Alfred Ag & Tech Rural Engineering student and Gamma Theta Gamma fraternity member Ed(ward) Ricotta (North Collins, NY) with his date, at the Alfred Interfraternity Ball, December 1949. Music supplied by Elliot Lawrence and his Orchestra. This must have been the pre-dance party.

(from Wikipedia) "From 1946–1954, the Elliot Lawrence Band became a traveling band performing at dances, concerts, college proms and headline gigs around the United States year-round while recording albums for Decca, Columbia, RCA, Fantasy and Vic records. In 1949, the band performed a three-week stint with the Nat King Cole Trio at the Paramount Theatre in New York City, the same during which time it recorded Gerry Mulligan's "Elevation", later named "one of the top 50 best jazz recordings of the 20th century" by the Smithsonian Institution. The Elliot Lawrence Band performed in Philadelphia at the World Series in 1950, playing his original song "The Fightin' Phils". By this time, however, the band had become known for their "sweet" commercial sound. From 1947–1949 the band was the "campus choice" in Billboard's most promising new orchestra polls. Elliot was also voted one of America's "most eligible bachelors" by Look magazine in 1949."

Alfred Ag & Tech Rural Engineering students, Gamma Theta Gamma fraternity members, and friends of my dad's on the Alfred (combined) campus (Main St.?): (L-R) Leo Raczkiewicz (with the GTG sweater; Lockport, NY), Edward Ricotta (North Collins, NY), and Jack Cornwell (Moriah, NY), Alfred, NY, Spring 1949 or 1950.

Alfred Ag & Tech Rural Engineering student and Gamma Theta Gamma fraternity member Bruce Renner (Mayville, NY) sitting in front of a Farmall International Harvester tractor at the Alfred “AT Moving Up Day" festivities on campus, May 1949 (although this is apparently a different time than the other photo of him sitting in front of the tractor). Bruce was a friend of dad's, and I recall, as a kid, when he and his family came to stay with us in the early 60s. We always got Xmas cards from him and his wife.

(2/11) Alfred Ag & Tech Rural Engineering students (L-R) Warren Taylor (Gainesville/Hardys, NY), Unidentified, George Schmidt (Roscoe, NY) and "G. Whippie" (true name not known yet), in a welding or brazing class, Alfred, NY, circa 1949.

(3/11) Alfred Ag & Tech Rural Engineering students (L-R) "Lee" (still trying to identify), Warren Taylor (Gainesville/Hardys, NY), Victor Carson (Batavia, Piffard and Seneca Falls NY), and Charles Hutchinson (Geneva, NY), with Lee's Model A Ford, Alfred, NY, winter 1948-49.

Alfred Ag & Tech Rural Engineering student Victor Carson (Piffard, NY) shown studying a 3-ring binder of notes on a bed. Mr. Carson, shown here and in other photos in the album, I believe, had a career in agricultural equipment sales. Tragically, he died young, at age 46 in Seneca Falls, NY, where he and his family made their home, on 28 Nov. 1976 (born in Batavia, 19 July 1930). (from newspaper archives and Ancestry.com)

Alfred Ag & Tech Rural Engineering program students congregating around a John Deere M tractor at the RE facilities on campus, in Alfred, NY, ca 1949-50. RE Senior (Class of '50) Samuel M. Arrington, Jr., of LeRoy, NY. is sitting on the tractor.

(11/11) Rural Engineering students (L-R) Warren Taylor (Gainesville/Hardys, NY), Bruce Renner (Mayville, NY) and Raymond Lahr (Geneva, NY), on the steps of a classroom building that dad noted as the "Ref Lab", probably site of welding and other classes; Alfred Ag & Tech Inst., Alfred, NY, 1948-1950. Both Taylor and Lahr were Korean War era US Army veterans, with Lahr being wounded in action in Korea (Oct. 24, 1951, Geneva Daily Times; Nov. 9, 1951).

(5/6) Alfred Ag & Tech Rural Engineering students, both unidentified, so far (although the one on the left my dad had nicknamed as "G. Whippie" or "Whip"), in downtown Hornell (Steuben Co.), N Y, on a Sunday, circa 1949.

Wintery Winter 1949 day at Alfred U/Alfred Ag & Tech, Alfred, NY - "Lee's Model A Ford" with "Lee" (still looking for a full name) on the left, and Thomas (Tom) Kuhn (Montclair, NJ) in the rumble seat on the right, Alfred Ag & Tech Rural Engineering students. (Looks like the Alfred U. Carnegie Library on Main St.; see other related photo in the album).

(4/11) Alfred Ag & Tech Rural Engineering students Bruce Renner (Mayville, NY) and Warren Taylor (Gainesville/Hardys, NY) with Warren's 1939 Dodge D11 Luxury Liner automobile, Alfred, NY, 1948-49.

Alfred Ag & Tech Rural Engineering students on the edge of the campus and RE workshops: (L-R), (1) George Schmidt (Roscoe, NY) between the cars, (2) Ed Ricotta (North Collins, NY), (3) Sam Arrington (LeRoy, NY), (4) Unidentified, (5) "G. Whippie," (6) not recognized yet, and (7) Bruce Renner (Mayville, NY). I think Whip may be wearing a USMC jacket, although in all his photos, he looks too young to be a WWII vet.

Alfred Ag & Tech Rural Engineering students hanging out at "Lee's Model A Ford," in front of the Alfred University Carnegie Library on Main Street, in Alfred, NY, on a cold, snowy day in winter 1949. "Lee" is in the driver's seat of his car, while Tom Kuhn (Upper Montclair, NJ) is in the rumble seat (I'm working on ID'ing the other two here).

(One of my favorite photos of dad's Alfred photos) A group of nine Alfred Ag & Tech Rural Engineering students outside a RE lab for a welding class, ca 1949. The three outside the steps I am still working on ID'ing, but the students on the steps include George Schmidt (Roscoe, NY), Ed Ricotta (North Collins, NY), Charles Hutchinson (Geneva, NY), Jack Cornwell (Moriah, NY), Bruce Renner (Mayville, NY) and "G. Whippie" or "Whip" (unknown). (I think the student, 2nd from left, may be Richard Odell, Akron, NY).

Alfred Ag & Tech Rural Engineering program students checking out a new 1949(?) John Deere B tractor at the RE portion of the Alfred Ag & Tech campus.

Alfred Ag & Tech Rural Engineering program students checking out a new 1949(?) John Deere B tractor at the RE portion of the Alfred Ag & Tech campus.

A truss bridge stretches across a quiet river, its concrete piers anchored in calm reflection. A vertical lift structure rises at one end, hinting at motion within stillness. Captured in black and white, this image honors the architecture of connection—where steel meets sky, and every span holds the weight of passage.

Photographed by John Knutson – Mystic Wolf Studios.

#BlackAndWhitePhotography #MysticWolfStudios #TrussBridge #FineArtArchitecture #BW_Landscape #SouthDakotaScenes #RiverCrossing #IndustrialElegance #FlickrFeature #BridgeInShadow #QuietInfrastructure #RuralEngineering