Now in Government 

 Employ 



I was working on a farm filling what was prac- 

 tically a laborer's position when I first enrolled 

 with the I. C. S., for the Surveying and Map- 

 ping Course, which I completed between 

 November, 1899, and May, 1900. I after- 

 wards enrolled for the Civil Engineering Course. 

 At that time I had received an ordinary high- 

 school education, taking me part way through 

 algebra and complete plane geometry. This 

 was the only training I had in mathematics. 

 I am sure that the knowledge I gained was well 

 worth the effort and the expenditure, since it 

 enabled me to obtain a position in the U. S. 

 Geological Survey, with which I have been 

 employed ever since. On the following year 

 after I entered service I was able to pass 

 the Civil Service examination for permanent 

 employment and have received promotions 

 from time to time since then. I fee! that I owe 

 my start in engineering work to the educa- 

 tion received through the I. C. S. I attribute 

 a considerable part of whatever success I may 

 have obtained to this education and to the 

 habits of perseverance and industry acquired 

 during this course of study. I am entitled a 

 topographical engineer and receive a salary of 

 $2,000 a year. WM. O. TUFTS, 



U. S. Geological Survey, 



Washington, D. C. 



