,,am]ican ,,society ,,( ,,civil         
,,eng9e]s  ,,in/itut$ #aheb             
,,transactions  ,pap] ,no4 #aagh        
,,address ,,at ,,! #db;,d ,,annual      
,,conv5tion1 ,,*icago1 ,,ill9ois1 ,,june
 #ba,,/1 #aiaj4  ,,by ,,john ,a4        
,,b5sel1 ,,presid5t1 ,,am4 ,,soc4 ,c4   
,e4     ,i "k t to "s ( my audi5ce a    
satisfactory address at a summ]         
conv5tion w\ld be l t :i* _m p reg>d z a
 satisfactory s]mon--some?+ soo?+ &     
conv9c+1 to ! effect t y are n z o!r m5 
are1 b bett]4 ,:ile ,i appreciate v     
fully1 h[ev]1 ! honor ( be+ able to     
address y1 ,i am go+ to look tr\ble 9 ! 
face 9 an ef=t to conv9ce y t1 9 spite (
 great individual a*ievem5ts1 eng9e]s   
are beh9d o!r pr(essional m5 9          
pr(essional _s1 & p>ticul>ly 9          
collective ef=t4  ,:e!r ?is1 if true1 is
 due to our extreme y\? z a pr(ession1  
or our extreme age1 is dep5d5t ^u ! po9t
 ( view2 b ,i ?9k x is a fact t w be    
admitt$ by all t eng9e]s h n z yet done 
mu* = _! pr(ession1 ev5 if !y h done    

consid]able = ! _w at l>ge4  ,look+     
backw>d1 our call+ may prop]ly be       
consid]$ ! olde/ 9 ! _w4 ,x is old]1 9  
fact1 ?an hi/ory itself1 = man did n    
beg9 to sep>ate f ! ma9 "p ( animal     
creation1 until he began to direct !    
s\rces ( p[] 9 ,nature = ! b5efit1 if n 
always = ! improvem5t1 ( 8 p>ticul> k9d4
 ,9 ,bible hi/ory1 we f9d e>ly m5tion ( 
! fir/ build] ( a pontoon4 ,?is         
cr$itable p]=mance is especially not$1 &
 ! "n ( ! p>ty pr9cipally conc]n$       
prom95tly m5tion$4 ,! same ?+ _c be said
 ( ! unsuccessful attempt at ! build+ ( 
! fir/ sky-scrap]1 = "h ! ar*itect1 )   
unusual mode/y1 has n giv5 hi/ory 8 "n1 
?is omission be+ possibly due to ! fact 
t ! build+ 0 unsuccessful4 ,if an eng9e]
 0 employ$ on ?is p>ticul> und]tak+1 !  
ar*itect _h1 ev5 at t e>ly /age ( 8     
pr(ession1 le>n$ ! lesson ( keep+ all   
except 8 own end ( ! "w 9 ! backgr\nd4  
,! di/9ctive nam+ ( our pr(ession does n
 seem1 h[ev]1 to g back any f>!r ?an !  
p]iod ( #agfa1 :5 t ,fa!r ( !           

,pr(ession1 ,john ,smeaton1 fir/ made   
use ( ! t]m1 eng9e]1 & lat]1 civil      
eng9e]1 apply+ x bo? to o!rs & to       
himself1 z descriptive ( a c]ta9 class (
 m5 work+ along pr(essional l9es n[     
exi/+ & describ$ by t t]m4  ,rem>kable  
progress has c]ta9ly be5 made 9 actual  
a*ievem5ts s9ce t "t1 & ,i "k ( no?+ m  
impressive ?an to contemplate ! trem5d\s
 *anges t h be5 made 9 ! mat]ial _w by !
 a*ievem5ts ( eng9e]s1 p>ticul>ly 9 !   
la/ hundr$ ye>s4 ,?is 0 =cibly impress$ 
^u me a %ort "t ago1 :ile 9 ! company ( 
! late ,*>les ,haswell1 !n ! olde/ memb]
 ( ?is ,society1 :o1 see+ "o ( ! rec5tly
 built m5-(-w> com+ up ! h>bor1 rem>k$ t
 he _h design$ ! fir/ /eam%ip = ! ,unit$
 ,/ates ,navy4 ,! evolution ( ?is       
intricate mass ( me*anism1 :i*1 f ! v   
beg9n+ ( its dep>ture f ! sail+ type (  
vessel1 has tak5 place entirely )9 !    
work+ p]iod ( "o man's life1 is z       
graphic a %[+ ( eng9e]+ activity z ,i   
?9k c be f\nd4  ,our activities are     
=cibly %[n 9 _m o!r l9es ( inv5tion & 9 

