OCR Text |
Show UKIVEflSITY WORK TI BEIMOVEO Students in Engineering Department De-partment Are to Be Given Practical Training, IMPORTANT DEPARTURE IS BEING CONSIDERED If Plan Goes Through, Big Institution Insti-tution Will Set a New Pace. Dr. J. F. Merrill, director of the -state school of initios, together with a committee commit-tee composed of tho othor professors In tho engineering department at tho University Uni-versity of Utah, Is working on tho details de-tails of two plans for improving tho already al-ready high standard of tho department by Incicnslng the amount of practical work in connection with tho mining and other engineering courses. While no definite def-inite announcements ure to ho given out at present, plans have so far matured that there is no question but that the efforts will bo successful. The first plan Is to Institute a course of lectures to bo glvfen eacli year by prominent prom-inent engineers practicing in tho state. The purpose is to bring tho student Into eloper and more Intimate relationship with iho successful, practical engineer and his work. It is thought that in this way the student will got ideas which no amount of association with tho professor profes-sor ran give him. Situated as It is In the center of ono of the greatest mining and metallurgical centers in tho country, there should bo no difficulty in bringing such men lo tho Institution. It is understood that several sev-eral men, who are recognized authorities In their particular line, havo already consented con-sented to address the students and havo gone so far as to heartily Indorse the plan, with tho promlso to urgo others to help out In the matter. To Provide Summor Work. The other plan is In connection with summer work for the engineers. At present pres-ent the only prescribed course of summer work is the Junior survey. Tills has been an annual fcaturu in tho mining and civil engineering courses for several years, but so far there has bocn no regular worlc for the mechanical and electrical students, and even this work has required but six weeks nt tho close of tho junior year. The plan now is to have a moro or less dcllnlte course arranged for every engineer during the three summers of his college course. Arrangements are to be made with a number of the largo companies throughout the stato to havo a certain number of positions of a prescribed pre-scribed character open to university students stu-dents and then require tho boys to spend their summer vacations in the employment of these companies. Would Work No Hardship. The plan would worlc no hardship on the majority of the students. Thoy would receive regular pay for their services and would moreover acquire a world of information in-formation of a practical nature which they could .get in no othor way. At tho present time. It Is an admitted fact that tho Qidlnary college graduate Is Just ready to start his mining education when he gets his degree. Tho renson is that ue Knows almost notiuug 01 practical mining, min-ing, as it Is being dono In tho field, and It Is believed that this proposed courso ivill give l7tah graduates an advantage of a couple of years over thoso from any other school In tho country. The plan lias never been tried in exactly thl3 way before and I'tah will bo the first Institution to Introduce it. Tt Is more than probable that arrange-ments arrange-ments will ho completed for at. least the juniors and sophomores to start the work the coming summer. |