THAYER SCHOOL OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

This year the Thayer School graduated the largest class in its history,22 members. The class had a fine espritde corps and rated itself optimistically, as one of the best in Thayer School history; considering its size and general average, this judgment was not contradicted. One other class has had nearly as many members, that of 1911 with 21 men.

After the final examination before the Board of Overseers in the presentation of the theses, and the graduation banquet on April 23rd, jointly with the other graduate schools, this largest class faced the greatest dearth of professional opportunities in thirty years or more. Nevertheless, through the good will and co-operation of Thayer School alumni and other Dartmouth men and by their own efforts and merits, all but one have been reported as having employment, and these, we have reason to think, have occupation. One member has gone to France with the Dartmouth ambulance and the party sent under auspices of Dartmouth College. Furthermore, of the 16 members of the first-year class (who received their college degrees at the Commencement in June), all but two have been reported as having found opportunity for the twenty weeks of intermission. All but one of these propose to return in September to pursue the graduate course.

Of the civil engineer graduates, three are or were in New Hampshire, two in Maine, seven in Massachusetts, two in Connecticut, three in New York city and vicinity, one in Wisconsin, one on Penn. R'y, Cumberland Valley Div., one in Virginia, one in France, one in Porto Rico. The lines of engineering in

which these are employed include railroad maintenance of way, and construction (3) ; structural steel drafting (1) ; mill work and power development (ass't on the works, 2) ; construction of reinforced concrete buildings,— as inspectors, timekeepers, etc., (Aberthaw Construction Co. and Turner Construction Co., etc., 5) ; as assistants to general contractors (2) ; Interboro Rapid Transit, New York (2 junior ass't eng'rs) ; on surveys, 2; instructor, 1; cement industry, 1; in France, 1 ; no definite report, 1 ; railroad valuation survey, 1.

That the men can accept opportunities so varied in range is due to the policy of The Thayer School which avoids close specialization and instructs in the fundamental subjects which underlie all of the principal branches of civil engineering. Moreover, the engagements of the men during the intermediate period between the college years and graduate year (which may be only twenty weeks of one summer season or an intermediate year or two) sometimes determine choice of the line of engineering to which they are adapted. At least it puts them in touch with those who can judge of their capabilities and introduce them to opportunities later.

The students and faculty, as heretofore, have had the benefit of lectures and familiar talks by graduates and friends of the Thayer School during the year; for these appreciation is due the following persons:

Mr. Walter H. Sawyer, Engineer of the Androscoggin Reservoir Co. talked on practical points in the operation of works of modern power development.

Mr. F. M. Schilling, representing the Lehigh Portland Cement Co., lectured to the students of the Thayer and Tuck schools jointly, with kinematograph views, on the various steps in the manufacture of Portland cement.

W. F. Purrington, inspector of the N. H. State Board of Health, lectured to Thayer students (as well as to the Women's Club and citizens of Hanover) on food adulteration and enforcement of the food laws; also on the standards established by the state for production and certification of "inspected milk." Illustrated by lantern views.

Mr. Caleb M. Saville, chief engineer of the Board of Water Commissioners, of Hartford, Conn., lectured to the students, the Scientific Association and friends, on the problems of water supply for a large city; illustrated by many lantern views and diagrams.

Mr. O. E. Hovey, Overseer of the Thayer School and Assistant Chief Engineer of the American Bridge Co., gave a valuable lecture on "Erection of Bridges," illustrated by 70 lantern slides.

Mr. M. C. Tuttle, of Boston, Sec. Aberthaw Construction Co., (Dartmouth College 1897), gave an instructive and valuable address to the entire School on "The Human Factor in Engineering," which was much appreciated.

Prof. F. B. Sanborn (T.S.C.E., 1889), Professor of Civil Engineering, Tufts College, gave an instructive lecture on "Fire Protection" ; later, to the senior or second-year class, a talk on "What I did with the First Money I Saved"; and on some of his inventions utilizing hydraulic principles, giving demonstrations of their operation.

Mr. Mark G. Snow (T.S.C.E., 1913), on a visit to the School, gave the second-year class a talk about the elevation of tracks of the Chi., R. I. & Pac. Ry., showing photos and blue-prints.

Mr. H. G. Austin, representing the Lackawanna Steel Co., gave a talk on the application of steel sheet piling.

