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Award Profiles

	Past Award Recipients
		Awards Home Bronze Beaver Award Kane Award Lobdell Award Morgan Award Presidential Citations Honorary Membership

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			Harold Edward Lobdell '17
			Henry Bugbee Kane '24
			George Baron Morgan '20

Harold Edward Lobdell '17

People were Harold E. Lobdell's specialty. After graduating in 1917, serving in World War I, and working two years as assistant in MIT's Division of Industrial Cooperation and Research, he found his place in the Office of the Dean of Students. He was both architect and advocate of the Technology Loan Fund to support needy students and a friend especially of the Institute's fraternity system. By 1946, after nearly 20 years as Dean of Students and knowing personally a significant percentage of the living alumni, "Lobby" became the first-ever executive vice president of the Alumni Association. Here he continued his responsibilities for Technology Review as publisher for the two famous managing editors, Eric Hodgins and James Killian '26, at the same time cultivating his pleasure in travel - especially on fast trains with fine food.

"No one has practiced the arts of life in MIT's environment more sagely or productively," wrote the Review's editor Volta Torrey in 1962, reporting on "Lobby's" retirement. His friends may have been surprised to find that Harold Lobdell was also a distinguished Philatelist, a member of the Royal Philatelic Society, London , and co-author of an esoteric book on foreign nations' post offices in the early history of Hong Kong.

The Harold E. Lobdell '17 Distinguished Service Award was established in 1979. As of July 1, 2006 a total of 239 alumni have received this award.

Henry Bugbee Kane '24

Henry Bugbee Kane’s sense of humor, artistic ability, and devotion to the Institute left their mark even before he graduated: he was principal cartoonist for the humor magazine Voo Doo from 1922 to 1924, and his whimsical drawings of people and happenings at the Institute also appeared in other publications during his undergraduate years.

His industrial career, begun upon graduation, ended in 1940 when he left a position in advertising and power sales at Boston Edison Co. to become administrative assistant to MIT President Karl Taylor Compton with the assignment of organizing an alumni fund for the Institute.

But Kane is remembered for more than adroit fund-raising. He was a gifted artist, from cartoons to book illustration; a gifted observer of the natural world, about which he wrote and illustrated children's books; a gifted photographer, especially of the natural scene; originator of the Bronze Beaver Award, finally given to him in 1966; and a warm-hearted, sagacious friend of almost everyone at MIT.

The Henry B. Kane '24 Award was established in 1987. As of July 1, 2006 a total of 81 individuals have received this award.

George Baron Morgan '20

People who knew George B. Morgan describe him as an imposing figure, determined and opinionated, who absolutely loved MIT. Nothing excited him more than when he "found a good, smart kid" who he thought should come to MIT. In the early 1950s when MIT President James R. Killian '26 initiated the Educational Council, Morgan was among those alumni recruited to serve as Honorary Secretaries of the Institute (the forerunner to educational counselors).

MIT visitors in George's domains in East Texas and Louisiana had years taken off their lives in the course of being driven from school to school by George in his Cadillac - surely the largest ever made - at 80-90 mph over country roads, while he looked at his passenger and carried on a vigorous conversation!

Born January 8, 1896 , Morgan came to MIT from Greenville , Texas for his senior year after having studied at Texas A & M University . He was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity and majored in Course I. Morgan returned to Texas where he became President of Texas Metal Works, a fabricator of forgings and valves for the petrochemical and oil industries.

In addition to serving as an educational counselor, Morgan was regional chair of the Educational Council, club director and club president. His strong dedication to the highest standards of Council activities exemplified the best qualities of local leadership desired in educational councilors. The Morgan Award was established in 1979 in his honor, shortly before his death on October 20, 1980.

As of July 1, 2006 a total of 150 alumni have received this award.