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turies The first school, however, to teach the new profession of civil engineering, as such, with the degree of Civil Engineer, was the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute of Troy, N. Y., founded in 1826. It has had a most successful career and is to-day a leading school, courses in mechanical engineering and electrical engineering having been added within the last five years. Engineers have not been particularly impressed with the value of the history of their profession and all the facts are, not exactly known, or are not easily accessible. It is believed that the second civil engineering school was established in France a year or two after the establishment of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, although the famous Ecole des Ponts et Chausses for the training of engineers to care for the French highways, was essentially a civil engineering school, the military school of St. Cyr educating military engineers and artillerymen. Between 1830 and 1840 the University of Glasgow, Scotland, established a course in mathematics and the natural sciences for the theoretical training of young gentlemen apprenticed to civil engineers and from this school was graduated William Johri Macquorne Rankine. Rankine practised as a civil engineer for several years and, in 1856, upon the retirement of the great Professor Gordon, succeeded him as professor of civil engineering. Rankine was a phenomenal man who wrote many books covering the entire field of engineering,