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Leonard
Case, Jr. was classically educated at Yale, but held a life-long fascination
with mathematics and science. This interest, coupled with a family tradition
of philanthropy, was directly responsible for the founding of the Case
School of Applied Science upon Leonard's death in 1880.
The means to establish the school, and the tradition of contributing
to education and culture in Cleveland can be traced back to
Leonard's father, Leonard Case, Sr. The elder Mr. Case had
begun life as a farmer, but turned to the study of mathematics,
surveying and law after an illness that left him permanently
crippled. He became a banker and railroad promoter and over
time amassed what was then the largest fortune in Cleveland.
He was also devoted to the city and served not only as auditor
of Cuyahoga County, but also as President of Cleveland Village,
as it was known at the time.
His sons, William and Leonard, Jr., followed in his footsteps
in their own ways. William inherited the ambition and savvy
necessary for business. He expanded the family ventures and
served as mayor of Cleveland from 1850 to 1852. His interests
outside business and politics were varied. He built an outstanding
cultural center, Case Hall, on the current public square, helped
develop the Cleveland Library Association, and was also a first
class woodman, hunter and taxidermist. His curiosity about
natural history and horticulture led him to correspond with
the ornithologist John James Audobon, who supplied him with
descriptions and drawings of Ohio wildlife. These interests
in the sciences were something he shared with his brother.
Leonard Case, Jr., eschewed business, leaving his assets in the hands of a manager so that he could pursue his studies. He graduated from Yale in 1842 and returned to Cleveland where he developed a library, read law and was admitted to the bar. Rather than practicing law, he spent his time working out mathematical problems, writing essays and poetry--his poem "Treasure Trove" was published by The Atlantic Monthly--and reading scientific and literary works. Together with his brother William, he was active in a group known as "The Ark," which began as a club for men interested in the natural sciences. Over time it became something of a museum, filled with stuffed birds, rock specimens and other items the group collected, and is considered to be a forebear of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.
His continuing interest in education steered the direction of his philanthropy, and in his later years he began making his most significant contributions. In 1870 he gave the Cleveland Library Association an endowment and a perpetual lease in Case Hall. Later he would give the association the entire building, which was then valued at $300,000. In 1877 he began laying the groundwork for the Case School of Applied Science by donating valuable pieces of Cleveland real estate to a trust that would provide an endowment for a new engineering school. Despite his own traditional education, he saw a need for practical education that would train men in engineering and applied science in such a way that they could use this knowledge to build on the resources of the country. Not one to court publicity, he asked his confidential advisor and fellow "Ark" member Henry Gilbert Abbey to administer the trust and to keep it secret until after his death.
When this eventuality came to pass in 1880, Mr. Abbey acted swiftly on his friend's request, assembling members of the corporation and a board of trustees. Leonard Case, Jr.'s, dream of the Case School of Applied Science was realized just four short months after his death, when the school was issued a charter by the state of Ohio.
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