DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 63 



KEPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING. 



President David Friday, 



Michigan Agricultural College. 

 Dear Sir: 



In spite of many hindrances to effective work, tlie results achieved dur- 

 ing the past year in this department of the College were better than we had 

 reason to expect. Presumably on account of reduced College finances our 

 teaching staff was cut and the schedule of classes, field-work and labora- 

 tories was necessarily carried out with seven instructors as against eight 

 for the year before. This situation compelled the suspension of certain 

 rules of practice in apportioning the teachers to the requirements 

 o'f the schedule which has been followed for some years past. I believe 

 in repeated drill, especially in the field-work which accompanies our 

 courses in all kinds of surveying, and this drill should be given under con- 

 stant and minute supervision. Experience has shown that an instructor 

 can supply the required kind of supervision in the field, only when he 

 has assigned to him for a given exercise not more than fifteen students. 

 With larger classes in this kind of training the instructor can not ob- 

 serve at their first occurrence erroneous methods of performance by the 

 students, as he must do if bad habits are to be corrected and avoided. 

 Even smaller clashes are required for laboratory work in hydraulics. 



The department teaching staff for the year included the names listed 

 below in the order of seniority of appointment. Instructor J. F. Gibbs 

 withdrew at the end of the last college year and no one was appointed in 

 his place. 



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



C. M. Cade, C. E., Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering. 



R. G. Saxton, C. E., Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering. 



W. W. Hitchcock, C. E., Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering. 



B. K. Philp, C. E., Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering. 



C. L. Allen, C. E., Associate Professor of Civil Engineering. 

 F. A. Gould, C. E., Instructor in Civil Engineering. 



The tabulation which follows will answer all questions with reference 

 to the teaching schedule, the number of classes and the attendance 

 therein. 



