Newark post., 1916-02-02
BETTER ENGLISH
A New Method Of Paying
The National Debt

in Volume %, Engineering Educa-
tion, gives pertinent suggestions
as to the greater efficiency of our
engineering schools.
In questioning the efficiency of
the engineering schools at the
present time there are four con.
spicuous things in which the pru-
fessional men show a fair degree
of unanimity. The first and most
important is English. The large
majority of the letters received
mention, the absolute necessity
for higher efficiency in the train
ing in English. One engineer
states that faulty English wastes
each year more money than would
pay the United States debt. Engi
neers should be able to express
their precise ideas clearly and ac-
curately, and should be certain
that their words convey to an
other the thoughts that they wish
to express.
This criticism of English is a
very far-reaching one because
English depends on so many
things-inheritance, home envir-
onment, youthful associations,
early schooling, social opportuni-
ties, and the like. But clear ex-
preston in English depends even
more on how the engineering
subjects are taught. No one can
express himself clearly unless he
has been taught in the science
and engineering departments to
think clearly. No on can write
convincing report unless he has
learned to discriminate between
essential and unessential elements
between important and unimport-
ant factors,-in other words, he
must have acquired perspective.
This problem of more efficient
English involves the whole school
and it cannot be effectively solved
without the earnest and sincere
cooperation of all the depart
ments.
The second point which is prom
inent in the professional criti-
cism of engineering schools is the
engineers breadth of view. The
present Importance and the rapid
ly expanding scope of the engi-
neering profession demands men
with vision, enthusiasm, and SYM
pathy,--men w h i d cal s and
faith in human nature At pres
ent, public service commissions
are usually composed Of lawyers,
men Of business, perhaps doctors,
and probably theologians. These
men make the general plan for
new roads and decide which road
shall be improved first to meet the
social needs Of the communities.
Then engineers are employed to do
the technical work of constr715cc,
tion. Men of broader socie,, out-
look and broader agR,greciation If
human relations lar or+ tho
Ia l"l ee, 81 ptat y s,sd, d5,Syne technical details
a. o. { los Frequently the sole inheri-
,as.ydnce Of the engineer.
A large majority of the practic-
ing engineers suggest that the
kind Of breadth that is wanted
may be developed by more study
Of sociology, economics, history
psychology, and ethics, rather
than by the usual haphazard eff
forts at securing some knowledge
of foreign languages. A reading
knowledge of French and German
does not seem to be essential fol
the engineer, although some still
cling to the old ideas of the eff
cacy of mere language study II
developing culture. Spanish may
be more desirable because Of its
utilitarian value.
The third important point II
the professional criticism is tht
lack Of what they call business
sense. They do not expect thu
student to know the exact price!
of cast iron or brass per pound
but they do want him to know in
stinctively that if he figures th'
cost of forty tons of cast iron a
two million dollars something il
wrong with his calculation. 1t i
sense of relative values tina
seem to be needed. A competen
engineer is not a man who can de
sign a bridge, but man who ca
design bridge for the leas
money.
Fourth and perhaps the mos
important points on which man
members of the engineering pre-
fassion agree in criticising tn
schools may be called over-spe'
ialization. Some state it by say
;,r +bo+ tbarn ic FOO ,pIIch Cnpci a