Strength of materials is a common core course requirement in U.S. universities (and those elsewhere) for students majoring in civil, mechanical, aeronautical, naval, architectural, and other engineering disciplines. The subject trains a student to calculate the response of simple structures. This elementary course exposes the student to the fundamental concepts of solid mechanics in a simplified form. Comprehension of the principles becomes essential because this course lays the foundation for other advanced solid mechanics analyses. The usefulness of this subject cannot be overemphasized because strength of materials principles are routinely used in various engineering applications. We can even speculate that some of the concepts have been used for millennia by master builders such as the Romans, Chinese, South Asian, and many others who built cathedrals, bridges, ships, and other structural forms. A good engineer will benefit from a clear comprehension of the fundamental principles of strength of materials. Teaching this subject should not to be diluted even though computer codes are now available to solve problems.