Princeton University - Bric A Brac Yearbook (Princeton, NJ)

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Professors R. H. Dicke, A. Wheeler, Department of Physics Professors E S Wallis, H N Alyea, C E Bricker, Department o Chemzstry laboratory and reading and thinking and dreaming. Their understanding of science is of their own making. We offer understanding: facts and principles woven together into knowledge, ending with a sense of science as structure of knowledge. This may be disappointing, because underf standing is a delicate thing to hang an hourftest on, compared with brute facts that can be learned for immediate use! But brute facts rather like that dreadful liniment of turpentine that grandparents used on childrens' chests: impressive at -the time, then irritating, then Vanishf ing into a smell of pine woods, with no lasting value- except to the turpentine manufacturers. Princeton is not an intellectual -turpentine factory. Yet understanding, ill though it looks when asked for in examinations, has lasting benefits. It makes a Princeton engineer a irstfclass engineer, who knows what he's doing in contrast with the thirdfclass engineer, a necessary foreman with a wellfthumbed handbook. It can make a Princeton doctor a great surgeon, alive to the developments of his science. Gr it can make him a successful general doctor with a happy intellectual background. We also welcome the pure nonfscientist. To him we offer understanding of science, as background for working with scientists in industry, in government, in the armed forces, and as an intellectual resource in later life. Some may doubt whether mankind is made much happier or even better by insistent telephones, longfstoring iceboxes, pushbutton wifefsavers, or new and deadlier weapons, yet the real life of science lies not in these technical applications but in the growth of mankind's knowledge and understanding of Nature, of machines and materials, of rocks and living things, of this Earth and man himself, body and mind. Such growing under' standing is Science, and a sense of it is a part of Liberal education which Princeton owes to every student. Professors S. R. Heath, S. S. Tomkins, C. C. Pratt, Department of Psychology

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Chalrman, Department of Chemistry Professor N. H. Furman, Professor A. W. Tucker, Chairman, Department of Mathema.tics science: the real science is the work now in progress on the frontiersof knowledge. Our Princeton scientists are happy explorers, feeling their way, settling new ground, enjoying a sense of conquest that is a sense of growing understanding. Where shall wisdom be found: and where is the place of understanding? Man knoweth not the price thereof . . . Job XXVIII We alLseek wisdom. We read the work of wise historians, consult wise humanists, study nature with wise scientists and we profit greatly as we thus 'build our own philosophy. Bu-t when we 'turn to text books and encyclopedias we are disappointed because we are wise enough to see that we are not gaining wisdom but only collecting information. The essential -difference between information fuseful but dullj and full knowledge or wisdom seems to be 'gunderf standing in the old sense that the Bible gave it. Humanf istis, historians, scientists, all educated men seek underf standing and delight- in it. So our happy scientists, who wants to share his interests with the next generation, writes and -teaches and welcomes students to join his club. Science specialists depend on him for information and knowledge-also for grades, though the good scientist can best write his own grade, pace the Deans. But these scientists are their own slavedrivers in Professors F. B. Van Houten, P. MacClintock, E. Dorf, Department of Geology Professor L. Spitzer, Jr., Chairman, Department of Astronomy

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Professor H'. Menaild, Jr., Department of Mechanical Engineering ENGINEERING By Howard Menand, Jr., AB., M.B.A. Assistant to the Dean of the School of Engineering In order to determine properly the value of an engineer' ing education, it is necessary to define the role of an engineer in our society. Basically, an engineer utilizes natural resources and human resources for the heneit of mankind. The engineers education must he designed, therefore, to enable 'him to ill this role. Such a function requires, obviously, a broad training. The engineer must understand and he ahle to apply the laws of natural science. He must he completely familiar with all materials-in liquid, gaseous, or solid form-in order to design structures and products and have them function properly. And, to accomplish this, he must work with and through people-that is, he must he ahle to handle people, These responsilhilities result in an educaf tional program, onefthird to the field of engineering and onefthird is reserved for the use hy the student in electing courses in the humanities and social sciences. Since engineering is a profession, in addition to prof viding the young man with a halanced education, his undergraduate schooling is planned to enahle him to achieve proficiency in his future occupation. Professional education is the training of the mind as a preparation for mastery of a field. It is education, not vocational training, Professors J. C. Elgin, Chairmang E. F. Johnson, Jr., Department of Chemical Engineering Professors P. Kissam, Department of Civil .Engineeringg F. 'A. Heacock, Chairman, Department of Graphics and Engineering Drawingg G. P. Tschebotarioff, Department of Cwll Engineering