A tour to Boston and vicinity was made with and for the first-year class between the last football game and Thanksgiving,— practically two and a half days available. The Director was in personal charge of the party. The places and works visited included the following: The Boston Bridge Works, by courtesy of and under guidance of Andrews Bros. (J. G. Andrews, T.S. C.E., 1902) ; the instrument, manufactory of C. L. Berger and Sons, where the proprietors as usual spared no pains to make the visit instructive and interesting; the telephone exchange in Milk St., where Mr. McDavitt (Dartmouth College, 1900) personally arranged for guides to exhibit and explain the technical features, the wonders and also the attractions and cozy comforts of this great establishment; thence under guidance of Mr. J. P. Snow (T.S.C.E., 1875) Consulting Engineer and Overseer of the Thayer School, to the yards of the South Station, where the class saw and had explained the bewildering lay-out of the railroad tracks, the great rolling-lift bascule bridges, etc.; thence, with Mr. H. A. Symonds (T.S.C.E., 1894) and Mr. Albright of the City Dock Department, a long tramp was taken for inspection of the new Commonwealth pier. The party was indebted to Mr. Snow and Mr. Symonds for other courtesies and aid during the entire visit.

On the second day the party met at the South Station and proceeded to Worcester where we were greeted by Matthew Gault (Dartmouth College 1890), Supt. of Sewers, Prof. A. W. French (T.S.C.E., 1892), head of Civil Engineering Department, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and F. S. Austin (Dartmouth College 1909 and of T.S. C.E., 1910), supervisor of track, B. & A. Ry. A visit was made to the works of the American Steel & Wire Co., where, by courtesy of the management the great furnaces and rolling mills were seen in full operation. Thence to the new Union Station whence Austin conducted the party to the new electric signal tower, the operation of which was explained; also along the line to point out .some of the chief features of the great work of track elevation. The day was concluded by the inspection of the just completed Taylor building, one of the best examples of reinforced concrete construction by the Turner Construction Co. This we found in charge of L. N. Doe (T.S.C.E., 1913), who was looking after the "last things" in the completion of the contract. The party returned to Boston the same evening.

On the third day the party met at Filene's and was allowed to inspect the mechanical features of the great establishment by the courtesy of the manager and personal attention and guidance of Mr. D. A. Chapman, the mechanical engineer and superintendent. Here Mr. Symonds met us with Mr. Hanscom, his partner, and Mr. Berry, assistant engineer of the Boston Transit Commission, who steered us to the nearly completed subway under Summer St., etc., the inspection of which occupied nearly two hours, and where the trip was concluded.

Members of the Thayer School faculty, as heretofore, have not lacked opportunities for some professional practice which inures to the benefit of the instruction in the classroom. Professor Holden served as chairman of the Board of Village Precinct Commissioners, his second year, (now in his third year), aided by an active and capable superintendent of streets in direct charge of the work. An extensive system of catch basins and street drains has been put in by principles and methods. The keeping of the accounts and costs has been systematized according to approved methods, aided by Prof. William R. Gray of the Tuck School of Administration and Finance, who is auditor. It is safe to state the streets have never been kept in such excellent condition. The co-operation of the College in keeping the grass cut and edges trimmed on the common and in the College yards, and making an extensive trimming of the great trees, gives the village a park-like and attractive aspect. Relations with the State in the maintenance of the trunk-line road and state-aid roads, including periodic oiling, involve attention to many details of machinery and methods, and the keeping of entirely distinct and minutely itemized accounts which greatly multiply the duties and cares of the chairman. The precinct has now acquired so much machinery and apparatus, chiefly for street work, that a special yard and store-house have to be provided.

Prof. Austin has published two books on transformer design (low pressure and high pressure) and has just ready for issue a volume of worked-out examples on alternating currents, all of which cover the essentials of electrical engineering. He is called upon as consulting engineer for advice on electrical questions and hydraulics. Mr. S. L. Ruggles, for five years efficient instructor in surveying, graphics and laboratory, has made for the College a careful (cadastral) survey of all college property in the precinct. This has required thorough study of the deeds back to the time of President Wheelock, and he has plotted the results in a set of accurate maps. He has also made accurate maps of all of the sewer lines built or controlled by the College, which includes the greater part of the sewers in the village. Moreover he has made surveys for outside parties, and surveys and maps for a sewer system for Wolfeboro, N. H.

The Director has continued to serve as member (and president) of the State Board of Health,— for which the State allows neither pay nor honorarium,which has required attention to several problems in sewage disposal and water supply in various parts of the state. His advice has also been sought in relation to certain bridges and water-works. The improvement and enlargement of the reservoir of the Hanover Water Works by a slight raising of the dam and spillway and putting stone revetment on the margins have claimed attention.

