BRIDGING THE PAST & FUTURE

THE EVER-CHANGING NEED FOR CIVIL ENGINEERING EDUCATION

BY NEIL PATEL

May 15, 2025

BS in Civil Engineering, Minor in Construction Management (Class of 2026)

Accelerated MS in Construction Management (Class of 2027)

NYU Tandon School of Engineering

Introduction

The scope of this project is to investigate and “bridge” the historical evolution and future trajectory of civil engineering education at Brooklyn Collegiate and Polytechnic Institute (BCPI), later the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn (PIB), Polytechnic Institute of New York, Polytechnic University, and now the NYU Tandon School of Engineering. This project will primarily look into BCPI at its founding to PIB up until World War II. This research will primarily utilize course catalogs and administrative records such as annual reports for primary sources from the Poly Archives to analyze how civil engineering education has been perceived, shaped, and adapted by faculty over time, particularly in response to shifting societal, technological, and institutional challenges across different eras from the early 1800s to 1940s.

The significance of this study lies in understanding how civil engineering education at BCPI has endured from 1854 to the present day, and what lessons can be drawn from its evolution. By examining the changes in curriculum, teaching, and institutional priorities, we can better understand why these transformations were necessary and what they reveal about the resilience and adaptability required within the field. Furthermore, this project will explore what the future holds for civil engineering education and how the discipline must continue to evolve to meet emerging global challenges. Civil engineering, as an ideology, has been around for thousands of years since the pyramids and earliest temples, but the profession has only been taught formally in U.S. institutions relatively recently in time. Ultimately, this study highlights the broader human imperative to adapt and grow, emphasizing that engineering, at its core, is a profession dedicated to solving complex, unknown problems, a principle that has sustained civil engineering across generations.

Origins of Civil Engineering in America

To understand the future trajectory of civil engineering education in the United States, it is essential to first examine its historical origins and foundational development. A key secondary source that outlines this early evolution is the journal article “The Education of Engineers in America before the Morrill Act of 1862” by Dr. Terry S. Reynolds (Image 1), published by Cambridge University Press in 1992. Dr. Reynolds was a professor of history and head of the Department of Social Sciences at Michigan Technological University from 1990-2002 (MichiganTech, 2025) Dr. Reynolds provides a comprehensive analysis of the early dissemination of civil engineering education across various institutional settings, including military academies, polytechnic schools, and through partial course offerings. The following sections will summarize and analyze Dr. Reynolds’ findings to contextualize the growth of civil engineering as an academic discipline in the United States.

Image 1. Photo of Dr. Terry S. Reynolds, author of “The Education of Engineers in America before the Morrill Act of 1862.” (MichiganTech, 2025)

Civil Engineering at Military Academies (~1800s–1840s)

Traditionally, in America and England, engineers were typically not first trained in colleges and learned the craft through apprenticeship by finding a position with a practicing engineer and working with them in the field or office for several years before seeking an independent position (Reynolds, 1992). In early America, this method of producing engineers had many issues, such as the lack of experienced engineers to take on apprentices (Reynolds, 1992). Due to cultural, economic, and language barriers, few engineers emigrated to America or stayed for long (Reynolds, 1992). After the War of 1812, the accelerated growth of transportation systems meant apprenticeships could not solely fulfill the demand for trained engineers, leading to colleges attempting to train them instead (Reynolds, 1992). This historical progression parallels current trends seen in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence and computer science. As the societal demand for understanding these technologies continues to grow, informal or individualized (1:1) methods of knowledge transfer are no longer sufficient. Instead, there is an increasing need for formalized, structured educational programs to ensure broad, consistent, and scalable dissemination of expertise in these rapidly evolving disciplines.

Early American engineering education took a wide variety of forms, having little precedent for organized college-level engineering instruction, with no public agencies or institutions that had the power to promote or enforce uniformity (Reynolds, 1992). After 1830, American colleges began to offer “scientific courses” leading to nontraditional degrees at the time like the Bachelor of Science or Philosophy (Reynolds, 1992). Engineering was also present in higher military education, having French roots due to the French Monarchy establishing several institutions in the 1700s due to a shortage of trained military engineers (Reynolds, 1992). These institutions were well known and provided the earliest model of imitation (Reynolds, 1992). Therefore, most college-level engineering education in the United States began in military schools (Reynolds, 1992). The earliest engineering training was offered by the United States Military Academy at West Point, founded in 1802 to provide training for the U.S Army’s Corps of Engineers (Reynolds, 1992). This connection becomes especially significant later, as Richard S. Smith, the first civil engineering professor at Brooklyn Collegiate and Polytechnic Institute (BCPI), received his formal education at the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1829 to 1834 (Prabook, 2021). However, the academy did not initially have a formal course of instruction or regular sequence of classes (Reynolds, 1992). Under Sylvanius Thayer, West Point adopted a four-year curriculum designed to provide scientifically trained officers in 1817. Under Thayer, the academy broadly trained cadets in engineering, becoming the first formal, college-level American engineering school. (Reynolds, 1992)

In 1820, Alden Partridge, who was a former acting superintendent of the Military Academy, founded the American Literary, Philosophical, and Military Academy in Norwich, Vermont, which later became Norwich University, designed to provide soldiers and officers the same type of training as West Point (Reynolds, 1992). At Norwich, students were not organized into classes or a standard four-year curriculum but progressed at their own pace (Reynolds, 1992). Since 1820, Norwich University has had a clear engineering instruction and provided formal programs of courses labeled civil engineering by 1826 (Reynolds, 1992). Early accounts of early American engineering education only mention West Point and Norwich but there were at least six other military schools most located in the South that also offered engineering instruction (Reynolds, 1992). In 1839 and 1843, Virginia and South Carolina, respectively, established their own military academies involving military drills, tactical studies, surveying, drawing, sciences, mathematics, military, and civil engineering (Reynolds, 1992). The U.S. Naval Academy was founded in 1845 in Annapolis, Maryland, and also provided instruction in engineering as early as 1846. (Reynolds, 1992)

Civil Engineering at Polytechnic Institutes (~1820s–1860s)

Having analyzed the emergence of civil engineering education within military academies, a foundational understanding has been established regarding how the discipline was initially introduced into American society. This historical context directly informs the case of Brooklyn Collegiate and Polytechnic Institute (BCPI), where the first civil engineering professor, Richard S. Smith, was a graduate of West Point. However, BCPI’s identity and educational approach were shaped by another critical influence: the polytechnic model. The inclusion of “polytechnic” in its name reflects this broader institutional philosophy. The following section will examine and summarize Dr. Reynolds’ analysis of civil engineering education within polytechnic institutes to better understand their role in shaping early engineering curricula in the United States.

