Polytechnic Institute of Technology

At the Polytechnic Institute of Technology (Poly), located in Brooklyn, New York, daily life in the early 1930s continued largely uninterrupted. At the time, Poly was a well-regarded, all-male engineering school, often seen as a pathway to the middle class. Many students balanced full-time jobs with evening classes, reflecting the institute’s practical, work-oriented ethos.

As tensions mounted in Europe and the threat of global conflict grew, a sense of anticipation began to take hold. Through issues of The Polytechnic Reporter from 1937, 1938, and 1940—the student newspaper at Poly—we can get a glimpse into campus life and the prevailing atmosphere in the years leading up to World War II.

Unfortunately, many editions of The Polytechnic Reporter from the war years, along with some leading up to them, have suffered mold damage and are currently undergoing preservation treatment. Their absence creates an archival silence that limits our ability to fully reconstruct student sentiment during this crucial period. However, from the 1940 edition, I was able to recover the following excerpt:

Figure 2 – The Polytechnic Reporter of October 9, 1940 (“The Polytechnic Reporter,” 1939-1940)

Though most of The Polytechnic Reporter did not mention the developing situation across the Atlantic, this excerpt (Figure 2) referred to "National Defense Courses" being taught at Poly, sponsored by the federal government. The statistics for acceptance into the courses are given: 3,000 people applied, but only 64 were vetted and enrolled. Such a program demonstrates that neither Poly nor the United States was entirely negligent of the rising conflicts in Europe, as this program appeared numerous times.

However, it is somewhat surprising—and this is why the unavailability of the more "relevant" editions is unfortunate—that most content focused on social life and general Poly news, rather than developments abroad. This leads me to believe that Poly students were relatively sheltered from the unfolding events. To a degree, this makes sense; Europe was far away, and the United States was not yet directly affected or within Hitler’s immediate reach.

Since more detailed information about Poly during the war is either non-existent or currently unavailable, it is difficult to speak definitively about the institution's state and mentality during this time. However, based on historical context—such as the military draft at the student level and the gradual influx of European scientists to Poly, including Herman Mark in 1940—one can assume that the war had a tremendous impact on reshaping Poly, particularly in the years following.

One could argue that a key component of this transformation was the arrival of European scientists, who introduced new research and ideas that propelled Poly forward—Herman Mark’s pioneering work in polymers being a prime example. The following sections will explore these figures in greater detail, focusing on Herman Mark and Herbert Morawetz, who joined Poly a bit later and continued to build upon the foundations Mark had established.