The Mechanical Feature: 100 Years of Engineering at Mississippi State University by C. James Haug When Mississippi Agricultural and Mechanical College, now Mississippi State University, was founded in 1878, it was lacking what President Stephen D. Lee called "the mechanical feature." Devoted entirely to offering coursework in general education and agriculture, the college was not able to provide students with courses in technical subjects until 1891, when the curriculum began to include courses in basic woodworking and metal machining. Electrical engineering was added in 1892, and in later years departments of civil, industrial, petroleum, biological, aerospace, and nuclear engineering were developed as the demand arose and resources became available. Today the MSU College of Engineering is nationally acclaimed as a research center for the study of magnetohydrodynamics, computer-assisted fluid-flow modeling, and composite materials. In 1990 it was named a National Science...