While French roots influenced the introduction of engineering into military colleges, the roots of the polytechnic school pattern of engineering education came from English or British models (Reynolds, 1992). By the 1820s, the British industrialists believed that a better-educated workforce could lead to better profits and more contented workers spread to the United States (Reynolds, 1992). One of the earliest American polytechnic schools was the Gardiner Lyceum, founded in Gardiner, Maine, in 1823, which focused on practical applications of science (Reynolds, 1992). In their second year, students were taught trigonometry, surveying, calculus, mechanics, and civil engineering (Reynolds, 1992). Civil engineering was offered as an alternative to agricultural chemistry or the regular course instruction (Reynolds, 1992). However, Gardiner Lyceum closed in 1832 due to financial difficulties (Reynolds, 1992).

In 1824, following the polytechnic pattern, the Rensselaer School (Image 2) was established by Stephen Van Rensselaer “for the purpose of instructing persons…in the application of science to the common purposes of life” (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 2025). The aim was to train students to teach science and its applications to New York farming, and did not include engineering education in its original scope (Reynolds, 1992). However, by 1828, the school began to offer occasional engineering lectures, and the school began to shift its focus being renamed to the Rensselaer Institute and started a one-year program which awarded a civil engineering degree (Reynolds, 1992). The school was renamed to Rensselaer Institute in 1833 (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 2025). The civil engineering program was originally intended to be a graduate program but the concept did not work at the time (Reynolds, 1992). In the 1850s, the purpose of the institute was broadened and became a polytechnic institution changing its name again to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in 1861 (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 2025). The institution began to offer a three year engineering program focusing almost entirely on scientific and engineering training (Reynolds, 1992). RPI is the first school of science and school of civil engineering which has “had a continuous existence, to be established in any English-speaking country” (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 2025).

Image 2. Photo of Rensselaer School. (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 2025)

This fact is also supported by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) with accrediting Rensselaer School/University with the first U.S. civil engineering degrees to four students in 1835;  ASCE was founded in 1893 after the 1893 Education Congress presentations (Rogers, 2012).

In the 1850s, a half dozen other polytechnics were founded including the Polytechnic College of Pennsylvania in 1853, Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute in 1854, and Cooper Union in 1859 (Reynolds, 2012). From this, it becomes evident that BCPI began offering civil engineering courses during a broader wave of curricular expansion among institutions in the Northeast, approximately two decades after the first civil engineering degrees were awarded in the United States at Rensselaer. Despite the early conferral of these degrees, many schools seemed to remain skeptical about incorporating scientific and technical subjects into their curricula. This hesitation provides insight into BCPI’s dual identity as both a collegiate preparatory school and a polytechnic institute. The combination suggests an effort to balance traditional liberal education with emerging technical instruction during a transitional period in American higher education.

Civil Engineering as Partial Courses (~1828–1860)

The final crucial component in understanding the origins of civil engineering education, particularly in relation to what is now the NYU Tandon School of Engineering, is the offering of civil engineering as partial or supplementary courses. This model is especially relevant in the case of New York University’s College of Engineering. In 1973, the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn was renamed the Polytechnic Institute of New York after it absorbed the faculty, programs, and students of NYU’s College of Engineering (NYU Tandon, 2025a).

During this time before 1840, many mainline colleges also began to experiment with engineering instruction by offering “partial” or “select” courses in engineering to students who did not want the traditional bachelor of arts degree (Reynolds, 1992). Prior to 1840, four northeastern institutions began offering engineering instruction: University of Vermont around 1828, Columbia around 1830, Princeton between 1832 and 1838, and finally New York University in 1837 with Charles Hackley, professor of mathematics, announcing a two-month lecture course in civil engineering for $20 per student (Reynolds, 1992). This is about $666 after doing a conversion of $20 from 1837 to 2025 using CPI inflation Calculator (Webster, 2025). It was also noted that from the course of instruction for 1836 that eighty lectures in architecture and civil engineering were taught by a prominent engineer, D. B. Douglas, that all New York University students were required to take (Reynolds, 1992). Between 1840 and 1860, four more institutions followed, with Rutgers in 1841, Brown in 1845, the University of Rochester in 1856, and the University of Pennsylvania also in 1856 (Reynolds, 1992). There were also few notable southern institutions who also used the partial course pattern, such as the University of Virginia, which offered engineering instruction between 1836 and 1841 with establishing a “School of Civil Engineering” in 1836, and being awarded a certificate of completion when passing the school’s requirements (Reynolds, 1992). The University of Alabama also included civil engineering alongside mathematics and natural history in 1837 to fulfill the demand for trained technical personnel for railroad construction (Reynolds, 1992). The list continues for more southern schools and western institutions (Reynolds, 1992).

From this analysis, it is clear that civil engineering education at the NYU Tandon School of Engineering is shaped by all three foundational influences that defined the discipline’s emergence in the United States. The military academy model is represented through Richard S. Smith, the first professor of civil engineering and drawing at Brooklyn Collegiate and Polytechnic Institute (BCPI), who received his formal education at West Point in 1829. The polytechnic model is reflected in BCPI itself, whose legacy endures even after institutional name changes and mergers, with the “Polytechnic” identity still acknowledged today since its founding in 1854. Lastly, the model of civil engineering as partial coursework is evident in New York University’s early College of Engineering, which ultimately merged into the Polytechnic Institute of New York following the 1973 integration. These three educational pathways (military, polytechnic, and partial course models) have collectively contributed to the rich and multifaceted heritage of civil engineering education at NYU Tandon.

Origins of Civil Engineering at the Brooklyn Collegiate & Polytechnic Institute (1854-1889)

Brooklyn Collegiate and Polytechnic Institute (1854–1856)

In April 1854, the Brooklyn Collegiate and Polytechnic Institute (BCPI) was founded and formed into a legal corporation; the First Annual  Report of the Board of Trustees of the  Brooklyn Collegiate & Polytechnic Institute and Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of Stockholders occurred on October 3rd in 1854 (BCPI Course Catalogues, 1854-1864). This occurred about 6 months after the institute’s initial formation.

