September 27, 1895.] 



SGIENGE. 



591 



directly opposed to those of teachers of long 

 experience, and hence the importance of 

 the discussions in this Society. Principles 

 are more important than rules, and a broad 

 foundation gives the best opportunity for 

 success. The success of the middle-aged 

 engineers of to-day, who had few opportu- 

 nities for practical work during their college 

 courses, is perhaps largely due to their 

 broad and thorough training in fundamen- 

 tal subjects. The selection of teachers on 

 the basis of practical experience alone seems 

 a dangerous one. In short, education is 

 more important than engineering in the 

 school and college. 



The report of the Secretary, Professor J. 

 B. Johnson, brought out the fact that a 

 considerable number of copies of the two 

 volumes of transactions had been sold in 

 Europe, and that the methods of laboratory 

 instruction in the United States had formed 

 the subject of a lengthy discussion in the 

 Society of Engineers and Architects of 

 Germany. 



REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION. 



The Committee appointed at the Brook- 

 lyn meeting to collect facts regarding the 

 requirements for admission to engineering 

 colleges presented a report of progress 

 through its chairman. Professor F. 0. Mar- 

 vin. Circulars had been sent to every en- 

 gineering college in the United States and 

 Canada and 55 replies had been received, 

 which were tabulated in five groups by 

 States. The New England, Middle and 

 Central States are strong in mathematical 

 requirements, over 50 per cent, in each of 

 these groups requiring algebra through 

 quadratics and plane and solid geometry, 

 while in the West and South only 24 and 4 

 per cent,, respectively, require the same 

 amount. The Central States are much 

 stronger in science requirements than the 

 other groups, 14 colleges i-equiring an aver- 

 age of three or more science subjects. In 



advanced English requirements the Eastern 

 colleges are the strongest. In foreign lan- 

 guages the central grouj) stands highest. 

 Drawing is required by only ten per cent, 

 of all the colleges, and the larger part of 

 these are in the Central or Western States. 



In all the groups there is seen a strong 

 tendency to increase the mathematical re- 

 quirements, to abandon formal grammar 

 and substitute a better knowledge of the 

 English language and literature, and to in- 

 troduce either French or German. 



As to the conditions allowed and the time 

 for their removal the replies show that the 

 practice is subject to wide variation. The 

 same is the case with respect to the accept- 

 ance of certificates in place of examination. 

 It is significant, however, that out of 55 

 colleges 34 should report the certificate plan 

 as more or less satisfactory. 



Circulars were also sent to nearly 500 

 preparatory schools and 148 replies were 

 received. Of these 59 think an increase 

 in the requirements for admission to engi- 

 neering colleges is desirable, and 75 are 

 prepared to advance their courses to meet 

 such an increase ; 105 schools favor uni- 

 formity in requirements. With respect to 

 the certificate plan only one-third think 

 that it should be extended, those in the 

 East favoring examinations and those in the 

 South and West favoring admission by cer- 

 tificate. 



The Committee refrained from presenting 

 opinions upon the lacts collected, and it was 

 continued in order to further study the 

 material on hand and report at the meeting 

 in 1896. 



PAPERS ON SEPTEMBER 2. 



' The Scope of an Engineering School,' by 

 Professor William G. Eaymond, took the 

 ground that culture and language studies 

 should be mostly confined to preparatory 

 courses, and that mathematics, except 

 arithmetic, should be left to the engineer- 



