THAYER SCHOOL OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
The fortieth class was graduated from the Thayer School of Civil Engineering, April 25th. Within two weeks, its thirteen members were actively engaged in professional work, and widely scattered two - in Maine, six in Massachusetts one in Pennsylvania, two in Virginia one in New York State, and one in Porto Rico. One, with previous experience in "Spanish-speaking America". was booked for Mexico, on a large power-development project, but the pernicious activity of the natives, whose chief business is brigandage, blocked that prospect. A promising opportunity on railway work in Colombia, led to negotiations while other work was in hand.
As to the diverse branches of engineering: — four are in building construction, — reinforced concrete in particular; two on extensive surveys; one on road construction,— Massachusetts Highway Commission; one with the American Telephone and Telegraph Co., engineering department; one in structural steel design,— American Bridge Co., two with engineers engaged in large power development; one in municipal engineering; and the one in Porto Rico is identified with the Ponce and Guayama Railroad Co., as assistant to the superintendent.
This class was the first to enjoy the increased facilities of the new building during the entire year, and the advantages were fully appreciated and improved. As a testimonial, a substantial class donation was subscribed for equipment. All became members of the Thayer Society of Engineers.
The members of the class had an opportunity to participate in the investigations, by soundings and borings, for locating the site of the proposed three-span arch bridge across the Connecticut River just above the Ledyard bridge. The Boston & Maine Railroad Co., through Mr. A. B. Corthell, Chief Engineer, kindly loaned a boring apparatus and an assistant engineer to teach the boys the trick of using it. Later, Phillips and Worthington of New York sent an expert with a more powerful machine, and two members of the class acted as inspectors and recorders on this work. This was done after the ice became thick enough in January to afford support for men and tools. These investigations also called for a careful study of the regimen of the river, for which several cross-sections were determined; among these one at the deep, narrow gorge in the rock, where the river rushes past "Nigger Island". As no ice can form there three members of the class borrowed the cable rig from the American Telephone and Telegraph Co., suspended it over the narrow part of the channel, and took soundings from the hanging trolley chair at five feet intervals. Width at high flood 400 feet.
The annual meeting of the Thayer Society of Engineers in New York, January 14, was the largest in its history. There were present Mr. Mathewson of the Board of Trustees of the College, Mr. Snow (T. S. C. E. 1875) and Mr. Hovey (T. S. C. E. 1889), representing the Board of Overseers, and Professors Fletcher, Hazen, and Holden for the School. The loyal interest and continued financial aid from this body of alumni, none of whom have more than moderate incomes, is noteworthy. These reunions are always much enjoyed by attending members.
The total attendance at the School during the year was 29, which was less than for some years past; that of the previous year having been 37, of year before that, 38; and of successive years before those,— 37, 39, 34, 34, etc. With an entering* class of 26 in July, the total for the coming year, after September 16. Dromises to be about 35 or 36.
The Board of Instruction for 1913-14 is practically as before:— Professor Fletcher (Director), and Professors Hazen, Holden, and Austin, and Mr. Ruggles. The field assistants during July, August, and September, are H. M. Brown and H. C. Osborne, both of whom expect to be members of the second-year class after September 16, pursuing studies leading to the degree of Civil Engineer.
Acknowledgements are due to friends and graduates for service rendered to the school during the past year: Mr. George F. Hardy, Hydraulic and Mill Engineer of New York gave a donation towards equipment; Mr. J. P. Snow, Overseer and Consulting Engineer of Boston, a set of the Century Cyclopedia for the library, besides his generous annual contribution to the Thayer Society fund; several have sent useful photographs, blueprints, and articles for the laboratories; Col. F. V. Abbot, of the U. S. Engineers, gave an illustrated lecture on experiences on various works built by officers of the U. S. Corps of Engineers; Mr. E. H. Hunter, T. S. C. E. 1912, gave a lecture on practical details of sewer construction; Mr. H. N. Savage (T. S. C. E., 1890), Supervising Engineer of Northern Division (Montana, Wyoming, N. Dakota), U. S. Reclamation Service, an illustrated lecture on the irrigation work of the U. S. R. S.; George C. Whipple, Consulting Engineer, of New York and professor of Sanitary Engineering, Harvard University, an illustrated lecture on sewage disposal practice in Europe, Great Britain, and the United States.
During the year a number of interesting letters from Thayer School men have given clear descriptions of works in hand, aided by photographs. These letters are inspiring to the students and much valued by the teaching staff.
