Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1886 [PAGE 160]

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152 A collection of engravings and photographs has been commenced and a part of these are now mounted, for the use of students in Designing, as illustrations of the manner in whieh similar problems have been solved by professional architects. This collection promises to become one of the most efficient means of elevating the character of students' designs possible and has already proved to be very valuable. When a student graduates from the University, he should be thoroughly en rapport with the spirit and style prevailing in the offices of the leading architects, and not entirely educated on the basis of past historical styles of Architecture. HEATING AND VENTILATION.—This study is of great importance, yet no good text-book exists in English, suited to the needs of the Architectural student. After examining several French and German works, I found that Planat's Chauffage et Ventilation was the most comprehensive and scientific. Accordingly, I translated this during the last summer vacation, re-drew the plates, abridging it by the omission of the descriptions of French heating apparatus. It was copied by the blue process, and has been used as a text-book during the present term with satisfactory results. Daily recitations were held, and 38 numerical problems in application of the formulae were solved, some of which required a great deal of labor. ESTIMATES, AGREEMENTS AND SPECIFICATIONS.—A little more than half the term is usually devoted to estimates, which is taught by blue-print lectures, verbal explanations, and also by preparation of estimates for various kinds of work under practical conditions. When last taught, 53 problems were given to the class, comprising estimating by squaring, by cubing and by quantities, for the various building trades. The principal importance is attached to the teaching of a convenient order and system of arrangement of estimates, and the knowledge of the usual modes of measurement of the trades, but actual prices are employed as far as possible, though these necessarily differ for various localities. Vogdes' Architect's Price-book is used for prices of carpenter's and joiner's work. The instruction in Agreements and Specifications chiefly consists in the careful study of the printed forms employed by architects, and in filling these out to suit a specified building, usually taking an example from Tuthill's Drawing. • THE COURSE IN SHOP PRACTICE.—This has not been materially changed for several years past, and is entirely arranged on the Eussian system. No attempt is made to compel the members of an entire class tp do each part of the work at exactly the same time, which constitutes the principal difference between the system employed in the shops of this University, and the Woodward system, adopted in the Manual Training Schools of St. Louis and Chicago. It is believed that the Woodward system unduly restrains the brightest and quickest members of the class, soon causing the loss of their interest and enthusiasm, while the slowest. members are continually hurried, and fail to ever learn to do good work. Evidently, it is first essential to teach the student how to work in