June 17, 1892.] 



SCIENCE. 



547 



years' undergraduate course in the University School of 

 Arts and Sciences before entering the School of Engineer- 

 ing. By proper elections during the general course, the 

 studies of an engineering course can be completed in two 

 additional years. By this plan a solid educational founda- 

 tion is laid for the specialized studies of the engineering stu- 

 dent, and the best conditions are developed for his ultimate 

 success in professional work. The plan offers two other 

 points of advantage: First, the student comes to his profes- 

 sional studies in the engineering courses with a more ma- 

 tured mind, which is of much importance; second, students 

 without the taste for hard engineering work, which is re- 

 quired for their future success in technical industries, will 

 not often attempt a technical course after having completed 

 a general course. 



We can now usefully inquire into the specialized work 

 that should be prescribed for the average electrical engineer- 

 ing student during his last two years at college. Up to this 

 point, students in mechanical and electrical engineering 

 courses have received virtually the same instruction. Here, 

 we hold, with several others, their paths should diverge. 

 The student of mechanical engineering goes into careful 

 study of shop practice, designing and utilizing various types 

 of machinery, and similar subjects. The electrical engineer- 

 ing student must receive a good working knowledge of the 

 problems of the mechanical engineer, but he must, above 

 all, be trained in the practical problems of electrical engi- 

 neering. He, therefore, goes into a study of that which 

 will aid most in making him truly an electrical engineer. 

 His knowledge must all be based on mechanical laws, but 

 he must be much more than one-tenth electrical. 



Before reaching his truly professional studies, the student 

 should gain, during his course in physics, a common-sense 

 grasp of the elementary notions of electricity and mag- 

 netism, and of the " all-pervading law of Ohm." The latter 

 can be properly enforced in the laboratory by placing in the 

 student's hands ordinary electrical instruments, such as 

 bridges, galvanometers, amperemeters, voltmeters, etc. Be- 

 fore beginning his specialized work, the student's knowledge 

 of Ohm's law and its common results should have become 

 almost instinctive. 



With due regard for his preparation, it seems best to ar- 

 range the professional studies for the average electrical engi- 

 neering student in four divisions, thus: — 



1. Electro-magnetism and its application to practical uses, 

 with special reference to dynamos and motors. 



2. Electro-chemistry (including primary and secondary 

 batteries) and electro-metallurgy. 



3. Alternating currents and alternating current machinery, 

 including dynamos, converters, condensers, etc. 



4. The special application of the preceding divisions in 

 electric light, power, railway, mining and other types of 

 plants. 



The last division is allotted about twice the amount of time 

 given to each of the others. 



While higher mathematics is a useful aid in each of the 

 divisions, its limitations as an agent must be carefully set 

 forth in the classroom and laboratory. For the purpose of 

 educating the judgment and fully defining the limitations 

 of theories and mathematical deductions, the laboratory is 

 indispensable. As much as one-half of the total time spent 

 by the student under the direct instruction of the professors 

 of electrical engineering, should be devoted to the labora- 

 tory. This work, moreover, should as far as possible deal 

 with commercial instruments and machinery, and actually 



follow the methods of testing and research used in practice. 

 Physics, chemistry, mechanics, the steam engine, hydraulics, 

 dynamos, electrolysis, alternating carrents, and other sub- 

 jects, should all be properly represented by a commercial 

 laboratory equipment, which is made useful in every day 

 instruction under the direction of a man who has had expe- 

 rience in similar commercial work. The laboratory method 

 of educating the student is unfortunately too little devel- 

 oped in many of our engineering schools, but a strong 

 movement has begun in most schools to increase it in effi- 

 ciency and amount. At the University of Wisconsin, we 

 carry the laboratory instruction as a part of the required 

 work in every subject in which it is possible. 



While the specialized course of the electrical engineering 

 student during the last two years is largely devoted to 

 strictly electrical engineering, he is also given proper class- 

 room and laboratory instruction in useful allied subjects, 

 such as the steam engine, boilers, water-wheels, laws of 

 contracts, etc., as has been already explained. 



Students who are mature and show that they can usefully 

 specialize more severely than is done in the regular pre- 

 scribed course, are permitted, by election, to devote a greater 

 proportion of their time to either of the first three divisions 

 already enumerated. Thus a student may have reason to 

 know that a thorough course in electrometallurgy will be 

 specially useful to him. In this case, his work in the second 

 division is increased beyond the course requirements, and 

 his work in the first and third divisions is proportionately 

 decreased. Other things being equal, a student who has 

 thus arranged his course may graduate with his classmates, 

 who have followed the fixed course, as laid down. In the 

 same way, a student of sufficient maturity, who feels as- 

 sured of special advantages in the field of electric trans- 

 mission of power or electric railways, may increase his. 

 work in the first or third divisions and proportionately de- 

 crease it in the second. 



The student who satisfactorily completes a proper pro- 

 fessional course at college, whether laid down in the col- 

 lege catalogue or carefully elected from that prescribed, is. 

 not likely to become one who " tnrns out results like a 

 cornsheller, and never grows wiser or better tho' it grinds, 

 a thousand bushels of them." In order that he may have- 

 a fair opportunity of growing ■' wiser and better " in the 

 practice of his art, he should be given reasonable encour- 

 agement. As Mr, Holley one time said, an understand- 

 ing should obtain ''among the owners, directors, and com- 

 mercial managers of engineering enterprises that It is not a 

 matter of favor, but a matter of as much interest to them- 

 selves as to any class, that young men of suitable ability,, 

 and of suitable preliminary culture, however acquired,, 

 should have an opportunity and encouragement to. 

 master the practical features of technical education in 

 works, not as mere apprentices, but under reasonable- 

 facilities for economy of time and completeness of re- 

 search." 



A legend on the cover of a circular lately issued by the 

 Engineering School of the University of Wisconsin, gives 

 the true object of the technical college, when it says, " We- 

 do not aim to produce engineers, but to produce men with 

 great capacity for becoming engineers." If our product is 

 accorded the treatment advised by Mr. Holley (himself an 

 experienced manufacturer), we feel sure- the work of our 

 school and of similar technical schools will not be use- 

 less. 



HadlsoD, Wis., May, 1893. 



