154 ANNUAL EEPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



amount of work, but because it indicates that localities have come 

 to look upon the Office of Public Roads as a body of consulting engi- 

 neers and experts who are ready and able to aid them in the solution 

 of their most difficult road problems. 



LECTURES, ADDRESSES, AND PAPERS. 



The educational work of the Office, including lectures, addresses, 

 and papers, has been greatly facilitated and broadened through an 

 extensive lecture program. These lectures are in almost all cases 

 given by the same men who actually direct the investigative work 

 and the construction and maintenance of the object-lesson roads, 

 and are therefore of a practical, instructive character. During the 

 year 523 lectures and addresses were given throughout the United 

 States, as compared with 185 for the previous year. 



INSTRUCTION IN HIGHWAY ENGINEERING. 



The Office has greatly enlarged and broadened the project relating 

 to the instruction of engineer students in practical methods of road 

 construction and maintenance. The plan provides for the appoint- 

 ment each year of graduate engineers to the position of civil engineer 

 student. During the first year of their connection with the Office 

 they are given a most thorough training in all branches of the work 

 and in many cases are retained as junior highway engineers. The 

 Office is in constant receipt of requests from States, counties, and 

 townships to recommend suitable young engineers to take charge of 

 road improvement. During the last year nine engineers, constitut- 

 ing a very considerable percentage of the total number, resigned to 

 take up work in various parts of the country. While the operations 

 of the Office are handicapped to a certain extent by this constant 

 drain, the exact purposes of this course of instruction are thereby 

 served in the highest degree. If a greater number can be appointed 

 and trained each year, the result will in time have a very material 

 bearing upon the progress of road improvement. While the object- 

 lesson road is an excellent example, a capable, progressive engineer 

 constitutes an infinitely greater force in the movement, as he should 

 reasonably be expected to go on year after year adding in a material 

 sense to the efficiency of our road systems. This project should 

 receive greater financial support and the number of appointments 

 should, if possible, be doubled or trebled. 



PROGRESS OF ROAD IMPROVEMENT. 



The Office is assembling reliable data as to the progress of road 

 improvement in the United States and the relation of roads to agri- 

 culture. Through an organization composed of special agents in all 

 parts of the country the Office will soon be in a position to receive 