! utilization ( ! =ces ( ,nature1       
p>ticul>ly 9 ! developm5t ( ?is c\ntry4 
,we1 al?\gh "y 9 ye>s1 h become !       
greate/ railroad build]s 9 hi/ory1 & h  
put into use me*anical ma*9es l !       
h>ve/]1 ! sew+ ma*9e1 ! telephone1 !    
wireless telegraph1 & almo/ numb]less   
applications ( electricity4 ,%ips h be5 
built ( late ye>s greatly dep>t+ f ^?   
imm$iately prec$+ !m1 s t at ! pres5t "t
 !y might be comp>$ to float+ cities )  
ne>ly all a city's conv5i5ces & com=ts4 
,we h done away ) ! =m] isolation ( !   
l>ge/ city 9 ! c\ntry1 & h made x a "p (
 ! ma9 l& by ! build+ ( tunnels &       
bridges4 ,9 all our "w x might be said t
 we are ha/5+1 ) fev]i% en]gy1 f "o     
problem to ano!r1 = ! s-call$ purpose ( 
sav+ "t1 or = ! enjoym5t ( "s new       
s5sation2 & we h also made possible !   
creation ( t :i* might be deem$ (       
d\btful b5efit to ! human race1 t huge  
conglom]ate1 ! mod]n city4  ,!re has be5
 no hesitancy 9 grappl+ ) ! problems (  
,nature by eng9e]s1 b !y seem to be     

diffid5t & neglectful ( human nature 9  
_! calculations1 leav+ x out ( _!       
equations1 greatly to _! own detrim5t & 
! _w's loss4 ,we c say t matt]s outside 
( ! kn[n are n our conc]n1 & we c look )
 pride at our individual a*ievem5ts1 & (
 c\rse1 if ?is satisfies1 !re is no?+ m 
to be said4 ,b x is because ,i feel t   
eng9e]s ( to-day are n satisfi$ ) _!    
position1 t ,i wond] :e!r we h ei!r     
fulfill$ our obligations to ! community1
 or secur$ prop] recognition f x2 :e!r1 
9 fact1 ! eng9e] c become ! =ce t he    
%\ld be1 until he br+s some?+ into 8    
equations besides froz5 figures1 h[ev]  
div]t+ an occupation ?is may be4  ,"o   
may wond] :e!r ?is /ate ( affairs is    
caus$ f a fe> ( inject+ unc]ta9 elem5ts 
into our calculations1 or :e!r x is our 
education or tra9+ :i* makes u          
cons]vative to ! po9t ( op]at+ to our   
own disadvantage4 ,we may read !        
requirem5ts ( our memb]%ip & le>n f !m t
 9 our accompli%m5ts we are n to be     
measur$ z skill$ artisans1 b ! fact     