In November a tour of inspection of works was made to Worcester and Boston under personal conduct of the Director and Professor Holden, by practically . the entire membership of the school. Professor A. W. French of the Worcester Polytechnic Institute (T. S. C. E. 1892) contributed to the success of the visit to Worcester by advice and personal attention. By courtesy of Mr Charles Firth of the Boston & Albany Railroad, the remarkably heavy and extensive works for abolishing grade-crossings were inspected; the always interesting and spectacular operations at the works of the American Steel and Wire Company were inspected by courtesy of the management; Mr. Mathew Gault (Dartmouth, 1901), superintendent of the sewer department, personally took the party over the famous sewage disposal works, where the novel feature was the experimental Imhoff tank. Mr. S. C. Rogers,, constructing engineer, took the party through a very interesting new plant for manufacture of sand-lime brick. The testing rooms of the Institute were visited under direction of Professor French, and an interesting test of heavy timber columns seen. In Boston, the remarkable mechanical equipment of the Filene Stores was inspected. The courtesy of C. L. Berger and Sons, makers of high-grade engineers' instruments, was cordially extended in a visit to their . establishment. Mr. J. P. Snow personally conducted the Darty to and through the subway construction under Boylston Street. Mr. J. G. Andrews (T. S. C. E., 1902) conducted a party through the Boston Bridge Works, where the fabrication of steel bridges and buildings was seen in various stages of progress.
By courtesy of Professor Allen of the Worcester Polytechnic Institute, the students of the Thayer School were invited to witness his test of a new 1750 horsepower turbine at the Wilder Paper Mills, February 2nd and 3rd.
Members of the faculty have had a few activities outside. Occasional expert surveys are called for, usually for a case in court. One has been civil engineer member of the New Hampshire State Board of Health during eighteen years, writing and advising on sewage disposal for households and neighborhoods, etc. No salary is paid to members of the Board. Professor Holden was lately elected one of the three Commissioners of the Hanover Village precinct, and has been actively discharging large and varied responsibilities in relation to road construction, maintenance, etc. This for "summer vacation" work. Professor Hazen previously served nine years as Commissioner, during which he built macadam pavement in many of the streets. Mr. Ruggles has done a considerable amount of surveying for outside parties.
The policy of the School, maintained for more than thirty years, is so well known to Dartmouth alumni as not to need restatement at length. It is based upon the fact that correct practice can result only from correct theory derived from a knowledge of the fundamental principles and methods which underlie all the science and art of engineering, however much developed and specialized in these days. Our task is to show how the bewildering complexity and diversity of modern engineering practice is reducible to a simple and unified program of essentials, and to give such training and necessary practice in these fundamentals that the student may be able to specialize hereafter in any direction and to any extent.
A successful graduate of the Thayer School, now at the head of the engineering department of a university in the South, which "maintains high standards with a large endowment", recently wrote'to the Director: "I am keeping strictly in accord with the policy which you outlined,— quality rather than numbers. We have and can get all the teaching force we need, but I have seen the folly of a knowledge factory where the efficiency is judged by the number of graduates ground out each year". After mentioning opportunities- for various consulting practice, he adds: "I believe that this work makes me a better teacher, but I mention it chiefly to show the wisdom of a general training while in college rather than allowing a student
to specialize. At - University a student may specialize in geodesy and subjects of that character, should he so elect. Can you imagine anything more unwise than an uninformed youth deciding to specialize?"
A distinguished civil engineer and teacher, a leader in. both capacities,* has recently stated:
" I must confess that I am somewhat of a pessimist on the subject of modern education and its results. The longer I live the more I am convinced that an education in the university of hard knocks is the best kind of a training, and that the colleges and technical schools are under a great temptation, to which they generally yield, to relax the discipline without which a young man will not gain the habits necessary for success. There is a great tendency to teach facts rather than reasoning, and there is too great a tolerance of poor work." And he might have added: too much tolerance of the extremes to which young men, immature, and often without strong purpose and high aims, allow themselves to go in their fancied "freedom", as in forming the habit of immoderate and injurious smoking, and in making too much a business of sports and allowing extraneous interests to divert them from the high purpose of the college career.
The administration of the Thayer School insists that one who undertakes the technical courses in civil engineering must put himself under the discipline and training prescribed; that he must break away from the too prevalent idea that "college life" is a play time; that he must realize that he has no time for loafing or undue devotion to distracting interests of his "society" or club; that he must relinquish participation in football, basketball, and other intercollegiate contests; and that he must cultivate here that diligent attention, and constant devotion to his chosen profession without which his future success as a civil engineer will be impossible.
*George F, Swain, Dean of the Engineering School of Harvard University and President of the American Society of Civil Engineers.
