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SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. IV. No. 89 



generally turned into lawns with flower 

 beds and perhaps a fountain. No doubt, 

 the sanitary conditions imposed have much 

 to do with this, but the result is none the 

 less in good taste. We cannot avoid, how- 

 ever, a stray shot at the ugly standpipe with 

 conical cap, sometimes seen in our smaller 

 towns. This is unnecessary. When en- 

 closed it has been made an interesting 

 object, and even the bare pipe can be orna- 

 mented in such a way as to relieve its 

 nakedness. 



There is much encouragement in the 

 growing appreciation and enjoyment of pub- 

 lic parks and boulevards. Cities and towns 

 all over the land are trying to beautify what 

 they already have and are adding new terri- 

 tory to their park resources . Admirable skill 

 has been shown in utilizing the natural fea- 

 tures of the local landscape, the rocks, 

 tree masses, meadows, ravines, ponds and 

 streams, the wide expanse of ocean or 

 glimpses of bright water. The curving 

 roads and paths, with undulating gradients, 

 have a beauty of their, own and lead one 

 from point to point of the ever-changing 

 scene, and yet bind it all into one harmoni- 

 ous whole. While the landscape engineer 

 deserves credit, not so much praise can be 

 given park commissioners for the artificial 

 adornments which they have added to his 

 work. Notwithstanding the fact that these 

 are sometimes labeled as artistic, they do 

 not always fit in appropriately. 



The writer firmly believes that there is a 

 latent aesthetic quality in American life 

 that is now struggling to find both means 

 for its gratification and methods of expres- 

 sion. Before there can be knowledge of its 

 meaning and power there must be many 

 attempts and many failures. The whole 

 process is one of education and that largely 

 in the school of experience. This applies 

 to the industrial and constructive arts as 

 well as to the fine arts. The engineer will 

 share in the general movement, but this is 



not enough. As a designer of so much 

 that the world needs for daily use he must 

 do more than keep up; he must keep in ad- 

 vance. He must not only have a capacity 

 to enjoy, but also the power to originate 

 and apply. To this end he must give pre- 

 liminary study and thought to the princi- 

 ples of aesthetic design, so gaining an intel- 

 lectual knowledge of them. American en- 

 gineering schools are doing little or nothing 

 to help the young engineer to this. So far 

 as the writer knows, there is but one Amer- 

 ican test-book, Prof. Johnson's book on 

 bridges, that includes any discussion of the 

 matter. A course of study in engineering 

 aesthetics near the close of college life would 

 be a great help and stimulus to a young 

 graduate, at least opening his eyes to the 

 fact that there was such a thing. After 

 knowledge comes the application of princi- 

 ples as tests to an engineer's own work and 

 to that of other men. And, finally, with 

 theoretical and practical knowledge well in 

 hand and a love of what is beautiful, comes 

 the impulse to work artistically. With 

 such engineers and an appreciative clientele 

 American engineering would be artistic. 

 To this end let us work. 



Frank O. Marvin. 

 Univeesity of Kansas. 



GEOLOGICAL 3IYTHS.* 



Many years ago I visited the British 

 flagship ' Bellerophon ' in the harbor of 

 Bermuda, and was told that when the ship 

 was first named the sailors wrestled with 

 the sonorous but unmeaning name, and 

 quickly transformed it into ' Billy-ruf&an,' 

 and it became at once intelligible, and bel- 

 ligerent, and satisfying. 



There arose, however, a contest in the 

 forecastle as to whether ' Billy-ruffian ' or 

 ' Bully-ruffian ' was the correct thing ; cer- 

 tain rude fellows of the baser sort wish- 



* Address of the Vice-President before Section E, 

 Geology and Geography. 



