Engineering students during the time theses theses were written relied heavily on books as a source of information for their theses. Below are some of titles used by them and still accessible or owned by the MSU Libraries.
Handbook of Building Construction volumes 1 and II by Hool and Johnson
(also owned in print by the Engineering Library)
Reinforced Concrete Construction, volumes I, II, and III by Hool and Johnson
The Rigid Framed Bridge by Arthur Hayden, 2nd ed. 1940
(Print 3rd ed. owned by the Engineering Library)
Concrete Engineers's Handbook by Hool and Johnson, 1918
Reinforced Concrete Design Handbook, ACI Committee 317, 1955
Before there were calculators and computers there were slide rules and mechanical drawing instruments.