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RENSSELAER POLYTECHNICINSTITUTE, located at Troy, N. Y. It wasfounded by Stephen Van Rensselaer in 1824as a school of practical science, being the firstschool of science and the first school ofengineering to be established in any English-speakingcountry. It was first opened to students inJanuary 1825 and incorporated in March 1826.It was at first named the Rensselaer School,afterward the Rensselaer Institute and finallythe Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Lectures onland surveying and engineering were given asearly as 1823; and after 1850 the Institutebecame more distinctly a school of civil engineering;the course at that time was lengthenedfrom one year to three years. It now offers twocourses of four years each, one in naturalscience and one in civil engineering. Thesecourses include instruction in chemical analysis,mineralogy, metallurgy and assaying, as wellas in the design and construction of roads,railroads, bridges, roofs, arches, dams, steamengines, electric engines, dynamos, turbines,foundations, waterworks, tunnels, sewers andcanals. The degrees of B.S. and C.E. areconferred. The students in 1917 numbered 687and the faculty 63. Its influence has beenwidespread. Students have come to it from 42 ofthe States of the Union and 25 foreign countries,and its graduates are at present practisingtheir profession in 45 of the States and 19foreign countries. Its standing as a professionalschool is shown by the following extractfrom the report to the German government byProf. A. Riedler of the Royal Polytechnicumof Berlin: “The greatest number of renownedhydraulic and railroad engineers of Americaare graduates of this school.”
