The History of College of the Ozarks (MO)

A short video history of the College of the Ozarks is available on YouTube.  The institution was founded in 1906 as the School of the Ozarks in Point Lookout, MO.  It became a junior college in 1956 and offered a baccalaureate curriculum after 1965.  The name was changed to the College of the Ozarks in 1990.

Neumann University (PA) Historical Video

A short video produced in 2001 covered the founding of Neumann University.  The institution in Aston, PA was founded in 1965 as Our Lady of Angels College by the Sisters of Saint Francis of Philadelphia.


The institution became co-ed and the name was changed to Neumann College in 1980.  The name was changed again to Neumann University in  2009.

The video features narration by two well known Philadelphia broadcasters, John Fracenda and Herb Clark.  Fraceda gained fame as a sports broadcaster and for his narration for NFL Films.

Milwaukee-Downer College (WI)

Lawrence University was formed in 1964 through the consolidation of Lawrence College (1847) and Milwaukee-Downer College that was the result of a 1895 merger of Milwaukee Female College (1851) and Downer College (founded as Wisconsin Female College in 1855). 



The Lawrence University Archives offers photographs and both written and oral histories reflecting experiences of students attending Milwaukee-Downer College.

 Grace Norton Kieckhafer's "The history of Milwaukee-Downer College, 1851-1951, centennial publication" (1950) and 

Lynne H. Kleinman's "The Milwaukee-Downer Woman" (1997) are available as .pdf files for download.

Enid Business College (OK)

Enid Business College was founded in 1894 by W.N. Stephenson.  It was located for a time on the west side of the square.

Large ad from June 12, 1910 Enid Wave-Democrat.

Another ad for the institution from the September 1, 1912 Oklahoma Farmer.

An interesting 1937 WPA interview with James E. George is available.  George joined the staff as an instructor in 1904 and became sole owner the following year.  His interview includes references to students, instructors and several locations for the institution within Enid over the years.

Toccoa Falls College History (GA)

Toccoa Falls College traces its roots to the founding of Golden Valley Institute in 1907 in Golden, NC by Dr. Richard A. Forrest. The institution moved to Toccoa Falls, GA in 1911 and was reorganized as Toccoa Falls Institute. The name was changed to Toccoa Falls College in 1975. The college is affiliated with the Christian and Missionary Alliance.

A dam break on November 6, 1977 that led to a wall of water moving across the campus of Toccoa Falls College at 1:30 a.m. There were 39 dead and 60 injured.

Saint Joseph's College (IN): The Painting of the Halleck Student Center Mural

Nancy Lynch describes the history of Saint Joseph's College, Rensselear, IN that she included in her mural for the Halleck Student Center mural.

Saint Joseph's was founded in 1889 by the Missionaries of the Precious Blood.  The institution operated as an academy and junior college until 1925.  It then served as a minor seminary until 1931 when it again offered a preparatory and junior college curriculum.  A four year baccalaureate program was implemented five years later and the institution became coed in 1968.

An extension program was begun in East Chicago in 1951 that evolved by 1963 to be known as Saint Joseph's College Calumet Campus.  It is now a separate institution, Calumet College of Saint Joseph.

History of the Endowment of Amherst College

Stanley King's History of the Endowment of Amherst College is available in a variety of formats through the Open Library.  The book provides a fascinating view of college finance and the role of endowments.

Given the importance of endowment support, it is interesting that there are relatively few books or even chapters in the histories of specific institutions that track the people and policies used to build and protect an endowment.  I am interested in hearing from you if you know of other similar works on college and university endowment history!!

Black College History on Facebook

Check out the Black College History page on Facebook.  The page administrators are doing a great job of posting photographs and links on a regular basis.

Mount Olive College becomes University of Mount Olive

WRAL reports that Mount Olive College in Mount Olive, NC will become University of Mount Olive in January 2014.

The institution was founded in 1952 as Mount Allen Junior College at Cragmont Assembly, the Free Will Baptist summer retreat grounds near Black Mountain, NC.  The institution moved to Mount Olive, NC the following year and changed it's name to Mount Olive Junior College in 1956 and then to Mount Olive College in 1970.  Accreditation by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) as a four year institution was approved in 1986. 

Maranatha Baptist University (WI)

The Watertown, WI Daily Times reports on December 14, 2013 that Maranatha Baptist Bible College is changing its name to become Maranatha Baptist University.  Maranatha was established by Dr. B. Myron Cedarholm and his wife, Thelma, in 1968.  The institution acquired property from the Brothers of the Congregation of the Holy Cross at Notre Dame.  

The Congregation of the Holy Cross initially opened Sacred Heart College in 1872.  The college closed from 1886-1888 while a college preparatory academy continued in operation.  In 1912 the property was transferred to the Brothers of the Congregation of the Holy Cross to serve as a postulate for candidates aspiring to enter the priesthood.  Then in 1955 Sacred Heart Military Academy was founded and after 1968, moved to Rolling Prairie, Indiana as LeMans Academy.

Rose State College History (OK)

A video history of Rose State College in Midwest City, OK is available on YouTube.  The institution was founded in 1970 as Oscar Rose Junior College.  The name changed to Rose State College in 1983.

Caldwell College Gains University Status (NJ)

Kelly Heyboer's December 11, 2013 article in the New Jersey Star-Ledger reports that Caldwell College in Caldwell, NJ received approval for university status from the state and will become Caldwell University. Caldwell College was founded in 1939 as a Catholic liberal arts college for women by the Sisters of Saint Dominic under the leadership of Mother M. Joseph Dunn, O.P.  With the change in status, Caldwell joins three other Catholic universities in New Jersey:  Seton Hall, Georgian Court, and Saint Peter's University.