Founding of Case Institute of Technology
“an institution of learning to be called the ‘Case School of Applied Science,’ located in the said City of Cleveland, in which shall be taught by competent professors and teachers, mathematics, physics, engineering – mechanical and civil, chemistry, economic geology, mining and metallurgy, natural history, drawing, and modern languages….and such kindred branches of learning as the Trustees of said institution may deem advisable…”
After Case’s death on 1/6/1880, Henry G. Abbey, his adviser and friend, handled the details for establishing the Case School. He selected 15 members of the corporation, 5 of them also serving as trustees. The articles of incorporation were filed 4/6/1880 and approved 4/8/1880.
Since none of the incorporators were knowledgeable about organizing a scientific or engineering school, they authorized a trip to visit schools in the East. Chairman of the Board of Trustees Rufus Ranney and Reverend Thomas B. Wells visited several schools, one of them Johns Hopkins University. A second trip was authorized for Leonard Case’s friend and astronomer John Stockwell. Stockwell asked fellow astronomer Benjamin Gould for advice about establishing such a school.
Gould initially recommended delaying establishment of the school until finances improved and a new building and equipment were ready. He later revised his recommendation and as former University Historian Clarence Cramer wrote,
The trustees approved Gould’s recommendation.“After further thought he came to the conclusion that this would be injudicious and reached a compromise; the school would be established in makeshift quarters on a provisional basis, providing limited benefits from the Case endowment for students who applied immediately, while preparations went forward for a more extensive program for those who entered the school in later years. Gould calculated that a preliminary system of instruction could be carried on by a small faculty for ten to twelve thousand dollars a year, permitting the accumulation of financial reserves for the addition of courses and programs and buildings as financial ability permitted.”
Case School of Applied Science opened in 1881 with 16 students and 5 faculty at the Case family home on Rockwell Street in downtown Cleveland. The rooms in the house became classrooms and laboratories were housed on the second floor of the barn.
John Stockwell was appointed the first faculty member, Instructor of Mathematics and Astronomy. He organized the rest of the faculty and set up the courses of instruction. In essence, Stockwell served as the unofficial director of the new institution.
The School moved into the new Case Main Building in University Circle in 1885 – becoming neighbors with Western Reserve University (WRU). This move was partially made possible by the gift of Amasa Stone for WRU to move from Hudson to Cleveland. One of the conditions was that CIT move from downtown to University Circle.
Sources
An excellent article about the Leonard Case family, written by the late Professor Emeritus Thomas Kicher, was published in the Spring 2019 issue of the Case Alumnus. The Case Alumni Association graciously granted permission for the posting of the article.
Another fine source of information about the early days of CIT is Clarence Cramer’s history, Case Institute of Technology: a Centennial History, 1880-1980.
A fun website, created for the CIT 140th anniversary in 2020, is Case School: the Evolving History.
For more information, see the Sources page.
