EDUCATION IN FORESTRY. 39 



to enter, as, for example, in the mechanical properties of wood, the seasoning 

 of timber, the chemistry of cellulose compounds, etc.* 



In accordance with this general outline, the committee presents tentative 

 curricula of possible courses for the training of engineers and chemists in 

 forest products, not because it anticipates that such curricula will be followed 

 in toto by any institution but as indicative of the ground which it feels should 

 be covered. It realizes perfectly that in the inauguration of work of this sort 

 different institutions will go at it from different points of view, and will desire 

 both to cover somewhat different ground and to cover the same ground in a 

 different way from that suggested. The committee is under no illusion as to 

 the perfection of the suggested courses and believes that in the formative stage 

 of instruction along this particular line rigid standardization is neither desir- 

 able nor possible. 



With this general statement as to the purpose of the curricula a brief expla- 

 nation of the reasons for the inclusion or exclusion of certain subjects may 

 be in order. Entrance requirements are included primarily to show the ground 

 assumed to have been covered in the preparatory school as a basis for the 

 college courses prescribed. Those indicated have been selected as representing 

 approximately the present average in spite of the fact that the committee feels 

 that they are rather low and could well be strengthened by the addition of 

 from one to two extra units each in science and mathematics, particularly 

 chemistry! biology, botany, advanced algebra, and trigonometry. If this were 

 done, the two units of foreign language might perhaps be omitted, particularly 

 in view of the fact that they are not to be followed up in college. On the other 

 hand, the very act that cultural subjects are practically excluded from the 

 college course may make it desirable to require some preparatory school train- 

 ing in them. 



Lack of available time has made it necessary to omit such subjects as Eng- 

 lish literature, logic, modern language, history, sociology, psychology, and 

 philosophy in spite of their obvious cultural, and even professional, value. 

 Acquaintance with the foreign literature pertaining to an individual's par- 

 ticular tield will have to be maintained through abstracts and through general 

 or special translations. The committee regards these omissions as a distinct 

 weakness and suggests that students presenting advance credits be encouraged, 

 if not required, to elect cultural subjects such as those mentioned, rather than 

 additional technical work. It regrets very much that it was not able to find 

 room for a third or fourth year course in report writing, including the analysis, 

 preparation, and presentation of data, and urges that special attention be given 

 to these subjects, in which most technical men are weak, in connection with 

 other courses. 



The introductory lectures are intended to acquaint the student with the 

 broad fields of engineering, chemistry, and forestry, and to give some idea of 



2 In connection with this paragraph Dr. Halt comments as follows: "While tho tra- 

 ditional curriculum provides for the so-called fundamental suhjects for the first two 

 years, which are mathematics, physics, and chemistry, there is a growing helief on tin- 

 part of educators that the student should he introduced to concrete engineering prob- 

 lems during his first two years, and that a greater power in the use of these fundamental 

 sciences will he gained when they are associated with simple engineering projects. 

 Such evidence as we have shows this device to be of value. 



" There is a tendency also to distinguish between the training of the designer of 

 bridges or machines and the constructor or operator. The first group will be given 

 a wider and more thorough training in analysis and pure science. The latter will take 

 less of abstract studies and more work in the college of commerce and business, in the 

 gtudy of shop management, etc." 



