76 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXX. No. 759 



such simple mechanies as the "polygon of 

 forces" and theorems of moments; and 

 these again are elementary propositions of 

 geometry concerning parallelograms and 

 laws of similar triangles. 



Engineering instruction in all the lead- 

 ing institutions is usually differentiated 

 into parallel courses only after the first, 

 second or third half year, because they all 

 stand on this common substructure of cor- 

 rect theory deduced from mathematical 

 and physical laws. In the usual subjects 

 or branches, such as concrete construction, 

 bridges, buildings and arches, municipal 

 engineering (including pavements and 

 streets, sewerage and sanitation, water- 

 supply, etc.), thermodynamics and heat- 

 engines, electrical engineering, etc., each 

 includes a body of special data and detail 

 which may be studied by the student in 

 some essential points, but can only be fully 

 appreciated as applied when he becomes a 

 practitioner. The speaker Avould urge that 

 in the attempt to spread over so wide a 

 range we may get too far away from our 

 base; he would impress upon the student 

 the ultimate unity and simplicity of the 

 science and art of engineering in the large. 



A hydraulic engineer of large practise in 

 mill construction and power development 

 says he is constantly reviewing his mechan- 

 ics and other fundamental theory, so as to 

 have always at instant command the prin- 

 ciples which must be his guide to safe 

 practise. Another, a successful inventor 

 and mechanical engineer, says it has been 

 his habit to read from one to two hours 

 daily in physics, chemistry and electro- 

 technics, that he may keep posted, and 

 work correctly in his laboratory. His fine 

 library indicates scholarship and culture. 



Enough said. We leave it to the student 

 to take some simple principles like the 

 theorems of moments, the law of the para- 

 bola or the principle of hydrostatic pres- 



sure, and trace them in their various appli- 

 cations throughout the range of engineer- 

 ing practise. For example, the simple 

 principle of hydrostatic pressure so beauti- 

 fully applied in the operation of bear-trap 

 dams and automatic lock-gates — as on the 

 Chicago drainage canal. The chief of the 

 U. S. Engineer Corps has invented about 

 fifteen forms of such dams and gates, some 

 of which have been adopted with great 

 success. The practicians are ever urging 

 us to stick to the main principles and not 

 attempt too much detail. 



Other characteristics of the broad tech- 

 nical education might be specified, but we 

 must pass on to consider what, by reason- 

 able expectation, should be the character- 

 istics of the student, the graduate, the 

 product. 



If we ask the officials of the schools, they 

 would doubtless be nearly unanimous in 

 claiming a rather good article. (Some 

 years ago the recent graduates of a college 

 of mechanical engineering were recom- 

 mended to the U. S. government as com- 

 petent to step in at once and operate the 

 engines of the war vessels.) If we ask the 

 young men themselves how they rate them- 

 selves — ? Here General Horace Porter 's 

 advice to the cadets is apropos: Never 

 under-rate yourself in action, nor over-rate 

 yovirself in a report. 



"Men are born as ignorant as they ever 

 were"; but, looking back forty years, we 

 see vastly increased facilities for the earnest 

 student of to-day : spacious and convenient 

 buildings, well-equipped shops and labora- 

 tories and expansion of class-work and 

 practise-courses. Also, in many institu- 

 tions, the benefit of the advanced policy by 

 which leading instructors are or have been 

 practising engineers. Yet the conditions 

 of the school must ever be artificial, at least 

 in part, since they can not supply the acute 

 sense of responsibility which goads a man 

 on the works under an exacting chief. 



