Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-08-03
THE PEOPLES FORUM

Eighth. The capacity of the old,
experienced, and well-established
American engineers for doing work
is practically unlimited, provided
that there be no shortage of young
properly educated assistants; be-
cause most technical men of mature
years have developed highly the fac
ulty of management. On that ac-
count the average total annual
amount of work engineered by such
men in this country could readily be
increased five fold, or, possibly even
ten fold, without causing undue
overstress either physical or mental;
and, consequently, the great mass of
the work of rld-reconstruction
could emanate from the United
States and be handled abroad by
American engineers.
Ninth. 1t is beyond question that,
for the next ten years or more, engi-
neering is everywhere going to be
the most lucrative of all the profess
sions.
From these nine premises what is
the important deduction to be
drawn?
Evidently it is that, by some
means or other, we must manage not
only to prevent any failing off in the
attendance at our technical schools
both during and directly after the
war, but also greatly to increase it.
And how can this be done?
The answer to this question is not
difficult. 1t is as follows:
First. BY urging more young men
to go to college, and by persuading
! their parents that it is their duty to
send the boys there for the ultimate
good of both themselves and the
country.
Second. By inducing all sub
freshmen who have shown any spe-
cial aptitude for mathematics, me-
chanics, or chemistry, to take the
technical courses.
Third. BY discouraging the enlist
ment into the Army and Navy of all
students in technical institutions,
but, on the contrary, by encouraging
| them to remain and graduate, If pos
drafted will have to serve; for it
would, manifestly, be unfair to the
rest of the youths of the country to
excuse a man from going to the
front simply because he is a tech
nical student. Such drafted students.
however, should generally be sent
to the engineer corps, because their
services in that branch of the Army
would probably be more effective
than in any other, and because the
| training they would receive therein
would be likely to serve them in
good stead in after years when prac-
ticing in the engineering profession.
Fourth. By granting government
aid to those youths of evident special
ability in technical lines who are un-
able to raise the money necessary for
a course of instruction.
If these four steps be taken, the
unique opportunity referred to will
not be lost; and this country will
then become the leader of the world
in activity, effectiveness, and wealth.
Let me, therefore, most earnestly
implore all youths who are ready for
college this fall, and who are not in
any way untitled for technical ca
| reers, to take up some branch ot
engineering or technology; and lei
me entreat the parents or guardians
of such youths to exert their in
| fiuence so as to induce the boys to
choose that line of study for their
! life work. Remember: it is not only
| for the good of the country that /
make this appeal, but also for the
| ultimate benefit of the young men
| themselves!
Some reader of this communica-
ton may remark that such an ap-
| peal would possess more force If II
were to come from national engi-
neering society than when emanat-
ing from an individual engineer
Very true! But until quite lately
there has been no engineering So
ciety which draws its membership
from all lines of technical activity;
and the one which is now being
formed, viz, the American Academy
of Engineers, has not yet received
! from Congress the national charter
for which 1t has applied. Were that
association to-day fully organized
and recognized by the government, II
! assuredly would make such an ap-
peal as this; and, in my opinion, that
appeal would Immediately be re-
sponded to by the nation, for the
American people certainly are sens
ible enough to heed seriously any
words of warning coming from a
select body of the most practical
men in the land.
1t is true that such an appeal
might readily be made by the old
and established Society For the
Promotion of Engineering Educa-
ton; but, IL so, 1t would generally
fall upon deaf ears, because 1t would
Immediately be remarked that the
professors were simply trying to re-
cruit their classes and were root
| iugh for Aheir achOOla On that ac-