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Show Why Is an Engineer?(An Address to the Engineers by a Student of Liberal Arts)GENTLEMEN of the Engineering School-It is a hard question you ask of me, an Arts student-"Why is an Engineer?" It is a question as equal in reason as asking Joseph G. Cannon, "Why is an Insurgent?" But I shall try to answer you to the best of my ability.First, then, a Utah engineer is because, generally speaking, he is a pretty good fellow. To be sure he loves to act the "rough-neck" now and then, but I regard that as merely an indication of his overflowing spirits. (Not to be taken in a double meaning.) Of course there are a few engineers who are not "desirable citizens," but in every community such men exist, and the whole must not be judged by those few. So, I repeat, generally speaking, the engineer is a pretty good fellow.Secondly, the Utah engineer is because he is very useful and necessary. He is useful in the University for two reasons. One is that he supports the athletics that have made our school known in the intermountain country for nine-tenths of the men who compose our athletic teams are engineers. It can readily be seen how helpless we would be without them. He is necessary in the University for another good reason; but for him, the Discipline Committee would atrophy for lack of working material. We are informed that practically all of the students with which the Discipline Committee deals are engineers. It would, indeed, be disastrous if the Discipline Committee should run short of men on whom to inflict its high moral ideals. As the old trusty in a penitentiary said to a visitor, "Somebody has to steal horses or we would be out of a job."Moreover, the Utah engineer is a necessity to the State at large. Utah's great industry is mining, and in assisting to develop the resources of the State the engineer does a lasting and beneficial work for mining corporations.Briefly, this is an Arts man's answer to your question, gentlemen. We do not accuse you of cannibalism; merely of "rough-neckism." We regard you as fellow members of the University student body, and as such, desire to co-operate with you for the best interests of Utah.Gentlemen, I thank you.(116) |