President Wickenden Term, 1929-1947
Depression Years, 1929-1936
William E. Wickende became president. Wickenden came to Case from the Society for the Promotion of Engineering Education.
The late October, 1929, stock market crash was not as immediately catastrophic as a fire, but its prolonged shocks, such as bank closings followed by the Depression's dismal years, shook the foundations of a School that depended largely upon income from an endowment invested in securities and real estate. The employment markets for the graduates from Case declined.
1930-1936 A graduate of the early thirties said that President Wickenden laid great stress upon student activities and a well rounded academic program. "He often stated that an engineer should be just as much at home in a tuxedo as in overalls and that the hours between 4 :00 in the afternoon and 8 :00 the following morning were just as important in the educational process as those spent in the classroom. This was a marked change from the previous educational philosophy which was concerned almost entirely with imparting scientific and technical knowledge." >
In one word, life at Case in the 1930s was apprehensive. In that respect the School was not unique. It mirrored the national uneasiness which the decade ushered in. During its first half, the principal worry concerned the immediate job and future income instabilities.
"In December, 1933, President Wickenden reported, "After riding nearly three years of depression on even keel the good ship Case had found it prudent to shorten sail." For the first time in its history, the School faced an accounting deficit and the income forecast was not good. "By curtailing," the president said, "we shall be ready for a period of advance, with no dead horses to bury." He said that the School's sound financial position was due in large measure to the thrift and prudence of Eckstein Case, "Long may he save." Eckstein - Eckstein Case, all faculty members were paid in cash during the period when all banks were closed. Eckstain Case retired in 1940 (after 49 years)
1934
Evening Division was opened - Its purpose was to offer degrees in five to eight years of evening work. During this time, its students would receive valuable apprentice training as well. As it worked out, some were mature men to whom a degree meant less than the possibility of improvement in math, chemistry and other studies which they could apply immediately on their jobs. Engineers and executives also enrolled to improve their technical knowledge.
late '30s, enrollment starts to increase
In 1939 - WW II starts, 1940 Compulsory military service became effective
1940
After President Wickenden was appointed to the Washington office of Production Management, the government's Engineering Defense Training Program went into effect at Case.
Designed to train technologists for key positions in the military expansion, such as explosives and ship building, the program provided draft deferment for those in training. He ruled that Case's immediate objective must be the laying down of a foundation of engineering and technical competence. The super-structure of social studies could come later. Defense classes were extended to other cities. The Case laboratories were crowded with research projects for the government and for industry with its obligations to produce defense materials.
It cost the government between $4,000 and $8,000 to train a man technically. At Case, about 950 were in day classes and 800 more attended night classes. Without this income, the School would not have been able to bear its load.
1943 Case's accelerated program for regular seniors advanced their graduation by five-and-a-half months. President Wickenden persistently urged even greater use of the School's educational resources. In 1943, a Navy training plan was announced. It added 300 students in V-12 courses that year.
1945
The entire college curriculum was modified in 1945 including the Electrical Engineering curriculurn Following the war's end, about 2,000 men applied for entrance at Case