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American Engineering Education in International Perspective: Alois 2006-2211: AMERICAN ENGINEERING EDUCATION IN INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE: ALOIS RIEDLER AND THE REFORM OF GERMAN ENGINEERING, 1893-1914 gregory zieren, Austin Peay State University Page 11.169.1 Page © American Society for Engineering Education, 2006 American Engineering Education In International Context: Alois Riedler and the Reform of German Engineering, 1893-1914 Abstract In 1893 Prof. Alois Riedler of the Royal Technical University of Berlin was commissionedbythePrussianMinistryofEducationandCulturetoinvestigateAmerican engineering education. At the same time he also servedas a technical correspondent for the Associationof GermanEngineers and wrote extensively onAmerican technology on display at the World’s Columbian Exposition for the Association’s journal. Riedler’s interest inAmericanengineering educationhadits origins inhis role as a jury member at the Philadelphia Centennial in 1876 and his admiration for the accomplishments of Americancivil andmechanical engineers,whom he consideredtobe among the world’s best. He was also the leading German proponent of reform of engineering education away from overly abstract andtheoretical instruction,equal standingfor newer technical universities with traditional institutions of higher learning, and improvement in the professionalandsocialstandingoftheengineerinGermansociety. Riedler’s report singled out programs at Cornell University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stevens Institute of Technology as engineering curricula worth emulating by Germantechnical universities. He believedthat the hours spent inpractical laboratories, as the best American programs required, offered hands-on and practical experience for engineers intraining. Materials testing facilities offered bothfaculty and students the opportunity toperform real researchof value tothe engineering profession andsocietyatlarge. Riedler’s conclusions won quick approval in professional engineering circles in Germany. The Association of German Engineers took up his recommendations and incorporated them into a series of resolutions to be forwarded to state governments to increase the funding for technical universities, to change the curriculum promoting laboratory practice and create practical testing facilities. The reforms, inspired by American engineering school education, profoundly changed the nature of German engineeringinthe20 th century. Introduction Prof.AloisRiedlerofBerlin’sRoyalTechnicalUniversityspentmostofthe year1893in theU.S.,reportingontheWorld’sColumbianExpositioninChicagoforthe journalof theAssociationofGermanEngineers andgatheringmaterialfor astudyofAmerican engineeringeducationcommissionedbythe PrussianMinistryofEducation.After returningfroma grandtouroftheAmericanWest,heexclaimed,“America owesits greatness,achievedinsuchanunparalleledshorttimespan,tothecivilizinginfluenceof theengineer.Theengineerisnotonlythe pioneer ofcivilizationinthewilderness…but Page 11.169.2 Page nowhere elseintheworldistheworkoftheengineerof greaterimportance.” 1So powerfulwastheforceofrapidAmericandevelopmentintheworldthatGermanyhadno choice buttostudyitcarefully andsee whatlessonsitmight yieldforthe OldWorld, Riedlerinsisted.Riedlerwasnostrangertothe NewWorld,havingvisitedthe PhiladelphiaCentennialof1876andwrittenaccountsofAmericantechnologyondisplay fortheAustro-Hungariangovernment’sofficialreport. 2 Butin1893Riedler’s praise was notreservedforaccomplishmentsofindividualinventorslikeThomasEdisonorGeorge Corliss.Hefocusedhisattentioninsteadontheachievementsofa corpsof professional engineers,andonthequalitiesofaneducationalsystemthat hadfosteredsuch excellence. Americanengineering educationhadbeguntoenjoyworldwiderenownby 1893.Prof. JohnGoodman,newlyappointedtoachairatEngland’sYorkshireCollege ofScience quotedaseniorcolleaguewhoadvisedhim,“Now theveryfirstopportunity youget,go overandseewhatthe Americansaredoing,andyouwillseetheretechnicaleducation carriedoutwiththegreatestefficiency.” 3Whatmostimpressedforeignobserverswere the pedagogical possibilitiesoflaboratory-basedinstructionintheengineeringeducation curriculum.Laboratoriesgavestudentshands-onexperienceandexposedthemtothe toolsandproductiontechniquesthey wouldencounterintheworkshops,factoriesand engineeringofficeswheretheywouldeventuallyfindemployment.Laboratoriesmadeit possiblefor professorsandstudentsaliketoengageinrealresearchonpractical problems,suchastestingthestrengthofmetalsandalloys.Laboratoriesofferedthe opportunitytoconductresearchasafee-basedservicefor privateindustry andthereby defraytheircost.Laboratoriesfurthermore providedemploymentfor postgraduate studentsandforgedlinkswithindustrythatcouldyieldemploymentopportunitiesfor studentsor philanthropicgiftstouniversities.The advantagesoflaboratory-based instructionmayseemobvioustoanyoneteaching scienceortechnicalcoursestoday.In thelate19 th century,however,engineering educatorsintheU.S.andelsewherewere compelledtojustifytouniversityadministratorstheadditional equipment cost,upkeep andpersonnelnecessary forthelaboratoriesthemselvesandjustifythe greater goodin therelativelyinefficient student-teacherratiossuchinstructionnecessitated. 