Avery Schiller

Avery Schiller joined Manchester Traction, Light and Power Company in 1924. When PSNH was formed in 1926, he became the Vice President in charge of Operations. He was a man who knew the fundamentals of electricity as well as the financial and legal aspects of running a power company. As such he was long a dominant figure in the management of PSNH, serving 23 years as President and retiring in 1970 as Chairman of the board.

As the man at the helm of PSNH from 1942 to 1970, Avery Schiller knew that a utility company was only as good as the people who worked for it.

Avery Schiller was a leader at the forefront of power development in New Hampshire. Many of his thoughts were recorded in speeches and written works. What follows are some of his more notable quotes and ideas.

On Electricity
"In some ways electricity is as old as time, but in others, it is as new as tomorrow. It is a unique force without physical dimensions. It has neither weight, mass, nor substance. It flows through some solids with the speed of light and cannot penetrate others. It is created by a combination of magnetism and motion without depleting the surrounding atmosphere of any known ingredient. It is incapable of being stored as such. After use, it vanishes completely with no ash or residue, leaving only a lasting imprint of the things which it has done."

On Electricity's Ability To Do Work
"Authentic records of Harvard College of the Colonial Days offer conclusive proof that the average Harvard graduate outlived his wife. In order to keep the home together, he was forced to marry two, three and four times. It was a case of many wives and no motors. Today this is changed! Women's expectancy is now equal to that of man and electricity has helped to bring this about. The average home now is an institution of one wife and many motors."

On PSNH's 25th Anniversary
"For 25 years we have worked together in fair weather and storm, in peace and in war, to bring better service at low cost to the people of New Hampshire. We have lighted the streets and roads of your communities. We have lightened the load of the housewife's tasks. We have made less difficult the farmer's toil. We have increased industrial capacity and productivity. Within our lifetime we have watched electricity take its place in the life of the community and play a part in raising the standard of living for this nation to the highest on earth."