Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-08-19

Company for two years. While working for the
gas company in Jersey City Mr.. Kent used to
go over to the Cooper Union classes In New York
five nights a week, taking the scientific courses
of the highest classes In 1872 he graduated
and the two years following he was bookkeeper
for the Ringwood On. j. iron works. At the
same time he was engaged in a Land survey, and
IN taking private instruction IN analy teal
chemistry in January, 1875, he entered Stevens
Institute of Technology as special student In
chemistry OF iron, and also took the engineer
ing studies of the junior year. The next term
he entered the senior class and graduated IN
1876. He remained in Stevens Institute till
April, 1877, in charge. under direction of Prof.
IL. ii. Ihurston, for the United States iron and
steel testing board OF a scientific research into
the properties of the alloys of copper and tin
and copper and zinc. In 1877 he went to Pitts
burg as craftsman in an iron-works con-
struction concern. From 1877 to 1879 he was
editor of the American MANUFACTURE ana Iron
World of Pittsburg. Then for three years he
was superintendent of the steel department for
Shoenberger & Co.. Pittsburg. Then he re-
signed on account of failing health and went
to Europe. He visited iron and steel works
and correspondent with American technical
journals.
q From 1882 till 1855 he was with the Babcock 4
WilcoxCompany of NewYork, steam boiler man
ufacturers, acting as engineer OF tests and sales
agent From 1885 to 1889 he was general man
ager of the Springer Torsion Balance Company,
developed the invention of the balance and
built and equipped factory for its manufac-
ture. For year past he has had an Office bus
lness as consulting engineer and has been a
special agent for the census on statistics of
gold and silver. He was chief assistant to the
special agent in charge. Now he lis engaged in
editorial work for the new volume OF Apple
tons Cyclopedia of Mechanics and as an ex-
pert before the courts in mechanical cases. He
has been a member Of the American Society of
Mining Engineers since 1876, having been its
vice president He has for fourteen years been
member of the Association for the Advance
ment OF Sciences and a fellow since 1888 For
two years he has been secretary of section b Of
that association.
prepared and valuable discourse on Problems
In Mathematical Science" 1t was quite tech
meal In character and dealt with the teachings
OF mathematics and physics in their application
to engineering. He discussed the instruction
In manual training schools, trade schools and
technical schools and the objects sought to be
attained by training in such schools. He said
that good results had followed the adoption of
manual training for boys and girls, but he
deprecated the idea of teaching a trade in a
trade school. He said it could be far better
, done in a workshop, where the actual practice
could be had by the learner. He favored the old
idea of apprenticeship as better in every way.
He spoke warmly of the good results that have
followed higher education of every sort IN
archaeological colleges and outlined the great
benefits that will accrue to mechanical science
from this source. He strongly advocated
teachings OF more practical character, both
in mathematics and theoretical dynamics. a
very desirable for technical colleges and SINH
lar institutions. He named some of the direc-
tlons in which technical research should be
pushed, especially in the technical schools, re-
ferring chiefly to the properties Of steam and
its behavior in steam engines.
Il predict he said. great results from the
direct combustion of fuel in the engine cylinder
itself, after the manner in which it is accom-
plished in the gas engine"
In closing he referred to the very great de-
velopment of electrical engineering. especially
in its application to street and other motors
and to the distribution of power. He closed by
speaking of the great field for all branches of
research and a reference to what the past has
even accomplished.