75th Anniversary for South Georgia Technical College

South Georgia Technical College in Americus, GA recently celebrated its 75th Anniversary.

The institution was founded in 1948 as South Georgia Trade and Vocational School. The name changed in 1963 to South Georgia Technical and Vocational School and in 1968, to South Georgia Technical Institute. The current name of South Georgia Technical College was selected in 2000.

You can read more in "South Georgia Technical College celebrating 75 years of success," posted by the Americus Times-Recorder or by visiting the History & Mission page of the college website.

Delgado Community College Remembers Its Founder on the Centennial of Its First Classes

 

 

Delgado Community College in New Orleans recently honored the institution's founder, Isaac Delgado, on November 23, 2021. The date was selected for the Founders Day event since it was the 182nd birthday of Isaac Delgado and the 100th anniversary of opening of the college. Members of the Delgado Community College Centennial Committee along with Delgado Institutional Advancement staff members visited the tomb in the ceremonial visit to his tomb in Metairie Cemetery. 

What is now the oldest and largest community college was initially founded in 1921 as the Delgado Central Trades School. The institution was known as Delgado Trades and Technical Institute by 1958. A two year technical degree program was initiated with the first graduates in 1960. 

The name changed to Isaac Delgado College and the Delgado Vocational-Technical Junior College by 1966. Control passed from the City of New Orleans to the Louisiana State Board of Education in 1970. Ten years later the name changed to Delgado Community College.

You can read more about Delgado's history by visiting the institutional history page. 

Caltech Campus in the early 1900s

Caltech Archives and Special Collections tweeted a couple of interesting photographs on their @CaltechArchives account this morning. 

The photo on the right is Pasadena Hall that served as the focal point of the campus for a number of years. The image on the left is a drawing from a 1908 campus master plan that proposed additional buildings.

Cal Tech was founded as Throop Polytechnic Institute in 1891. Classes were initially held in a four story building on the Wooster Block of downtown Pasadena. After moving in 1910 the institution transitioned to become a school of engineering and it became Throop College of Technology in 1912 and California Institute of Technology in 1920.

There is also a link you can follow for an interesting YouTube video, "The Greater Throop": Planning and Building a New Campus, a presentation where archivists discuss the growth of the campus from 1910-1930.

The University of Massachusetts Lowell Celebrates 125th Anniversary

The University of Massachusetts Lowell is celebrating the 125th anniversary of its founding. The 125th anniversary web pages offer a timeline, histories, galleries of photographs, a short video, and other resources.

The history of the university reflects the history of two institutions founded one year apart in the late 1800s.

One, Lowell State Normal School was founded in 1894. The name change to Lowell State Teachers School in 1932 and then to Lowell State Teachers College in 1960 and Lowell State College in 1968.

Another institution, Lowell Textile School was founded in 1895. It became Lowell Textile Institute in 1928 and Lowell Technological Institute in 1953.

Lowell State College and Lowell Technological Institute then merged in 1975 to become the University of Lowell. The latest name change to University of Massachusetts Lowell occurred in 1991.

An institutional history published for the 100th anniversary, To Enrich and To Serve: The Centennial History of the University of Massachusetts Lowell, written by Mary H. Blewett and Christine McKenna and published in 1995, is available at no charge through the Internet Archive or used copies can be purchased through Abe Books.

A more recent book was published in 2012 by Arcadia Publishing, University of Massachusetts Lowell as part of its College History Series. You can read reflections of the author, Marie Frank, PhD, "Our 125 Years: Mergers, Murals and Modern Dance," posted by the university.

The Center for Lowell History offers an extensive array of historical resources for the university and surrounding region.

The College of the Ouachitas becomes Arkansas State University-Three Rivers

The College of the Ouachitas (COTO) in Malvern, AR adopted a new name and logo in September. The institution will officially become Arkansas State University-Three Rivers beginning January 1, 2020.

