At one time virtually every zipper in the world was manufactured by the Talon zipper company in Meadville, Pennsylvania. This handy replacement for the button closure originally was invented and patented in 1893 as the “hookless fastener” by Whitcomb L. Judson in Chicago. Although its early value was apparent in boots and shoes, the zipper was too complicated and difficult to mass produce—until Colonel Lewis Walker, an attorney and graduate of Allegheny College, saw its vast potential in apparel and military applications, not just in footwear.

The Indispensable Role of Faculty in Higher Education
If a university were a quilt, the faculty would be the threads holding the fabric together. But despite their essential role, faculty often find themselves undervalued and underappreciated. This article