New Britain herald., 1918-10-04

got ms knOWledge Tn the same way as the boys in Dotheboys Hall, by manual demonstration. He was showed" by his superior on the job. That had become the accepted way of training engineers on American ships.
 But the new method had not long made it's bow before mechanics seemed to see something in it. The fremen and oilers took to it, and they came out with second or third assist ant engineers licenses in such a sur prisingly short time that the method of their advancement commanded re- spect.
 Classes at Technical Colleges.
 The Massachusetts Institute of Tech nology was chosen to launch the new idea for training engineers. Prof. Ed ward E. Miller, head of the engineer ing section of that high class institu- tion. holds a marine engineers license and is an authority on marine prac- tice in engineering.
 The first Shipping Board class at "Tech' approved of Professor Miller and the "college stuff so decidedly that 1t had not been at the college a week before the value of the new sys- tenn was fully demonstrated.
 Professor Miller had been designat- ed by the Board as it's chief instruc- tor in marine engineering, and classes were started at other technical col leges, including Tulane University at New Orleans, Armour Institute at Chicago, the Case School of Applied Science, Cleveland, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, and Washington University, Seattle Later schools were started at the University of California (Berkeley), in New York City and Jersey City, and at the Pratt Institute, Brooklyn.
 The attendance at these schools to date has been more than $500.
 The course of instruction is based on the premise that the man taught is already a thorough mechanic. In struction is given him in the things he would find hard to pick up by rule of thumb experience.
 Some of the schools hold dav ses- sions only, others have evening classes, in order that the student may follow his usual occupation by day.
 Subjects for Intensive Study.
 In day school. as at the Massa- chusetts Tech, the forenoons are usually devoted to lectures and the af- ternoons to laboratory and demon- stration work
 The men are tested first in simple mathematics, and given a text book to ald them. They are then instructed in such subjects as the action of salt water under heat; chemical tests of water the character and use of fus- 1ble plugs for boilers; capacity of coal punkerS, and character and combus- ton Of coal used on ships; the rela- tlon of coal consumption to speed, the character of propellers, and the ele- ment of slip" pumps, valves, gauges and indicator cards.
 For demonstrating work the class of sixty or seventy members is divided into small groups, each under an in structOr, who conducts the tests Those for the first week include engine de- tails, slide valve setting, gauge test ing, indicator card taking and finally indicator card reading, which in valves familiarity with a special in strument, the planimeter.
 During the week every man in the class has his special practice in these matters. In the second week the sub jects are measurement of horsepower. lining up of engines, piston valve set ting and the condenser and air pump
 The third week the laboratory sub JeCts are the salmon meter, duplex pump, water column and safety valve, while in the last week there are ex- ercises with injectors, turbine driven pumps, and an afternoon spent in a large sta ationary power house.
 special Courses for Special Work.
 This is the course at Massachusetts Tech. It may vary at other schools.