College of California facts for kids

The College of California was a private school in Oakland, California. It helped create the public University of California. In fact, it was the first campus for what became the University of California.

The college started in 1853. It was first known as the Contra Costa Academy. In 1868, the college decided to join with a public state college. This state college was made to use money from the Morrill Land-Grant Act.

However, it wasn't a simple joining. Both colleges gave their resources and goals to form a brand new public university.

History of the College

Starting the School

In 1853, two well-known teachers, Rev. Henry Durant and Dr. Samuel H. Willey, started the Contra Costa Academy. This was in the new town of Oakland, California. Their goal was to teach boys a "liberal arts education." This meant focusing on subjects like Greek and Latin.

The school was mostly Christian but welcomed everyone. Its leaders and supporters were mainly from the Congregational and Presbyterian churches.

Growing Bigger

This private school quickly grew. By 1855, it got money from the government and a new official document. It then reopened as the College of California. It was located in Oakland, covering four city blocks.

Even with its new name, it mostly prepared students for college. It only started offering actual college-level classes in 1860.

Looking for a New Home

After a few years, the downtown Oakland campus became too small. The teachers also felt the busy city was not good for studying. So, in 1866, the college leaders looked for a quieter, more rural spot. They found land north of Oakland.

They also needed a lot of water. So, they bought a large farm to the east. This farm included the start of Strawberry Creek. They hoped to pay for this expansion by selling land near the new college site.

They bought 160 acres (65 hectares) of land. This area is now part of the City of Berkeley. The college hired a famous design company, Olmsted, Vaux & Co. They made a plan for the new campus.

Challenges and Changes

The plan to sell land to pay for the new campus did not go as expected. The land sold very slowly. This meant the college had to pay a lot of interest on its loans. To try and make more money, they built a water system. They sold water to homes nearby.

Another problem was that not many people wanted a liberal arts education at the college level. This was a setback for the college's main goal.

Meanwhile, the State of California had started an Agricultural, Mining, and Mechanical Arts College in 1866. But this college only existed on paper. It was just a way to get money from the federal government.

Forming the University of California

In 1867, California's Governor Frederick Low had an idea. He suggested that the College of California, which had land but little money, should join with the state college, which had money but no campus.

On October 9, 1867, the college leaders agreed. But they had one condition. The new school had to be a full university with a liberal arts college. This part became the College of Letters and Science. They knew the new state university would be completely separate from religious groups. But they wanted to keep their liberal arts education mission alive.

The University of California officially started on March 23, 1868. It used the College of California's buildings in Oakland while its new campus in Berkeley was being built. The new university was not just a merger. It was a brand new institution. It took some goals and resources from both colleges.

The new governor, Henry Huntly Haight, did not fully support the College of California's wishes. Only two of the college's leaders became part of the university's governing board. Also, only one teacher from the college was hired by the new university.

Moving to Berkeley

In September 1873, the university moved to its new campus in Berkeley. This was a big event.

On December 6, 1932, the old site of the College of California in Oakland became a California Historical Landmark #45. Today, the spot where the historical marker is located is part of a new building project.

Notable alumni

• Margaret Cairns Munns (1870-1957), a teacher and social reformer.