DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 71 



REPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING. 



President J. L. Snyder: 



Denr Sir — While our departmental machinery has tnmed ont good 

 work during the past year, in some respects we luive not attained re- 

 sults which are wholly satisfactory. The main reason for this unpleas- 

 ant fact exists in an inadequate force provided to deal with the teach- 

 ing which falls to our share, and the clerical tasks which arise ]»artly 

 from the teaching and which are partly assignments dependent upon the 

 general college administration. Except in the winter term, our sched- 

 ule was much over-crowded and certain classes were assigned to men 

 by way of makeshift rather than because the teachers were always 

 qnalified to take the work. 



There has been no lack of industry on the part of our instructors. 

 They have all responded to every demand with the best efforts they 

 had to give. Every member of the teaching force is entitled to my 

 thanks and those of the college for his efficient endeavor, loyalty, and 

 the promotion of harmony in the department economy. 



We began the year with a departmental staff including the following 

 teachers whose names are given in order of seniority of appointment: 



H. K. Vedder, C. E., Professor of Civil Engineering; 



W. B. Wendt, B. C. E., Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering; 



A. M. Ockerblad, B. S. in C. E., Instructor in Civil Engineering; 



C. A. Melick, D. C. E., Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering; 



E. D. Kingman, Ph. B., Instructor in Civil Engineering; 



C. D. Curtiss, B. S., Instructor in Civil Engineering; 



C. W. Parsons, B. S., Instructor in Civil Engineering; 



E. L. Shepard, B. S. in C. E., Instructor in Civil Engineering. 



Three of those named above have resigned and will leave us with the 

 close of this school year. Mr. E. D. Kingman and Mr. A. M. Ockerblad 

 will undertake employment elsewhere, and Mr. C. D. Curtiss intends to 

 specialize in certain engineering studies at Columbia University. 



A number of my recommendations of last year which received no con- 

 sideration so far as I can judge are more urgent for the future. The 

 suaerestiou that we be allowed an assistant to care for instruments and 

 laboratory equipment is now mentioned for the third time. The failure 

 to provide this need is costing heavily in deteriorati(m of eipiipment. 

 Similarly the lack of sufficient office help has its se(]uel in inconqdete 

 and imperfect records. At present there is more clerical Avork aris- 

 ing in the office of this department in one week tlian was accumulated 

 in a year's business fifteen years ago. A very inqtortant item in this 

 is the work entailed by attending to the candidates for advanced de- 

 grees. This year there were more than forty applicants dealt with of 

 whom thirty received degrees at conuuencement after having satisfied 

 the requirements demanded by college r(\gulations. 



As for many years past I present herewith a tabulation showing the 

 work of teaching as carried out by this department during the year; 



