Training and Education.—We may next inquire as to the qualities which fit a man for success in this profession. In the first place, it is evident that the ideal civil engineer must be a scientific man and at the same time a busi ness man. He must have a thorough knowl edge of the laws of nature, the fundamental principles of mathematics and mechanics and the materials of construction, for his work consists in applying those laws, principles and materials so as to make them of use in the world's business. He must be essentially a man of action. The engineer takes the discoveries of the scientist in his laboratory or the book worm in his study, and makes them available for the use and convenience of man. His dom inant quality must be practical common sense, combined with habits of care and accuracy, and with the courage and training which will enable him to solve,new problems and to meet emer gencies with success. His mistakes may be very costly and his opportunities for effecting economies by skilful design and construction are very great.
It is often assumed that in order to be a successful engineer a man must be a fine mathematician. As a matter of fact, while the engineer should be thoroughly familiar with the fundamental principles of mathematics up to and including the calculus, he seldom uses any but the simplest applications. In geom etry, and especially in trigonometry, he must be thoroughly at home; but the essential charac teristic of his knowledge of these subjects is his ability to use them and his perception of their value as tools, rather than his power to indulge in elaborate mathematical refinements. The engineer must know how to use mathemat ics, but he must possess in addition other men tal qualifications which are of far greater con sequence; for mathematics is in its essential conceptions and methods an abstract science and the great mathematician is apt to lack the qualities of action, the quick decision, the ac curate judgment, the ingenuity in meeting and overcoming obstacles and the natural grasp and insight leading him to see the physical possibili ties of a situation, which must distinguish the successful engineer. On the other hand, the engineer should have a liking for mathematics, and a quick and instinctive grasp of its prin ciples and methods, together with the insight which will enable him to see how they are to be made of use and to use them properly when the time comes.
The training of the engineer must be mainly a training in science, and such a training tends to develop the quality of honesty. The only aim of the true scientific investigator is to ar rive at the truth concerning the phenomena he is studying. Such a training, if combined with business ability, makes the very best adminis trators, and, whether for this reason or not, engineers are being more and more sought after to fill administrative positions, especially in connection with corporations in which en gineering is concerned. On the other hand,
the early practice and associations of the en gineer are often of a character which fails to produce polished manners or a good address and appearance, the lack of which is sometimes a great handicap.
There have been, and are, two ways of pre paring for the practice of this profession. The first is to begin by getting a thorough tech nical training in a good engineering school, in the principles underlying the profession. The second is to begin as an apprentice or student in an engineering office, gaining experience and studying at the same time. A man may become a good civil engineer by either method. Which method is the better will depend upon the man. If he can take a college course and not become demoralized by the opportunities for slack work, the lack of responsibility and the rather low standards; if he can maintain his sense of perspective and avoid intellectual arrogance; if he can really master thoroughly the things which he studies and not simply learn to repeat by rote, he will find a college education to be the best and quickest prepara tion for the engineering profession. He will find there offered the opportunity to learn many things which many men never learn in practice, the opportunity to become acquainted with engineering literature, to gain habits of study and breadth of view, and the adaptabil ity of mind to enable him to select the best way of solving a new problem. But many young men have not the opportunity to go to college, and many also learn better when, from day to day in their actual work, they see the necessity for learning; others would become in different or lazy in a college atmosphere. For such men the second method may be adopted, and if they take advantage of the many oppor tunities now offered for self-culture, such as evening courses, correspondence schools, in dustrial and manual training schools, etc., it is possible for them ultimately to become just as good engineers as by the first method. The Franklin Institute in Boston, for instance, of fers evening courses in most branches of en gineering, including not only civil engineering but mechanical engineering and electrical engi neering, in some of which courses the students are carried as far into the subject as in some of the large engineering schools. Similar op portunities are offered in the Wentworth Insti tute of Boston, the Mechanics Institute and the Cooper Union in New York, the Pratt Insti tute, Brooklyn, and other schools where in struction of high quality is offered and taken advantage of by many young men who are working and earning their living during the day time.