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When the Industrial
Revolution began to spread into all sections of the country, shortly
after the close of the Civil War, a power plant of some kind became an
essential part of most factories, office buildings, stores, hotels and
service institutions of many kinds.
Keeping power plants
running smoothly was a serious problem in the beginning.
They were being installed at a faster rate than properly trained
persons could be found to operate them.
Little of this equipment was well
designed, constructed or performing satisfactorily.
Unfortunately, a majority of this equipment was a constant
problem. Breakdowns were
common and the engineers spent their nights, weekends and holidays
keeping the equipment in operating condition.
Twelve hour shifts, seven days a week, was common work practice
during this time. When the
plant was not running or was carrying a light load, persons were busy
making repairs or adjustments.
The
persons responsible for the operation of these power plants were known
as “Stationary Engineers”, to distinguish them from engineers
operating mobile power plants: locomotives, ships, etc.
A Stationary Engineer operated permanently fixed power plants on
land. These persons often
found themselves in stressful situations.
If the power plant failed for any reason, production stopped and
the lights went out, and they were held responsible for the power
failure and loss of production.
As
the equipment in the power plants began to grow in complexity and
profusion, so did the problems facing the engineers of that era.
While there were various directions the engineers could turn to
for assistance with the difficult problems they were faced with in their
power plants, many of the engineers recognized that by organizing into
groups, they could obtain the kind of information from each other that
would be of a practical and immediate nature.
As
a result, in September 1879, a number of engineers working in different
power plants met in the engine room of the Providence, Rhode Island
Courthouse, where Henry D. Cozens was Chief Engineer.
Under the guidance of Mr. Cozens, they formally organized
themselves into a group called the “Engineers Association”.
A
few years later, recognizing the need for action on a larger scale,
correspondence began with groups of engineers in other parts of the
country regarding the formation of a National Association.
Mr. Cozens thought power engineers joining together across the
country regularly to help each other better understand the new method of
producing electricity would result in more knowledgeable engineers,
safer practices and less power plant failures.
In
July 1882, a call was published in various trade journals inviting all
societies of Stationary Engineers in the country to join in organizing a
National Association. A
number of these societies approved the contemplated action and an
announcement was published in the American
Machinist Magazine, inviting them to send one delegate to a
convention to be held on
October 25, 1882
, in the Pythagoras Hall, New York City.
This is when it was decided that the Engineers Association would
become the “National Association of Stationary Engineers.”
The
primary objective of the National Association of Stationary Engineers
was to aid the members, through mutual cooperation, in securing the
necessary formal and practical education to safely and efficiently
operate new power generating plants.
In 1882, there were few books, no magazines, no steam engineering
courses or other sources of technical information.
The required information was, however, locked securely in the
heads of those persons who had to learn the hard way on navigating and
repairing the new equipment safely.
Through their willingness to pass on their knowledge, the
National Association of Stationary Engineers was able to provide
practical education to power engineers throughout the country.
Through
the years, the National Association of Stationary Engineers began to
grow and new educational opportunities with a classroom setting were
beginning to be offered. As
the Association began to grow and change, the requirements, knowledge
and job descriptions of Stationary Engineers began to change as well.
So on January 19, 1928, the National Association of Stationary
Engineers changed their name to the “National Association of Power
Engineers” to better describe the members of the Association.
To
date, the National Association of Power Engineers is still dedicated to
the cause that began our Association 125 years ago, education.
Though the education has changed, the purpose of the National
Association of Power Engineers has not: to bring new information and
technology to power engineers across the country through education to
ensure safe and responsible engineering practices.
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