Engineering History (2)

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  • In spring of 1832, 'The charter was amended to dispense with the maintenance and observance of Military discipline, and with the teaching of Military Science and Tactics and Civil and Military Engineering.' (Skillman, Vol. 1, p. 55)
  • From the memorial to the Pennsylvania state legislature: 'Civil Engineering has of late become a very important branch of Education and what is remarkable, not a college in our Country (if we are correctly informed) has made it a part of their Course. This important branch of knowledge will be most thoroughly taught. '
  • From the minutes of the meeting of citizens of Easton on December 27, 1824: 'Desirous, as far as in their power lies, to promote these views, the persons assembled at this meeting, will endeavor to establish at this place, a civil and military institution of learning, which shall comprise in its course of instruction, the dead, the English, French & German Languages, mathematics, natural and moral philosophy, mechanics, geography, history, and generally the various branches taught in our colleges and universities, together with civil and military engineering and military tactics.'
  • A.B. Engineering program name changed to Engineering Studies
  • Fall 1970: The college offered for the first time a major in engineering in the A.B. program. It was intended to be 'a flexible program, incorporating the recommended liberal education course of the AB degree program and the technical studies of the engineering program
  • 1964: The Department of Mechanics changed its name to the Department of Mechanics and Engineering Fundamentals. (Gendebien, p. 452)
  • 1961: Graphics was absorbed into the Department of Mechanics. (Gendebien, p. 435)
  • 1946: The department of Mechanics was formed with William G. McLean as its head. (Schaffer et al.)
  • 'In 1947, the Board of Trustees authorized the creation of a new Department of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics to offer engineering courses required of all engineering programs and not part of the specialty of any one.' (Gendebien, p. 263)
  • 1976: Department of Metallurgical Engineering and the Department of Chemical Engineering were combined. (Gendebien, p. 611)
  • 'Work began in the spring of 1965, also with funds from the Challenge campaign, on an addition to Alumni Hall of Engineering. The trustees decided to name it Dana Hall after Charles A. Dana, a major contributor. When the building was dedicated on Commencement day, June 3, 1966, the metallurgical engineering department was moved there from the basement of Markle Hall
  • 'In the fall of 1955 the Board of Trustees decided to admit no more students to the program and to drop mining engineering when the students already enrolled had been graduated
  • 'The accrediting committee raised serious questions in only one field
  • 1937: Metallurgical Studies- Degree program began. (Schaffer et al.) Metallurgical studies were deeply rooted in chemistry and individuals educated in this field peaked in decades following WWII. At Lafayette, since the start of the Pardee Scientific Courses of Study, Metallurgical Engineering concepts were deeply embedded in the mining department curriculum. 'Since the 1860
  • 1972: No major is offered in Industrial Engineering, effective with the Class of 1972 (Course Catalog 1969, 180)
  • '...the Board of Trustees created a new, separate Department of Industrial Engineering
  • 1954: Administrative Engineering was changed to Industrial Engineering. (Schaffer et al.) Industrial Engineering evolved out of the Administrative Engineering program, but classes in Industrial Engineering had been offered separately for some time before Administrative Engineering had changed its name. The reason for this name change occurred because of a general confusion between the two types of engineering, which were used interchangeably by the Department of Labor to describe the same types of jobs. (Phillips and Roberts 2012)
  • 'In 1922 a new course was added to the engineering side, leading to the degree Bachelor of Science in Administrative Engineering. It was designed to give training for executive positions in manufacturing industries, engineering, salesmanship and the like.' (Skillman, p. 269) Administrative Engineering at Lafayette College came about out of the ashes of WWI when the economy 'demonstrated need for college trained men not only as practicing engineers but also as engineer-oriented executives in general management.' There was a demand for these men to be knowledgeable in such fields as economics, finance, and law. This was evident that by the mid 20th century most engineers were employed by private industry and there was a strong desire for these engineers, who eventually earned managerial positions, to be trained to fill those roles (Reynolds, 1991). The proposal to create an administrative engineering major was first introduced at a Lafayette faculty meeting in 1922 and was adopted almost immediately. The goal was to prepare trained engineers for managerial positions. (Phillips and Roberts 2012)
  • Department of Metallurgical Engineering combined with Department of Chemical Engineering
  • 1938: Department of Chemical Engineering was established. (Schaffer et al.) '
  • 1919: Chemical Engineering
  • In 1916, 'The course in Mechanical Engineering was expanded by giving practical training in the plants of the neighboring industries. A complete cooperative course requiring five years was planned, providing for each student to spend part of his time at work in a plant and part of the time in the regular work of the college curriculum.' (Skillman, Vol. 2, p. 224-5)
  • Mechanical engineering building erected on 'northwestern slope of the college property.' (Gendebien, p. 25-6)