612 REPORT— 1893. 



of * descriptive geometry,' so that during one or two terms of a year 

 it might be taken during the same hours as already devoted to descrip- 

 tive geometry, with possibly one lecture a week, for one term, in the 

 place of the actual lectures in the applied engineering, into which at 

 present graphic methods are often obliged to be introduced for the 

 want of proper preliminary training in the subject by a student. 

 Moreover, the time now devoted in the engineering laboratory for 

 the plotting of curves might be much better occupied in the drawing 

 hall itself in connection with the practice of the plotting and interpola- 

 tion of curves as a part of the subject of graphic methods, the data 

 obtained from the engineering laboratory affording useful information. 



(2) The time spent in such graphical work would be an excellent 

 discipline in accurate drawing for a student, who is often inclined to re- 

 gard a sketch roughly representing an idea as sufficient for practical 

 purposes. A student should learn for himself that nothing is so easily 

 deceived as the eye. It is quite true, as Professor Culmann says in the 

 preface of his work, that ' the constructing engineer will give preference 

 to geometrical solutions wherever an accuracy of results up to three 

 decimals (one-thousandth), which can be perfectly well obtained, is suf- 

 ficient, for his drawing instruments are always at hand, and drawing is his 

 habitual expression of thought.' But such accuracy in drawing is by no 

 means naturally or intuitively acquired, and the student requires training 

 in a course of graphical methods before he would appreciate their value. 

 Moreover such practice in actually performing the operations, and be- 

 coming familiar with the solution, is absolutely necessar}-, if it is to be 

 expected that a student will really use these problems afterwards in his 

 practical work, as such modifications become extremely puzzling owing 

 to the want of a thorough acquaintance with the methods. 



(3) It is not only necessary that a student should be familiar with 

 accurate drawing, but also that he should be familiar with graphical 

 constructions as a means of solving problems. The plan ordinarily adopted 

 in the teaching of statics in conjunction with graphical methods them- 

 selves seems expecting too much for the capacity of an ordinary student, 

 and the difficulty of getting a class of even intelligent students to correctly 

 solve problems out of the beaten track may be attributed to the difficulty 

 involved in combining these two things. In the use of ordinary geometry 

 or analytical methods there are separate classes for algebra, analytical 

 geometry, trigonometry, &c., and yet the ideas involved in them are no 

 more difficult than those included in graphical constructions and methods. 

 Graphical methods certainly, therefore, have the same claim to be con- 

 sidered as a separate branch of study. 



The following proposition, supported by these arguments, was therefoi'e 

 brought forward : — ' That in all engineering schools a separate course 

 in graphical methods of construction may with advantage be introduced 

 which shall deal with such problems as have a practical bearing on 

 mechanical science, and which do not involve applications of any concrete 

 subjects, such as statics and dynamics, hut which may familiarise the 

 student, hij means of examples accurately worhed out by himself, iviih methods 

 which he will he able to afterwards apply J" 



The course contemplated would be a very short one, not exceeding 

 ten classes or lectures of one hour each, in the course of which various 

 facts not generally taught to students in connection with the plotting of 

 curves which most frequently arise in engineering practice would be 



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