COTO was founded as Ouachitas Vocational Technical School in 1969. The name change to Ouachitas Technical College in 1991 and to the College of the Ouachitas in 2011. It then joined the Arkansas State University System in 2019.

COTO president Dr. Steven Rook shares information on the name change in an interview posted by KUAF public radio 91.3 in Fayetteville, AR, "COTO to be Arkansas State University-Three Rivers."

Cincinnati State Technical & Community College 50th Anniversary: An Opportunity to Assess Impact

The Cincinnati Business Courier published "Here’s how much of an impact Cincinnati State has on the local economy," on September 20, 2019 with reporting by Erin Caproni. 

She notes that an economic impact study recently released to commemorate the college’s 50th anniversary showed that Cincinnati State has a $657.2 million annual impact on the area.

Cincinnati State serves 8,205 students through four campuses employing 1,050 faculty and staff.

The institution was founded in 1969 as Cincinnati Technical Institute. 

The name changed to Cincinnati Technical College in 1972 and then to Cincinnati State Technical & Community College in 1994.

The 50th Anniversary web pages include a brief historical sketch and timeline along with anniversary events throughout the 2019-2020 academic year.

You can also find an overview of the economic impact study, fact sheet, and links to the executive summary.

Thirty Year Dream Nears Reality as Tarkio Technical Institute Plans to Open January 2020

The dreams of alumni of colleges that close and residents of small towns where they reside sometimes take a while to play out. 

Tarkio College closed in 1992 and after several false starts, efforts led by the Tarkio College Alumni Association are now bearing fruit.

Mike Peterson of KMA 960 AM radio interviewed John Davis, Tarkio Technical Institute's interim president for the Morning Line program Thursday morning, September 12th, "Rejuvenated Tarkio College aims to prepare new workforce." You can also listen to the 10-minute audio segment on the Morning Line page.

Officials with the Missouri Department of Higher Education recently approved the certification of the Tarkio Technology Institute and the institution plans to reopen the school January 6, 2020 as a post-secondary career and technical school offering diploma and certificate programs in plumbing technology and wind energy technology. 

The Tarkio College Alumni Association page offers updates on recent activities including the recent transfer of ownership of the campus from TCAA to Tarkio College.

Previous College History Garden posts focusing on Tarkio College may also be of interest:

• Thursday, March 2, 2017  Tarkio College Reopening: Interviews with Key People
• Friday, July 1, 2016  Tarkio, Missouri and Blair, Nebraska...sharing a common bond after colleges close
• Tuesday, July 1, 2014  Tarkio College (MO) Alumni Work to Reopen Institution
• Wednesday, May 25, 2016  Tarkio College: Alumni plan to reopen institution after 25 years

United Tribes Technical College Celebrates 50th Anniversary

KXMB-TV, the CBS affiliate in Bismarck, ND posted "United Tribes Technical College celebrates 50th anniversary," with reporting by Aaron Fields. Fields interviewed college administrators and provides an interesting overview of the institution's history and bright prospects for the future.

United Tribes was initially founded as a training center. It gained accreditation in 1982 from the Higher Learning Commission and now serves as a 1994 Tribal Land-Grant Institution operated by five tribes: Three Affiliated Tribes of Fort Berthold, the Spirit Lake Tribe, the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, and the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians.

The college web site offers a 50 Year Chronology as part of their Building a Legacy of Success campaign associated with the centennial. The book is edited by Dennis J. Neumann and the 132-page document is available as a .pdf.  It provides "...starting points for learning more about activities, events, accomplishments and people associated with UTTC."

Fountainhead College of Technology Closes

Fountainhead College of Technology in Knoxville, TN announced that it will be closing.  You can read a brief statement that is currently posted on the institution's website.  

There is also a brief video posted by WATE, Knoxville's ABC affiliate, "Fountainhead College of Technology closing."

The institution was founded as the Tennessee Radio Service School in 1947 at 422 Gay Street in Knoxville.  The following year, the name was changed to Tennessee Institute of Electronics.  The name change once more to Fountainhead College of Technology in 2003.

