28 / 48
A
Anna Ruth Sandin Masters, 2014 Lycoming College honorary degree recipient,
shares this honor with her father, Dr. Eric V. Sandin, who taught in the English depart-
ment from 1946-1964. “When the opportunity came for him to work at this school,
his dream in life was to make this into a small liberal arts college, like Wesleyan or
Amherst, or one of those small, really excellent schools. And it was excellence that he
really strove for.” Masters believes that President Trachte shares her father’s dream. “I
met Dr. Trachte and I thought he was wonderful. I thought he was a clone of my father
and what my father wanted for this school.”
In 1946, the Preparatory Department was being phased out in anticipation of estab-
lishing Lycoming College. Dr. Sandin came to Williamsport Dickinson Junior College
in that year, and soon became one of the core faculty members who was instrumental
in implementing the transition from a junior college to a four-year institution.
As part of her father’s salary, Masters was offered full tuition to attend the seminary.
Among the seven of her fellow classmates were the son of President Long and the niece
of the man who made Chef Boyardee spaghetti sauce.
Masters excelled in school, both in and outside of the classroom. She remembers a
deep love for mathematics, playing on the basketball team and often teaming up with
Anna Ruth Sandin Masters
CLASS OF 1948
An Oral History Interview
Janet McNeil Hurlbert, Professor Emeritus of Library Services
Interview conducted by Melanie Taormina ’94 for the Lycoming College oral history initiative
In a recent oral history
interview, Masters
reminisced about attending
the preparatory school,
her teachers at the
Seminary, and her parents’
contributions to the new
college.
28
LYCOMING COLLEGE 2014 FALL MAGAZINE
F E AT U R E S