Michigan State University - Red Cedar Log Yearbook (East Lansing, MI)

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NGINEERING, established at I I. A. C. in 1885, has been in con- tinuous operation since that time, and has rapidly developed until it is now a very substantial and thorough course. Emphasis is placed on the importance of general training for all engineering students, in accord- ance with which the course is completely prescribed for the first year, after which those having a preference for any of the major groups of civil, mechanical, electrical, or chemical, are given the opportunity to choose then- desired course. In the first two years thorough instruction is offered in mathematics, English, drawing, shop-work, chemistry, surveying, physics, economics and many other studies of the underlying principles of all engineering science. The last two years are devoted more to specialization, but even then each of the four courses named include a sufficient amount of work in the other branches, to give a good com- petent, sound training and viewpoint of the engineering profession. The Civil engineer has a diversity of problems confronting him, for there are railroads to be located and maintained, bridges, pavements, sewers, reservoirs, fac- tories to be built, river and harbor improvements t o be made, water supply problems to be solved, and water power to be developed. Our cement and hydraulic laboratories are well sup- plied with equipment, and there is a large amount of instruments for all kinds of surveying, which are of the latest type and design. It is the aim of this department to arrange the work to give the student good competent training for the actual practice to be encountered after graduation. The Mechanical engineer must be able to conceive, design, construct, test and Page Forty-one

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operate machinery of all kinds. Machinery is used for the generation of power from fuel, water and air; for the transmission of power to the point where it is to be used ; and for the application of power to the various useful purposes required by mankind, to meet the demands of civilization for food, cloth- ing, shelter, transportation, communication, health, recreation, in fact in e ' ery phase of life. The fac ilities ofiered for the Mechanical engineer at M. A. C. are in the form of a general course, taking up the underlying principles of all engineering, specializing in the more important technical lines. The machine shop is well supplied with a large variety of the newest types of engine lathes, planers, millers and grinders, and all of the necessary equipment found in factories. About $50,000 worth of new machinery were obtained from the government at the close of the world war. Production methods, factory management, and shop details are given a thorough study. An engine of the Hvid type designed entirely by the students is being built by a company formed from members of the senior class. This company is an exact duplicate of a commercial enterprize and offers an oppor- tunity for a very close study of a modern business. The foundry includes an eighteen inch cupola for melting iron and nearly all of the job work of the school is done here. The steam laboratory includes several large steam and gas engines, turbines, motors, pumps, tanks and weirs. (In fact a very complete supply of power machines.) The facilities of the mechanical de- partment are very complete giving a graduate in this course a very wide viewpoint of his profession. In Electrical engineering the attempt is made to familiarize the student with the basic principles of electricity. The course is intended to provide that training in the subject, which com- bining with some knowledge of civil and mechanical engineering, will fit a voung man to capably enter the electrical activities of the present day. Begiiuiing the study of electricity in physics, the stu- dent investigates the methods of electrical measurements and Page Forty-two