The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-11-15

Law.
Probably one of the most entertain
ing and practical lectures of the kind
ever heard in this city was the one
delivered last evening in the lecture
room of the Albright library by Her
bert r. Stone, professor of stationary
engineering in Harvard university, to
the local members of the National AS
sociation of Stationary Engineers and
their friends on the benefits to be de-
rived from membership in that associ-
alton.
r. ]. Foster, president of the Inter-
national Correspondence Schools, in
troduced Mayor James Moir as the
chairman of the evening. The mayor
made a few happy remarks in his us
ual characteristic vein and introduced
as the first speaker Dr. John f. Cof-
fey, of the International Correspond
ence Schools, who spoke admirably
upon THE Value of a Technical Edu-
cation"
DR.. Coffey has a truly wonderful flow
of language which cannot be classed
as "flowery." He emphasized the fact
that thorough men are in demand to-
day and that the cultivation of the
best in man can only be achieved
through education and especially tech
nical education.
The next speaker was J. w. Lane,
jr.. of New York. the manager of the
National Engineer, the official organ
of the association, who spoke on the
wonderful progress made in the last
few years in the publishing of tech
cal papers for engineers and the neces-
sity of the engineer reading these to
keep in touch with the progress of en-
gineering.
MIR. STONE INTRODUCED.
Mr.. Stone was then introduced by the
mayor He is a tall, erect, open-faced,
blue-eyed man, who has served his
time in the engine room and who, all
though he now occupies an honorea
position, says himself that he's always
glad to mingle with the "boys." He
has an easy, convers sational. good
natured method of speaking which car
ries force with every word. He dwelt
principally with the benefits to be de-
rived from joining the association and
upon the necessity of seif-impro
along technical lines by the engineers.
He spoke. in part, as follows:
THE advantages to be derived from
becoming a member of the National
Association of Stationary Engineers
cannot be overestimated. The organ
ization is primarily and above all de-
voted to the education of engineers in
their own profession. This is the cor
ner-stone, basic principle and the prin-
cipal purpose of the organization. II
this world of ours has made great pro-
gress in this nineteenth century, it has
made it because the individual mer
who have lived in this century have
made progress.
81 speak of stationary engineering az
a profession and such it is just as
much, and perhaps more so, than law
or medicine. I know of no profession
which gives such an opportunity for
aggressive educational Improvement
from day to day as does engineering.
TWENTY-FIVE years ago the enginee,
of large building didn't cut much of
figure. He stayed down in his en-
gine room and drudged. But this is
changed now. Go into one of the New
York skyscraners and You'n find that
the engineer of the building is an i'm
portant parsonage and that he cuts Ice
four feet thick. He has private office
OF his own and he's monarch of all he
surveys to a great extent.
IMPROVEMENT NECESSARY.
Il cannot impress too fully upon Won
the necessity nowadays of keeping in
touch with the changes in the profes.
sion. We are only in a probationary
period now and who knows the changes
the twentieth century may show.
THE national association doesn't OF.
fer a plan by which you can open yout
mouths and have technical knowledge
shoVeiled in from a bucket. It does
oHer you a plan, however, by which
you can dig it out for yourselves. II
OFFERS an opportunity for you to gather
with n number Of others of your pro.
fession and exchange practical IDEAS
regarding your work.
1T is a lamentable fact that Vol
have no license law In Pennsylvania
Tor licensing engineers. 1t took us /,
years to get one in Massachusetts
nut we've got it now and the improve.
ment in the personnel and general ef.
f1ciency of the engineering Professor
in the state has improved 400 per cent
as a result. Not only this but thc
danger of serious explosions in schools
hotels and other large buildings /.
greatly minimi2ed because the engl
neer to obtain a license must pass ar
examination and incompetents are thu,
prevented from holding responsible
positions.
THE national association is not 8
labor organization in any sense of thu
word and interferes in no way between
the employer and his employe. Its
principal aim is the better education
or its members in the art and science
Of steam engineering and to protect the
interests of competent engineers I.
their vocation.
I'VE never call a strike and desire
TO state here that I am a firm believer
In the statement that better qualifica.
tion inevitably brings better compen.
sation.' The man who is compelled tc
take his employer by the throat to OBJ.
tain something is not a man in my
opinion who is an honor to any trade
AN OFFER TO JOIN.
"We offer the engineers of this city
an opportunity to join the organiza.
tion with the understanding that they
themselves can make or break It, a.
it's success depends entirely upon the
individual work done by each mem
ber."
In the course of his remarks, Mr.
stone spoke of the International Cor
respondence Schools in this city as onC
Of the greatest seats of learning in tho
country and referred enthusiastically
to the great work It is doing for tech
nical education.
HUMAN NATURE STUDIES two