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

Page 16 text:

ARMOUR GOES FORWARD The fronts along which Armour is advancing are indicated by important developments in the regular undergraduate courses, by an enlarged program for the evening school, by the response from selected high school graduates and from industry of opportunities offered by the Cooperative Course, by the participation of executives from some forty leading companies in the conference course in Plant Engineering and Maintenance carried on at weekly dinner meetings at a downtown hotel, and most significant of all, by notable expansion in research and graduate study. Policies under which new activities have been undertaken and old ones enlarged have involved the strengthening of instruction by reduction of teaching loads, by improved condi- tions in the faculty, and by the addition to the staff of men of scientific distinction in their fields. It has also been pos- sible to allocate considerable time of men already on the staff to creative engineering research. The outstanding event of the year was doubtlessly the successful launching of the Research Foundation. The Foun- dation was incorporated in April, 1936, and on September 1, 1936, Dr. Thomas S. Poulter became Director,and the Founda- tion took over the research work carried on in the several In- stitute laboratories. Dr. Poulter was senior scientist of the Second Byrd Antarctic Expedition, and is distinguished for his work in electrical, physical, and optical effects of extremely high pressures. Among the subjects now undergoing research are Illinois-lndiana coals, domestic stokers, chemical filtra- tion, flow of heat, heat exchanges, and the chemistry of oils. From the standpoint of teaching, research, and of community service, the year has been one of exceptional progress. 10

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SEEKING TO LEARN Mankind has always sought to determine what caused the various motions and actions about us. In this process, vast stores of knowledge have been set up. As embryonic engi- neers, we. too, seek to learn or partake of this wealth of know- ledge. For this reason, we have prepared ourselves by first studying in grammar and then in high school, and now have chosen Armour to guide us further into the realms of learning and to show us the way to knowledge. From the fundamen- tals of arithmetic we have come a long way to the study of the comparatively advanced subjects, such as calculus, physics, and chemistry. Finally we shall enter our chosen fields, where we must seek to apply the fundamentals which we have gathered along our way. Here, again, we must continue in our quest for knowl- edge in order to stay abreast of progress in our own sphere. 9

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THE DEAN'S MESSAGE An undergraduate course in engineering is not intended to produce finished engineers. This being the case, each en- gineering student must give careful consideration to that phase of his education which follows graduation from the four-year curriculum. Some four-year graduates should remain in col- lege for additional study and research leading to advanced degrees, but for the majority, the formal part of their engineer- ing education stops at the end of the collegiate years. The first five years after graduation are particularly impor- tant in determining the eventual progress of the engineer. It is during this period that he must be extending his education and gaining experience so that he may merit true professional standing. It is during this period that he should obtain a com- prehensive knowledge of the profession which he is entering, should affiliate himself with national and local engineering societies, and develop a thorough understanding of the prob- lems of professional responsibility and citizenship. Until recently, attempts to assist the young engineer enter- ing the profession have been more or less sporadic, but now the Engineers' Council for Professional Development has as one of its chief functions the broad purpose of assisting in the personal and professional growth and development of the graduate, both as an engineer and as a citizen. This Coun- cil hopes to be of material assistance in the selection and guidance of high school students planning to enter engineer- ing colleges, and in the professional development of the young engineering graduate. The young engineering graduate should familiarize himself promptly with this program and avail himself whole-heartedly of the assistance offered. 11