Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1888 [PAGE 154]

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EEP0ETS OF DEPABTMENT OF INSTEUCTJON.

157

A new feature this year has been a volunteer class in electrical measurements, working in the new electrical laboratory in the basement of the main building. The plans for fitting up this room were but partially carried out, owing to insufficient appropriation of funds, but we have been able to do much better work than was ever possible in the physical laboratory above. The new apparatus is very satisfactory, and with the plans which have been made for this class another year, but little remains to give efficiency to the instruction except what the experience of this year will enable us readily to remedy. A subject of prime importance in the course in mining engineering is metallurgy. This branch, as understood by mining engineers, and as taught in mining schools, has not heretofore had a place in this institution. Dr McMurtrie has very kindly extended his own work so as to provide instruction for the mining students in this subject. Believing it to be to the advantage of all that the physical department be placed as soon as possible in the care of one who can devote his whole energy to that work, I trust that the complete reorganization outlined here, or some similar adjustment, may be deemed possible at an early date.

E E P O E T BY AETHUE T. WOODS, PBOFESSOE OF MECHANICAL E N G I NEERING.

D., LL. D., Regent I have the honor to submit the following report of the work done in and the condition of the department of mechanical engineering of this University. The course of study remains substantially as developed under your direct charge while you were the head of this department. Technical instruction begins with the shop practice of the freshman year, which occupies two hours per day throughout the school year. The object of this work is to familiarize the student with the various tools and, by a carefully devised series of practice pieces, to give him the opportunity to acquire skill in handling them. Beginning in the pattern shop, exercises with the simpler carpenter's tools are followed by practice in wood turning and elementary pattern making. In the blacksmith shop, the forging of iron is practiced by drawing out, upsetting, bending, welding, making rings to size, etc. I n the machine shop, a series of pieces of engine lathe work on iron, such as plain turning, taper turning, boring and screw cutting is followed by hand turning in iron and brass, and work with the planer, shaper and. other machine tools; while at the vice-bench, extensive practice is given in filing and chipping cast and wrought iron. Both mechanical and civil

PEABODY, P H . DEAE S I B :

S. H.