in Mathematics. The proportion of failures in Algebra continues to be regrettably large, but it is the hope of the Department that continued emphasis on the importance of thorough preparation in this subject for students who are coming to the Institute, but whose interests may have been at times subordinated to the interests of other students preparing for admission to college, will have advantageous results, without involving hardship to schools and candidates.

During the present term the work of the Department has been somewhat seriously hampered by the simultaneous absence of Professors Osborne and Wells and the partial detachment of Professor Bartlett for service as Acting Secretary of the Institute, the situation in regard to Professors Osborne and Bartlett not having been anticipated in time to make an additional appointment for the first term. It is hoped that Professor Osborne will resume his work at the beginning of the second term with health fully restored.

Other changes in the mathematical staff include the granting of a year's leave of absence to Professor Wells on account of ill-health, the well-earned promotion of Dr. Woods to a full professorship and of Mr. George to an assistant professorship, the return of Mr. Miller from two years of graduate study at Göttingen and Harvard, and the departure of Mr. MacDonald for graduate study.

In connection with Professor Bartlett's administrative appointment he has been relieved of a considerable portion of his teaching duties and of the care of the Runkle Library of Mathematics. From the time of his original appointment in the Department in 1886 he has interested himself zealously in the development and care of this library, and its present excellent condition is in great measure the result of his efforts. A larger appropriation for the present year has made it possible to increase the supply of books of reference in the library and to fill certain gaps in the files of periodicals.

H. W. TYLER.

DEPARTMENT OF DRAWING AND DESCRIPTIVE GEOMETRY.

During the past year there have been no changes in the in-. structing staff of the Department.

The course in Descriptive Geometry has been somewhat modified, and printed notes have been given to the students. These printed notes will appear in pamphlet form the coming year.

A very complete idea of the course of instruction given by the Department of Drawing in the first and second years may now be obtained from the two text-books, "Mechanical Drawing" by Professor Adams, completed last year, and "Descriptive Geometry," by the same author, to be completed this year. One of the special advantages in having these text-books is in connection with the preparation of students desiring to anticipate our work in drawing before entering the Institute. Detailed descriptions of instruments and their methods of use in Mechanical Drawing have already been found of great advantage in indicating the standard of work demanded. The officers of many colleges have written to the Institute to ascertain the exact requirements for admission to our third and fourth years. As both Mechanical Drawing and Descriptive Geometry are rarely given in our colleges of liberal arts, these subjects have been stumbling-blocks to almost all candidates from such colleges. The summer courses to a certain extent enable men to anticipate this work, but there are many men who find it quite impossible. to attend summer courses. To such men the two text-books, "Mechanical Drawing" and "Descriptive Geometry," will convey a complete idea of the method of instruction employed

at the Institute.

In the text-book on "Descriptive Geometry" a special effort has been made to train the student to see objects in space, and to make this subject of general educational value. Descriptive Geometry holds a unique place in scientific education. There

is no other subject which does so much to develop the special sort of imagination required in engineering drawing.

The blue-print outfit asked for last year has been provided; also the cases for models and drawings. A large number of examples of standard drawings have been framed and hung on the walls of the drawing-room. The remaining needs of the Department were well set forth in last year's Report.

An interesting proof of the improvement in the instruction in the Department of Drawing is given in the relative percentage of good and poor marks received during the past year, for, though the standard has been kept as high as ever before or higher, we find that in Descriptive Geometry over sixty-seven per cent. of all the students have obtained very satisfactory records, Pass or Credit, while only about ten per cent. received total failures. In Mechanical Drawing over seventy-five per cent. obtained records of Pass or Credit, and less than four per cent. received total failures. This record compares favorably, not only with our own past records, but with the records of other colleges teaching these subjects.

ALFRED E. BURTON,

In Charge of the Department of Drawing.

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANIC ARTS.

The total number of students receiving instruction in the Mechanical Laboratories is two hundred and forty-six. Some attend more than one class, the numbers attending in the several subjects of the first year being as follows:

Students taking work in two or more classes and counted

more than once

Total number of students

The total number of students attending last year was three hundred and thirty-one. As formerly, many students have been excused from attending the Carpentry, Wood Turning, and Forging classes, and a few from Pattern Work. The number of excuses granted in these earlier subjects is increasing but is not yet sufficiently large to warrant giving courses in advanced Wood Work, an arrangement which may prove desirable in the future.

The attendance in the Summer School was fifty-six, an increase of eight over that of last year. The numbers in the several classes were:

The proportionally large attendance in Machine-Tool Work is due to the desire on the part of many students to anticipate the Mechanic Arts of the senior year, in order to obtain additional time for thesis or other departmental work.

The lap-jointed boiler installed in 1883 has been replaced by a sixty-inch butt-jointed boiler safe at a working pressure of one hundred and fifty pounds.

A new universal grinding machine and a new arbor press have been added to the equipment of the Machine-Tool Laboratory. A new Jones and Lamson turret lathe has been given in exchange for the old machine. Our old Brown and Sharpe universal grinding machine is to be replaced by a new and modern tool. Six new anvils, a swage block and stand, have been added to the equipment of the Forging Laboratory. New jack and block planes have been added to the equipment of the Wood Working Laboratory.

To maintain the present high standard in Machine-Tool Work, fourteen engine lathes and a planer purchased in 1876 should be replaced by modern machines, some of them large enough to illustrate the use of high-speed tool steels. A small

radial drill is also needed to carry on the class work successfully.

By thorough repairing the equipment of the Forging Laboratory has been put in fair shape; its renewal will, however, be necessary in a few years.

As previously stated, it is believed that instruction in Foundry Work should be given to every student in Mechanical Engineering, because of the value of a thorough knowledge of this important subject in many industrial works. The course is now optional. It is again recommended that a new and larger melting plant be installed, since under present conditions it is extremely difficult to obtain good results. It is believed that this course should be required even if time for it has to be taken from some of the present courses.

The interior of the building has been painted during the summer, and now presents a better appearance than ever before. An electric lighting plant is very much needed in place of the present inadequate gas-lighting system. A new solid plank floor should be laid in the Machine-Tool Laboratory. No changes have been made in the instructing staff, the present. force consisting of four instructors and five assistants.

PETER SCHWAMB.

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH.

The English Department made this year its first trial of entrance examinations under the new conditions. The arbitrary requirement in preparatory work of a list of prescribed books has been done away with; and teachers are now free to choose such works of literature as seem to them best adapted to the needs of individual classes. The examinations are now made more completely tests of the results upon a candidate of his training in the secondary schools. He is tried in composition especially for the accuracy of his thought and his power of expression; in literature for his realization and ap