The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1906-10-18
WATCH ENGINE RUN
STUDENTS PATH OF LEARNING
MADE EASY.
Device at Columbia University by
Which All Parts Of a Loconno-
tive in Action Can Be Stud
led in Workshop.


From the foot of the grand stairs
leading up to the library Of Columbia
university we pass round to the left
Of the great library and come to- the
entrance of the school of engineering
We find here lecture rooms. labora-
tories, drawing rooms and museums.
and in connection with these school
departments is a pattern shop.
Forge and machine shop-in fact,
everything a young man needs in
learning TO be a first.class engineer
We so downstairs and enter a fine.
large shop, and there. on its track,
stands passenger locomotive. the
Coumbia-iust such a grand fellow
as Kipling's engine hero in his story
entitled "O,O07"
Here is a locomotive turned school
master. We walk round the grand old
fellow and stand before the great
driving wheels. Here we are at the
edge OF a deep pit in the floor In it
we see a pair OF massive wheels sup
ported on great timbers Each wheel
is exactly under and rests against
one of the great drivers" and when
the drivers move the wheels in the
pit move, too, and in this way the en-
gine can move its wheels and yet
stand perfectly still TO give perfect
security, the first wheels of the en-
gine are blocked up
BY this device it is possible to have
an engine run" at fun speed while
we sit beside the track and see just
how it wor<s. On the road the engine
flies along 30 quickly that it is inn
possible to see anything, still less
learn anything Think what an inn
mense advantage we have in this
school of the locomotive, Here in
this quiet comfortable room we can
walk all about the great machine,
learn the name and use of every part
and actually see how It works
The assistant teacher in this
school of the locomotive climbs into
The cab with several students while
part of the class are studying the ac-
tion of the pistons in the steam
cylinders. Others can study steam
making the work of the running gear
or the wheels One boy can study
oiling, while another is studying the
use of the air-brakc Again, a boy
may flag the train 60 see If the
boy at the lever knows the rules OF
the road. A dozen boys can thus
study an engine turning its wheels at
40 miles an hour in perfect ease and
safety. while 80 more can learn much
Of the lesson by looking on and lis
tening to the explanations of the
teacher
A locomotive is a grand. scientific
tool used in a certain way for a GER
tain end. An engineer uses this
splendid tool in a scientific way, and
he must be himself a man OF sci
ence. II is not enough to know how
Go stop her" or start her. or run
'on time" according to the rdles Of
the road He must know his engine:
know every part; how II is made
and used. He should be able to make
complete working drawings OF the
whole machine, from the headlight to
the draw-bar He must know how
the steam behaves inside that cylinder
and must be able to take the cylin.
der apart and put it together again.
tie must know how every part is
made and be able instantly to decide
when the engine works badly, and
Why, and be able, as far as possible.
TO cure its little ills and disorders.
He must know it all; must be fireman,
machinist railroad man. engineer and
man of science He must have strong.
calm nerves, and must never get con
fused, or lose his head" or make
mistakes. A hundred lives may de-
pend on his knowledge and skill
'ne men who build locomotives in
the great shops at Philadelphia see
that this is the way to teach SO
they made this splendid engine a gift
10 the university, that In its cab
young men and boys can have bet
ter chance TO learn TO be engineers
than did their fathers. who picked up
their education on the road
No more win the Columbia make
her 60 miles an hour. Never again
will her headlight CLEAN on the pol
ished rails Her whistle will never
startle the echoes in the mountains
TO wake the sleepy towns along the
river. She is here at rest and will
never go out again along the line
She is here 10 teach--and 10 teach is
the greatest thing any man OF ma
chine can do Perhaps the captive
engine misses the road. and dreams
OF the lights and signals beside the
way, and longs to ay along the track
or perhaps Columbia knows she is
az school, and is really and truly a
teacher on the stan Of a great uni
Sersity Charles o. Barnard. in ST
Nicholas.