Toward a broader education / by John W. Stuntz.

TowAflD A broadi:r sducation

submitted to
TAU BETA PI
by
JOHN W. 3TUNTZ

on

September 8, 1943

SUMMARY
The leopard* 3 nature-given spots enable it to live
in harmony with its surroundings. Kd.n, left to his own resources
by nature, must prepare himself for life. An engineering education
enables him to make a living, but to live more fully and more
successfully after graduation the engineerihg student should be
allowed more opportunity for character developing background
courses in the arts to suplement the extra-curricular activities.
Such training would speed advancement once he took Jiis position
in industry.

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TOV/AHD A BHOADSH EDUCjvTION

tUJ EXAiS'LE IN NATURE

Dame nature lias ooddled the leopard. The oversized
tabby is well prepared to maice headway in his business, equipped
as he is with the acute vision with whloh to spot the best course
of action and the sharpened tools necessary for the successful
completion of the activity persued. But these are business
matters and even super-puss prefers not to claw his viay all the
time. The purr-er would enjoy an occassional contented rumble
as he lies at peace for a while with his similarly struggling
Jungle cohorts. So motherly nature fondles her pet and presents
him with a coat of spots, blending smoothly with the nuggets of
golden sunlight that sift through the colander of lush vegetation
to spatter on the abyss of shade below. She makes this gift so
that Mr, Silence may fit gracefully into his surroundings, thus
permitting relaxation and greater deeds performed with less effort,

THE ANALOGY IN MAN

But man has intelligence of a higher order; man controls
his own destiny; man prepares himself for the business of living.
He must prepare himself to earn money in an industrialized
world — ah, yes; but, just as surely, he must take those steps ne-
cessary to enable him to blend smoothly in business an.d society
with his companion strugglers. This task of blending with others
probably includes two related aspects, character training and
social experience. Man needs these as the Isopard needs its
nature-given camouflage to live harmoniously.

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AN ENGINEER'S PLSA
A college engineering eductitlon deposits a student
Into a good job with a iLind filled ■Aith tfeehiilcal data and
trained in its use. But the man who is promoted rapidly to
executive positions requiring contacts with other men is he who
is trained also to mesh easily into the machinery of the thoughts
and methods of others. Two dozen engineering courses fall short
here. I, therefor, plead for a two-sided college career. First,
let there be more courses unrelated to mathematical and physical
laws. English, the social sciences, philosophy, and art give
a lift to the development of a man's soul and afford him per-
spective vision with which he may Judge the relative importance
of life's many facets. Let time be allowed the engineer to con'-
cientlously investigate the lore of the past and the prophecies
for the future. The relaxation of change would sharpen the mind
for re-entrance into the technical and precise. Have you never
heard the complaint of a dog chained to a wood stake or the lament
of an engineer tied to a slip stick?

Gaus's law.
And Joule's —
Formulas —
Slide rules, , ,

But an engineer has a soul

Apart from products and sums,

And a chord subdued within him

Unscientifically hums

Its own paean of boundless Joy

T^hen beauty and love softly strum...

Integrals —
Poor Fools I
Formulas —
Slide rules...

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Grant the opportunity, o Dean, to escape for a few periods tlie
everlasting slide. The influence of such, training, coupled
with the social experience gleaned from dipping Into the extra-
curricular stew» (we dip with your blessing), would place the
engineering graduate not only in the business office but on the
esculator, headed, step by large step, for the company* a upper
control regions.