University of Idaho - Gem of the Mountains Yearbook (Moscow, ID)

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SCHOOL OF MINES

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The “Ad” The main building or the “Ad” as the students affectionately call it, is, of course, the center of college activity. It is not to be expected that the scenes enacted there will vary much from one year to another, but a few changes have been made this year which may be worth noting. The preparatory students have mounted from one plane of wisdom to an- other until now prep hall is on the third floor. At that rate of ascension there is every likelihood that with the next spring they will be on the roof. The room formerly occupied by the preps has been converted into a reading room. Here the freshmen can chew gum and write notes without being disturbed by the prosey seniors who prefer to have at least the appear- ance of loving learning, by loitering near the bookshelves in the library. The Regents have forseen a great peril which hung over us and have at- tempted to remove it. There was a possibility that simultaneously two first year boys (a small estimate) might be burning with love for their adored ones; two debating societies having a heated discussion, three pianos playing “The Storm”; and two radiators giving off heat, (who ever dreamed that two ra- diators could be warm at once?) but supposing such strange coincidences as these should happen, a conflagration on the third floor would be imminent. Therefore the Regents ordered fire escapes to be added to the building at once. Such improvements as these making, as they do, very slight changes, are permissable provided that the building itself is left unaltered. Should any of us return to our Alma Mater in after years, (and may such frequently be the case) we shall expect to see many strange buildings on the campus; but we shall also hope to find one staunch old unchanged friend— the “Ad.” 13

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The School of Mines The School of Mines was created by a resolution of the Board of Re- gents during the year 1893-4. Because of the great wealth of the state in min- erals and the consequent demand for mining engineers the department soon had a large enrollment which has steadily increased until at the present time one-fifth of the male students of the University are registered for this course. The course in mining at the University is broad and includes all of the es- sential subjects and the pre-requisites of successful engineeving. Yet the course does not include any of the non-essentials, but tends always to make the graduates efficient and capable mining engineers.” That they are such is attested by the positions which they hold throughout the country. One reason for the efficiency of the graduates of this department is the fact that the course in mining is constantly adjusted to meet the rapidly changing conditions of the mining industry. The best and latest equipment is added as fast as the appro- priations of the state will allow. In addition to the theoretical knowledge gained at the University, stu- dents in this department are required to take at least two vacations—practical training jn the workings of some of the mines of the state. So great has been the success and the reputation of the Idaho School of Mires that students from various mining schools of the country have come for the course offered here, All this success and fame has been won while the department has, in a man- ner, been laboring under adverse circumstances. While the essential equipment is quite thorough there is a defect in that the room now given to the depart- ment is inadequate for the large number of students enrolled for the mining course. It has now come to the point where there must be a mining laboratory if the high efficiency of the department is to be continued. With the practical knowledge gained by ihe work in the mines during the summer and the training in the treatment of inetals which could be afforded by the addition of the new metallurgical laboratory, together with the theoretical knowledge which the students gain at the University, the high character of the min- ing school can be maintained permanently. 15