CELEBRATION AT TOLEDO, OHIO, NOVEMBER 24, 1915 Address of Clarence T. Johnston, representing the Michigan Engineering Society THE CHIEF EXECUTIVES OF MICHIGAN AND OHIO, THE ENGINEERS OF THE BOUNDARY GENTLEMEN: In behalf of the Michigan Engineering Society, and at the request of its President, I congratulate those who have had a part in the restoration and marking of this important boundary. It is a striking achievement of peace and an important page in the record of engineering accomplishment. From the time of its organization, over thirty years ago, the Michigan Engineering Society has taken an active interest in boundary controversies. It has encouraged accuracy in surveying; it has demanded comprehensive notes, and monuments of an enduring kind. The Society is pleased, therefore, to be represented in such a ceremony as we witness at this time and place. In accordance with popular conception, the engineer is one who measures, designs, and builds. He seldom calls attention. to his achievements. Only on occasions of this kind is he able to obtain the temporary interest and attention of those who are prominent in the affairs of government. He is a leader in everything that tends toward development and growth. Prosperity is only realized through his cooperation and aid. We boast of our material wealth; our railroads, our canals, our water systems, our great buildings and bridges and such notable surveys as we celebrate today. The engineer must be a pioneer in all of these undertakings. The first President of our country was a surveyor. Engineering was then in its infancy, yet it was held in high esteem. As the country has grown in territorial area, population, and wealth, engineering has kept pace to foster material development. The engineer, however, has been almost excluded from legislative halls and from places where technical ability should be the first and most important qualification for office. The result is that our land laws, which should concern surveying as a science, have been framed and administered by men who are not surveyors; our drainage laws generally assign the engineer to a subordinate place; the water resources of our States are administered by the courts; municipal and rural improvements of a public character are left in the hands of the untrained; but few States have engineering departments and the heads of the technical branches of the national government are quite generally men not having a technical training. Under such conditions public business is generally delayed, often demoralized and sometimes made impossible by complications which might easily and quickly be eliminated were the engineer made more responsible for the law and its administration. Many examples of poor administration, in the several States and throughout the service of the national government, may be cited in support of these statements. Other countries have suffered from similar ailments. In many of the older countries, the symptoms are diagnosed and the remedy is to place the engineer in charge of work of a technical character. The American engineer is not an office-seeker. He is not, by disposition of training, a politician. Yet he sees today, more plainly than at any time in the history of our country, that if we are to have able administrations of public surveys, of water resources, of drainage and irrigation enterprises, of city planning and many other branches of service, he must take a more active part in the business affairs of the people at large. We are here to celebrate the re-establishment of a boundary common to two great States. The task completed, reflects credit on the commonwealths concerned and on the engineers who have faithfully restored the original monuments. If this great, cooperative effort terminates with the completion of field activities and this very appropriate celebration, we cannot say that we have done our utmost in the way of example and precept. In the interest of good government, let us hope that this simple ceremony may witness the birth of a rapidly growing sentiment favoring the creation of technical departments in the several States and under the general government which shall be administered, only by men technically qualified to render public service with credit and honor. For the year ending January 1st, 1916. The Secretary begs to report as follows: The Society during the past year has met with most encouraging signs of interest on the part of the Engineers throughout the State, who are slowly coming to realize that the Engineer, as such, can through the medium of his Society receive a degree of public hearing which his work merits, and in his wise lead to the institution of certain legislation very much needed in this State, for the control not only of those activities which are public undertakings and are directly directed by the Engineer, but also those which are of a private character and yet affect the health, life and safety of our citizens. To properly carry forth this propaganda, which basically is one of educating the people in general to appreciate the Engineer and his work, requires funds, and if the members of this Society themselves will not grant the Society their aid and support, it is not to be expected that others will do so. To this end, I pray that every member of the Association give his earnest attention to the financial report herein included, that he himself pay any arrears and dues owing to the Society, and help to collect such as are due from fellow members in his district. At a meeting of the Board of Directors held October 23rd, the matter of assessing each member $2.00 for the purpose of raising a fund to clear the Society of immediate debt was considered, and voted to be referred to the members, which same is hereby done, and I respectfully ask that you give this your favorable consideration, for I feel that if the Society be once clear of its back debts, then will the current dues be sufficient to enable us to well carry on our work. We may well consider that the past year has been a most favorable one. Our Annual was gotten out in fair time and, in fact, earlier than those of any other Society. We have been particularly fortunate in not losing one member through death. Dropped for non-payment of dues, lack of response, etc...48 Making a total of... .72 We had upon our roll at the end of 1914, 215 members, and have gained since then, 24, leaving us a total of 167 members in good standing. A chart is now being prepared which will show the relative fields of endeavor of our membership as also a map showing the location of members, as well as geographical center of location of all our members which might be of interest in assisting us to determine our place of meeting. From inquiries received from Institutions and Societies for copies of our Annuals, particularly those of past years, it is evident that our publications have contained and do yet hold, articles that are of wide interest, and in this respect, I would again emphasize the need of certain copies of the Michigan Engineer which are required by the Smithsonian Institution, the Library of the National Museum, the John Crerar Library, and the United Engineering Society, for the purpose of completing their files. And to this end I would greatly thank any members who have extra copies available to send them to me, for I am sure that any of these Institutions will gratefully acknowledge receipt of the same to those who may be kind enough to donate them. We need publicity, publicity of the kind that will lead people to learn of the service that the Engineer can perform for him. in the country wherein he lives, and so let us endeavor to start a campaign whereby "every member get a member." We should have newspaper publicity and inform the State that we can, from our members, supply workers and speakers, for we have them among our members, and for this purpose money is required, which I hope the Society will aid in obtaining. Another matter to which I will invite the attention of the members is that of securing advertisements for our Annual. It |