New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-04-08
STUDENTS IN OVERALLS.
srRLEY GRADUATES HAVE NO TROUBLE
IN GETTING WORK.

s,.,sad in their opinions this educational point
.,+ the Young men concerned have taken a de-
c,ded stand IN favor Of the shop system. Sibley
College vas never so crowded it is at the pres
art time Tor the entering freshman class was
nearly twice large as any previous class. APP
niications for admission already on file indicate
hat the class which enters next September will
re even larger. and the authorities are making
o-erv effort TO enlarge the shops.
--,s e-s+ indication visitor OF the Cornell
.,, system IS a steady stream of young
h,,--v1ng across the campus In the early morning
lore the student OF arts laws is out OF bed,
,a-,a-,s Nearly every carries the convention
d lin dinner pail Of the workingman. which seems
,cb out Of place when contrasted with the stylish
clothes q the bearer.
c,orIs the visitor follow this procession across
+re campus into a graystone that tanks
zee north end ne VIII these gay. well dressed
~oIlar4ans transformed in a minute into serious
ne, ~ toll Greasy suits OF blue denim check
sre5 Jumpers are quickly donned Then, like
-,.r, factory hands. the students report at the
-ir,ekeeper's desk and go quickly to work in the
wood or machine shops. foundry or forge rooms.
WOOD WORKING COMES FIRST.
The wood and pattern shop comes first, and is
always full Of freshmen In the fall term they
o-4r A. many little carpenter benches. becoming
4.n,Iar with wood working tools and the manner
=, constructing joints. At this time OF the year
,sav sre bending fifty lathes. and amid cloud
~ ewing chips they the art of wood turning.
- asttern making The better patterns will be
sent 70 the foundry for in casting. In the
blacksmith shop twenty-five student smiths are
a. work over redhot FORCES. Their anvils ring
continually they practise welding. forge chains
sr6 naIrern steel tools for the machine shop.
College foundry work is just dirty 1t is in
real life and one would never recognize the college
-,an in the gTimy sand shoveners met In this
stage o. shop work They bend over their low
tasks hours al q time fashioning delicate moulds
1ax &c yiIy q
..-o,--4ng' and the students run about with their
rors. Of molten iron do rolling mill workers
Some artistic castings turned out in the
foundry. and many Of them ara used in decorating
fraternity houses student rooms
IN passing to the machine shop the student
leaves the ranks OF the common laborer and enters
the skilled class. There is less manual labor
Steam and complicated machinery are available
n minimize the demand muscle
The course begins with series Of graded exer-
rses which give familiarity with the tools Of the
craft and with the operations for the performance
OF which they are particularly designed AT one
lathe you VIII hnG the student rounding out
heavy steel axle. The man next 10 him may be
turning out a complicated engine part or finishing
z steel test piecs 10 the hneness demanded by the
great testing machines Of IN corner a half
dozen students VIII be seen putting the finishing
touches or some complete machine other. They
are advanced shop men, and have. perhaps, finished
every piecs OF the complicated engine. Different
snops from time to time complete sets Of castings,
which the college laborers finish of in tncredi-
bl- short tine. They set UP the machine COM
pIete and IL practical running order. he stu
dents make ali Of the iron and steel machinery
needed in the wood shops. and construct many
pieces az marketable value.
INVENTION OF TWO SENIORS
Every encouragement is given the student to
carry practical research and several useful
inventions have been worked in the shops.
Hidden away behind the great boilers that furnish
steam for the entire plant is a complicated little
engine that made mechanical regulations for the
TWO seniors who constructed ii They decided to
experiment on the economy Of an engine built TO
ceeded IN constructing a quadrupie expansion en-
pounds 10 the square inch As soon as the engine
was completed the young investigators built a
boiler Of their making. They turned on the
steam and the engine ran without hitch, so
perIeclly hao every part been constructed They
carried series Of experiments with their re-
me 5clenIlnc Worlo both men Iett the university
az the completion Of their course to accept i'm
The sibley students working time in the various
shops IS nine hours week for three college years
time spent in making efficiency of various en-
gines motors and machines kept by the college
one factor in the mechanical course. much more
raen+ c,ss5 ~ 1 80 I anu e.
however, and no one can get Sibley degree with
Much Of the success of the Cornell shop system
properly belongs 10 the man at its head-Robert
Eenry Thqrston. He is director and dean of the
sihley College faculty and professor OF mechanical
engineering The shops under his direct SUI
prTlsion and ne IS one Of the strongest supporters
Of The shop system. John Lewis Morris, professor
OF practical mechanics and machine construction
Is second in the Sbley faculty list and generally
supervises shop work.
WORK FOR THE GRADUATES.
sbley College men have much better chances OF
early success in the world than have the candi-
dates for other degrees There is always q great
e demand for graduates to i'll important ulechan-
ica- positions than the college can fill Professor
Ihurston keeps track OF every man who is gradu-
aled from Sibley. through a system of individual
records. and many transfers or promotions are
mace through hts unofficial labor bureau Only a
younger Slbiey graduates saying that the director
nc many places at his disposal for those Who de-
OF the science Of teaching would not welcome such
ass 9I 4Ialrs IN The departments which gave
s6ley College men form a most cosmonoIitan
States and from thirteen foreign co9ntres TbeTs
: .ot a state IN the Union that has not one or
csty represented from the son OF the Ia boring
- 49, VINO IS working his way through college TO
Many q The latter are taking special courses and
~ leaving the university viii at once go into the
interest There are SIS students REGISTERED IN SIN IN
- ms year The class division follows: Senior,
special. Is l''' AieSiinah III ana
Blt one woman ever took extensive courses in
I,-.5sy she had particular ability along uaechan-
Ca lines and desired 70 assist her father in con-
Gool large manufacturing enterprise. She
ss-c--~ sI5aAL zeal OF snop work and asked no
rSrOfs on account OF her She was immensely
men eIe yin ner teilow workers ana many Of the
- A-ng IN me shop section which she IGNORED.
lsseLce can De seen in the class pictures on
na9llon IN the Sibley Museum. The earlier classes
t,S SS trWsnly-nTe Now the average age is about