Tim Wells, age 13, of Gurdon, Ark., for his question:

IS THERE A GOOD FUTURE FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS?

Engineering is the profession that puts power and materials to work for man. Engineers build buildings, dams, roads and bridges. They use plastics, metal and glass to produce the thousands of products we use every day. They transform power into electricity that can be used to run our industries and light our homes. And they create new materials.

   To put power and material to work, engineers must know and use principles of science and mathematics. They must also be able to think, write and speak clearly.

During the 1800s, five main branches of engineering developed: civil engineering, mechanical engineering, mining and metallurgical engineering, chemical engineering and electrical engineering.

There is an extremely good future for all those who want to go into the field of engineering, especially the field of electrical engineering.

Electrical engineering deals with the production, distribution, control and use of electricity. It developed into a separate branch as progress was made in the field of electrical and electronic communication.

Until the 1940s, electrical engineering dealt mostly with communications, lighting and the generation and transmission of electrical power. Then the field opened wider.

Now electronic engineering is a major subdivision of electrical engineering. Electronic devices have an important part in satellites and spacecraft. They are also important in television, radio, automation and missiles.

The telephone, radar, and computer fields also use the electronic devices and clear thinking of electrical engineers.

Electrical engineers now design equipment which is used to generate electricity and distribute it to industries and homes. This equipment includes generators run by water power, coal, oil and nuclear fuels.

Students who plan to go into engineering should include the following in their high school schedules: four years of mathematics, lots of science including physics and chemistry, four years of English and at least two years of either German, French or Spanish.

High school faculty members can help guide a student in finding the right college, university or technological institute where engineering and science courses can be taken.

Experts in the field of electrical engineering say a student who plans to go into this field should be curious, intelligent, imaginative, creative, industrious, studious, communicative and very responsible. If you have these traits, expect a very good future.