Image 3. Photograph of the Cover Page of the First Annual Report of the Board of Trustees from October 3rd, 1854. (BCPI Course Catalogues, 1854-1864)

In the First Annual Catalogue of the Officers and Students of the Brooklyn Collegiate & Polytechnic from June 1856, Civil Engineering was mentioned as a Department of Instruction for the first time. Civil Engineering was listed as the fourth department teaching three subjects: “Use of Surveying Instruments, the practice of mensuration and laying out field work,” “Qualities and use of materials for construction Masonry, Carpentry, &c.,” and “Topographical and Industrial Drawing.” Although not stated directly, the instructor for these courses was most likely Richard S. Smith, U.S.M.A who was listed as the professor of mathematics, civil engineering, and drawing in the Board of Instruction section. At the time, there were 9 Departments of Instruction: (1) English Language and Literature, (2) History and Geography, (3) Mathematics, (4) Civil Engineering, (5) Natural Science, (6) Philosophy,  (7) Ancient Languages and Literature, (8) Modern Languages, and (9) Miscellaneous. (BCPI Course Catalogues, 1854-1864)

Images 4 and 5. Photographs of the Cover Page of the First Annual Catalogue of the Officers and Students of the BCPI from 1856 (left) and list of Board of Instructors highlighting Richard S. Smith (right). Highlight was applied to the original primary source. (BCPI Course Catalogues, 1854-1864)

Images 6 and 7. Photographs of General Description of Departments of Instruction (above) and Civil Engineering Instruction Description (bottom). (BCPI Course Catalogues, 1854-1864)

BCPI was first opened for students in September 1855. In the Second Annual Catalogue of the Officers and Students of the Brooklyn Collegiate & Polytechnic from June 1857, the goal of B.C.P.I was to “afford to the youth of this city, and to others who may choose it as a place of study, the requisite facilities for a thorough and finished education” justifying the construction of a large building fitted with “all the means and appliances known to modern science for the health and comfort of its pupils.” The report specifically highlighted the Department of Physical Science, a clear focus for the institution at the time. After one year from the 1856 catalogue, the departments of instruction section of the report were as follows:  (1) English Language and Literature, (2) History and Geography, (3) Mathematics, (4) Ancient Languages,  (5) Modern Languages, (6) Physical Science,  (7) Intellectual and Moral Philosophy, (8) Civil Engineering, (9) Penmanship and Book-keeping, (10) Drawing, and (11) Vocal Music as shown in Image 8. In 1856, civil engineering was listed as the fourth instruction; however, after only one year, civil engineering was listed as eighth, possibly signifying a significant shift in how civil engineering was viewed at the institute. The reason for the shifting of civil engineering from fourth to eighth is not specifically stated but could possibly be linked to less interest in the subject or enrollment while experimenting offering different courses. (BCPI Course Catalogues, 1854-1864)

Images 8 and 9. Photographs of Cover Page of Second Annual Catalogue of the Officers and Students (left) and Description for the Foundation of the Institute (right) with highlights applied to the original primary source. (BCPI Course Catalogues, 1854-1864)

Images 10. Photograph of listed Departments of Instruction with Civil Engineering listed as number 8 with highlight applied to original primary source in the Second Annual Catalogue of the Officers and Students. (BCPI Course Catalogues, 1854-1864)

The Fading of Civil Engineering at Brooklyn Collegiate and Polytechnic Institute (1858–1861)

The Third Annual Catalogue of the Officers and Students of the Brooklyn Collegiate & Polytechnic Institute from June 1858 showed a crucial changing point for civil engineering as a whole at the institute; however, the change was for the worse. Within the board of instruction section, Richard S. Smith, A. M. was still listed as the professor of mathematics, civil engineering, and drawing; however, civil engineering was removed as a whole from the departments of study. The order of the other studies was altered since the previous years’ report, but civil engineering was the first study to be completely removed as a whole since the institution’s founding in 1854. In the Sixth Annual Catalogue of the Officers and Students of the Brooklyn Collegiate & Polytechnic Institute from June 1861, Richard S. Smith, A. M was no longer listed as a faculty member, who was the sole remaining figure representing civil engineering as an industry discipline within the catalogues. At the time of this report, the key focuses of the institute were the Department of Physical Science, the library with a size of two thousand “carefully selected volumes,” and constructing a gymnasium. (BCPI Course Catalogues, 1854-1864)

Images 11, 12, 13, and 14. Photographs of Cover Page of Third Annual Catalogue of the Officers and Students (Top left) and the Departments of Study at BCPI in 1858. (BCPI Course Catalogues, 1854-1864)

Who was Richard S. Smith? (1813–1877)

Richard Somers Smith, also known as Richard S. Smith, Jr., was an educator and served in the American military (Prabook, 2021). Smith was born on October 30, 1813, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and was a descendant of early Long Island settlers on his father’s side (Prabook, 2021). His father, Francis Gurney Smith, was a prominent merchant and city councilor, and his mother was Eliza (Mackie) Smith (Prabook, 2021). He entered the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1829, graduating in 1834 (Prabook, 2021). After early work while on topographical duty, he resigned to take on civil engineering, contributing to several major infrastructure projects, including the Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad from 1836 to 1837, the Charleston-Louisville-Cincinnati railroad from 1837 to 1838, and the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal from 1839 to 1840 (Prabook, 2021). He was reappointed in the army as a second infantry lieutenant on December 31, 1840, and promoted to lieutenant in 1846; Smith transferred to the artillery in 1848, serving primarily at West Point as an instructor and assistant professor of drawing from 1840 to 1855 (Prabook, 2021). He also served as a quartermaster from 1846 to 1851 and treasurer from 1852 to 1855 (Prabook, 2021).

