294 ROBERT HEYWOOD FERNALD 



channels best adapted to the needs at hand. His resources 

 must be unhmited. His associations are such that culture 

 and refinement are of great moment, and a well defined knowl- 

 edge of the conditions and resources of the world at large is 

 indispensable. Business training is also very essential, and, 

 in fact, there is probably no other profession in which the cul- 

 tivating influences of a general education are more necessary 

 than for the man who has to cope with the greatest problems 

 of civilization and progress — the engineer. 



Is it possible for the average student of engineering to 

 obtain such an education? It is, of course, necessary for him 

 to be conversant with his special lines, and the average time 

 taken for a college education will not admit of thorough train- 

 ing in one particular direction as well as years of unknown 

 value that may be devoted to general and culture subjects. 

 What the proportion should be and the order and relative 

 value of different subjects is outside the province of this paper, 

 but it will prove of interest to note later the general tendency, 

 in this regard, of the engineering institutions of the United 

 States. The more one studies the subject, the more informa- 

 tion one gathers from those in positions of responsibility, and 

 the more one watches the careers of young men, the more con- 

 vinced does he become of the misfortune which has befallen 

 those who have neglected the cultivating influences of such 

 educational advantages as were within their reach. It is true 

 that many a young man, through force of circumstances, can- 

 not avail himself of the opportunities for such education, and 

 is forced to fight his own way as best he can, securing only, if 

 any at all, such special training and education as will best fit 

 him for his particular chosen profession. Such a young man 

 is unfortunate, but not to be blamed, and may far outstrip, 

 both in natural ability and application, the young man of 

 more desirable opportunities who has ignored his chances for 

 development. 



Misfortunes and difficulties do not necessarily strengthen 

 a man. The strong man only can overcome such obstacles, 

 and while he may, by virtue of his strength, accomplish much, 

 yet it is a question whether the same man with such qualities 

 would not have been greater had he been allowed the oppor- 



