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438 The Technology Review
contributions which science has made and will in the future make to the happiness and welfare of mankind. 
"The three most pertinent questions in evaluating any institution would seem to be, 'What is its purpose?', 'What is its accomplishment?', 'What is its future?' It is through its answers to these three questions that the Massachusetts Institute of Technology commands allegiance and support.
"I venture to formulate the purpose of the Institute as 'the development of science and its useful applications', and to describe the method of accomplishment of this purpose as being 'through continual study and research combined with the training of men'. This purpose is dictated by the opportunities found in modern science for contributing in such a fundamental way to the necessities of life that it is not surprising that the distinguished founder of this Institute, William Barton Rogers, expressed it and recommended the means to accomplish it in words which are every bit as significant today as they were when he wrote from Virginia in 1846 to his brother Henry in Boston, outlining his plan for an Institute of Technology. This was fifteen years before the Institute was incorporated and nineteen years before it was actually opened. He says:
"'The true and only practicable object of a polytechnic school is, as I conceive, the teaching, not of the minute details and manipulations of the arts, which can be done only in the workshop, but the inculcations of those scientific principles which form the basis and explanation of them; along with this a full and methodical review of all their leading processes and operations in connection with physical laws.'
"Dr. Rogers then goes on to outline an organization and a curriculum which are astonishingly like those of today, which have stood the test of time and experience. As an example of constructive imagination, good judgement and prophetic vision, I wonder whether there is an equal to this in educational literature!
"Turning now to the question, 'What has been the Institute's accomplishment?', I almost hesitate to attempt an answer, because its direct and indirect influence have been so enormous. As the first category of accomplishment I would mention its Alumni. They comprise builders of huge industries, organizers and executives of great companies, leaders in science, engineering and architecture, and a great host of men who are ably engaged in operating and developing the vast industrial system which is the distinguishing feature of our present civilization. And in educational work they have taken an equally prominent part. For example, I recently visited a great mid-western university in which I found that all four of the deans were Technology men. During the past few months, since I have become so particularly interested in the Institute, I have been continually amazed to discover how important a rĂ´le its Alumni are playing in the life of the country. There can be no doubt regarding the value and vigor of an Institute which has trained such men.
"As the second category of accomplishment I would point to the other great technological and engineering schools now scattered all over this country, which are the direct offspring, so to speak, of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and patterned after the original plan of President Rogers, each with an individuality born of local conditions or of desire particularly to emphasize one or another aspect of the general plan. In this providing a pattern and also to a very large extent the faculties for these newer technical schools, the Institute is in the position of the founder of a sturdy and illustrious family. And this is true not only in this country but also abroad. It is held, for example, that the tremendous technical and industrial development of Germany is due largely to the fact that that country, perhaps more than any other, was quick to grasp the value of President Rogers' ideas and, with characteristic efficiency, to build upon them a nationwide system of technical schools and of industrial development.  
"As the third category of accomplishment, I would like to suggest simply the present industrial and economic structure of the country. Of course very many factors have entered to this, and the part which the Institute directly or indirectly has played is rather undefined but none the less real and of tremendous significance. Time does not permit elaboration of this interesting theme. 
And finally, 'What of the future?' From past experience and accomplishment we may gain wisdom, guidance and encouragement, but it is the future which vitally interests us. In regard to this future there seem to me to be several outstanding considerations.
In the first place there appears to be no reason for any change in the purposes and ideal of the Institute. As I have already remarked, the Institute has been devoted in the most fundamental way to the benefit of mankind through science. There is every indication that only a beginning has thus far been made in the science of discovering and understanding Nature and in the art of usefully applying this knowledge. I can conceive, therefore, of no more appropriate or urgent program for the Institute than simply to continue its work of developing both principles and men for applying science to problems of human welfare. But, although the purpose of the Institute is unaltered, I do believe that present conditions indicate the necessity of careful attention to several vital matters.
First I would suggest the necessity of greater emphasis upon the fundamental sciences both in their own rights and as the bases of the various branches of engineering. As engineering has developed to greater and greater complexities, it becomes increasingly impossible to hope to train men in those exact processes of thought or manipulation for which they will later be called upon. And as scientific discoveries and applications are ever increasing at an accelerated rate, there is ever increasing probability of meeting problems far off the beaten trail. Also many who start in as engineers later become executives or administrators. In all such situations a broad and thorough training in fundamental principles gives much greater power than a training in details which may seldom be encountered in practise. Again, whereas a generation ago most of our great technical industries were in their infancy and needed many men trained in the details of their respective arts, now most of these industries are large organizations which are equipped and prefer to train their own men in the fine points of their art: they absolutely require, however, men who come with a sound basis of training in fundamental principles. The Institution which supplies these men, supplies the men destined to leadership. (Continued on page 465)