Fountainhead offered Associate Degrees in Electronic Technology, Information Technology, Computer Programming, and Health Information Management. Baccalaureate Degrees were awarded in Application Development, Electronic Wireless Communication, and in Network Security and Forensics.  Approximately 88 students were enrolled.

If you are interested in recent trends for closures, mergers,and acquisitions access College Closures since 2009 in the index at the right of any College History Garden page. There are separate tabs for non-profit closures, for-profit closures, and one for mergers and acquisitions. Each tab includes basic information for the institutions, i.e., Carnegie Classification, sector, accrediting agency, and the IPEDS unitid.

Bath College Celebrated 125th Anniversary of Founding

I'm a bit late on noting this anniversary...Bath College in Bath, UK celebrated the 125th anniversary of its founding in 1892 as Bath City Science, Art and Technical Schools.  Three predecessor schools provided a foundation for the  institution: 

• Bath School of Art and Science, opened in May 1854 as the Bath School of Art
• Bath Art Night Classes that was in existence by 1878
• Bath Evening Science School that opened in 1879

Courses were offered through a number of different locations over the years prior to the relocation to Avon Street in 1960.  The name of the institution also changed over time with changes in student populations and mission.  In 1986 it became City of Bath College of Further Education. The name was changed again in 1989 to City of Bath College.  More recently, the college merged with Norton Radstock College to become Bath College.

Coleman University Announces it Will be Closing

Coleman University in San Diego, California announced last week that it will be closing.  Coleman was founded in 1963 as the Automation Institute of San Diego.  It later changed the name to Coleman College and then to Coleman University after graduate programs were added in 1982.  Gary Robbins reported in The San Diego Union Tribune on July 30, 2018, "San Diego's Coleman University closing after 55 years." 

Matt Hoffman reporting for KPBS on August 3, 2018, "San Diego's Coleman University is Closing After 55 Years" includes a short audio clip.

The Coleman University website offers a fact sheet on the closure, answers for frequently asked questions, and other information for students.

If you are interested in recent trends for closures, mergers,and acquisitions access College Closures since 2009 in the index at the right of any College History Garden page.  There are separate tabs for non-profit closures, for-profit closures, and one for mergers and acquisitions.  Each tab includes basic information for the institutions, i.e., Carnegie Classification, sector, accrediting agency, and the IPEDS unitid.

Historical Sketch of Stanly Community College

The Stanly News & Press published, "College has served Stanly since 1971," with an historical sketch of Stanly Community College of Albemarle, North Carolina written by Toby Thorpe.

The institution initially offered classes in 1969 as the Stanly Adult Education Center.  In 1971 it became the Stanly Technical Institute.  The institution was renamed as Stanly Technical College in 1979 and Stanly Community College in 1986 as programs expanded and enrollment grew.

Serving for Over 70 Years: South Central College in Minnesota

The Mankato Free Press published a retrospective article March 5, 2018, "Mankato site of state's first public vo-tech," that provides a brief historical sketch for what is now South Central College.

The institution was founded in 1946 as Mankato Vocational School, the first public, post-secondary vocational-technical school in the state. The name change in 1989 to Mankato Technical College. It merged in 1992 to become Albert Lea-Mankato Technical College. Three years later it joined MN State Colleges and Universities System in 1995. Following realignment, it joined with the Faribault campus of what had formerly been MN Riverland Technical College to become South Central Technical College. The name was changed in 2005 to South Central College.

South Central College serves 5,090 students and offers 45 academic programs. It also serves over 9,000 additional people through customized training and continuing education programs.

Polytechnic Business College, Oakland, CA, On This Date, December 5, 1917

An advertisement for Polytechnic Business College of Oakland, CA was printed in The Carson City (Nevada) Daily Appeal on this date one hundred years ago, December 5, 1917.  The building image actually appears to be Polytechnic College of Engineering.  Both institutions were founded in 1898 and occupied buildings one block apart in Oakland.  The Polytechnic College of Engineering was located at 13th and Madison Streets, while the Polytechnic Business College was on 12th and Harrison Streets.  Willis E. Gibson and H.C. Ingram were listed as owners of the institutions.

