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<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">Date: Wed, 01 Feb 2006 14:39:32
-0500<br>
Subject: IEEE telephone milestone & Barney Finn keynote
speaker<br>
From: Gil Cooke <gilcooke@ieee.org><br>
To: Debbie Meinbresse <meinbres@mit.edu><br>
CC: Linda Scott Linda Scott <lindascott@verizon.net><br><br>
<br>
Dear Debbie Meinbresse:<br><br>
The purpose of this memo is send you a press release (below) for the IEEE
milestone event scheduled for <font color="#0000FF"><b>March 10,
2006</b></font> in Boston. Please post on your calendar of events.
Attendance is free. Those interested must pre-register. The
information is all there. I'm trying to get a good turnout for
<font color="#0000FF"><b>guest speaker Barney Finn</b></font>, well known
by historians of science and technology.<br><br>
I'll ask Linda Scott to put you on the distribution list and to send you
a hard copy invitation soon. In the meantime, the press release is
valid.<br><br>
<font color="#0000FF"><b><u>Press release and program agenda<br>
</u></b>xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx<br>
<b>IEEE Milestone Celebration</b> <br>
</font><br>
Mark your palm pilot and come to celebrate the 130th anniversary of the
first transmission of intelligible speech over electrical wire, which
took place in Boston, March 10, 1876. Inventor Alexander Graham Bell
called out to his assistant Thomas Watson, "Mr. Watson, come here, I
want to see you." This transmission took place in their attic
laboratory located at 5 Exeter Place, close to where Lafayette Corporate
Center is today.<br><br>
On March 10, 2006, the President of the IEEE will award the IEEE
Milestone Plaque for the Telephone during a program commemorating the
telephone and honoring communications innovation. The award
ceremony will take place at the Verizon building, 185 Franklin Street.
After welcoming remarks, there will be presentations by historians and
representatives from industry. Over 250 people are expected to attend
representing the personal communications industry, city officials,
historic communities, and others. The Milestone Committee and sponsors
would like a big turnout at this historically important event. IEEE
members, non-members, guests and their family are encouraged to
attend, to chat with Bostonšs own Dr. Benjamin Franklin, and enjoy a bit
of history. Attendance is free but pre-registration is required by
contacting IEEE Boston headquarters at 781-245-5405 or by emailing Linda
Scott at l.scott@ieee.org . Travel and parking instructions
with updates will soon be available at
<a href="http://www.ieee-boston.org/" eudora="autourl">
http://www.ieee-boston.org/</a><br><br>
When - <font color="#0000FF"><b>Friday, March 10 2006. 8:30 AM till 1 PM
plus</b></font> <br><br>
Where - Verizon building, 185 Franklin Street, Boston. Pick up your
nametag in the lobby then proceed to the auditorium.<br><br>
Admission - Attendance is free but
<font color="#0000FF"><b>pre-registration is required</b></font> by
calling 781-245-5405 or by emailing Linda Scott at
l.scott@ieee.org<br><br>
Program Agenda <br>
8:30am Registration and coffee<br>
socialize with Benjamin Franklin
<br>
9:00 Introduction by IEEE Boston Section <br>
9:20 Welcome by Dr. Benjamin Franklin <br>
9:30 Welcoming remarks by prime sponsor(s)<br>
9:45 Guest speaker: Barney Finn, Smithsonian
<br>
10:15 Guest speaker: to be announced<br>
10:45 Presentation speech by IEEE<br>
11:10 Acceptance by Donna Cupello, Verizon
President<br>
11:30 Closing <br>
11:45 Buffet lunch <br>
1 pm Exhibitions of antique telephones <br><br>
<br>
<b>Guest Speaker Barney Finn<br>
</b>Bernard S. Finn was Curator in charge of the electrical collections
in the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History for over forty
years and is now curator emeritus. He has a bachelor's degree from
Cornell University<br>
in Engineering Physics and a PhD from the University of Wisconsin in
History of Science. <br><br>
He has been responsible for numerous exhibits at the museum. Two of
special relevance are "Person to Person" (1976-1988) which
covered telegraph and telephone technology, and the communications
section of "Information Age" (1990-2005). In both of these
Bell's telephone inventions were featured. He published a catalog on the
first of these exhibits and has written an analysis (which depended on
both documents and repetition of experiments) of Bell's early telephone
work. Other recent publications include a bibliography of works on
the history of electrical technology and with bibliography on the
development of museums of science and technology.<br><br>
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx<br><br>
Gil Cooke<br>
IEEE Boston Section<br>
Chair Milestone Committee<br>
508-620-1284<br>
gilcooke@ieee.org</blockquote></body>
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