History of Baruch College Book and Exhibit
3. WAR AND POSTWAR: "DOWNTOWN CITY," 1940-1955
Photograph of Bernard M. Baruch at ceremony changing the name of the college to Bernard M. Baruch School of Business and Public Administration, October 8, 1953. [Source: Baruch College Archives.]
Bernard M. Baruch was an 1889 graduate of the College of the City of New York. There had been great changes at the college since his student days, but Baruch recognized that his solid education was a contributing factor in his later success as a financier and advisor to a succession of American Presidents. He was always an active alumnus and a substantial gift to the college led to the renaming of the School of Business and Civic Administration of the College of the City of New York to the Bernard M. Baruch School of Business and Public Administration in 1953. [Source: Baruch College Archives.]
3.3 Special Convocation to Pay Tribute to the Honorable Bernard M. Baruch on the Occasion of the College Naming
The naming of the college was a major event in the history of municipal education in New York City. [Source: Baruch College Archives.]
In the years preceding the momentous name change of the college, there were several issues that the administration of the school needed to address. The physical condition of the school was abysmal, and the curriculum also needed to be updated. For a short period of time Law Professor Lewis Mayer took over the School of Business, but by 1940 Herman Feldman, coming from Dartmouth College assumed the job of Dean. He attempted to address the numerous problems of the school over the next two years, but returned to Dartmouth in the fall of 1942. [Source: Baruch College Archives. The Ticker, November 13, 1939.]
The faculty were concerned about the reorganization of the School of Business. Questions were raised concerning whether the college should offer a broad business education or a curriculum aimed to train students for a specific profession. [Source: Baruch College Archives. The Ticker, November 6, 1939.]
Changes in the curriculum at the School of Business and Civic Administration were slow to be implemented. Before the tenure of Dean Lewis Mayer who created a new Department of Business Administration few changes occurred. However, there was a Law Department created in 1936. The Law Society of the school issued The Bar, which published articles by prominent lawyers and accountants. [Source: Baruch College Archives. The Law Society, The Bar, May 1941.]
The municipal colleges in New York City had since their inception been a haven for children of immigrants. Many of the students had limited exposure to the social graces which were instilled in young people generations removed from their old world roots. It was a concern not only at the School of Business but at other campuses that students needed instruction in civics, appropriate dress, cleanliness and the basics of etiquette. [Source: Baruch College Archives. The Ticker, October 30, 1939.]
Many new government agencies were created under Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s “New Deal” and well-qualified candidates were needed to fill new positions. The School of Business tried to respond to the demand by creating The Division of Public Service Training in 1939, a two-year curriculum to train for careers in public service. [Source: Baruch College Archives. The Ticker, October 10, 1939.]
Patriotism among the students at the School of Business during World War II was illustrated in many ways. The formation of an Officers Club was one such example. [Source: Baruch College Archives. Lexicon, 1943.]
After World War II the municipal colleges attempted to adapt curriculums and facilities to the returning veterans. At the School of Business an Intensive Business Training Institute was begun offering non-credit courses in a variety of subjects including advertising, small business management, etc. The program was terminated in 1955. [Source: Baruch College Archives.]
During the war years, Professor Herbert Ruckes led an Administrative Committee which governed the School of Business and Civic Administration. He wasn’t given the title of Dean until shortly before the arrival of his successor in 1945. [Source: Baruch College Archives.]
The Evening and Extension Division of the School of Business was another avenue of opportunity for returning veterans as well as the general public. The program began in 1946 and offered courses in a variety of fields including sales, advertising, finance etc. [Source: Baruch College Archives. The Reporter, October 6, 1949.]
Retailing was an important program at the School of Business. Nathan Orbach supported a new Cooperative Business Training Program, which aimed to link businessmen with students. [Source: Baruch College Archives. Lexicon, 1952.]
The connection of municipal colleges and the New York City Police Department dates to the 1920s when the Police Academy was opened in the Commerce Building of the College of the City of New York. By the 1940s an in-service training course for prospective policeman was started there which was a two-year course of study. However, World War II intervened and it was not until the mid 1950s that the School of Business and the Police Academy united and initiated a degree-granting program. [Source: The New York Times, April 23, 1925. “City College Is Ready for Police Academy.”]
Dr. Robert Love was the Assistant Director of the Evening and Extension Division beginning in 1945. This was a powerful position following the war when the degree candidates and non-matriculants in the evening session made up an extremely large percentage of the total student enrollment. [Source: Baruch College Archives. The Reporter, March 11, 1953.]
The Faculty and Staff Newsletter was published to up-date both the faculty and staff about the accomplishments of the faculty as well as keeping them abreast of new developments at the college. [Source: Baruch College Archives. The City College, Bernard M. Baruch School of Business and Public Administration, Faculty and Staff Newsletter, May 1959.]
The school newspaper the Ticker wanted the School of Business and Civic Administration to maintain its own employment office. In 1939 a professional employment officer was hired. To promote the attributes of graduates of the college pamphlets were published to help students with their job searches. [Source: Baruch College Archives.]
After 1939, for several years, the graduating classes published pamphlets providing prospective employers with sketches of graduates of the School of Business. [Source: Baruch College Archives.]
Extracurricular activities were always popular at the 23rd street campus. The Ticker, originally dating from May 7, 1932 was the school newspaper which gave students the opportunity to explore their journalistic abilities. [Source: Baruch College Archives. Lexicon, 1952.]
The School of Business was in need of adequate space for student activities, and in 1953 the Children's Court on 22nd Street moved its facility and the college took over the building. Mr. and Mrs. Lamport were generous contributors to the new student center. It became known as the Arthur M. Lamport House [Source: Baruch College Archives. Lexicon,1953. ]