Five days later, The Daily Appeal also printed an advertisement for the Polytechnic College of Engineering, on December 10, 1917.

Advertisements with a brief description and two photographs of classrooms from the Polytechnic College of Engineering were included in the 1941 Polk's Guide to Oakland, found on the Oakland Wiki project.

Consider leaving a comment below if you know when these institutions closed or can point to other information about their history.

Article Explores Closure of Bramson ORT College in New York

The Queens, NY Times Ledger published an article by Annabelle Blair, "Bramson ORT college closed after 40 years," on December 1, 2017.  Blair's reporting provides an update following the institution's announcement initial announcement back in February 2017.

Bramson ORT was founded in 1942 as the Bramson ORT Training Center with a mission to serve immigrants and refugees arriving as a result of World War II.  It was operated by the World Organization for Educational Resources and Technological Training, a global network of over 800 institutions.  Bramson ORT changed its name to Bramson ORT Technical Institute in 1979 and again in 1996 to become Bramson ORT College.

Wichita State University and Wichita Area Technical College Announce Affiliation

Wichita Area Technical College (WATC) and Wichita State University announced today that WATC will affiliate with WSU to become the Witchita State University Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology.  WATC was founded in 1965 and enrolls roughly 3,500 students.

You can also read more about the affiliation on the KWCH-12 website, "WATC to become the 'WSU Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology."

If you are interested in recent trends for mergers and affiliations, access College Closures since 2009 in the index at the right of any College History Garden page.  There is a separate tab for mergers, affiliations, or acquisitions.  Each tab includes basic information for each institution, i.e., Carnegie Classification, sector, accrediting agency, and the IPEDS unitid.

Southwest Wisconsin Technical College Celebrates 50th Anniversary

Southwest Wisconsin Technical College in Fennimore, WI is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its founding in 1967.  The institution was initially known as the Southwest Wisconsin Vocational-Technical Institute.  You can visit Southwest Tech's web pages to see a brief historical sketch or scan the 50th anniversary magazine.

Valparaiso Technical Institute: resources offer window to another era

Alumni of Valparaiso Technical Institute (VTI) located in Valparaiso, IN maintain a web site providing access to a number of interesting historical items.  You can find a history of the institution, Dodge's Institute to Valpo Tech 1873-1991, written by Leland L. Hite and a short video with areal footage of the former campus and alumni at a gathering in 2012.

VTI traced founding to the telegraphy department of Northern Indiana Normal School and Business Institute.  The department separated and became independent as Dodge's Telegraph, Railway Accounting and Radio Institute.  The name changed in 1944 to Valparaiso Technical Institute.  Dodge and VTI were one of the more successful institutions with an estimated 8,000 graduates before the closure in 1991.  Graduates served successfully in a wide variety of roles for railroads, the military, and the emerging radio and electronics industries. 

The Porter County INGenWeb Project offers a fascinating 1926 viewbook for Dodge's Institute that includes a number of photographs of both the institution and the city of Valparaiso.  There are also a great many details of the curriculum and various aspects of what a potential student might expect.

Building Served as Home to Indiana Dental College and later, Lincoln Chiropractic College

The Historic Indianapolis.com website also has a post by Joan Hostetler with several photographs of a building at 633 North Pennsylvania Street, that served for a time as the home of Indiana Dental College [1920-1925] and then, Lincoln Chiropractic College until 1935.  Lincoln operated in Indianapolis from 1926 until it closed in 1975.  Indiana Dental College was purchased by Indiana University and was moved to the IUPUI campus in 1933.

The Indianapolis Electronic School shared the building until it closed in 1962.  Sams Technical Institute, a predecessor for ITT Technical Institute, also used the site.