rema9s t1 to a great ext5t1 society at  
l>ge does s rate u1 & x w\ld seem t we  
mu/ ourselves be responsible = ?is /ate 
( affairs4 ,our colleges & te*nical     
s*ools are p>tly to blame = ! exi/5ce ( 
?is idea1 on acc\nt ( ! diff]5t degrees 
:i* !y give4 ,we h a degree ( civil     
eng9e]1 reg>d$ 9 its n>r[e/ s5se1 ( m9+ 
eng9e]1 me*anical eng9e]1 electrical    
eng9e]1 & by necessity x w\ld seem z if 
we %\ld %ortly add "s p>ticul> title to 
designate ! eng9e] :o flies4 ,9 reality 
!re %\ld be b two classes ( eng9e]s1 & !
 di/9ction %\ld be drawn only betwe5    
civil eng9e]s & milit>y eng9e]s4 ,z a   
matt] ( fact1 fate & incl9ation det]m9e 
! specialty t a man takes up aft] 8     
prelim9>y tra9+1 & s f> z ! degrees are 
conc]n$1 ! only "o t has any "r to c>ry 
weight1 because x is a measure (        
accompli%m5t1 is t :i* is grant$ by ?is 
,society to its corporate memb]s4 ,!    
s*ools1 9 _! g5]al mix-up ( titles1     
c]ta9ly befog ! public m9d4 ,x is z if !
 m$ical s*ools1 = in/ance1 %\ld issue   

degrees at graduation = bra9 doctors1   
/oma* doctors1 eye & e> doctors1 etc4 ,v
 wisely1 x seems to me1 ! m$ical        
pr(ession & ! legal pr(ession1 )        
hi/ories f> old] ?an ours1 & ) z wide   
v>iations 9 practice z we h1 leave !    
v>iations 9 "n to ! individual ta/e ( ! 
practition]1 9 a mann] :i* we w\ld d    
well to copy4 ,! ,society itself has    
adopt$ v broad l9es 9 admission to      
memb]%ip1 class+ z civil eng9e]s all :o 
are prop]ly su*2 & !re is good reason = 
! s]i\s consid]ation ( ! t]m at ?is "t1 
z we _c fail to recognize a t5d5cy 9    
,/ate & o!r gov]nm5ts to legislate z to 
! "r to practice eng9e]+4 ,x 0 ow+ to ! 
introduction ( a bill limit+ & prescrib+
 ! "r to practice 9 ! ,/ate ( ,new      
,york1 t a committee 0 rec5tly appo9t$  
to look into ?is matt] & report to !    
,society4 ,?is report w be be=e y =     
action at ?is meet+4  ,z to ! mann] 9   
:i* eng9e]s individually p]=m _! "w1 no 
criticism w\ld prop]ly lie1 & 9 fact x  
is =tunate t our "w speaks = itself1 =1 

z a body1 we say no?+4 ,we are no long]1
 h[ev]1 f\nd work+ = ! great] "p ( ! "t 
on ! outskirts ( civilization1 & x      
becomes necess>y1 !re=e1 = u to *ange ) 
*ang+ conditions1 & to use our ,society 
n only = ! b5efit ( ! pr(ession z a     
:ole1 b = ! b5efit ( ! memb]s           
individually4 ,:e!r "o ( our fir/ /eps 9
 ?is direction %\ld be along legislative
 l9es is = y to det]m9e4 ,= myself1 hav+
 be5 confront$ ) legislation rec5tly    
attempt$ 9 ,new ,york1 ,i am conv9c$ t  
we %all h legislation affect+ our       
memb]s1 & ?is legislation %\ld prop]ly  
be m\ld$ by "s responsible body l our   
own ,society4 ,if we d n take ! matt] up
 ourselves x is likely to be tak5 up by 
o!r associations1 & f pa/ exp]i5ce1 x   
w\ld seem z ?\gh x might be c>ri$ on    
along l9es t w\ld t5d to ridicule our   
desire = pr(essional /&+4  ,! ,society  
is to be congratulat$ on its pres5t     
satisfactory /atus4 ,! reports %[ a v   
satisfactory f9ancial condition1 & y may
 note a cont9u+ increase 9 memb]%ip t is

