Edna M. Littlehales, 80, is one of the few people alive today who knew Dr. Willis Carrier, the father of air conditioning, very well. In fact, Dr. Carrier was like a father figure to her. Harry Moor, Edna's father, helped Dr. Carrier develop the first centrifugal compressor, which opened the door to the safe cooling of larger and larger structures. When Edna was about eleven, Dr. Carrier took her in after Harry died and the two remained close until Dr. Carrier's death in 1950.
To celebrate the 100th anniversary of air conditioning, which takes place on July 17, 2002, as well as Father's Day, this Web site over the next several weeks will feature Edna's memories of Dr. Carrier, as well as her own father. Be sure to visit the site regularly.
Father's Day Thoughts
By Edna M. Littlehales
My earliest memories of Willis Carrier are a bit hazy. After my Mom fell on hard times, I had bounced around a bit for several years. When I first met Dr. Carrier I thought that this was but another waystop in my childhood. I have a vague memory of going to an office, perhaps a lawyer's office, and then to a nice home. I may have had a suitcase, but that was all. I do not remember knowing that my father had worked for Dr. Carrier, and I had no concept of air conditioning nor what a famous person he was.
Today the total picture of the wonderful man Dr. Carrier was and the impact he had on society is crystal clear.
From the beginning, I was asked to call Dr. Carrier and his wife "Uncle" Willis and "Aunt" Jennie. They were both in their late 50's, and I always marveled that they would take on the job of raising an eleven year old. I do recall the joy of having my own bedroom and bathroom, and taking my first shower instead of a soapy tub bath. It was a beautiful home but right from the first I had responsibilities -taking care of my own room and clothes and helping with other household duties.
Uncle Willis enrolled me in Essex Fells, N. J. elementary school, a far cry from the one room school I remember near Chester, N. J. Aunt Jennie helped me with my school work as she had been a teacher in Buffalo, N.Y. But Uncle Willis kept track of my school progress and encouraged me to do better.
The three of us usually had breakfast together, and always ate dinner together. One evening dinner stuck in my memory. Their guest was a white-haired gentleman who "talked kinda funny." He had visited before and spent the afternoon closeted with Uncle Willis in the den. This time he stayed for dinner.
Had I known at the time the fuzzy white haired guest was Dr. Albert Einstein, it would have made little impression on me. I had never heard of E = MC2 and still do not know what it means. But he was a courtly gentleman with a strong German accent who tried to include me in the dinner conversation. Clearly, the two had mutual interests as contemporaries who shaped much of the 20th century and beyond.
On Father's Day I always take time to think about my own father, of course, but I also think how lucky I was to have Uncle Willis there to help and guide me. We became quite close as I matured.
As I grew up, I began to realize that Uncle Willis was not just an average person. But his fame and international acclaim never altered his personality. He loved fishing and bird hunting with his two dogs. He always had time for me, and after Aunt Jennie's death often turned to me - still a teenager - for help or suggestions about family matters.
