during spring break, after an absence of many years. I enjoyed a beer in the Clubhouse Pub and was particularly happy to see the showcase display dedicated to Willie Stanton in the Union lobby. There is a connection between these two places that I thought I should relay to someone at the Institute.
Like most students, I was a friend of Willie’s. I sometimes bought him a beer after his shift ended at the McNeil Room kitchen. Occasionally he would mooch a ride from me downtown to drop him off at one of the town bars he liked to frequent. He called me "pal" or "buddy" because he couldn’t possibly remember the names of the thousands of RPI people he befriended.
Willie considered himself a sort of Dean of Student Fun. He saw his role as a reliever of stress and, in his occasionally clownish ways, he figured he contributed to lifelong achievements for all Rensselaer students. He would tell people (truthfully) that he knew students that later "flew rockets to the moon." After more than 25 years away from RPI, I can remember very little about any of my hours in class, but I think I recall every conversation with Willie.
Now here’s the connection to the Pub. Once when Willie was in an unusually down mood, he talked about his legacy. He thought that maybe his time had passed and students didn’t need him any more. He told me that all he wanted when he was gone was his picture to hang somewhere near the beer taps—like his long-time boss Frank McNeil’s picture hung upstairs. He wanted his face to always remind RPI students to keep smiling and have some fun.
I’m not sure if Willie ever told this to anyone else. Seeing the display reminded me of that old conversation. In those days, beer was served downstairs. I’m certain the Pub is now the appropriate place for Willie’s portrait. Possibly The Poly could lend some support to get this accomplished.
Tom Engel ’74
