Septembee 14, 1900.] 



SCIENCE. 



399 



engineer which is so essential to the best 

 interests of the profession. 



As regards investigations having a com- 

 mercial and industrial value, attention may 

 be called to the prominence which has re- 

 cently been given to discussion of the value 

 of scientific technical training for the lead- 

 ers and workers in our manufacturing and 

 commercial industries. The mono-technic 

 and the trade schools of Germany have 

 been held up as models for the world. The 

 author believes that, under American con- 

 ditions, the first decisive step towards solv- 

 ing this problem should be taken at the 

 technical schools, especially the state col- 

 leges and state universities which are the 

 beneficiaries of the Morrill government aid 

 laws. The nearest approach now made to 

 systematic technical education for one in- 

 dustry in this country is seen at our agri- 

 cultural schools and experiment stations. 

 At the best of these schools not only are 

 the students given a thorough scientific 

 education and training for leaders in agri- 

 cultural work, but also extensive scientific 

 agricultural experiments and investigations 

 are continually being carried on. The re- 

 sults are systematically published and dis- 

 tributed in bulletins. The faculties attend 

 the regular meetings of the institutes and 

 conventions of agricultural interests, and 

 there inform the public concerning the re- 

 sults of the college work and the principles 

 of scientific agriculture. The author be- 

 lieves that similar training and aid should 

 be given by our technical schools to Amer- 

 ican manufacturing, commercial and other 

 industrial interests. At least, investiga- 

 tions helpful to these interests should be 

 undertaken, and the results systematically 

 published. The school which will under- 

 take such work will receive hearty support 

 from the industrial interests of the country, 

 and means for carrying on the work will 

 not be lacking. 



In a new and rapidly developing country 



like ours there are many yet untouched 

 resources. It would greatly accelerate the 

 development of these if scientific investiga- 

 tions of their possibilities were made by the 

 technical schools. For example, in the case 

 of quarries, deposits of cement materials and 

 clay deposits, both the raw materials and 

 the finished products can be carefully tested 

 and their qualities published. Again, in 

 processes of manufacture, the effect of dif- 

 ferent processes in the quality of the prod- 

 uct can be studied. New applications of 

 botany, chemistry and physics to manufac- 

 turing processes can be found. 



In fact the subjects suitable for inves- 

 tigation at engineering schools are very 

 numerous, and no attempt will be made 

 here to give an exhaustive list. The fol- 

 lowing may be mentioned : 



Theoretical Mechanics. — Experimental stud- 

 ies, accompanied by mathematical investi- 

 gations of the theory, may be made of such 

 problems as the actual pressure against re- 

 taining walls, the theory of concrete and 

 steel combinations, problems in hydraulics, 

 and many others. 



Materials of Construction. — The methods 

 for testing the materials of construction 

 need extensive experimental investigation, 

 and should be completely standardized. 

 The properties of both long used and of 

 new materials may be studied and made 

 known. Standard specifications may be 

 prepared for the properties developed by 

 the standard tests. 



Seivage Disposal and Water Supply. — The 

 methods of analysis of sewage and water 

 need careful experimental study to deter- 

 mine the best methods and the interpreta- 

 tion to be placed on the results. Analyses 

 of sewage and water can be made for 

 the municipalities and corporations of the 

 state. Many sewage and water purification 

 problems can be studied experimentally, 

 and systematic examinations and reports 

 can be made of existing plants in the State 



