The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1904-02-17
The Making Of Mechanics.


ulty of the Agricultural and Me-
chanical College is of peculiar inter-
est to every citizen Of Mississippi.
The college has long been known by
the work of its agricultural depart
ment, but with the great increase in
manufacturing industries and COM
mercial enterprises in the State, the
mechanical engineering department
comes into prominence.
The courses in mechanical arts
and engineering begin with one
years instruction in wood working,
including the use of tools, and the
ordinary operations of carpentry,
joinery and pattern making; the
second year covers the instruction in
forge work and foundry practice,
and the third and fourth years are
devoted to the machine shop.
Accompanying these courses in
the shops is course of instruction
in the various college departments,
which is intended to give such
knowledge in the sciences of chemis-
try and physics, in mathematics and
English as will best meet the de-
mands of the students. The course
in drawing keeps step with the shop
courses. The instruction begins
with freehand drawing, and is fol-
lowed by machine sketching, me-
chanical drawing and design, and
the study of such constructions as
are to be made by the student in the
practice of his profession.
During the last two years of the
course the students receive special
instruction in the theory of steam
engines, boilers, pumps, ice machin-
cry, etc. The principles, thus stud.
led in the class room are demon
strated in the engineering laborato-
ries, where the students handle
steam engines, learn to adjust the
valves and correct the faults due, to
service or abuse. For this purpose
the machinery Of the college power
plant, including an extensive heat
ing system, waterworks and electric
lighting outfit is available.
While the student cannot compete
with the mechanic in the amount of
work produced, much of the work is
of good quality, and would be hard
to excel. Each student is advanced
as rapidly as his ability will per-
nit, and no student is kept at any
job because he can do that one well.
Rather, as soon as he can turn out
a piece of work equal to that of a
journeyman, it is time to put him at
some new task, that is as yet unmas-
tered. For this reason the depart
ment has but few finished articles
that could be placed on the market;
it is not factory, but a training
school; its product is not articles of
commerce, but well equipped men.
The work of this department Of
the Agricultural and Mechanical
College has been handicapped by
lack of equipment, and small class
and shop rooms, but it is hoped that.
a new building can be erected in the
near future, ample in size for the
large classes, and well fitted with
modern machinery. This will en-
able the instruction to keep pace
with the industrial advancement of
the State, and to fit men to take
charge of the numerous manufactur-
ing plants that are turning the raw
material into finished articles.
That the people recognize the
value of this class of instruction is
shown by the numerous applications
received by the college for technical
ly trained meE. These demands far
exceed the supply, and so far as can
be learned, all of the recent grad
yates are holding responsible and
paying positions, and are aiding in
developing the great material re-
sources of Mississippi.