4 Robert H. Thurston and Laboratory Instruction Thefatherofinstructionallaboratoriesfor engineeringstudentswasRobert H.Thurston, thefirstchairofmechanicalengineeringatStevens InstituteofTechnologyinHoboken, NewJersey.Thurstonwasaninstructoratthe U.S.NavalAcademyinAnnapolis when thefirst presidentofStevens,HenryMortonpersuadedhimtotakeupa postatthenew universityin1871andgavehimvirtual carte blanche atdesigningthecurriculumfor mechanicalengineers.ThurstonhadtraveledwidelyinEuropeandhadvisitedtechnical collegeslooking for practiceswhichmightworkwellinthecontextofAmerican education. 5 Thetraining ofengineers,especially civilengineers,atuniversitieslike RensselaerPolytechnic InstituteortheUnitedStatesMilitaryAcademyat WestPoint, hadbeenheavilyinfluencedbyFrenchandGermanexamplesinthe years beforethe Civil War.AsMonteCalvert pointedout,fromFrance camethe emphasis onmathand science andtheconceptofahighlevel professionalschool;fromGermany camethe 11.169.3 Page practiceofsettingupschoolstotraintechnical personnelatalllevelswitharesearch institutionatthetop. 6 ContinentalexamplescouldinspireandinformThurston’scurriculum but copyingfrom themwasoutofthequestion.BothFrance andGermanyhadadoptedrelativelyuniform systemsofsecondary educationbythe1870s,systemscertifiedbythestatetoinsurea Gymnasium graduate,forinstance,hadlearnedGreek,Latin,andamodernlanguage,had undertakenatleasta yearofchemistryandphysicsandhadstudiedmathematicstothe levelofcalculus. 7ThoughAmericancommonorelementaryschoolshadbegunto achieveuniformeducationalstandards befittinglate19 th century expectationswithan emphasisonliteracy,numeracy andcivicsinstruction,thestatusofsecondaryor grammarschoolswasstillfluid,andonlyaminorityofanage cohortattendedmuchless graduatedfromhighschool.8Prof.GeorgeF.SwainoftheMassachusettsInstitutionof Technologyestimatedthatthestudententeringhisinstitutionwasapproximately2years behindhisGermancounterpart. 3Theverydiversity ofAmericansecondary education, split betweenrural andurbanschooldistricts,publicand privateschools,academy, grammar,orhighschool,withstandardsdiffering fromstatetostate,createdahostof problemsforThurston. ThesolutionStevensandotherengineeringschoolsadoptedwas tosetalistof prerequisitesinscience andmathforadmissionandfurthertotest candidatestodeterminetheirskilllevels.Stevens,Cornellandotheruniversitieswere thenobligedtosetupspecialhighschoolstoprovideinstructiontostudentswhofailedto passtheentranceexamorwhosesecondaryschooltrainingfailedtomeetthelistof prerequisites. 5 Thurstondevisedafour-yearcurriculumformechanicalengineersthatemphasized physicalmaterialsinthe first year,includingconceptslikestrength,measureofelasticity, frictionandlubrication;thesecondyearwasdevotedtotools,andtool-making, machinery,millwork,power,loadsandpowertransmission;inthethirdyearstudents focusedonprimemovers,fromwaterwheelstosteamengines,compressedairandgas andelectricalmotors.Inthefourthyearstudentsappliedthislearningtorailroads,ships, factories andfoundries andtookacourseingeneral businessasitappliedtoa practicing engineer.Physics,chemistryandhighermathematicswereintegraltothecurriculumin thesensethattheyweretaughtinconjunctionwithanengineering applicationandas naturalsciencesinthemselves. 10 Heenvisionedlaboratoriestoaidintestingmaterials strengthandelasticity,determiningcoefficientsof frictionandlubricationtesting,tool testing,powertransmissionandenginesof allsorts.In1874thetrusteesofStevens Instituteapprovedhisrequesttosetupamechanicallaboratory andpurchasetools, equipment,testingdevicesandengines. 4 The Philadelphia Centennial Thurston’sopportunitytoshowhislaboratoryandpopularizehiseducationalideas 11.169.4 Page among engineering educatorscamein1876atthePhiladelphiaCentennial.Alexander LymanHolley,oneofthenation’smostdistinguishedengineers,pioneeroftheBessemer processintheU.S.andactiveasa partnerinAndrewCarnegie’sEdgarThomsonSteel Works,usedhis presidentialaddressattheAmericanInstituteofMiningEngineersin February,1876tocallformore practicalinstructionofengineeringstudentsas apprenticesorinternsinprivateindustry.12 Holley’ssuggestionsweretakenup by a combinedmeetingofthe associationsof boththe IAMEandAmericanSocietyofCivil EngineersinJune,1876andonthe programofthe InternationalConferenceonEducation inPhiladelphialater.Holley andThurstonwere goodfriendswhocorrespondedonthe subjectofengineeringeducationandlaterhelpedfoundtheAmericanSocietyof MechanicalEngineers.4 Thurstonpublicizedhisideasontheuseoflaboratoriesinengineering
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