Image 15. Portrait of Richard Somers Smith. (Savageau, 2025)

In 1856, Smith became the professor of mathematics, civil engineering, and drawing at the Brooklyn Collegiate and Polytechnic Institute and taught there until 1859 (Prabook, 2021). This aligns with what was found in the First Annual Catalogue of the Officers and Students of the BCPI from 1856. During his short time there, he published his famous works, Manual of Topographic Drawing (1853) and Manual of Linear Perspective (1857) (Prabook, 2021). The publication dates for Smith’s works were retrieved from a biography created by Bill Thayer (Thayer, 2016). This shows that Smith’s primary focus coming into and at BCPI was teaching drawing instead of civil engineering since these published works are primarily related to drawing. Afterward, he taught freehand drawing at Cooper Union and then served as director until 1861 (Prabook, 2021). Smith most likely stopped serving as director at Cooper Union due to, for the third time, being appointed to the regular army commissioned as a major in the 12th Infantry (Prabook, 2021). Smith served as a mustering and disbursing officer, and then joined the regiment with the Army of the Potomac until after the battle of Chancellorsville during the Civil War (Prabook, 2021). In 1863, he resigned to become president of Girard College in Philadelphia, but was removed in 1867 by the board of directors on November 1, 1867 (Prabook, 2021). Subsequently, he taught engineering at the Polytechnic College of Pennsylvania and mathematics and drawing until 1870 where he was called to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, where he remained until his death in 1877 (Prabook, 2021).

From this analysis, it is evident that Richard S. Smith was a significant figure at the Brooklyn Collegiate and Polytechnic Institute (BCPI). Right before and during his tenure, he published some of his most notable works, suggesting that the environment at BCPI may have supported his scholarly contributions. Notably, Smith tended to remain at the institutions where he worked for only brief periods. This pattern may reflect the early developmental stage of civil engineering and drawing instruction at these institutions, where structured curricula had yet to be fully established. This would align with the experimental nature of civil engineering education seen when analyzing military academies, polytechnics, and partial courses earlier. Smith’s career also indicates a primary focus on drawing rather than broader civil engineering topics. This suggests that BCPI may have initially sought to establish a civil engineering department but, due to a lack of qualified instructors, ultimately concentrated its efforts on drawing instruction. Furthermore, if the order of departments listed in historical course catalogues is indicative of institutional priorities, the frequent placement of drawing at the end of these lists may imply limited demand for technical instruction at the time, possibly contributing to Smith’s frequent movement between institutions. However, Smith’s frequent movement between institutions may not have been solely due to the evolving state of civil engineering education, but also the result of personal or professional conflicts, such as his removal from Girard College later in his career. While the exact circumstances surrounding this event require further investigation, it is noteworthy that Smith continued to secure teaching positions afterward. This suggests that the removal was not of a severity that prevented him from remaining active in academia, though its underlying causes remain an open area for future research.

Disappearance of Civil Engineering at Other Schools

To further analyze the disappearance of civil engineering education at BCPI, the following section will examine similar patterns of decline at other institutions. As observed in the career of Richard S. Smith, his frequent transitions between schools underscore the experimental and often unstable nature of early scientific and technical education in the United States. This instability reflects a broader uncertainty within institutions as they grappled with how to integrate emerging disciplines like civil engineering. A closer analysis and summary of Dr. Reynolds’ work will provide valuable context for understanding these trends and offer insight into the challenges faced by BCPI.

During the long depression of 1836 to 1843, the demand for engineers temporarily disappeared (Reynolds, 1992). This led to many colleges ending their initial experimentation with engineering, such as Princeton, Pennsylvania College, the College of William and Mary, Columbia, the University of Alabama, and New York University, which abandoned its scientific courses, including civil engineering (Reynolds, 1992). In a period of time with many unknown obstacles, it makes sense these colleges abandoned their scientific courses due to possibly trying to cut costs or ensure the overall institution’s survival.

Through most of the early and mid-1800s, “many employers were skeptical of engineers trained in science and mathematics at colleges and preferred those who had acquired their training in the traditional manner” (Reynolds, 1992). During “the late 1800s and early 1900s, academically trained engineers came to the forefront” (Reynolds, 1992). These colleges and institutions that were providing civil engineering instruction before the Civil War (1861 to 1865) were “offering a product, the scientifically and mathematically trained engineer,” before the demand was there for it (Reynolds, 1992). In other words, there was little to no institutional demand for formal civil engineering education prior to the 1900s. During this period, most engineers continued to be trained through traditional apprenticeships rather than through structured academic programs. As a result, instructors like Richard S. Smith were not widely sought after, and their appointments often depended on the willingness of institutions to engage in the experimental and uncertain endeavor of offering scientific and engineering instruction. This reflects the tentative and evolving nature of engineering education during a time when few schools were prepared to fully invest in such programs.

These colleges “failed because they were a half century ahead of demand” (Reynolds, 1992). However, because of the “widespread use of engineering instruction in America by 1860, this prepared the necessary foundations to rapidly expand in the late 1800s when land-grant schools were established under the Morrill Act of 1862, causing enrollment in engineering programs to quickly grow” (Reynolds, 1992). Due to antebellum colleges (prior to the Civil War), universities, and polytechnics, engineering could “build on the foundations they established with the Morrill Act” (Reynolds, 1992). The success of modern engineering programs can be traced back to the experimental efforts of early American institutions: military academies, polytechnic institutes, and colleges offering partial engineering courses. These foundational efforts, marked by both progress and failure, were essential to the eventual establishment of robust and formalized engineering education. Without the risks taken and the challenges overcome during this formative period, the prominence and effectiveness of engineering education today would not have been possible. This historical trajectory mirrors a core principle still emphasized in engineering: the necessity of experimentation, failure, and iteration as a means of building resilient foundations to address future challenges.

Re-emergence of Civil Engineering at Polytechnic (1867-1889)

Since the Third Annual Catalogue from June 1858, there was no sign of civil engineering education returning to Brooklyn Collegiate and Polytechnic Institute besides offering drawing courses still within the curriculum. However, In 1867, scientific courses related to engineering were added into the curriculum including field surveys, farm surveys, line surveying, transit surveying, levelling, examinations of truss bridges, draw bridges, arch bridges, walls, roofs, and cranes (Anderberg, 2023). This can be seen in the Fourteenth Annual Catalogue of the Officers and Students of the Brooklyn Collegiate & Polytechnic Institute from June 1869. The courses listed in the fourteenth catalogue were the same as in the Fifteenth Annual Catalogue of the Officers and Students of the Brooklyn Collegiate & Polytechnic Institute from June 1870 (Catalogues of the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, 1865-1875). The section of the report is titled “Engineering, Field Work, Practical Chemistry, and Excursions.” The scientific courses in engineering directly relate to civil engineering, even though it was not specifically stated within the report. The outdoor exercises include examining walls, roofs, cranes, trusses and arch bridges, drawbridges, and turntables. Regarding the drawing courses offered, in the fifteenth catalogue, the following courses were offered: practical instruction in industrial drawing (architectural and machine), in picturesque (landscape and figure), in topographical and map drawing, and a full course in perspective (light and shade) (Catalogues of the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, 1865-1875). Still being in the pre-Civil War era, there was still no real demand for academically trained engineers; however, BCPI, most likely following the trend of many other polytechnic institutes, began to once again experiment with providing scientific courses.

