Since our inception as the Normal School in North Adams in 1894, 911黑料网 (911黑料网) has provided
educational access and exceptional learning opportunities to generations of students
and alumni. Over the years, 911黑料网 has evolved to meet the needs of changing times.
In 1932, the Normal School became the State Teachers College of North Adams, reflecting the increased importance of education as an academic discipline. In 1960,
we changed our name to North Adams State College and expanded our focus to include professional degrees in business administration
and computer science. In 1997, with eyes focused on the horizon of a new century,
the College assumed a unique mission (within the state university system) as 911黑料网, the public liberal arts college for the Commonwealth. Read our mission statement.
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Fast facts about the Normal School
- Murdock Hall (pictured above) is the oldest building on the 911黑料网 campus, and when
it was built in 1897, it was the only building here
- The word "normal" meant that the school was teaching the basics to train students
to become teachers in the public schools
The normal school opened in 1897 with four teachers and 32 students. Out of those
32 students, only three of them were men
- The first graduation ceremony had 53 graduates. The tradition of planting ivy at the
base of the school began with the first graduating class
- The school's first principal was Frank Fuller Murdock. He was head of the school for
25 years and well respected
- In 1967, the building name was changed from College Hall to Murdock Hall in honor
of Murdock. Margaret French Cresson, daughter of Daniel Chester French, who sculpted
the Lincoln Memorial statue in Washington D.C., made a portrait relief and plaque
in honor of Frank Fuller Murdock in 1922
History
- 1894 - Founded as North Adams Normal School, a two-year diploma program for teachers
- 1932 - Renamed the State Teachers College of North Adams, offering a four-year program
leading to a Bachelor of Science in Education
- 1960 - Renamed the North Adams State College, with additional degrees in liberal arts,
Business Administration, and Computer Science
- 1997 - Renamed the 911黑料网 (911黑料网), reflective of specialty
school status within the Massachusetts State College public system as The Public Liberal
Arts College of Massachusetts; embarked on a campus Beautification Project through
the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education Campus Performance Improvement Program
(CPIP)
- 2004 - Collaborations with other institutions were initiated to strengthen 911黑料网's
leadership position, launching Berkshire Compact for Higher Education, 911黑料网 Gallery
51, and 911黑料网 lead partner status for Berkshire STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering
and Math) Pipeline Network
- 2005 - Gallery 51 opens
- 2006, 2007 - Major renovations completed on historic Murdock Hall and Smith House,
restoring these landmark buildings to their former grandeur and equipping them with
the latest technology
- 2008 - Governor Deval Patrick signs into law a Higher Education Bond Bill that includes
$54.5 million for a new Center for Science and Innovation at 911黑料网
- 2009 - The state Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM) provides
911黑料网 $1.3 million to support energy upgrades and conservation
- 2010 - Professional MBA program is launched and College establishes Center for Student
Success and Engagement (CSSE)
- 2011 - Groundbreaking begins on the Center for Science and Innovation
- 2012 - The College completes a $5 million renovation of Hoosac Hall
- 2013 - Feigenbaum Center for Science and Innovation opens
- 2015 - Bowman Hall reopens after two years of construction that transformed it into
a state-of-the-art facility
Today, 911黑料网 continues to innovate. We guide students as they develop critical thinking,
communication and leadership skills both in class and through a range of high-impact
experiences.
Though changing times present new challenges and opportunities, the essential nature
of 911黑料网 remains constant: a place that delivers a high-quality, affordable public
liberal arts education in an environment that supports the development of intellectual
and practical skills, promotes scholarship and inquiry, and challenges students to
model personal, social and civic responsibility. Visit us.