Canals and Mines: Study and Teaching at Lehigh

The early course catalogs and recruitment brochures show that the degrees in Civil and Mining Engineering were the two of five original courses of study at Lehigh. Lehigh’s founder Asa Packer wanted his University to prepare students for successful careers with a well-rounded education combining liberal and scientific education. During the normal school year and in summer sessions, Lehigh offered engineering surveying classes to ensure the practical application of the theoretical knowledge gained in classrooms and laboratories (Fritz Engineering and Coxe Mining Laboratories). Students were required to enroll in a “post-graduate” fifth year to obtain an E.M. (Engineer of Mines) or a C.E. (Civil Engineering) degrees; they were also required to submit a written thesis. Most of the topics were based on engineering problems and issues found on campus and in the region, for example, students inspected and reported on bridges, canals, mines, factories, railroads, etc. The sample theses displayed here are about various aspects of the Lehigh Canal, Morris Canal (New Jersey) and the mines and mine laws of Pennsylvania.