The Department Of Mechanical Engineering At Michigan University

We noticc tliat the Regenta of the UniTcrnitj- or Michigan have asked the Lesr islature for an appropriatiun f' $25,000 tor en larginytheir mechan cal Uboratury, and $5,000 additional for a testing machine. We are glad to see that the val ue of a practical training for profesional enKn-eis ii a)ireciated by the RgenU of the University. and hope the leglnlmure will nol fail to :iiiDii j;itc for such a laudable pvrpoae. The ra trked snecesa attendiiig the introduciiuu of workshop trainintr in other prominent engineering j-choola hng led to theexpenditureof much larger sunis in extendiuff the chopa and equipmt-nt. There is almndant proof ot ttie value of such instruciioM. In their memorial to the LegNlature, the Kegents st.ite that the University was one of the rery first (f nut the first) to sel up courses in science and engineering parallel tojthe old tiaditional uourses in art. A piofessor of enginRering was ppointed as early as 1854. Slnce that time a large number of engineerg have been graduated, many of whom have rendered conspicuous service to the public. Four years ago a department of meclmnical engineering was established in connection with the departments of civil umi mini iiJ - :- -- - t. w-,j.- _: cal laboratorv huil' " ' mnimw civ .-.-.i proveí O ba entirely in id -qua e to the wants of the students. It hu since been more than doubled in size and still accommodates only about one-half of i lióse seekinj{ its practical courses. The fiiccess attendiug tlie eflorts of those in charge of this Uepartment should commend it very favorably to the legislature. We also note that the Agricultural College at Lansing seeks of the Legislatura 17,000 for a mechan cal laboratory. It it is true, as woulü appear from 11 we Can learn, that the work contcmplated there is similar to that alreaüy being dol e at the UfltreriitT, we opine that tlin Ltyi-lature would do well to coimider the advisability ofhaving all tlie work ot this nature done at the Universily. They alre:idy have an excellent start there, aml il, would need only a few additional thousHuds to increase the capacüy of tlieir sliips so as to acioinrnodate not only the ennlnetriNji students as now, but also cuch other students as would desire to receive special instruction in practical mechanics ai.ddrawing with a view to tiltinji themselves as supeiïntendents or foremen of maiiufacturing establislituents. Tila udvaumge (o tuis class of students of securing thelr shop training witliin the walls ot a large university is very great. They would have not only the advantages of association with h high grade of Müdents, but tlso of a largê niunber of excellent courst'8 in liturnture and scienee, and an extensive library. We ehould anticípate imich better resulta trom a department olinechanic art3 at the Univerdty Ulan could be t xpected froni a similar duparlment at the Agricultural College. In taking thU gruiind we do not question the value to the student at the Agricnltural College of a department in which they muy Team the application of the mechan ie arts to agriculture in the üeld, and kindred.iudusuial pursuits, a roiiteinpl.ilfd iu tlie original act founduir such schools. The Michigan Engineering Society, which nia.v be assumed to appreciate Dtit tully the advantage ot atechuical educ.ition il) lts relaiion to the State, at itt Inte annual meeting, on motion of Mr. Sears, adopted the following: Retohed, That the Michigan Engln"erl'g Society vl. ws wltli st liearty appruval tlie develupmeiUalready made at Uulv.ralty ui Michigan In tlie direullon of experluieutal and vvorkBtiop pracilee In wo.d and Iron cunstructl n lor lue tralulug of pruiesslonai tnBlneers. The resol uüons further urge the attention of the Legislature to the matter and !t forth the advantages to the technical ludusuies of the State of a reliable and accessible tesling machiue. In the discussioii which took place the whole matter was ably handled and we doubt not that the members of the Legislature would have been higlily ediüed could they have bern present. Before leaving this branch of the subject, however. we cannot but think thut a nustake has been made in limiMnir the cost of a testing machine to $5,000. A nnnhinc costing twice or thrce times this amount would be far more adequate to the technical needs of a great state. When weremember that the state alone has solé juiisdictiou over uil public structures with a view to securing proper safety to the public, the oblig.ition of every state to provide ficilitles for the proper test of the material of construclion, and umler dminterested technical supervisión, is too obvious for commeut. When also, a state has a great educatie ni ul institution with proper ttchnical departinents, there can be no question lis to where the charge of such a machine should lie. The Board of Regents, In tlius urging more efficiënt provisión for the advanco ment ot the technital departmenis, are in accord with the best educ.itional tbouybt of the country. Iu all our great educational iiistitutions, the lendeucy istoward an equalizatiou of the status of the grailuates iu the scieuces and the classics. Il is gratifying to note that the Faculty of Harvard College recently placed the two on a par, and that hen-afler it will be pos.sible toobtain the hieliest degree without haviiig studied Greek.