Images 16, 17, and 18. Photographs of Cover Page of Fifteenth Annual Catalogue of the Officers and Students from 1870 (Top left), Engineering Scientific Courses (Top Right), and Excursions (Bottom) with Highlights Applied to Original Primary Sources (Catalogues of the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, 1865-1875)

Image 19. Photograph of Drawing Courses offered in the Fifteenth Annual Catalogue of the Officers and Students from 1870. Highlights Applied to Original Primary Sources (Catalogues of the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, 1865-1875)

The Brooklyn Bridge (1869-1883)

In 1869, the Brooklyn Bridge designed by John A. Roebling began construction and was completed in 1883 (NYC DOT, 2025a). At the time, the Brooklyn Bridge was the longest suspension bridge in the world connecting the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn by spanning the East River (NYC DOT, 2025a). The reintroduction of scientific courses into the curriculum at BCPI occurred shortly before the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge, one of the most ambitious engineering projects of its time. As previously noted, student excursions included visits to observe walls, roofs, cranes, trusses, arch bridges, and drawbridges, all of which are directly relevant to the principles involved in bridge construction. Given BCPI’s proximity to the bridge site, it is reasonable to infer that the renewed emphasis on civil engineering and related scientific instruction was influenced by the unprecedented scale and visibility of the Brooklyn Bridge project. This local context likely played a role in shaping the institute’s academic offerings to better align with emerging professional and infrastructural demands.

Image 20. Brooklyn Bridge Under Construction between 1869 and 1883. (Microsoft Bing Images)

Civil Engineering at Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn (1889-1941)

Separation of BCPI into Poly Prep and Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn (1889)

BCPI, originally founded in 1854 as a school for young men, separated in 1889 into a school for boys named Poly Prep and Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn (PIB) (Poly Archives Memorabilia Collection, n.d). Following the separation, PIB refined its scientific courses into 3 subdivisions: civil engineering, applied chemistry, and electrical engineering (Anderberg, 2023). This development is significant as it marks the first time civil engineering was reinstated as a prominent division of instruction at the institution since its initial removal as a department of instruction in 1858. In 1900, civil engineering was listed as a department with the Board of Regents approving PIB to grant degrees in civil engineering (Anderberg, 2023). About 42 years later since its removal as a department of instruction at BCPI and 46 years later since BCPI’s founding. It is also 38 years after NYU’s College of Engineering began granting degrees in civil engineering. According to the NYU College of Engineering Bulletin from 1892 to 1893, beginning in 1862, students who completed a Bachelor of Science along with an additional year of study were eligible to receive a degree in civil engineering; this milestone also signified the formal establishment of the College of Engineering at NYU (Anderberg, 2023).

Image 21. Photograph of Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn (left) and School of Civil Engineering at NYU’s College of Engineering Heights Campus (right). (NYU Tandon, 2025b)

The Williamsburg & Manhattan Bridge (1896-1909)

Similar to the context surrounding the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge, the development of the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn (PIB) into a degree-granting institution for civil engineering in 1900 coincided with another major infrastructure project, the construction of the Williamsburg Bridge. The Williamsburg Bridge was the second bridge to span the East River, connecting the Lower East Side of Manhattan with Williamsburg in Brooklyn (ASCE Metropolitan Section, 2025). Notably, it surpassed the Brooklyn Bridge in scale, holding the record for the longest suspended span in the world for 21 years (ASCE Metropolitan Section, 2025). Construction began with the Manhattan tower foundation on October 28, 1896; cable spinning commenced on November 27, 1901, and the bridge was completed on June 27, 1902 (ASCE Metropolitan Section, 2025). During this time, BCPI formally separated and PIB was established, with civil engineering emerging as one of the first scientific disciplines authorized to award degrees. Given the magnitude and complexity of the Williamsburg Bridge project, it is likely that the increased regional demand for trained engineers influenced the institutional decision to elevate civil engineering to full departmental status with degree-granting capabilities.

Image 22. Williamsburg Bridge Under Construction Between 1896 and 1902. (Microsoft Bing Images)

Around the same time, the Manhattan Bridge was under construction. The Manhattan bridge, the youngest of the three NYC DOT East River suspension bridges, was designed by Leon Moisseiff, started construction in 1901, and completed in 1909 (NYC DOT, 2025b). This further demonstrates the need in the industry at the time for skilled workers and engineers, which parallels PIB’s investment into civil engineering.

Image 23. Manhattan Bridge Under Construction Between 1901 and 1909. (Microsoft Bing Images)

Federal Highway Construction (1921-1937)

The Federal Aid Highway Act of 1921, also known as the Phipps Act, enacted on November 9, 1921, allocated $75 million in federal funds for U.S. highway construction (Gibson, 2022). It was sponsored by Colorado senator Lawrence C. Phipps and signed by U.S. President Warren G. Harding (Gibson, 2022).  Administered by the Bureau of Public Roads under the Department of Agriculture and led by Thomas H. MacDonald, the act promoted federal-state cooperation (Gibson, 2022). Funds were distributed based on population, area, and mileage, requiring state matches and maintenance commitments (Gibson, 2022). Highways had to meet specific safety and design standards, including minimum width and grade (Gibson, 2022). By 1922, over 10,000 miles of highway were built, and dangerous crossings were eliminated to improve road safety (Gibson, 2022). The enactment of federal highway construction legislation was likely influenced by the end of World War I, as the nation shifted its focus toward economic growth and infrastructure reconstruction to support postwar development.

