Casebook
Leonard "Lenny" Case Jr.
Hometown
Cleveland, Ohio
Degree
Classically educated at Yale, but held life-long fascination with mathematics and science
Secondary Interest
Returned to Cleveland where he developed a library, read law and was admitted to the bar
Web Presence
View the many faces of Lenny Case
Experience-based Learning Opportunity
Rather than practicing law, Case spent his time working out mathematical problems, writing essays and poetry. His poem "Treasure Trove" was published by The Atlantic Monthly.
The Ark
Together with his brother William, Case 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.
Largest Fortune
Case's livelihood and a tradition of contributing to education and culture in Cleveland can be traced back to his father, Leonard Case Sr. The elder Case began life as a farmer but turned to the study of mathematics, surveying and law after an illness that left him permanently crippled. The father then became a banker and railroad promoter and over time amassed what was then the largest fortune in Cleveland.
Laying the Groundwork
In 1877 the younger Case began laying the groundwork for the Case School of Applied Science—forebear of the Case Institute of Technology and then the Case School of Engineering and Case Western Reserve University—by donating valuable pieces of Cleveland real estate to a trust that would provide for a new engineering school.
Resources of the Country
Despite his own traditional education, Case 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.
Keep it Secret
Acted Swiftly
After Case's death in 1880, Abbey acted swiftly on his friend's request, assembling members of the corporation and a board of trustees. Case's dream of the Case School of Applied Science was realized just four months after his death when the school was issued a charter by the state of Ohio.