Edmund B. McCormick

K-State’s first dean of engineering, then called mechanic arts, was Edmund B. McCormick, a native of Normal, Illinois. He graduated from Illinois State Normal University in 1889 and began his career as a machinist with the C & A Railroad. After working for a few years, he decided to return to school, this time opting for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he earned a degree in mechanical engineering in 1897.

Upon graduation he took a post as an instructor at Montana State College. He was promoted to assistant professor the following year. McCormick moved to Kansas as a professor of mechanical engineering in 1901. He stayed with K-State until 1913, the last five years as dean. He was largely responsible for developing much of the curricula in the engineering division and developed the idea for the Engineering Experiment Station. When he convinced the administration to approve the experiment station, he became director in addition to his work as dean.

He left Kansas to work as a consulting engineer for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, ultimately moving to Alameda, California, as chief of the equipment division for the USDA’s Bureau of Public Roads. He was a consulting editor for the Agricultural Engineering Series published by McGraw-Hill Book Company.