Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-03-13
Laboratories and Classroom Space Get Top Priority
In Maryland U.S. $85 Million Engineering Center
Dedication March IS
Marks End of 6-Yeur
Building Program

In the long box of an engi-
neering building at the Univer-
sity Of Maryland. only one room
boasts a completed ceiling.
The building-its corridors Of
fer straightaways for 100-yard
dashes-is the biggest in the
complex known as the Glenn L.
Martin Institute of Technology.
The completed ceiling hangs
over the head Of Dean S. S.
Steinberg, institute director, who
explains readily about the rough
ceilings in the rest of the build
ing:
Everything was designed here
to be functional"
Money Stretched.
Classrooms and laboratories
were put first and by skimping
on finishing touches, construc-
ton money stretched further.
Generally the university's
NIT" accentuates the func-
tional, but behind the brick walls
lie several laboratories devoted
to theoretical research.
The institute-an $8.5 million
mass, Of which $2.3 million was
given by the airplane builder for
whom it is named-will be dedi-
Gated on March Is at 10 am,
climaxing a six-year construc-
ton program.
The dedication will mark the
recognition Of full utilization Of
the buildings and call attention
to the university's growing repu-
tation as a science center.
For Dean Steinberg the day
will have particular significance.
He arrived at College Park in
1918 to teach the sciences to 70
students enrolled in that field.
The science departments then
were housed in one small build
ing.
He became dean in 1885 and,
as part Of what he calls his
lifetime chore," planned the
layout of buildings, which cur
rently are used daily by 1900
engineering students.
Jump of 80 Per Cent.
Facilities will accommodate
higher enrollments and Dean
Steinberg anticipates them. This
year the number of engineering
students jumped 80 per cent,
against an overall rise in the
student body Of 10 per cent.
Dean Steinberg believes the
institute faces its greatest years.
1t has the rooms and the
equipment, ranging from a
dramatic pendulum which
teaches how the earth revolves
to a wind tunnel that generates
220 m.p.h gales.
1t has the faculty. And it's
not only attracting top-grade
scientists, but holding them be-
cause it offers varied research
opportunities plus a shot at extra
compensation for consultation
work among Government and
private organizations in this
area.
Its five engineering depart
ments-chemical, electrical, me-
chanical, civil and aeronautical-
all are fully accredited.
Dean Steinberg apparently is
convinced the combination will
attract students. And he wants
good students. So he has raised
the standards.
Must Get C Marks.
Engineering students now must
get c marks in every major sub
ject of their specialties. The
former norm demanded only a
c average.
Under the institutes wing are
two important auxiliary centers,
the Institute for Fluid Dynamics
and the Institute of Molecular
Physics.
Work in both these research
buildings is devoted largely to
classified projects for the Gov
eminent.
Out Of the first came last
year the long sought explana-
ton of the origin of tornadoes.
DR.. Theodore Theodorsen. who
was doing pure research on tur-
bulence, made the discovery and
evolved the theory that without
tornadoes, unbridled winds would
make life on this planet impos-
sible.
The DhVSicS Institute was set