As stated in Special Order No. 72, the BEB was to "assemble at such times and places as 

 may be designated by the Senior Member, . . ." It held its first meeting on December 22, 

 1930, in the Army Building in New York City. During the period 1931 through 1939, the 

 Board met a total of 55 times, with an average of some six meetings per year. The Board set 

 up headquarters in the Navy Building, Washington, D.C., initially being housed with the 

 Corps' Washington District,* "in order to facilitate administrative support."^ ^ 



The BEB's early years were rather frugal ones. Funds to cover operating expenses came 

 from appropriations "for examinations, surveys and contingencies for rivers and harbors." 

 By June 1937, 7 years after its formation, the BEB had been allotted a total of only 

 $160,900.21,^^ and part of these funds was shared with the Shore Protection Board. The 

 three civilian members of the seven-man Board, as engineers from State agencies and thus 

 salaried employees in this capacity, received no compensation from the Federal 

 Government, except for travel expenses connected with Board duties. (This provision was 

 changed in 1960.) Because research work was not specifically included in the 1930 

 legislation, funding for this activity had to be secured indirectly through the Shore 

 Protection Board,^^ which, because it had been created by the Chief of Engineers rather 

 than by Congress had somewhat more flexibility. 



One of the initial organizational tasks was the employment of a small civihan staff for 

 the BEB. This staff was to carry out the various technical activities for the Board and to 

 render assistance in coastal matters to the echelons of the Corps of Engineers in behalf of 

 the Board. In mid-1931, this staff consisted of two engineers and a stenographer. The 

 Board's first civilian engineer was Jay V. HaU, Jr., who joined tlie agency in January 

 1931.^^ During this early period, Mr. HaU worked primarily at the wave tank facUity, first 

 at Fort Humphreys (now Fort Belvoir) and then at tlie Dalecarha Reservation. (The 

 DalecarUa Reservation is a U.S. Army, Corps of Engineers reserve located at the western 

 corner of Washington, D.C. It consists of lands adjoining the DalecarUa Reservoir, the main 

 water supply reservoir for Washington, D.C.) Mr. HaU remained on the BEB staff during the 

 agency's entire 33-year existence. After 1963, HaU continued to work for the BEB's 

 successor agency, the Coastal Engineering Research Center, until his death in 1966. 



The position of senior civiUan engineer was first held by Ralph G. Davis. Davis 

 transferred to the BEB from the WUmington, Delaware District of the U.S. Army, Corps of 

 Engineers in July 1931.^° 



Ethyl L. Sweet was the Board's first stenographer. Miss Sweet came to the BEB in 

 December 1930^^ and remained on the staff for the next 12 years. 



Up to about 1940, the mUitary officer who served as Recorder for the seven-member 

 Board was also administratively in charge of the Board's staff, sCi-ving as coordinator 

 between the two. From October 1930 to August 1934, 1st Lt. Hewitt was assigned these 

 dual responsibUities. The title of the officer who headed the staff was eventuaUy changed to 

 Resident Member. After 1940, there were several occasions when the Resident Member of 



*The Washington District of the Corps of Engineers has since been abolished and its work absorbed by the 

 Baltimore District. 



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