DEAN OF ENGINEERING TRIES TO BROADEN CURRICULUM

Dean Herman Schneider, of the College of Engineering, University of Cincinnati, announces that two important experiments are being tried with the engineering students. In his annual report to the president he says that, beginning this year, the senior co-operative students are made "co-ordinates" for freshmen. Each senior meets a group of three or four freshmen every Thursday afternoon at 4 o'clock. The seniors are experienced in solving problems which the freshmen encounter in the engineering shops. The first part of the hour is used by the seniors in asking the freshmen questions about their work, so as to check their observation of technical details and teach them how to analyze the principles of processes. In the second half of the period the freshmen ask the seniors concerning field and shop matters which are not clear to them. So far the plan has worked admirably.

It has long been a problem with directors of technical schools to make students see the advantages of knowledge and appreciation of things outside their own special field. The difficulties of instruction in the various fields of engineering have been mastered; but the engineering training has not yet been successful in making students able to meet social requirements easily. To solve this problem several innovations have been made. One is to urge and expect students to become familiar with the activities in the various fine arts which are available in the city. A library is being fitted up, designed especially for students to use in their leisure moments.

Another part of the plan relates to class work. The English Department is giving a course which aims to train students to present material clearly, convincingly and concisely, and without an attempt at oratorical effect.

The idea underlying the project is that the engineer must combine ideas and action, and must, in order to meet people of all classes successfully, have a knowledge and appreciation of the interests which are common to people who are educated. The art of expressing oneself freely, which is one of the objects of this course, is necessary for the engineer, since modern engineering requires him to appear before commissions, boards, and public bodies to present his material in non-technical form, and in a limited time. But in addition to the practical advantage of the training the aim is to give a liberal background to a specialized field which is ordinarily pursued in a narrow and technical way.