ing colleges to familiarize the
student with the standards of technique and methods of representation
found in the best commercial practice; likewise to develop in him the
powers to visualize and reason, which are possessed by the commercial
draftsman and designers.

=Organization and content of courses in mechanical drawing=

The drawing courses of engineering curricula may be divided into two
groups: (1) _General courses_, in which the principles and methods of
representation are taught, together with such practice in drawing as
will develop a satisfactory technique. (2) _Technical courses_, the
aim of which is to assist the student to acquire technical knowledge
or training, drawing being used primarily for the purpose of
developing or testing a student's knowledge of the subject matter.

The general courses usually include an elementary course and a course
in descriptive geometry. These courses deal with the fundamental
principles and methods which have universal application in the
advanced and technical courses. While the courses of the two groups
may overlap, the general courses precede the courses of the technical
group. There is no general agreement as to the order in which the
subjects belonging to the general group should be given. Each of the
following orders is in use:

1. A course in descriptive geometry followed by an elementary
technical course.

2. An elementary course and a course in descriptive geometry given
simultaneously.

3. An elementary course followed by a course in descriptive geometry.

The _first plan_ is followed by a number of institutions which
conclude, because of the general practice of offering courses in
drawing in the secondary schools, that pupils entering college have a
knowledge of the fundamentals ordinarily included in an elementary
course. In other institutions it is held that the principles of
projection can be taught to students of college age in a course of
descriptive geometry without preliminary drill.

Where the _second plan_ is used, the courses are so correlated that
the instruction in the use of instruments given in an elementary
course is applied in solving problems in descriptive geometry, while
the principles of projection taught in descriptive geometry are
applied in the making of working drawings. This plan is followed by
several of the larger engineering colleges.

Under the _third plan_ the principles of projection are taught through
their application