April 20, 1917] 



SCIENCE 



389 



them in our laboratory to empliasize differ- 

 ences in diffusibility between crystalloid and 

 colloid solutions in studying the nature of 

 protoplasm, to show the method of entrance 

 of solutions into root hairs, and to illustrate 

 a factor in the ascent of sap in stems. The 

 experiments never grow old to the student of 

 inquiring mind. Qj^^j^^^j^ T^j^j^j^ ^^^^^^ 

 Univeesity op Cincinnati 



THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR 



THE ADVANCEMENT OF 



SCIENCE! 



SECTION D— ENGINEERING 



The first session was held in the morning of 

 Thursday, December 28, in the engineering build- 

 ing, Columbia "University, Vice-president Dr. Henry 

 M. Howe in the chair, with an attendance of about 

 65. It was announced that the sectional committee 

 had recommended for election to the general com- 

 mittee for the office of vice-president. Dr. Henry S. 

 Drinker, president of Lehigh University, South 

 Bethlehem, Pa. The following ofiicers were elected 

 by the Section: 



MeTriber of Council — Professor F. L. Bishop, of 

 the University of Pittsburgh. 



Member of General Committee — Professor D. D. 

 Jackson, of Columbia University. 



Member of Sectional Committee — Professor A. 

 E. Burton, of the Massachusetts Institute of Tech- 



The program of the session, which was devoted 

 to sanitary engineering, was as follows: 

 The Treatment of Fublic Water Supplies: Nich- 

 olas S. Hill, Jr. 

 The Disposal of Sewage by Dilution in New YorTc 

 Harbor Waters: D. D. Jackson and R. H. 

 Brown. 

 Fure Water and the Fublic Health: George A. 



Johnson. 

 Eecent Developments in the Design of Garbage Dis- 

 posal Flants: Gdstave E. Tuska. 

 The Sterilization of Tannery Wastes: D. D. Jack- 

 son and A. M. Buswell. 

 The Situation regarding the Main Drainage of 

 New York City: Kenneth Allen. 

 The second session was held on the afternoon of 

 Thursday, December 28, in the assembly hall of 

 the Automobile Club of America, under the joint 

 auspices of the Society for the Promotion of Engi- 

 neering Education, the Automobile Club of Amer- 

 ica, the National Highways Association, the Na- 

 1 New York, December 28-29, 1916. 



tional Automobile Chamber of Commerce, and 

 Section D, American Association for the Advance- 

 ment of Science. This session was devoted to high- 

 way engineering education. Mr. William O. "Wiley, 

 treasurer of the Society for the Promotion of Engi- 

 neering Education, was in the chair. The attend- 

 ance was about 85. 



The program of the session was as follows: 



The Value of a Training in the Humanities for 



Engineers: Nelson P. Lewis. 

 What is Best in Engineering Education: H. H. 



HiGBIE. 



Education in engineering should be primarily a 

 systematic cultivation of the natural abilities of 

 the individual student, and should be concerned 

 only secondarily with acquiring knowledge of facts 

 or of methods of using them. The greatest services 

 which a college may undertake to perform for its 

 students are: 



Pirst: To develop traits and habits which pro- 

 duce a creditable and attractive personal address. 



Second: To establish a habit of thinking inde- 

 pendently, clearly, accurately, usefully and pleas- 

 urably. 



Third: To ingrain thoroughly some fundamental 

 principles of science to base thoughts upon. 



Fourth: To exalt the personal ideals and morals 

 of a student. 



Colleges of engineering commonly attempt to im- 

 part other things, which the student is not likely 

 to assimilate, namely: 



1. Experience and judgment in the applications 

 of scientific principles to practical problems. 



2. Special knowledge, espertness or speed in any 

 particular branch of science or art. 



3. Equipment of knowledge adequate for any de- 

 mand without some measure of ingenuity or adap- 

 tive ability on the students' part. 



Any notable improvements in the functioning of 

 an engineering college will depend upon: 



1. Personality, interest, enthusiasm of the teach- 

 ers and their contact with the students. 



2. More general and serious study of educational 

 problems by teachers of engineering. 



3. Greater adaptability of the educational sys- 

 tem to the individual student. 



Criticisms and suggestions are made concerning 

 the teaching of English and foreign languages, 

 specialized or professional courses and mathe- 

 matics. 



Essential Qualifications of Highway Engineers for 

 State, County and Municipal Departments : E. A. 

 Stevens. 



