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SCIENCE 



LN. S. Vol. XXXIII. No. 857 



engineer away from the schools — a serious 

 matter which can not further be discussed 

 here but lies close to the root of much of 

 the cause for criticism. It is interesting to 

 note how even a single instructor, who 

 keeps himself and his pupils closely in 

 touch with current events, and leads them 

 to understand that no single human at- 

 tainment, however complete or final it may 

 appear, necessarily represents the best that 

 can be done, and that it may well be the 

 privilege and the duty of any one of his 

 hearers to extend the boundaries of such 

 attainment, will give an impetus to suc- 

 cessful effort that will be felt in the 

 entire lives of his pupils. It is to be 

 hoped that no one of us is unable to 

 recall with gratitude some such instructor. 

 We need more of them. A single in- 

 structor, again, who exemplifies the cul- 

 tured scholar and gentleman in ease of 

 manner and grace of diction does more for 

 the cause of scholarship and culture than 

 any quantity of sound advice can do; for, 

 I fear that it is Utopian to hope that a ma- 

 jority of the students with whom the study 

 of engineering is the main purpose 

 will ever believe that any man is disin- 

 terestedly sincere in his advice regarding 

 such subjects as literature, language, art 

 or economics, unless he makes it quite clear 

 to them that these subjects have a distinct 

 significance to him and are a part of his 

 life. Just here lies one of the great ob- 

 stacles to the elimination of ' ' narrowness. ' ' 

 If the inculcation of breadth of view and 

 love of the refined in life is difficult, the 

 development of qualities of leadership is 

 even more so. That these qualities are 

 largely conferred at birth will, I suppose, 

 be generally admitted, but I take it that 

 the criticism of lack of leadership is really 

 directed toward an alleged ciilpable lack of 

 facility in getting the best from others, of 

 appreciating the point of view of others, 



or of presenting our own views to others. 

 If this indicates a failure on our part to 

 stir the ambitions of our students to avail 

 themselves of opportunities which come to 

 them, or to plan for themselves a really 

 worthy career, then we are at fault ; but if 

 it means that the faculties of engineering 

 schools should further encourage those 

 forms of activity commonly designated as 

 "college life," then I believe that we are 

 on debatable ground. Of the importance 

 of those traits which enable a man to win 

 the confidence and respect of his fellow 

 men, to "succeed" among men, no one 

 could be more conscious than I. In indi- 

 vidual cases they may indeed be more po- 

 tent factors than accuracy of scientific 

 knowledge in securing preferment, and 

 any man is fortunate who combines engi- 

 neering skill with ease of manner and per- 

 suasive speech. But the real function of 

 these schools is, after all, the training of 

 capable engineers and it is very easy to 

 pass the line beyond which there is grave 

 danger that both the quantity and quality 

 of individual attainment will be lowered 

 because of time and energies devoted to 

 social affairs. By all means let the schools 

 realize their responsibilities for the de- 

 velopment of men as well as engineers, and 

 encourage by precept and especially by ex- 

 ample an interest in all that tends toward 

 a better understanding on the part of our 

 students of their human relations, includ- 

 ing prudent encouragement of the so- 

 called "student activities." But let those 

 who lack a realization of the great changes 

 which the student life at our technical 

 schools has already undergone in the last 

 few years, and who therefore constantly 

 clamor for more of what is called ' ' college 

 life," refieet that one of the greatest as- 

 sets which a graduate from one of these 

 schools can take with him when he leaves 

 it is the well-established habit of "doing a 



