Bisbee daily review., 1910-04-09
ENGINEERS WITH LIBERAL
EDUCATION ARE BEST EQUIPPED

Because Il is often SLATED that the
mining engineer need not be highly
educated. and that he can learn
more by actual practice in the mines
than in college, the following form
Mining Science is printed.
"A broad and liberal education is
not only compatible with the profes-
sion of a mining engineer, but is a
great advantage to IL. Aside from his
profession he is the better for a
knowledge and love OF the fine arts.
music. poetry. and general literature,
and apart from the necessity of a
knowledge Of mining law is a knowl-
edge of and interest in the social and
political problems that are interesting
the human race.
Mining engineers with the usual
opportunities that they have for tray-
ell and research. have been often
the pioneers of sciences other than
engineering and mining. Many have
become accomplished biologists and
mineralogists as a necessary part Of
their profession. But aside from
their studies and pursuits they have
aiken up otner natural sciences and
become proficient in ghem. or. at
any rate, good amateurs. such as in
botany. zoology and ethnology
A mining engineer on his way
through various countries has many
long. solitary stretches which would
often be very monOtonous but for his
interest and enthusiasm for certain
studies such as hose mentioned. He
is constantly studying the rocks and
formations, and the habit of observa-
ton in one branch of natural history
leads him instinctively to others. He
has an eye for every new flower. an
imal or tree. Sometimes he enters
regions that have never been tray
ersed before by any but the uncut
tured native or by few unscientific
but keenly observaut hunters and
backwoodsmen. He is thus a scien-
tfic p.cneer explorer OF new ter
ritory. As an ethnologist the study
Of the natives and their customs and
manners is fraught with human inter.
est, whilst in travelling down through
a region like Old Mexico and Yucca
tan. and other parts of South America
there is abundant material for him
as an archeoiogist A rare opportun-
ity is also offered for the study OF
character Of class Of men Of much
peculiar interest in this respect in
the unconventional wilds. A mining
engineer cannot long travel in var
lOus regions, amongst all sorts Of
people, without becoming a philoso-
pher and an independent thinker. and
forming original uusophirticated ideas
OF his own. His life is of constant
interest hence he is himself interest
ing.
The advantage of broad and lib
eral education and a general sympa
thy with the human race is that il
breaks up the narrowness and one
sidedness which is the tendency OF
too great specialism, and in human
matters i,dissolves the spirit of in.
sularity and provincialism common to
those who never 90 out Of their own
town or county
If the engineer has attained some
skill in sketching or painting, a de
ightful recreation and pleasure mas
be derived from delineating in water
colors at spare moments some OF the
wonderful. unique and beautiful
scenes through which he passes. a
memory Of which in black and white
ne may also retain by photographs
for the camera and the engineer are
nowadays inseparable. The engin.