210 president's address. — SECTION H. 



as a " Master." This is a typical case. Ancther instance is 

 that of a graduate whoi in some emergency was asked to count a 

 number of railway fish-plates stacked outside the field office where 

 he was employed. He failed after several attempts to count them 

 correctly, though a horny-handed employee went and did it. He 

 has since got on, but is the method of training which turns out 

 such cases as these what it ought to be ? 



We do not want men stuffed full of knowledge, with their heads 

 ia the clouds, and unable to- do things. 



Many men have come under my notice who have wasted their 

 time on attempting a^ university course, rhese men were dragged 

 through somehow ; just scraped through their examinations some- . 

 how by memory work or luck. These would have had- a good 

 chance to do better if they had entered the pro'fession by some 

 other way, thoiugh in most cases they would have had better pro- 

 spects of success in soime other walk of life. 



There should, in the first instance, be a proper selection of those 

 who start on a university training. It is good business, and it 

 woiuld be a kindness to- hold tack those who show no reasonable 

 prospect of succeeding. It wonld be better for all concerned. 



What next should an engineering or architectural student be 

 taught 1 This appears to' be settled by a number of professors, 

 each one of whom thinks his own subject of the very greatest im- 

 portance. Limitations of time and of the mental capacity of the 

 average student make compromises necessary, but each pro'fessor 

 wants to put in all he can, with the result that the poor student 

 is overloaded and battles along trying to absorb sufficient of each 

 subject toi get him a pass at the end of the year. In this endea- 

 vour he often uses memory in place of understanding. 



I often test these men as to their ability to- put what they have 

 learned into actual use, and in such subjects as chemistry, geology, 

 and the higher mathematics am surprised what little evidence they 

 show that these are really of use to them. 



The subjects I have mentioned are not to be desp-'sed, but I am 

 driven to the conclusion that it is waste of time cramming them 

 into men whoi, as soon as they can pass the eixaminaticn, gO' away 

 and make little or no use of them and soon forget them. 



Knowledge, scientific or otherwise, that is plastered on to a 

 man is useless. You must get it into him for it to be of use. 



The attempt to make a young man a, complete engineer or 

 architect in four or five years must fail, and masters of engineering 

 as a rule have to go and work as servants of engineers for long 

 years before they are intrusted with a master's work. 



