58 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Mr. Poison is now nicclianical engineer for the Milwaukee Sianiping 

 Company, at a salary and with prospects beyond those which existed for 

 him licre or anywhere else in teaching work. 



Several candidates for his position were consideied, c^orresponded with 

 aiid interviewed and from them Mr. H. B. Dirks of Princeton University 

 was appointed. Mr. Dirks is a graduate of the University of Illinois, in 

 which institution and at Princeton he acquired several years of teaching 

 and investigational experience. In addition to his work as a teacher, Mr. 

 Dirks has had five years experience in practical manufacturing work. I 

 believe him to be very well qualified for his position here. 



B. Salaries. 



Departmental reports submitted to you have recommended much needed 

 increases in salaries, and I am pleased to feel that it is the intention of 

 yourself and the Board to grant the advances asked so far as the resources 

 of the College will permit. 



Otherwise, high living costs, the demands of the industries and competi- 

 tion of other schools will cause vacancies which will be difficult to fill. 



C. Sludent Enrolhnent. 



Fresh. Soph. 



1915-16 131 88 



1916-17 127 88 



1917-18 123 78 



1918-19 132 57 



The above figures give the enrollment in engineering from the year of 

 the fire to the present and show the effect of the war. 



I have made the following estimate of the enrollment for 1919-20: 



Chem. Civil Elec. Mechan. 

 Freshmen .... 

 Sophomores. . 14 40 



Juniors 6 14 



Seniors 7 6 



Returned from war service . 



Total 384 



D. Course of Study. 



A revision of the course of study is in progiess. The changes proposed 

 contemplate: 



1. Four (4) credits per term of specialization in the sophomore year. 



Hitherto the course has been uniform from the first two years. 



2. Deferment of the economics courses to the last two years. 



3. Conversion of shop course from the purely manual to the labora- 



tory tj^pe. 



4. Additional group options in the Senior year. 



The freshman year of the new course will be effective in 1919-20, and has 

 been duly announced in the catalog. 



E. Buildings. 



The new buildings are very satisfactory as to space and appointments- 



