DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 65 



No important change was made during the year in the regular studies 

 and exercises, and but few changes were made in the apportionment of 

 work among the instructors. 



During the past year we have completed, in our shops, a ten-inch wood 

 lathe, and have made a number of small tools, and appliances — such as 

 collar and plug gauges, boring bars, angle plates, parallel blocks, etc.; 

 also a large number of rests (8) and face plates(25) were constructed for 

 the wood lathes, and spindles of all wood lathes were arranged for inter- 

 changeable plates; a conveniently arranged blackboard was constructed 

 for use in the wood shop. During the summer of 1897, our instructors, 

 assisted by a number of students, were employed, for the greater part of 

 the vacation, in making repairs and improvements in the laboratory; 

 during this period considerable work was done upon the details of a mill- 

 ing machine — designed in our drawing rooms — now being built in our 

 shops. 



We continue to consider it advisable to give instruction in the shops 

 through the aid, mainly, of progressive exercises, and not to attempt much 

 in the way of building complete machines. 



An interesting addition to our equipment is a file of cards illustrating 

 machine tools of various kinds; this file was arranged, chiefly, through 

 the assistance of Mr. Westcott. 



At the present time our shop instructors and a force of students are 

 engaged in making repairs, etc., in the shops and experimental room, and 

 the work will continue for a considerable part of the vacation. 



The expenditure in this department, during the past year, for equip- 

 ment, has been relatively small ; a number of small tools have been pur- 

 chased for the shops, for general use, also a few special articles, including 

 section liner, steel tape, slide rule, micrometer depth gauge, gear tooth 

 caliper, lathe test indicator, etc. It has been necessary, however, because 

 of the increased attendance, to devote a large part of the apportionment, 

 for the year, to the purchase of materials (stock) for use in the shops. 



The alterations and improvements in the experimental room, mentioned 

 in the report for '9G-'97, have been completed and afford the department 

 much satisfaction. 



Mr. C. E. Hoyt, foreman of the wood shop and foundry, resigned Janu- 

 ary 1, 1898, to accept a position as foreman of the foundry of the Lewis 

 Institute at Chicago. Mr. Hoyt is an instructor of marked ability, and 

 his departure caused much regret, both among students and instructors. 

 Mr. W. R. Bradford was engaged as foreman of the wood shop at the be- 

 ginning of the winter term of '97-'98, and he has performed the duties per- 

 taining to the position in a very satisfactory manner. Mr. E. C. Baker, 

 who was connected for a number of years with the Lansing Engine and 

 Boiler Works, has been engaged as foreman in the foundry. Mr. Baker 

 entered upon his duties during the winter term, and he has proved to be 

 a valuable addition to our corps of instructors, and the employment of 

 separate foremen in the wood shop and foundry has resulted very bene- 

 ficially for the work of the department. Mr. Chase Newman, who has 

 been department clerk for several years, has rendered efficient service 

 as assistant in the wood shop during the past year. Mr. Newman has 

 also acted as instructor in the Drawing department. During the winter 

 term Mr. Westcott rendered valuable service by giving instruction in 



