Historical Development of Computer Science at Purdue University
S. D. Conte · Purdue e-Pubs (Purdue University System) · 1978
ConteIt js safe to say that, with a few important exceptions J computers and computing had almost a negligihle impact on the curricula of our major uni.vcTsitics evcn as latc as 1960.During the late fifties while computer use was exploding :It major aerospace and leading technology industries, most educational institutions still had either antiquated computer eqUipment or, more likely, no computer at all.The lack of advanced computer equipment at educational institutions led to a serious i~)alancc between research heing conducted at leading universities and that heing don(! at government laboratories and high technology finns.To correct this imhalance the National Science Foundation created in 1960 the Office of Computing Activity whose major function was to assist universilics to aCt1uire modern computing facilities.In retrospect J this NSF Program was falltastically sUf:.cessfulnot only in helping schools to acquire modern computers so that faeul ty could kec~abreast of new research developmcl1ts but also in promoting the concept of computers for instructional purposes and eventually the cause of computer science.By the early ]960'5 almost all major institutions had installed reasonably modern large scale computers.At the same time there was a noticeable increase in courses on prograllDning to enlarge the body of users, both facul ty and studenl, that could ahsorb the newly available computer resources,