312 ROBERT HEYWOOD FERNALD 



engineer who will develop manufacturing. It is presumed 

 that this historical trend explains the development, through- 

 out New England and the eastern and middle states, of the 

 colleges and courses in mechanical and electrical engineering. 

 It explains in part why one course catches up to, transcends 

 and falls behind another, in spite of the best reputation, 

 equipment and facilities of that other." 



The recognized standing of the graduates of these en- 

 gineering schools to-day is without question, a great change 

 for the better having taken place in the past twenty years, 

 and to-day the technically educated man of abihty is looked 

 upon with favor by the officials of large corporations, and 

 his position is practically assured. The very fact that he 

 has to apply himself more closely and finds his course of train- 

 ing more rigorous than in the older courses for corresponding 

 training in law, medicine or similar professions, has tended 

 to place the work of the engineer upon a basis not only com- 

 manding respect, but making the profession a learned pro- 

 fession in the highest sense, for to-day no other department 

 requires more work or a better quality of work of its stu- 

 dents than is required of the student of engineering. 



Possibly the most unfavorable criticism that can be 

 offered concerning the present engineering school is its ten- 

 dency to become too technical, in some cases not devoting 

 the attention necessary for developing the man, as a man, 

 in addition to developing him as a machine. The Hmited time 

 at command and the extensive ground that must be covered 

 make the avoidance of this tendency a serious question. The 

 cultivation of those qualities which make the man is of the 

 greatest importance, and should not be lost sight of in the 

 endeavor to secure what appears to the average young 

 man of immature development and restless ambition as the 

 so-called bread and butter education. Unfortunately, there 

 is a tendency on the part of many students in technical 

 institutions to look upon general or culture subjects with 

 disfavor, or at least with the thought that they are of no direct 

 value in earning a living, and hence would better be left 

 out of the course, or, if taken, should be regarded as secondary. 



