Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1898-07-13
MR.. THEO. LOW ON THE V. NJ. l.
ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT.

Mr.. Theo. Low, superintendent OF the
Durham Division Of the Norfolk and
Western railroad, has in the Engineer
ing News, published in New York, the
following Interesting article en- the
! Virginia Military Institute =,
1t is Just ten years since 1 left my
native Pennsylvania and became a cltt.
zen of the "AIother of Presidents. Al
though my professional duties male 1t
possible for me to roam over nearly the
entire State, and thus become intimately
acquainted with the geography, yet y
had never been my good fortune to
visit the athens OF the South, the
historic town of Lexington. And strangdr
vet to admit, the cause of my first VISA
to this place SO revered by Virginians'
was due to my being officially connect
ed with Sunday school picnic excur-
sion. The town OF Lexington is situ-
ated in tie heart of the famou, Shenan-
loah Valley; and yankee" though 1
am, must admit that, if there is any
Switzerland of America" Lexin 5ton is
its center. The sublimity Of its sur
round ng scenery Is indoscribable, end
the exhiliration of its atmosphere! Why,
even an engineer corps of the old school
type could become total abstinence men
and still be gay and happy here.
Licking on is the home of the Viz
ginia Military Institute, a famous old
school endowed by the State of Virginia,
and is also the seat of the still older
Washington and Lee University. The
grounds of these two schools join each
other. The location is an ideal one, on
the crest of u h gh ridge or plateau,
overlooking North River. Yonr readers
will also recall the fact that beneath the
sod of Lexington rest Robert E. Lee
and Stonewall Jackson. whose very
names inspire the hearts of al true men.
While on my visit, 1T was my very
coed fortune 10 meet Col. r. A. Mari,
professor in charge Of the Department
of Eng neering and Drawing, OF the
Institute. And, by the way, l think it
was kinsman of the Colonel who was
the first soldier to lay down his life for
his cause in tie Civil War. CO.. Mari,
who spent thirteen years OF his life on
the u. S. Coast Survey, is Virginian
by birth, and it is unnecessary to state
that he left nothing undone which could
conduce to my comfort and pleasure.
Under his gu. dance Visited the various
departm ents cf tbe IFS tuition, and l
was indeed astounded W tn VIII 1T L wit
messed VIII I came 10 visit his own
department. An engineer well knows
that practice neces arily precedes in
structions, and that institutions o! learn
ing mus, as q rule, b, content 10 + J.
low rather than lead, and in atience
await the advent of treatise or text
books before instructing their students
respecting the new methods and appli-
ances which are continually being
brought forward. I was astonishe J,
therefore, wien Prof. Mari sh owed me
plans, profles> specifications, models,
ETC., of large number of engineering
works recently completed or now in
progress. How gratifying all this was
to me can well lie understood when 1
recall the graduates Of me other first
class il situations who have applied to
me for employment; and after examin-
ing them as to their knowledge OF
present day methods of work, I found
that so far at least as railway work was
concerned, their methods had long been
superseded by more advanced and
econ mical ones. Co.. Mari may well
be congratulated on the fact that his
graduates are not filled with nt-dllu'
Wan methods, but can enter mo the
whirl of present-day practice with thai
sense of security that characterizes al
sold timer" 1t is needless to say thu
the physical culture Of the young mel
is as carefully looked a'teEa is theil
mental training.
1t is probably unnecessary to say, II
conclusion, that Engineering New
finds conspicuous place in the Pro
fessor's teachings.