In 1898 THROOP POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE was a high school and small college that later became CALTECH.

THE POLYTECHNIC, Vol. III, No. I., November 1, 1898.

Published by Throop Polytechnic Institute, Pasadena, California, 1898. Oliver Gale, Editor. First edition. Softcover, illustrated wraps, side staple bound, 10.75" x 8", 20 pages including covers, and with historic advertisements for local Pasadena businesses from confectioners to embalmers. Includes original subscription card. GOOD CONDITION: chipping to the covers mostly in the spine margin and a larger chip at the front bottom spine corner, some edge tears, light wear and age toning, internally some light wear from age and use, otherwise bright, clean and unmarked. Very scarce, the OCLC shows only one Collection with at least one volume of The Polytechnic (1892) worldwide.

In 1891 Amos Throop (1811-1894) founded the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), which is today one of the world's top ten universities. It was known through its first thirty years as Throop University, Throop Polytechnic Institute, and Throop College of Technology, before they decided on its current name which took effect in 1920. Throop was a Universalist preacher and abolitionist politician who made his fortune in lumber and real estate in Chicago before moving to Los Angeles in 1880 where he bought orchards and farms. By 1898 his school offered courses in ancient languages, Romance languages, mathematics, science, art, and literature with a faculty of less than 20.