South Dakota State College - Jack Rabbit Yearbook (Brookings, SD)

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5 fl DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL AND AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING. A problem which comes before every young man sooner or later in life is this: What will I take up as a life occupation ? It is a serious question and much depends upon its satisfactory answer. Will it be a profession-as the law, medicine, ministry or teaching? Will it be the arts-as painter, sculptor or author? Will it be more active-as the field of mechanics or the trades? Will it be near to nature's heart on the farm or in the field investigating the natural history and'philosophy of things? The answer to this question involves the young man's happiness and prosperity through life. The man who takes up a work, merely for the bread and butter there is articular liking for the work enters upon a period of mere drudgery, for uncongenial labor is that and but little more, but if he selects a congenial occupa- tion every day's work is a day of pleasure, his labor is sweet and his profits financially usually greater. Students attending the Agricultural College are peculiarly favored. They are placed where, while pursuing their education they may at the same time enter experimentally into the different fields of work, and so select the occupation. which they can see will be con- genial to them in after life. They can start their work and so be at least partially prepared to enter at once into their work. They can become acquainted with its scope and with roficient in their worldand so know better where to look for an opening when they are ready to enter into the active duties of the business. Pro- fessions, arts, agriculture, mechanics. electricity, civil engineering, business, all are laid before him in our curriculum for him to choose from and it would be a very peculiar student who did not find his ideal occupation in some of the branches offered. The latest department added to our curriculum is the Department of Civil and Agricultural Engineering for students to consider as leading to a congenial occupation and it has many advantages and fascinating features to offer. It is the acme of engineering work, much of it is outdoors, it is endless in its variety and it is so universally practical that it appeals to a great fvariety of individual temperaments and we wish .to oiier it as one line to be considered along with the other in the choice of a life occupation. From the beginning of our institution certain subjects of the civil engineering work have been offered, but they were classed as certain studies of the mathematical department. In 1902, however, the Regents established the separate department and Professor Crane, who had been teaching the subjects as Assistant in Mathematics was chosen as its head. A full course in civil engineeering branches was offered leading to the degree of B. S., the same as in the other engineering departments. It includes land surveying, both field work. theoretical study and drafting: hydraulics and its applications in water supply, sewerage and irrigation, road construction, applied to country roads, street pavements and railroads, all the mathematics, physics, chemistry and other scientific branches required in a full col- legiate course as well as one year of French. The Regents have very generously added to the equipment of the department till now we have about every variety of apparatus for teaching the work, including transits, levels, compasses. both ordinary and solar, a plane table, current meter and planimeter and slide rules for oliice computations. These instruments are not merely to look at-they are placed in the hands of the students who are given definite problems for them to work out with their use. They are expected to get field data from which to compute areas and plot fields to scale. They are given profile work and computations of grade, cut and fill, They are expected to be able, after their notes are worked up, to place the location stakes on the ground ready for the workmen to begin operations-in fact to do the work required in actual practice. It is needless to say that the students enjoy the work. It is a kind which appeals to them. Much of it is out of doors, it is highly scientific as well as practical. It is a study that at once leads to something tangible and practical as a con- genial occupation after school life is done- in it without any p those who are prominent and p 25

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Department qfBotany and Entomology 'RG -wN'Ax 5' to A ' BE T U oi SM ir wi. Y 2 WILLIAM A. WHEELER, M. S. Professor of Botany and Entomology 1' s- .rf t 5. 6'-' Bs 1 ,QQ L K as f A 1 'ix ffl h 'xx' 'Lt .1 Ax kuh I wi 5.5, . ' X W .Q ,3 w wf 'f 1 4 24

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The students of the department have organized a Civil Engineer's Club for the study and discussion of subjects in their line of work which, though just organized, bids fair to be of much value to them in their work by giving a broader view of the field and creating interest and enthusiasm in the work. The department feels just pride in the work of some of the young men who have gone from the institution and entered this line of work. Two are employed in government work in the ,U. S. Geological Survey, one is professor of civil and mining engineering, three are at work in railroad engineering in the Eastern states, one is government sur- veyor on the new reservations recently opened up in Utah, and several have been appointed county surveyors in their respective counties. These are mentioned merely to show the opportunities which are offered for those who care to enter and are prepared. The depart- ment is better equipped than ever before to prepare you. If it appeals to you avail yourself of the opportunities offered and the department management stands ready to help you all it can in every way it is able. Ausrm B. CRANE, M. s. Professor of Civil and Agricultural Engineering 26