Polytechnic School Bill by Governor Henry Gage. The school began classes on October 1, 1903, with 20 students enrolled, offering three-year secondary-level courses.
Originally coeducational, the school enrolled 16 male and 4 female students. In 1929, California Governor C.C. Young prohibited women from attending. Women were readmitted in 1956. By Fall 2023, female students constituted 50.1% of the total student population.
=== Transition to higher education ===
In 1924, Cal Poly came under the control of the California State Board of Education. During the Great Depression, financial constraints led to discussions in Sacramento about converting Cal Poly into a state prison. It was saved by Julian A. McPhee, who went on to lead Cal Poly as its president for thirty-three years.
In 1933, the institution transitioned to a two-year technological and vocational school. By 1940, it began offering Bachelor of Arts degrees, with the first baccalaureate ceremony held in 1942. In 1947, the school was renamed California …