Moving forward to 1929, another significant historical event, the Great Depression, emerged following the stock market crash of 1929. This economic crisis, which lasted from 1929 to 1939, had profound and far-reaching effects across the United States (Romer, 2025). In response to the Great Depression, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the National Industrial Recovery Act (NIRA) on June 16, 1933, allocating over $3 billion for public works, including $400 million in grants for road construction (Weingroff, 2023-2024). The focus of the program was job creation, emphasizing manual labor over machinery, banning convict labor, and enforcing wage and hour limits (Weingroff, 2023-2024).

Image 24. Image from the National Archives and Records Administration of President Roosevelt using radio for his 30 Fireside Chats. (Weingroff, 2023-2024)

By June 30, 1934, nearly 7,000 miles of roads were completed and work had begun on more than 22,000 additional miles, totaling $479.4 million in project value (Weingroff, 2023-2024). On June 18, 1934, Roosevelt signed new legislation reviving the regular Federal-aid highway program for fiscal years 1936 and 1937, authorizing $125 million per year; this Act restored the 50-50 federal-state matching requirement, lifted spending limits per mile, and continued support for urban and farm-to-market roads (Weingroff, 2023-2024). President Roosevelt emphasized the significance of road construction for both transportation and employment, viewing it as essential to long-term economic stability (Weingroff, 2023-2024). The Hayden-Cartwright Act of 1936, signed on June 16, 1936, extended this momentum by authorizing $216.5 million over two years, including funds for primary roads, secondary roads, and hazardous rail-highway crossing elimination, while continuing support for public lands projects (Weingroff, 2023-2024). Even though the initial renewal of the construction of roads was started by Roosevelt, he became concerned and urged the states to cut projects for the year 1939 and cut spending between 1940 and 1942 (Weingroff, 2023-2024).

Image 25. Image of road work with a sign with text, “Unemployment Relief Project State of Ohio” highlighting the focus of construction at the time was to create jobs. (Weingroff, 2023-2024)

By the end of 1937, President Roosevelt’s attempts to balance the federal budget by reducing  the Federal-aid highway program, canceling 1939 projects, and limiting spending between 1940-1942 during the Great Depression failed and led to renewed economic decline (Weingroff, 2023-2024). Roosevelt’s efforts to cut spending failed to end the Depression, which persisted until World War II; notably, Roosevelt opposed the Federal-aid highway program, claiming it restricted his economic flexibility (Weingroff, 2023-2024). However, Congress firmly rejected this position; Senator Carl Hayden defended the longstanding principle that highways were state responsibilities, with federal support limited to assistance, not control (Weingroff, 2023-2024). This philosophy, he emphasized, had guided federal highway policy for over 25 years and remained widely supported (Weingroff, 2023-2024). On November 27, 1937, Roosevelt challenged this principle, but ultimately lost to a Congress committed to maintaining state-led highway construction (Weingroff, 2023-2024).

Image 26. Image of a Two-lane, 18-foot concrete road of U.S. 202 between Hopkinton and concord, New Hampshire in 1935. (Weingroff, 2023-2024)

The purpose of this section was to bridge the historical gap between the early 1900s, a period marked by a boom in civil engineering activity in New York City, particularly with the construction of the Williamsburg and Manhattan Bridges and the establishment of a degree-granting civil engineering department at the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, and a later era characterized by growing concerns over the decline of civil engineering. This transitional analysis sets the stage for the introduction of Edward Jacob Squire, the first head of the civil engineering department, and an examination of primary sources documenting a drop in student enrollment. By exploring President Roosevelt’s ultimately unsuccessful efforts to revive highway construction during the Great Depression, this section offers a deeper understanding of the broader economic and institutional challenges facing civil engineering during that time and helps build context for the developments that followed.

Edward Jacob Squire, the First Head of the Civil Engineering Department

In 1938, Edward J. Squire was appointed the first Head of the Civil Engineering Department at the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn having used the term “department leader” previously (Anderberg, 2023). This appointment came at a pivotal moment, shortly after President Roosevelt’s efforts to use highway construction as a tool to end the Great Depression had largely failed, and just one year before the Depression officially came to a close. Squire’s leadership began during a period of national uncertainty for civil engineering, as infrastructure projects slowed and enrollment in engineering programs began to decline, reflecting broader economic and institutional challenges.

Image 27. Image of Edward J. Squire (on the right) being given most likely an award at his retirement in 1956 (Squire, 1956)

Squire dedicated 46 years to the Polytechnic Institute, joining as an instructor in 1910, becoming a full professor in 1926, and serving as department head from 1938 until his retirement in 1956 (The New York Times, 1967). Squire was hailed as “Brooklyn’s Mr. Chips” by students and colleagues at receptions and banquets given to him when he retired in 1956 (The New York Times, 1967). From the Britannica web article, “Mr. Chips” is a fictional gentle and kind English Schoolteacher from the novel Goodbye, Mr. Chips released in 1934 by James Hilton. This gives us insight into how those around him viewed him with great respect and fondness. Squire specialized in structural design and strength of materials and also worked as a consultant on major engineering projects, including the Holland Tunnel ventilation buildings, the Trans-Arabian Pipeline, Oak Ridge utilities, and Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line radar towers (The New York Times, 1967). He contributed to the Pennsylvania Railroad’s electrification project and held degrees from Brown University, NYU, and the Polytechnic Institute (The New York Times, 1967). Squire was a member of the New York Academy of Sciences, Society of Military Engineers, and the American Society of Civil Engineers (The New York Times, 1967). It is particularly noteworthy that Edward J. Squire held degrees from both the Polytechnic Institute and New York University, institutions that would later merge in 1973 when the Polytechnic Institute acquired NYU’s College of Engineering. As the first head of what is now the Civil Engineering Department at NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Squire represents a unique historical link between the two institutions that would ultimately form the foundation of the current program.

Images 28 and 29. Images of Civil Engineering Department members with Edward J. Squire around papers (Top) and posing for a photograph (Bottom). (Civil Engineering Department, 1954-1955)

Images 30, 31, 32, and 33. Images of Civil Engineering Department Members (Civil Engineering Department, 1954-1955)

Annual Departmental Reports by Edward J. Squire

The first Annual Departmental Report written by Edward J. Squire as the head of the civil engineering department was for the year 1937-1938. At the time, the other departments included in the report were the (1) Alumni Association, (2) Chemical Engineering, (3) Chemistry, (4) Civil Engineering, (5) Dean, (6) Electrical Engineering, (7) English, (8) Freshmen Counselor, (9) Graduate Study, (10) History and Economics, (11) Mathematics, (12) Mechanical Engineering, (13) Physical Education, (14) Physics (Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, 1938). The departments were listed alphabetically. Looking back at the first departments of instruction at BCPI, the only topics that match exactly 80 years later are Mathematics and Civil Engineering. However, English and History are very similar.

