Armour Institute of Technology - Cycle Yearbook (Chicago, IL)

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Joseph B. Finnegan During the present school year the work of the department has proceeded satisfac- torily, with no radical changes in curriculum and methods, but with the progressive changes in details of course content that are desirable to keep abreast of developments in the field. For several years increasing atten- tion has been given to fire hazards and fire protection in buildings in course of construc- tion; to the grave problems involved in the widespread use of pyroxylin lacquers applied by spraying processes; to the hazards of nitro- cellulose films used in x-ray and portrait pho- tography; to the use of new and hazardous anestctics in hospitals; to the fire protection of hangars and other properties at air ports; to the many new designs of equipment for automatic sprinkler installations, particularly of heat-sensitive devices and of dry-pipe valve accelerating devices; and of valves for high-pressure standpipe systems. In the dis- cussion of insurance, time has been given to a consideration of recent changes of practice in the use of reporting forms”; to the marked increase in the activity of inland marine insurance departments in writing policies providing broad coverage; and to the assumption of liability for damage due to inherent explosion hazard and to smudge in dwellings, the latter two coverages being now more important than formerly on account of DEPARTMENT OF FIRE PROTECTION ENGINEERING the considerable use of oil and of gas for domestic heating. Students in fire protection engineering are registered in many courses given by other departments at the Institute, in some eases for fundamental humanistic, scientific, or en- gineering subjects, in others for instruction specially organized for fire protection en- gineers. In all cases this department has had • most satisfactory cooperation. The professional laboratory work of the department continues to be carried on at the well-equipped plant of Underwriters’ Labo- ratories, the testing station of the National Board of Fire Underwriters. During the past year the hydraulic equipment at the Labora- tories has had important additions. An Allis- Chalmers centrifugal pump, with a rated capacity of 1000 gallons per minute at 500 pounds pressure, is driven by a direct-con- nected 2300-volt alternating-current motor rated at 600 horse-power, with variable speed controller. The discharge line is provided with a 3-inch and an 8-inch Venturi meter with a direct-reading manometer. A Repub- lis flow-meter with direct-reading dial has been installed to measure flows in pipes of various sizes from 2 2 to 8 inches. T wtnly-tluhl

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DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING The Department of Chemical Engineering commenced to plan better methods of in- struction and better facilities for instruction in the spring of 1931. These plans included the attendance of three of our teachers of chemical engineering at the summer school for chemical engineering given jointly by the Society for the Promotion of Engineering • Education and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers at the University of Michigan. Professors Schommer and Bentley and Mr. Martin attended the entire three weeks of the conference, while Professor McCormack attended only the last two days of the con- ference. During this time various questions concerned with the training of chemical en- gineers and the preparation for future em- ployment were discussed. Representatives from sixty colleges and universities were present. Some topic connected with chemical en- gineering instruction was presented each day by a teacher presumably best qualified to pre- sent this particular topic. The paper was then discussed by those in attendance. This procedure led to an exchange of ideas impos- sible to secure in any other way and, un- Harry McCormack doubtcdly, will mean much in the unification and advancement of chemical engineering education. Several of the laboratories devoted to chemistry and chemical engineering were re- modeled during the summer and early fall. The laboratories receiving particular atten- tion were those devoted to electrochemistry, physical chemistry and chemical engineering unit processes. A considerable addition to the floor space available in laboratories was provided, en- abling such expansion to be made as would take care of our needs for the next few years. The changes possible in the chemical en- gineering unit process laboratory were par- ticularly desirable, as the equipment used in these courses was crowded in so closely that space was not available for satisfactory operation of the equipment by the students. This handicap has now been overcome and we believe that our laboratory facilities to date arc as satisfactory for these courses as any which may be found. Accompanying the remodeling of the laboratories was the revision of the laboratory instruction given to the junior and senior students in chemical engineering, this revision taking account of the increased facilities for accomplishing the work and of recent devel- opments in engineering theory and practice. T unity-sere n

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DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE Before reviewing the events which have taken place in the Architectural Department during the year 1931-32, it might be well to point out the unique situation of the depart- ment in relation to the Chicago Art Institute. Controlled by Armour Institute, where the architectural students receive their scientific and cultural training, the Architectural De- partment occupies the rambling upper spaces of the Art Institute building and it turns, therefore, to the two institutions for help. In addition to the current exhibitions of the Art Institute, the department has held its own exhibitions of special interest. Among those held this year were the following: a large group of sketches and water color draw- ings executed by students and members ot the faculty during the summer; the Rome Prize Competition drawings; some paintings by Albert H. Krehbiel; drawings by J. E. Peterson which were done during the summer session of the Fountaincblcau school; Paris Prize Competition drawings; and the Travel- ing Exhibition of the Association of Collegi- ate Schools of Architecture. Mr. Ralph Hammet and Mr. J. E. Petersen are no longer members of the Architectural staff. Mr. Hammett is now at the University of Michigan and Mr. Petersen left Chicago liari II. Reed, Jr. for European travel. Mr. Roland Rathbun, who has come to the department from the University of Illinois, has taken over the class in Architectural History very successfully. The Senior Architectural students have en- joyed several inspection trips this year. Local judgments arc held in the depart- ment for each problem in Design, for ele- mentary problems as well as for the more advanced projets which are sent to the Beaux-Arts Institute of Design for judgment. A generous portion of First Mention and Medal awards have been received. It is the custom to invite outside architects for the local judgments and among those who have served as jurors are Messrs. Ralph Milman, Frank Hodgdon, Rudolph Nedved, George Nimmons, Ralph Faro, Hubert Burnham, L. M. Saint-Hubert, and Donald Nelson. A number of visitors have contributed in- spiring lectures and criticisms throughout the year. Mr. Victor Preotz gave a splendid illustrated lecture on Swedish Architecture; Mr. E. H. Bennett and Mr. R. E. Schmidt, architects, Mr. Sirko of the Northwestern Terra Cotta Company, Mr. M. H. Smith of the United States Gypsum Company, Mr. John Norton, artist, and Mr. E. Zcttlcr of the Art Institute have all given talks on different subjects relative to the current problems in Architectural Design. T went y-nine