Education

Through rare photos and archival materials, discover Boston University's brilliant past that exemplifies Learning, Virtue, and Piety.

Most universities begin with a plot of land on which to build. This was not the case with Boston University. Founded originally in Newbury, Vermont, in 1839, the school moved to Concord, New Hampshire, in 1847 and finally took root in Boston in 1867. The university developed seven schools and colleges within the first few years, with more to come later. Located in the center of a vibrant city, Boston University has become the fourth largest independent university in the nation. In Boston University, follow the development of the school as it grew and changed over one hundred and sixty years. Through vintage images, learn about the Boston University School of Oratory, where the telephone was invented; the Massachusetts Agricultural College, in the heart of the city; and subterranean passages in some of the earliest buildings. Find out about the ghost that haunted one campus building and why the institution was not named Rich University for one of its founders and most generous donors.

These images from the University archives show both the continuity and change at Tufts through time,

Tufts College was founded in 1852 as a liberal arts college by a group of Universalists committed to creating a nonsectarian institution of higher education. From its first year with four faculty, seven students, and one building, Tufts University has grown to include four campuses, seven schools, and more than eight thousand students. In the one hundred fifty years since its founding, Tufts has maintained its commitment to teaching, learning, and research, providing a place for students to grow as scholars, leaders, and citizens of the world. Instead of an exhaustive history, this book provides fascinating glimpses into life at Tufts from the earliest days to the late twentieth century. These images from the university archives show both the continuity and change at Tufts through time, illustrating central themes in its history: the pivotal role of teaching, learning, and research; the importance of leadership; a strong cultural tradition; and a commitment to citizenship on campus and in the wider world.

On September 8, 1875, Wellesley College, an undergraduate liberal arts college for women, opened its doors to its first students.

Eager, brave, and determined, they came from around the country to begin their new life. They took classes and made their home in College Hall, the grand building founders Henry and Pauline Durant built on a hill overlooking Lake Waban. From the beginning, an outstanding faculty, led and inspired by a series of gifted female presidents, devoted themselves to the education of their students, encouraging intellectual discussion, debate, and analytical thought. In this pioneering world of women's education, a community of learners was born and has thrived for the past 130 years. Wellesley's graduates have carried the tradition of excellence beyond the campus, epitomizing the college's mission to provide an excellent liberal arts education for women who will make a difference in the world. In photographs and words, Wellesley College tells the story of this school from its early beginnings.

Framingham State College chronicles the history of the institution from when it first started in 1839 with three students. Buildings are seen as they originally looked and as they look today. Animating these views are stories of how the buildings were named and of the students who lived and learned in them. In addition, the teachers and administrators who walked and taught on these grounds are highlighted in rich detail.

Cotting School details the interesting history of this national leader in serving children with a broad spectrum of disabilities.

In 1893, two pioneering orthopedic surgeons, Dr. Augustus Thorndike and Dr. Edward Bradford, saw the need to educate children whose physical challenges prevented them from attending school. As an experiment, they founded the Industrial School for Crippled and Deformed Children in Boston. Modeled after 19th-century European institutions, the school was America's first for children with physical disabilities. Early classes were held in a church basement where Mary Perry volunteered to teach seven students. Tuition, a hot meal, and transportation in a horse-drawn carriage were free. Thanks to the leadership of the two doctors and board chairman Francis Joy Cotting, within 10 years the school was housed in an impressive, debt-free brick building. Renamed the Cotting School, the school is now located in Lexington and serves 130 day students from 74 communities. Staffed with highly skilled special education teachers; nurses; physical, occupational, and communication therapists; and dental and vision specialists, Cotting is a national leader in serving children with a broad spectrum of learning and communication disabilities, physical challenges, and complex medical conditions.