About Us

The goal of this demonstration to the museum is to show visitors just how important pike drills and fighting tactics were to war and society of the 1400s. Not only is the hope that the patrons have a fun and educational experience, but also that they experience and understand how those changes in warfare affect them today.

Huan Lai

Huan was a student of computer sci
Who strived to learn the worldly knowledge.
From Boston he came of the family Lai
On a cruise he went, the road called college.

And then he came upon medieval arms,
From there a project with his friends ensued,
To show the world the past’s hidden charms.
The life of the footman clearly construed.

He read, he reasoned the broader idea;
He sought to see the what and when and how,
And pursued to see beyond the veneer
That simply reading the facts would allow.

But as he leaves he can’t help but believe
That the work he’s done will be well received.

Matthew Sonntag

Matthew Sonntag is a bio-engineer
From little Clinton town he grew of age
He loved the ancient times and those more near
To learn, to grow, Worcester a fitting stage

An institute of modern science thought
Was where he decided to learn what from
This world and him he could and not have wrought
Here was a stirring place of learn’d maelstrom

Then to an armory with suits of old
Deep down to a bearded man in armor
Gave he the pike and lance to us to hold
And off we set to tell of pikes’ glamour

To bring down the knight’s tails so egregious
Our work like pikes to hold like the Aegis

Jotham Kildea

Jotham, graduate in year eleven;
He from Canterbury made his movement.
Thereby he hoped to his knowledge deepen,
Focused on computers and management.

When free time can be found in abundance,
Quick as a bear he heads to the forest;
Hiking, biking, living to life’s cadence.
Off to foreign lands, just as a tourist.

During research his work was high level,
Renaissance warfare had been his focus.
Sharing it with his group he would revel,
Often meeting at the Higgin’s locus.

Throughout this project so much had he learned,
But best of all was the wisdom hence earned.

Kevin McManus

How to develop computer-like games
that's what my goal is to learn, don't you know.
Not from Alaska, I've ne'er seen the Thames,
I grew up in nearby city "Mall-bro".

Higgins Armory, man that place is cool.
I spent a lot of my time there this year.
I can use what I learned there here at school.
I worked with a team, not alone. (don't fear!)

The project is done, but man was it fun.
An experience I'll never forget.
Truth be told I can't believe it's all done.
This isn't something I'll ever regret.

That is my sonnet, I hope it was good.
Don't you know I did the best that i could.
Higgins Armory Museum

The Higgins Armory Museum is a nonprofit educational institution that presents the history of arms and armor in a broad cultural context. The Museum achieves its mission by preserving, researching, exhibiting, and interpreting its collections for the benefit of the general public and specialized audiences.

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Founded in 1865 in Worcester, Mass., WPI was one of the nation's first engineering and technology universities. WPI's 14 academic departments offer more than 50 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science, engineering, technology, management, the social sciences, and the humanities and arts, leading to bachelor's, master's and PhD degrees. WPI's world-class faculty work with students in a number of cutting-edge research areas, leading to breakthroughs and innovations in such fields as biotechnology, fuel cells, and information security, materials processing, and nanotechnology. Students also have the opportunity to make a difference to communities and organizations around the world through the university's innovative Global Perspective Program. There are more than 20 WPI project centers throughout North America and Central America, Africa, Australia, Asia, and Europe.