DEPARTMENT EEPORTS. 125 



REPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ENGINEERING AND 



MATHEMATICS. 



To the President of the Michigan Stale Agricultural College: 



Dear Sir : — I have the pleasure of submittiug the f ollowiug report of the 

 character and amount of work accomplished in the department of Engineering- 

 and Mathematics, for the jeai' ending Sept. 30th, 1876 : 



CIVIL EXGINEERING. 



At the date of va'iting this rejDort, somewhat less than one-half of this course 

 has been finished, which fact may, perhaps, account for any incompleteness. 

 Our course requires that tlie instruction in this study shall be given during 

 twelve weeks of the Senior year. My present class contains 19 members, of 

 whom two are in special courses. 



Wood's revision of Mahan's Civil Engineering, though poorly adapted to our 

 course, was retained as a text-book ; partly because no book better suited for 

 our use could be found, and partly, also, from the lack of completeness in my 

 lectures. 



My lectures cover subjects embracing the principles of framing ; the strength 

 of material ; the analysis of roof and bridge trusses ; criticism of existing roof 

 frames, and bridges in the vicinity ; principles of road making, and of farm 

 machinery. 



The instruction from the text-book is designed to cover the subjects of limes, 

 mortars, cements, principles of masonry and carpentery, and description of 

 noted bridges. 



Practical problems in the designing of roof and bridge trusses will be given 

 the students, and they will be required to bring in original designs of the requi- 

 site strength to suit the conditions given. Under this head, instruction regard- 

 ing the principles, construction, and use of farm machinery, will be given as 

 fully as the limited time at our command will permit. 



The collection of mechanical models in the model museum, afford many 

 valuable practical examples of mechanical principles. The crowded condition 

 of the enclosing cases detract much from the interest of the collection. Prop- 

 erly, to arrange and classify the models will require three times as much space 

 as is now used. 



Through the courtesy of the principal bridge building companies in this coun- 

 try, I am enal)led, by plans, to present clearly to the class the leading charac- 

 teristics of the work of each. 



ASTRONOMY. 



Instruction in Astronomy Avas given six weeks to the senior class. Using 

 AVhite's Astronomy as a text book, the topics thoroughly discussed were as fol- 

 lows : 



Definition of terms used in Astronomy : General phenomena of the heavens ; 

 astronomical instruments ; parallax ; methods of measuring, size, density, and 

 velocity of rotation of the earth ; methods of finding latitude and longitude ; 

 character of the earth's orbit; constitution of the sun ; sidereal and solar time ; 

 the calendar, lunar*, and solar eclipses, the planets and fixed stars. 



Opportunity was afforded the class for observing Jupiter, Saturn, and the 



