OcToBER 1, 1897. ] 
standing the strength and resistance of ma- 
terials, the thermodynamics of steam- and 
gas-engines, turbines, electrical generators, 
motors and transformers. 
As to physics and chemistry it is unnec- 
essary for me to explain how small are the 
opportunities compared with what is de- 
sirable. The state of knowledge in these 
sciences is steadily advancing. Hertz 
waves and Roéntgen rays are meeting tech- 
nical applications, and new knowledge must 
have place. The field constantly increases. 
More time must be taken for such subjects. 
We cannot escape it. It seems impractica- 
ble to secure it by having more physics and 
chemistry taught in the preparatory schools. 
Such work is not satisfactory. It is pref- 
erable to relegate more of the pure math- 
ematices to those schools. 
We are to look in the future, as I think, 
for an increase in the amount and an im- 
provement in the quality of the work in all 
that part of the work in our engineering 
courses, which, though but indirectly tech- 
nical, affords the theoretical basis of the 
strictly technical studies of the course. 
The improvement in the quality of the 
instruction will lie, for one thing, along the 
line of the illustrations and problems em- 
ployed, in seeing to it that they have to do 
with things tangible and in the direction of 
practice. This will help secure the neces- 
sary interest in theory and make it, as it 
should be, the basis of practice. 
We now come to the consideration of 
those studies which are strictly and directly 
technical. They occupy in most engineer- 
ing courses at least one half of the course. 
The improvements which have taken place 
in engineering courses have occurred more 
largely in this part of the work than else- 
where, but great divergence of opinion has 
naturally arisen as to what is best. In cer- 
tain courses of mechanical engineering an 
excessive amount of manual training and 
shop work was at first introduced; inex- 
SCIENCE. 
505 
pert opinion still lays undue emphasis upon 
this part of the course in mechanical and 
electrical engineering. But as the true 
function of manual training and trades 
schools comes to be better understood, and 
their value to the community in developing 
handicraft and in furnishing education to 
the artisan as distinguished from the pro- 
fessional engineer, not only will such 
schools be well supported and greatly in- 
creased in number, but they will be sharply 
distinguished in the minds of all from the 
engineering colleges. These last are not 
intended to make skilled workmen, though 
some seem still to think so. The engi- 
neering student needs a comparatively 
small amount of practice in wood working, 
which shall be especially directed toward 
pattern making; a short experience in the 
blacksmith shop and foundry, and some- 
what more of metal working by hand and 
machine tools, together with the manage- 
ment of boilers and steam engines. But 
any effort to make prolonged exercises in 
these subjects take the place of more theo- 
retical study in an endeavor to make a 
workman or a foreman instead of an en- 
gineer. 
The same is true of extended civil engi- 
neering field practice with instruments. It 
is quite possible to put too great emphasis 
upon it and consume more time with it 
than the study warrants. The temptation 
to do that is strong. It must be remem- 
bered, however, that surveying is not to- 
day the principal occupation of most engi- 
neers. The plan of putting shop practice, 
field work and other like practical parts 
of the course into the long vacations has 
much in its favor and seems to be coming 
more into vogue. Thestudent should grad- 
uate from the shop and the surveying corps 
as soon as he has obtained a moderately 
good acquaintance with tools and processes 
and enter the testing laboratory. That is 
the true field for extended practical work in 
