Stevens Institute of Technology - Link Yearbook (Hoboken, NJ)

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5? 1-4 mmmiinugnnnnnnninni mnninilnniinuniin lil l lbjnilill .59 illll iun5gunnannnniiiinnnmlqnnngiinmg gg . z . M.-urn-U ix is - V pr' b . . VF !!!lll!ftilll!ll! :mini lllfllllllll l ill . History of Stevens STEVENS INSTITUTE, the first College of Mechanical Engineering in the country, is the outgrowth of a bequest in the will of the late Edwin Augustus Stevens, dated April 15, 1867, in which there was left for the purpose of establishing a College of Mechanical Engi- neering, a large sum of money, and the plot of land on Castle Heights, Hoboken, bounded by Hudson Street, River Street, and Fourth and Sixth Streets. About two years ago, the Trustees added to the original site seven acres of historic land at Castle Point, originally owned by Colonel John Stevens. This land, which has been held by the Stevens family for 143 years, had been confiscated by the British Government during the American Revolution. It overlooks the old duelling grounds on the heights above the Hudson, where Aaron Burr shot Alexander Hamilton. The purchase of land north of Castle Stevens, originally the Manor House of the Stevens family, from Richard Stevens, rounded out the 1nstitute's holdings and completed tl1e effort begun by the late Dr. Humphreys, who had succeeded in 1911 in raising funds to buy the Castle itself from the children of Richard Stevens. Dr. Morton, the first President, was appointed by 'the Trustees in 1870 under the will of Edwin A. Stevens fthe founderj. President Morton was a general scientist who won wide notice early in life as the translator of the hieroglyphics on the Rosetta Stone, discovered by excavation during Napoleon's occupation of' Egypt, and of great value in tracing the faint trail of ancient history. His work at the Institute was that of organizing a course for which there was no precedent -namely, the qualification for the degree of mechanical engineer. Although modified by the 17

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, -L. If wider requirements ofthe profession, particularly in the electrical field, the Institute's course remains essentially the same as outlined by him. The original endowment proving inadequate, Dr. Morton gave freely of his own limited means, and secured the foundation, by Andrew Carnegie, of the laboratory which bears the name of that great industrialist. President Morton died in 1902 and Dr. Alexander C. Humphreys was elected to fill the vacancy. Dr. Humphreys, having graduated from the Institute in 1881, had by this time become a leader among engineers, and a recognized authority on water gas. In addition, he was also active in general consulting work. His exhaustive study of accountancy and dc- preciation led to a great demand for his services as expert witness, notably in the famous liighty Cent Cas Case, in which his voluminous testimony proved conclusive. This practical knowledge led him to organize at the Institute a course in the economics of engineering. During his twenty-five years as President, many improvements in the curriculum and buildings were achieved. The Morton Memorial Laboratory of Chemistry, one of the finest in the country, was built shortly after President Humphreys' inauguration. In 1916, Dr. Humphreys interested Mr. William Hall Walker in a gymnasium for Stevens, and soon after, the William Hall Walker Gymnasium was built. flt has served the College extensively in an effort to provide athletic training for every student. During the war, the Government established a School of Steam Engineering for the Navy and to this end built the present Library and Navy Buildings. These were purchased by the College at the close of the war. The Library Building provides ample space on the top fioor for the offices of all the publications. The Navy Building is used as a museum and electrical engineering laboratory. The Honor System, a fixture at most of the leading colleges, has long been successful at Stevens. It was adopted for all classes in 1907, and the placing of every student on his honor proved successful-a tradition of which every student is proud. In order to establish a better understanding between the student body and the faculty, the Student Council was established in 1913 to represent the student body in all matters, V ... ' ' T ' d 1'f' ,.n.-. ,, 18