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[[stamp]] FROM THE FLYING PIONEERS BIOGRAPHIES OF HAROLD E. MOREHOUSE [[/stamp]]

(3rd copy)
JOHN A. D. McCURDY
Early Curtiss Exhibition Pilot - Canadian Aviation Pioneer
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John A. D. McCurdy was born August 2, 1886 at Baddeck, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada, son of a former newspaper editor [[strikethrough]] but [[/strikethrough]] who [[strikethrough]] at that time [[/strikethrough]] was later secretary to Dr. Alexander Graham Bell. McCurdy attended school at Cape Ereton Village, and during his youth spent considerable time watching the various experimental projects of Dr. Bell, and decided he wanted to become a mechanical engineer.

As a result he entered the University of Toronto  in 1903 as an engineering student. F. W "Casey" Baldwin was in his class and they became close friends. As McCurdy graduated in 1907 he received a letter from Mrs. Bell asking him to return to Baddeck, Nova Scotia to assist Dr. Bell and, if possible, to bring another graduate he could recommend. Her invitation was accepted and during that summer both McCurdy and Baldwin were [[strikethrough]] assigned to [[/strikethrough]] helping with Dr. Bell's tetrahedral kite experiments. 

In October 1907 Dr. and Mrs. Bell formed the Aerial Experiment Association, [[strikethrough]] the world's [[/strikethrough]] America's second scientific project for research in flight, the first having been that of the Wright brothers. Starting in [[strikethrough]] 1900 and continuing through 1905. The [[/strikethrough]] 1899. Mrs. Bell financed the [[strikethrough]] project, appointing [[/strikethrough]] Association, Glenn Curtiss was appointed [[strikethrough]] as [[/strikethrough]] Director of Experiments, Baldwin as Chief Engineer, McCurdy as Treasurer and Lieutenant Thomas Selfridge of the U.S. Army as Secretary. The life of the charter was for one year, with oper-

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