Images 34 and 35. Photo of the Cover of the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn Annual Departmental Reports for the Year 1937-1938 (Left) and of the List of Departmental Reports (Right). (Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, 1938)

On October 24th, 1938, Squire wrote that there were several changes in staff due to two resignations and one leave of absence (Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, 1938). Positively, Squire wrote that “student registration has been satisfactory in day and evening sessions, and especially good in the graduate session” (Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, 1938). Squire also wrote the staff have been cooperative to make the year efficient and successful despite the setbacks present to provide “excellent opportunities for both instruction and research in the major civil engineering fields” (Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, 1938). However, Squire believed that the courses in Hydraulics and Sanitary Engineering needed to be revised to strengthen them as well as offer additional graduate work (Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, 1938). Squire also mentioned that it was desired to develop their graduate work so they could offer a “Degree of Doctor of Civil Engineering” in the “near future” (Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, 1938).

Images 36 and 37. Photo of First Page of Annual Report with highlights applied to original primary source (Top) and Photo of Squire’s Signature (Bottom). (Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, 1938)

Squire mentioned that they will begin to offer Soil Mechanics for the year 1938-1939 as optional day and evening sessions due to “increasing demand for instruction in this subject” (Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, 1938). Squire believed it was important to recognize it for its connection to “the design of foundations, highways, and dams” (Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, 1938). Today, this course exists as Geotechnical Engineering. Additionally, the course in Hydraulics was reorganized and renamed to “Fluid Mechanics,” which still exists to this day (Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, 1938). The department also desired to reorganize the graduate courses in highway engineering by discontinuing “G283, Advanced Highway Engineering” and “G285, Concrete and Bituminous Pavements” and organizing them as “G266, Advanced Testing of Concrete” paring it with the existing “G265, Advanced Concrete Structures” and “G280, Bituminous Pavements” offered in alternate years with “G281, Economics of Highway Engineering” (Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, 1938). They also wanted to propose another course to alternate with G281, which was “G283, Traffic Engineering” (Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, 1938). Squire also recommended a graduate course in City Planning to be established as “G289, City Planning” (Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, 1938). Squire further elaborated on course content, faculty roles, and ongoing research within the department. His recommendations for graduate-level courses and departmental reorganization are particularly valuable, as they offer direct insight into his vision for the future direction of civil engineering education. As a current civil engineering student, it is evident that many of Squire’s proposals likely laid the groundwork for courses that are still part of the curriculum today, reflecting the lasting impact of his leadership and academic foresight.

Images 38 and 39. Photo of Squire’s writing recommending a doctorate in civil engineering (Top) and Squire writing about establishing Soil Mechanics class and renaming Hydraulics class to Fluid Mechanics (Bottom). (Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, 1938)

In Annual Departmental Report for 1938-1939, it can be seen that another report category has been added as (15) Vocational Director, which was not present in the previous report (Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, 1939). In this report written on October 30th, 1938, Squire mentions that student registration in Civil Engineering “has, during the past few years, shown a decreasing trend in colleges throughout the country. Registration figures this year, at the Polytechnic, indicate a slight increase in enrollment in Civil Engineering in both graduate and undergraduate courses” (Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, 1939). This aligns with the end of the Great Depression possibly and the desire to enroll in higher education is returning in the country or at least in Brooklyn.  Notable mentions in the report that Soil Mechanics was changed laboratory work and may be taken graduate students given they take Advanced Soil Mechanics following (Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, 1939). Squire also said “the subject of Soil mechanics will, I believe, continue to receive more attention each year as engineers recognize its importance in connection with design of foundations, highways, and dams” (Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, 1939). Squire further stated his belief in its importance on top of what he said in the previous year’s report. As mentioned in the previous report, the desired courses to be discontinued and reorganized were carried out as planned. A notable mention was the addition of a new course titled “G268, Photoelasticity” to their graduate curriculum offered in alternate years for students interested in the mechanics of materials (Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, 1939). This highlights the department’s desire to invest in emerging topics and possible research.

Images 40 and 41. Photo of the Cover of the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn Annual Departmental Reports for the Year 1939-1949 (Left) and of the List of Departmental Reports (Right). (Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, 1939)

Images 42 and 43. Squire writes about the decreasing trend of civil engineering registration with highlight applied to original primary source (Top) and Reorganizing and Establishment of Current/New Graduate Courses (Bottom). (Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, 1939)

In the Annual Departmental Report for 1939-1940, there was no change in the list of the departments. Written on October 28, 1940, Squire noted the progress made in the development of their laboratory facilities, modification of certain courses, and introduction of new graduate courses (Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, 1940). Squire said the staff have been active and enthusiastic in their fields (Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, 1940). In this report, Squire addresses that “there has been considerable recent discussion regarding a downward trend in civil engineering registration throughout the country” (Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, 1940). Squire also said that some have been asking “Are enough students being trained in civil engineering? (Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, 1940)” Squire responded with “I do not believe this downward trend is as serious at Polytechnic as it is at certain other institutions” and also provided tables comparing the amount of undergraduate engineering degrees granted in civil engineering by Polytechnic to the total number of degrees being granted (Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, 1940).

Images 44 and 45. Photo of the Cover of the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn Annual Departmental Reports for the Year 1939-1940 (Left) and of the List of Departmental Reports (Right). (Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, 1940)

Image 46. Squire addressing the downward trend in Civil Engineering registration. Highlight applied to the original primary source. (Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, 1940)

Squire also noted that all of their June graduates secured jobs except for one or two students  most likely due to “certain personal qualities that do not appeal to the employer” (Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, 1940). From the table provided by Squire in the report, it is shown that civil engineering remained around 30% of the total degrees being granted between 1934 to 1937 but suffered a 10% decline between 1938 to 1940 (Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, 1940). However, Squire does not seem very bothered by these numbers and is  not a serious issue possibly due to having engaged and enthusiastic staff and students in the curriculum at the time. Squire also wrote that “certain phases of engineering may attract more students than others, at present aeronautical, chemical, and electrical seem to have a more popular appeal than civil engineering” (Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, 1940). In other words, during that time period, other engineering disciplines appeared more attractive to students, likely due to emerging technologies or perceived job opportunities. However, these fields often became oversaturated, making employment more difficult to secure, an issue that remains relevant today. For example, while Computer Science is currently a highly popular degree, the job market has become increasingly competitive, with many graduates struggling to find positions due to market saturation.