It is well to remind the present generation that the profession of civil engineering was only an off-shoot of military engineering. Gen. Sylvanus Thayer graduated from Dartmouth College in 1807 and from the U. S. Military Academy in 1808. He was a classmate and life-long friend of Geo. Ticknor, the distinguished publicist and litterateur (Dartmouth College 1807). Then civil engineering was taught in America only at the United States Military Academy at West Point as a single subject designated "civil constructions." Just one hundred years ago Maj. Thayer (who during the war of 1812 had been Chief Engineer on the Niagara frontier, and by distinguished services had risen from the rank of 2nd Lieut, of Engineers) was sent to Europe by the U. S. Government to study military schools and the military operations of that time. After two years on this duty he was assigned the task of re-organizing the Military Academy. His biographer says of him: "Major Thayer's military experience, his foreign travel and associations, his familiarity with the polite usages of society, his dignified bearing and refined mode of life, and, above all, his scientific acquirements, enlarged professional reading and familiarity with the French and dead languages, gave him immense vantage ground for success. "It is well known that he made the U. S. Military Academy the most famous and effective military school in the world, so that he is honored as its "father." It was natural, therefore, that the Board of Overseers of the Thayer School, appointed by him, should have West Point graduates influential in its membership.

At first there were Gen. G. L. Andrews, who served 28 years; Gen. J. C. Palfrey, who served 36 years, both distinguished in the civil war; also the aged Professor D. H. Mahan, who was soon succeeded by Col. P. S. Michie, a beloved and successful professor at the Academy, who served the Thayer School as Overseer thirty years. The latter was succeeded by Col. G. J. Fiebeger, the distinguished head of the department of Military and Civil engineering at the Academy and author of text-books. The veteran Gen. H. L. Abbot, a graduate of U. S. M. A. in 1854, distinguished in many lines of activity as an officer of the Corps of Engineers; author and experimenter and, since his retirement, consulting engineer on the Panama Canal, both under the French regime and as member of the Board of Consulting Engineers for the United States,— probably better informed about the meteorology of the canal zone than any other living man; has consented to serve as overseer and give his valuable counsel now more than 20 years.

Mr. J. P. Snow, who succeeded Gen. Andrews, was for some years Chief Engineer of the Boston and Maine R. R.; and Mr. Hovey, who succeeded Gen. Palfrey, has been identified with the formation and development of the American Bridge Co., having been for the last few years one of its three assistant chief engineers. The time and attention which they have given to the meetings and deliberations of the Board of Overseers have been taken from midst of exacting duties and have contributed fruits of ripe experience and judgment gained in great engineering enterprises and operations.

It seems proper, in this connection, thus to pay tribute to the founder and recall the history of the Board of Overseers, in order to repeat the emphasis which we have at other times expressed as to the governing purpose of Gen. Thayer in his plans for the School: scholarship, discipline, and thoroughness. He was well versed in the exact sciences of his day; familiar with the best French treatises on mathematics, physics, engineering construction and research, etc.; works (to be seen on our library shelves today) which were model text-books in clear definition of terms, lucid argument and brief exposition. He was a strict disciplinarian, - a martinet perhaps,— yet inspired the highest, life-long admiration, respect, and affection in all under his command. His ideals were based somewhat upon French schools and methods which were then the best in Europe. Under his system every cadet was judged upon his merits alone; precedence was gained wholly by proved ability, as to scholarship _ first, and in performance of the military duties and drills which were of the daily routine and exacting. The fruits were men thoroughly (though not broadly) trained, mentally and physically, with gentlemanly deportment and a high sense of "honor," as to truth and duty, —and a sacred obligation to be ready to stand for the honor and defense of of their country.

We need more of this spirit in the educational methods of today. Scholarship there is,—but usually out of proportion to the enormously better facilities of our time,—and too little esteemed. Discipline is certainly scarce, else many college graduates would have a better sense of subordination .to authority and need less time afterwards to become law-abiding citizens. Thoroughness ought to be acquired by the "scientific method" but is not always developed even in the laboratory. It is the aim of the administration of the Thayer School to work according to the method and purpose of Gen. Thayer so far as applicable to teaching the science and art of civil engineering:—to require subordination to authority in some measure such as is required on works, and to train men in exact methods and thorough performance so that they will prove equal to the emergencies of an exacting profession.