University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1913-04-23

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put his dam. Next year he will star
to work.
All the plans will be made for tn,
dam, reservoir, a water works sys
TEN for Columbia, a lighting system
for the University and the rest of tn,
town and probably few parks, sunk
en- gardens and driveways. All of these
will be put in cheaply, at a cost o.
perhaps s453, SCI. .329.923.
But don't be misled; these improve.
ments won't be made until We are
dead. And maybe not then, for you
see no one has ever accepted these
plans as yet, save the University pro-
fessors for whom they were intended
They are, In short. but the subjects
of the engineers theses. In order to
obtain his degree, each senior engineer
must write thesis, or must design
some great piece of engineering work
manship. And since no two people
may use the same subject. it some
times taxes the brain of the engineer
to think up some new project with
which to startle the world-or his
professor.
The Life Of an Engineer.
So when YOU see the junior engi-
neer in a pensive mood. or looking
sideways at your cistern and pacing
off the distance to your flower bed, or
measuring the rain water in a tin can
let him alone, for he is Just thinking
out the subject of his thesis. His is
hard world. Away back in his fresh
man year he began thinking about TIL,
thesis he must write before he is grad
uated. He spent the sophomore year
i'm nervousness. He then had some
doubts whether he would write the
dam-plan the dam-after all. He was
not sure whether he liked engineer
ing or not. In fact he might change
to journalism or agriculture the fol-
lowing year. But he got over this
and in his junior year he began to plan
for his thesis. He must get something
new, something that would better the
world-Or Columbia-and prove to the |
professor that he did not believe en- |
to be SO hard after all.
At least he hits upon a subject, or
rather two subjects. He is unable to
lecide whether to put a driveway along
the bluffs of the Hinkson or to dam
The thing. The first part of his sem
or year is spent in deciding which
'lan he will use. He finally decides
o use bOth-to dam the creek and then
'ut drive out there so that the COM
ng generation of students may spend
sunday afternoons in driving around
lis workmanship. Shortly after
'hristmas he begins to formulate his
'lans; begins interviewing instructors,
nearthing old books. interviewing che
Weather Man on the rainfall about the
Iinkson Valley and doing various and
undry things which are so necessary
4 the making of a thesis.
After the mid-year exams, which in
identally place him two weeks or a
lonth behind schedule, he starts
gain. 1t is getting close to the time
n him to show something of his work.
e becomes nervous. He stays up late
night. Each day he drags his in
rument to the Hinkson and looks up
nd down, back and across. His head
ecomes a mathematical table. For
ulas. estimates and details of con-
ruction roll from him. He talks in
'herently of beams, stress, mixers.
r-pumps and all sorts of dams.
idges, driveways. locks and tailgates,
It'll his companions look at him and !
AXE their heads, knowingly.
On the Home Stretch.
The final week finds him pale and
ggard. He has still a great deal to
I. Wednesday, just three days of.
thesis is due. In after life he has
hazy recollection Of seeing the day
1e at the window as he figured away,
cling against time. He remembers
at before long he again saw the day
turn. Days and nights all seem n
Ike. Finally reaching the end of his
TX, the dam completed but the drive
y discarded. he rushes over to his II
ofessor with the precious booklet.
lat joy is his! Is it a wonder that
dances with his classmates about
Columns like a boy again? What
Dad eff his mind! This thing that
worried him since he was a fresh
n is no more!
'ut not all engineers plan dams.
engineer proposed a reservoir and
n on Hinkson Creek which would
t $4,000. Inside of twenty-five or
rty years the project might be a
cticable and paying one. Another
lnstalls a dam and reservoir on
Grindstone Creek-part of the
'kson-at a cost of $135;12O. AIU