Realizing that a movement of this sort must he backed hy all engineers or fail of its purpose, we also visited the Omaha Engineers' Club, and found the executive committee there prompt in its favorable response and its promise to aid to their utmost. Still later, the Grand Island Engineers' Cluh took similar action. Both of these clubs appointed co-operating committees. It may well be said right here that without the enthusiastic and practical support of these three committees, our meeting would not have been a possibility. They should receive full credit, with the College of Engineering, in the success of this first of what we hope will be a series of annual meetings.
The central topics of our papers was chosen as "The Significance of Engineering to Nebraska." A one-day meeting was determined upon, with registration and a first session in the forenoon, a luncheon, an afternoon session, and an evening dinner with a speaker. The University offered its facilities for the meetings, and we chose the large lecture room in the Mechanical Engineering Building, for the convention hall. It would have been well if we had had a somewhat larger room, as this one was full to overflowing, extra chairs having to lie brought in. Even then, a few sat on the end steps.
The subtopic for the forenoon was "Pioneer Engineering in Nebraska." Five papers were presented, dealing with the pioneer work of federal land grants and their effects upon the development of Nebraska. highways, and pavements, railruad construction, irrigation, and street railway systems. These papers and the ones mentioned later are to appear in tins and the next issue of the Nebraska Blue Print, and are sure to attract your attention. They were a1l very ably prepared.
The noon luncheon at the Chamber of Commerce was a time of some Jollification, with Dr. George E. Condra presiding. Reminiscences of various sorts were called for, and proved to be both enlightening and entertaining. One of these came from former Dean Stout, now with the U. S. D. A. in California. His whimsical description of his first engineering Job "took the house," from the moment of his departure from home on a real pass. to the dav when be failed to realize the standards of the section boss, and received the full force of an outpoured western vocabulary.
The afternoon session, with Mr. R. 0. Green, C.E. Feb., '11, in the chair, presented a continuance of the morning's topic, with discussions of engineering in rural communities; brick, tile and pottery industries; meat packing industry ; Portland cement; beet sugar ; Nebraska's bridge problems; canned food industry; milling, and, finally, the use of Nebraska sands and gravels.
Following the afternoon meeting, the committee on resolutions brought in a report asking for the continuance of the plan another year. We shall undertake to make it a going concern.
The banquet at the Lincoln Hotel filled the old-time dining room on the second floor. Over 200 were present. Total attendance for all or parts of the day would undoubtedly give over 400 names. A telegram of greetings from former Dean Charles Russ Richards, now President of Lehigh University, was read by the toastmaster, Glen A. Walker, University of Nebraska, '13.
Professor Davidson's talk upon "The Engineer's Responsibility to Society" was very well received and he was highly complimented upon it. His address will also appear in a later number of the Blue Print.
Senator James Rodman gave a brief outline of ihc objectives nf recently proposed legislation relative to financing of road construction.
Excellent entertainment was provided between courses by the Omaha Policemen's Glee Club. and between the addresses, by Harriet Cru^e Kemmer and Harold Turner.
(Continued on page 24)