Images 47 and 48. Photo of a Table Comparing the Number of Civil Engineering Degrees granted to the Total Number of Granted Degrees (Top) and Photo of Squire’s writing addressing the decline in registration (Bottom) (Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, 1940)

In the Annual Departmental Report for 1940-1941, aeronautical engineering was added under Mechanical Engineering in the departmental reports, further highlighting its popularity Squire mentioned in the previous report (Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, 1941). Written on November 17, 1941, Squire noted that the staff have “contributed to the preparation and teaching of Defense Courses and to the development of graduate and research work” (Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, 1941). In this report in regards to decline of registration, Squire says “I hope that it is only a temporary condition. One favorable indication is that the department shows an increase this year over that of the past year at this time” (Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, 1941). Squire also said that “a realization of the need of reconstruction after the war may have had its influence on new students and encourage more of them to enter the field of civil engineering” (Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, 1941). This report was written just weeks before a major turning point in history: the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, followed by the U.S. declaration of war on Japan on December 8, and declarations of war by Germany and Italy on December 11 (Duke University Libraries, 2013). As Squire noted, the aftermath of World War II would necessitate extensive reconstruction efforts, leading to an increased demand for civil engineers. In light of the war, the publication of annual departmental reports was suspended, marking a pause in academic documentation during a time of national crisis.

Images 49 and 50. Photo of the Cover of the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn Annual Departmental Reports for the Year 1940-1941 (Left) and of the List of Departmental Reports with highlight applied to the original primary source (Right). (Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, 1941)

Images 51 and 52. Squire addressing positive trends in enrollment and reconstruction needed after war (Top) and Squire’s signature at the end of the report (Bottom). (Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, 1941)

Images 53, 54, 55, and 56. Photos of the George Washington Bridge in 1965, which was built in between 1927 to 1931 (George Washington Bridge, 1965)

Conclusion

To understand the development of Brooklyn Collegiate and Polytechnic Institute (BCPI) and the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn (PIB) from their founding up to the onset of World War II, it was essential to first examine the origins of civil engineering education in the United States. This project drew on Dr. Terry S. Reynolds’ analysis in “The Education of Engineers in America before the Morrill Act of 1862,” which highlights the three major early models of engineering education: military academies, polytechnic institutes, and partial course offerings at traditional colleges. From this framework, it becomes evident that the civil engineering program at what is now NYU Tandon School of Engineering has been influenced by all three. BCPI was founded on a polytechnic model, reflecting one of the earliest institutional approaches to technical education. Richard S. Smith, the first professor of mathematics, civil engineering and drawing at BCPI, received his formal training at West Point, a military academy, exemplifying the military influence on early engineering instruction. Meanwhile, NYU’s College of Civil Engineering began by offering partial courses in engineering, gradually evolving into a full academic program. At its founding in 1854, BCPI included civil engineering as a department of instruction, but these offerings were short-lived, mirroring the broader uncertainty surrounding the formalization of engineering education at the time. Likewise, Smith’s brief tenure reflects the experimental nature of the field, when apprenticeships were still the dominant route for training engineers.

The disappearance of civil engineering education during periods of national hardship, such as economic depressions, underscores how fragile these programs were in their early years. However, their reemergence and eventual growth were made possible by the foundations laid during this experimental phase. When the Morrill Act was enacted, institutions that had already begun experimenting with engineering curricula were positioned to expand and formalize these programs. BCPI’s trajectory was also closely tied to major infrastructure projects in New York City. During the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge, scientific courses were reintroduced at BCPI. Later, around the time of the Williamsburg and Manhattan Bridges, BCPI separated to form Poly Prep and the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, the latter of which would later absorb NYU’s College of Engineering in 1973, becoming the Polytechnic Institute of New York. In 1938, near the end of the Great Depression and shortly after President Roosevelt’s failed attempt to use highway construction as a means of economic recovery, Edward J. Squire, a graduate of both PIB and NYU, was appointed the first head of PIB’s civil engineering department. Squire led the department through challenging times, including declining student enrollment, while actively working to strengthen graduate education. His leadership continued until the suspension of annual departmental reports during World War II, as national priorities shifted and resources were redirected to the war effort.

Having explored the institutional history and development of civil engineering at BCPI and PIB, it becomes clear that these schools were deeply committed to providing youth with a valuable and forward-looking education. From its founding, BCPI aimed to equip students with the practical and intellectual tools needed for a thorough and complete education. Despite the skepticism of the time and the inconsistent presence of civil engineering in academic curricula, these institutions were willing to take risks, laying the foundations that would allow engineering to flourish when the nation was ready. When Edward J. Squire became head of the civil engineering department, the trend in student enrollment was declining. Yet, Squire remained steadfast in his efforts to invest in the department and its future. His confidence likely stemmed from a belief that the need for reconstruction, whether following economic downturns or war, would always persist. Time and again, history has shown that in moments of national crisis, engineers are called upon to rebuild what has been lost.

Civil engineering may not always be the most popular or financially appealing discipline, but its relevance is enduring. Squire seemed to recognize that while trends come and go, the demand for skilled engineers does not. The true value of engineering lies not only in its immediate rewards, but in its role in shaping, repairing, and sustaining the world around us. As we look to the future, we can draw inspiration from those who came before us, those who invested in knowledge, took risks, and believed in the transformative power of education. To build the bridge to tomorrow, we too must continue to invest in ourselves, in our youth, and in the pursuit of meaningful and lasting impact.

Image 57. Photo of NYU Tandon Civil and Urban Engineering (CUE) Department Celebrating Pi-Day on March 14, 2025.

References

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Civil Engineering Department. (1954-1955). Poly Archives Historic Photograph Collection. RG 026, Box 4, Folder 15. Poly Archives, Bern Dibner Library, NYU Libraries, Brooklyn.

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