Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1873 [PAGE 102]

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98 KEPORT FROM SCHOOL OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING.

CHAMPAIGN, I I I . , March, 1873. DR. J. M. GREGORY, Regent of the University : SIR : I hereby respectfully submit the following brief statement of labors in the Mechanical Department during the past year:

INSTRUCTION.

Instruction has been given in the following named technical subjects, peculiar to the department, viz : Designing-drawing and mechanical laboratory practice, principles of mechanism, thermodynamics, pneumatics, prime movers, and finished machine drawings. Instruction has also been given by the department, in the following subjects, mostly peculiar to the college of engineering, viz : Physics, hydraulics, and strength of materials. Instruction in other necessary studies of the recommended course of this and other schools of the College of Engineering, has been given in other departments. The number of students taught in each subject, is here given : Designing-drawing and practice in mechanical laboratory, fifteen; principles of mechanism, four ; thermodynamics and pneumatics, three each ; prime movers, two; finished machine drawings, three ; physics, twenty-four; hydraulics, five, and kstrength of materials, six. The scarcity of numbers in these classes is owing in part to the fact that the students in them are among the first who have reached these subjects at this Institution; and partly to the fact that the number of students who pursue technical studies in colleges generally, is proportionally small. The labor of this teaching has been great, having been done mostly by lectures, in the absence of suitable text-books, requiring some of the time two lectures per day, and at least one per day for the entire year. Besides this some of the exercises, such as drawing and practice in the mechanical laboratory, require two hours each per day, and have thus consumed much time. The number of hours I have been engaged in instruction daily, has varied from four to six. The help of two hours per day from an assistant, it would seem should afford abundant relief, but this has been fully equaled by the new studies taken up in this Institution for the first time by the advancing students. The lectures and recitations have been illustrated by models and apparatus, and by plates. The labor of this part of the instruction has been much increased on account of the inconvenient arrangements for use of apparatus. Also many of the experiments have come far short of what they should be for the same reason. But entire relief from this source of hindrance is expected as soon as the new building becomes occupied.

ASSISTANCE.

In addition to my labor as above mentioned, the business going on in the mechanical laboratory has required from three to six hours per day on account of the general supervision of the work which I have thus far considered it advisable for me to undertake. This, with the work of instruction, including new classes formed in consequence of our older students having advanced to the higher technical subjects, overloaded me to such an extent that I was obliged to ask for assistance at the first part of this college year. Mr. E. G. Walker, formerly a student in the mechanical department, has rendered valuable aid in the laboratory practice and drawing. The time he has given to these classes is two hours per day. Experience has convinced me that in this practice a teacher can do justice to fewer students than in almost any other branch; not only on account of the demand by the student for personal attention, but because of the valuable machinery necessarily put to his use during the hours of instruction. The assistance rendered by Mr. Walker has for the present afforded relief, although more could have been well employed. And there seems to be no prospect of less need of aid in the future, especially if instruction is expected of me in subjects outside of my department. I t is therefore hoped that assistance, it at least two hours per day, may be continued to the department. This I think may, for the present at least, be obtained either from some former student of the course, or from some of the older students.

APPARATUS.

I have no doubt but many of our visitors have noticed the meager supply of mechanical models, meager indeed compared with some of the splendid outfits of eastern institutions. The plan which I have adopted of turning the laboratory practice of beginners to account in increasing the stock of models, is likely, if permitted to continue, to slowly increase the number. The models thus added to the cabinet are excellent, as the workmanship required of the practicing student is usually good. We