 extremely gratify+4 ,?is1 aft] hav+    
ne>ly d\bl$ 9 ! la/ sev5 ye>s1 /ill %[s 
no sign ( dim9i%+ 9 its rate ( increase4
 ,x may be said1 also1 t we h 9 !       
,society an excell5t publi%+ h\se1 :]e !
 memb]s h an opportunity to secure      
te*nical pap]s publi%$ 9 ! highe/ /yle (
 ! art4 ,we h 9 g5]al 9 ! (fic]s1 a     
numb] ( m51 :o1 )9 ! prescrib$ limits1  
labor = ! b5efit ( ! memb]s1 b we also h
 con/itutional limitations to ! activity
 ( our gov]n+ body1 s t ! voice ( !     
,society is nev] he>d1 or1 at lea/1     
might be comp>$ to t /ill1 small voice  
we call consci5ce1 :i* is n audible     
outside ( ! body t possesses x4  ,n[1 9 
^! days1 :5 ! /atem5t t two & two make  
f\r is accept$ f its late/ orig9ator z a
 newly discov]$ tru?1 a little ext5sion 
( our ma!matics1 to take into our       
e/imate p z well z ?+s1 is :at we       
pr9cipally ne$1 & x w\ld be a good ?+1  
reg>d$ ei!r f ! po9t ( view ( :at ! _w  
ne$s or ! m selfi% view ( our own       
p>ticul> ga9s4 ,at ! pres5t "t x w\ld   

seem z ?\gh our _w _h ?r[n away ! old   
gods )\t tak+ hold ( any new ones4      
,private own]%ip z x =m]ly exi/$ is no  
long] recogniz$2 individual action 9    
almo/ any l>ge field is to-day hamp]$ & 
curtail$ 9 a mann] undream$ ( tw5ty ye>s
 ago4 ,9 fact1 our :ole s*eme ( gov]nm5t
 seems to be pass+ f ! repres5tative =m 
on :i* x 0 f\nd$1 to "s new =m z yet    
undet]m9$4 ,:e!r all ?is is1 9 our      
op9ion1 = good or = evil1 is ( no       
p>ticul> conc]n4 ,! matt] t conc]ns u   
is1 t we h left our old moor+s1 & t1 to 
secure new ones1 new limits are to be   
set to ! activities ( m5 along l9es :i* 
conc]n u1 & t1 !re=e1 x is necess>y t ^?
 :o by education & tra9+ are be/ fitt$  
to consid] facts & n desires1 %\ld guide
 society z mu* z possible along its new 
l9es4 ,i consid] t we z a pr(ession are 
p>ticul>ly tra9$ to d ?is by our        
consid]ation ( facts z !y exi/1 & ,i ?9k
 x w be recogniz$ by all t we are n 9   
our "w or activities b\nd by any        
prec$5t1 ev5 if we d le>n all t we c f !

 pa/2 & t we are by nature & tra9+ ( a  
cool & calculat+ disposition1 :i* is    
surely a ?+ t is ne$$ 9 ?is "t ( _m     
sugge/$ exp]im5ts4  ,to be effective1   
h[ev]1 we mu/ be cohesive1 & ?us be able
 to take our "p n z ! l$1 b z lead]s1   
conv9c+ ! p1 if possible1 t all ! ills (
 our social sy/em _c be cur$ by rem$ies 
:i* neglect ! =ces ( creation1 & t ! be/
 doctors = our tr\bles are n necess>ily 
^? ^: sympa?ies are mo/ audibly         
express$4  ,9 ! rec5t discov]ies (      
sci5ce our ideas z to ! =ces ( ,nature  
mu/ be greatly enl>g$ & our !ories      
amplifi$4 ,rec5t discov]y ( radium &    
radio-active sub/ances %[s at lea/ t mu*
 ( our old k ne$s re-writ+ along ! l9es 
( our great] k ( to-day4  ,) ?is        
increase ( k x w\ld seem z ?\gh ^? :o   
devote _! lives to ! exploitation (     
natural =ces %\ld take a position 9 !   
future ev5 m prom95t ?an 9 ! pa/1 & x w 
und\bt$ly become our function to help ! 
_w to t ideal /ate describ$ by our      
greate/ liv+ poet ( action1 :5 he speaks

 ( ! "t to come1 z foll[s3      ,& no "o
 %all "w = money1       ,& no "o %all "w
 = fame2     ,b ea* = ! joy ( work+1    
,& ea* 9 8 sep>ate />2     ,%all draw ! 
?+ z he sees x1       ,= ! ,god ( ! ?+s 
z !y are4