President´s address A. S. M. E.

While this issue is on the press, the annual meeting of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers is being held in the Auditorium of the Engineers´ Building. The address of President Hutton at the opening session, Tuesday evening, December 3, was entitled “The Mechanical Engineer and the Function of the Engineering Society”. The twenty-three years´ experience of the author as secretary of the American Society, followed by a year in the presidential chair, has thoroughly qualified him to discuss the various functions of a national engineering organization. The first portion of his address is devoted to specialization in engineering in which he enumerates thirteen different branches which are usually considered as being the more important. No doubt his definitions will in many instances be criticized, yet the classification has been so carefully worked out, and is so comprehensive, that it will be exceedingly valuable as a guide to those who are in doubt as to the requirements of an “engineer”. When we consider the doubts existing twenty-five years ago as to the status of the electrical engineer, it is certainly encouraging to read the closing sentence of the definition of the profession: “His field is very definite”. In his arguments for the appreciation of a national engineering organization, President Hutton shows most emphatically the thoughtful care he has bestowed upon the duties of the office he held so creditably for nearly a quarter century. How to make the society of the greatest value to the membership was the problem continually before him. Equally urgent was the task of convincing the non-member that even from a selfish standpoint it was his duty to join. He might well have added that to be considered a responsible mechanical engineer his name must be found in the official catalogue. Among other functions of the society treated in this admirable address, are the location and composition of conventions,- technical visits, publications and the valuable work of committees. He does not look for successful local meetings confined to members, but proposes a plan for independent self-governing sections, which shall be affiliated with the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, to which non-members shall be eligible, upon a plan very similar to that which has been in practical operation in the Schenectady Section of the Institute. While President Hutton´s address was prepared with special reference to mechanical engineers, it is of general interest to the entire engineering profession, and all who are actively engaged in society work will find it exceedingly instructive.