Transactions of the American Society of Civil Engineers, Vol. LXX, Dec. 1910 Address at the 42d Annual Convention, Chicago, Illinois, June 21st, 1910, Paper No. 1178
I know that to some of my audience a satisfactory address at a summer convention would be like that which many people regard as a satisfactory sermon--something soothing and convincing, to the effect that you are not as other men are, but better. While I appreciate very fully, however, the honor of being able to address you, I am going to look trouble in the face in an effort to convince you that, in spite of great individual achievements, engineers are behind other professional men in professional spirit, and particularly in collective effort. Whether this, if true, is due to our extreme youth as a profession, or our extreme age, is dependent upon the point of view; but I think it is a fact that will be admitted by all that engineers have not as yet done much for their profession, even if they have done considerable for the world at large. Looking backward, our calling may properly be considered the oldest in the world. It is older, in fact, than history itself, for man did not begin to separate from the main part of animal creation, until he began to direct the sources of power in Nature for the benefit, if not always for the improvement, of his particular kind. In Bible history, we find early mention of the first builder of a pontoon. This creditable
words were engraved:
"Beatrice Hathaway, from her loving Father."
Mary Louise stared at this inscription for a long while. For the first
time, ugly doubts began to creep into her heart. The officer was right
when he said that James Hathaway was masquerading under the false name
of Colonel Weatherby. Gran'pa Jim had never told even Mary Louise that
his real name was Hathaway; Mamma Bee had never told her, either. With a
deep sigh she snapped the case of the watch in place and then began to
dress.
It was still too early for breakfast when she had finished her toilet,
so she sat by the open window of her room, looking down into the street,
and tried to solve the mystery of Gran'pa Jim. Better thoughts came to
her, inspiring her with new courage. Her grandfather had changed his
name to enable him the more easily to escape observation, for it was
James Hathaway who was accused, not Colonel James Weatherby. It was
difficult, however, for the girl to familiarize herself with the idea
that Gran'pa Jim was really James Hathaway; still, if her mother's name
before her marriage was indeed Beatrice Hathaway, as the watch proved,
then there was no question but her grandfather's name was also Hathaway.
He had changed it for a purpose and she must not question the honesty of
that purpose, however black the case looked against her beloved Gran'pa
Jim.
I know that to some of my audience a satisfactory address at a summer convention would be like that which many people regard as a satisfactory sermon--something soothing and convincing, to the effect that you are not as other men are, but better. While I appreciate very fully, however, the honor of being able to address you, I am going to look trouble in the face in an effort to convince you that, in spite of great individual achievements, engineers are behind other professional men in professional spirit, and particularly in collective effort. Whether this, if true, is due to our extreme youth as a profession, or our extreme age, is dependent upon the point of view; but I think it is a fact that will be admitted by all that engineers have not as yet done much for their profession, even if they have done considerable for the world at large. Looking backward, our calling may properly be considered the oldest in the world. It is older, in fact, than history itself, for man did not begin to separate from the main part of animal creation, until he began to direct the sources of power in Nature for the benefit, if not always for the improvement, of his particular kind. In Bible history, we find early mention of the first builder of a pontoon. This creditable