Hartford College for Women facts for kids
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| Motto | Sibi constantem esse (To make them steady) |
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| Type | Liberal arts women's college |
| Active | 1933–2003 |
| Endowment | A kind person named Mr. Butterworth bought the 13-acre property and gave it to the college. He wanted to make sure women in the Hartford area could get a good education. He helped the college a lot until he passed away in the early 1980s. A cherry tree was planted in his memory. |
| Dean | Mrs. Davis |
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Academic staff
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Oliver Butterworth, English Professor; Alfredo Gomez Gil, Spanish Professor, Rudolph E. Haffner, Biology Professor, Truda Kushman – Dance Instructor. |
| Location | , , |
| Campus | 13 acres (53,000 m2) |
| Nickname | HCW |
The Hartford College for Women (or HCW) was a private college just for women. It was located in Hartford, Connecticut. The college opened in 1933. Later, in 1991, it became part of the University of Hartford (UHart). The college closed its doors in 2003.
Contents
History of HCW
Starting as a Junior College (1933-1938)
HCW first started as the Hartford Junior College in 1933. It was connected to Mount Holyoke College, which was about 40 miles (64 km) away. At that time, it was hard for young women in the Hartford area to get a college education. They usually had to move away from home for four years.
The YWCA (Young Women's Christian Association) in Hartford wanted to help. They asked Trinity College, a men's college in Hartford, to let women attend. Trinity College said no. Instead, they suggested that Mount Holyoke College might help.
Mount Holyoke College agreed to start a junior college branch in Hartford. This was because they needed more students during the Great Depression. Teachers from Mount Holyoke traveled to Hartford to teach first-year classes. Some retired professors and teachers from Trinity College also helped. After one year, most students would transfer to other colleges, often Mount Holyoke.
This program was called Mount Holyoke's "noble experiment." But it was hard to manage from far away. In 1938, Mount Holyoke ended its connection. Hartford Junior College then became an independent school.
In 1939, the college reorganized itself. It kept its goal of being a junior college. But it added more programs in sciences, social sciences, and arts. The college moved from the YWCA to a house on Highland Street.
Growing and Developing (1939-1980s)
After the Great Depression, more women could go to college. The Hartford College for Women grew a lot. Laura A. Johnson was president for 30 years. During her time, the college started offering Bachelor's degrees. It became a leader in education for women. She believed HCW was a place for "women who [wanted] to learn and teachers who [loved] to teach."
In 1955, some other colleges in the area wanted to merge. These included the Hartt School of Music and the Hartford Art School. HCW, along with Trinity College, said no to joining. However, a group called the Council of Hartford Community Colleges (CHCC) kept trying to get HCW to merge. This group later formed the University of Hartford in 1957.
HCW stayed an independent women's college. In 1958, it bought a new property on Asylum Avenue and moved there. In the early 1960s, HCW started admitting "Laura Johnson Scholars." These were women who were older than typical college students. In 1968, the Career Counseling Center opened. It was one of the first places to offer career advice just for women in the United States.
HCW continued to say no to merger offers in 1975 and 1976. Instead, it focused on offering more services to attract students. Services like the Career Counseling Center and the Entrepreneurial Center (started in 1985) helped HCW keep students. This was important because many other women's colleges were closing.
Merging and Closing (1991-2003)
By the early 1990s, HCW faced money problems and fewer students. This was happening to many women's colleges. Even though it had said no before, HCW finally merged with the University of Hartford in 1991. It was the last college to join UHart.
Even after merging, HCW stayed a college just for women. It also kept its own campus. It continued to create new programs. These included the Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame, started in 1994. The Academic Express program for older students began in 1997.
In 2003, the University of Hartford announced that HCW would close. This surprised many students and teachers. There were protests, but they did not stop the closing. The college graduated its last class the next spring. Some of HCW's programs, like the Career Counseling Center, were changed to serve all students at the University of Hartford.
Academics and Learning
As a liberal arts college, HCW taught subjects like humanities, arts, sciences, and social sciences. After HCW merged with the University of Hartford, students could also take classes in business and architecture. However, only female students could enroll in HCW's specific programs.
HCW was one of the first colleges to offer a major in Women's Studies. This program was known for being very advanced. It focused on how gender, race, and social class are connected.
HCW was the smallest college at UHart. When it closed, it had only five full-time teachers. These teachers also taught classes for the College of Arts and Sciences. Many courses for HCW students were taught by professors from other parts of the university. The college also had 19 other staff members. Most of them worked at the Career Counseling Center or the Entrepreneurial Center.
Campus Life
HCW classes first took place at the Hartford YWCA. Later, the college moved to Highland Street. In 1958, it moved to a nicer, wooded area in Hartford's West End. The campus was 13 acres (5.3 ha) big. It was near the University of Connecticut School of Law. Some of the old Georgian buildings on campus are now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Legacy and Impact
Today, the old HCW campus is used for graduate student housing at the University of Hartford. In 2006, the University of Hartford started the Women's Advancement Initiative. This program helps female students develop academic and leadership skills. It was created in memory of HCW. The University also continues to run the HCW Career Counseling and Entrepreneurial studies center.
Symbols of the College
HCW's first colors were blue and white, just like Mount Holyoke's. Later, they often used UHart's red and white colors. Diplomas given out after the merger had the University of Hartford's seal.
The college's seal showed a temple of learning. It also had a Latin motto: Sibi constantem esse. This means "To make them steady" or "To be true to oneself."
The most famous symbol of HCW today is Butterworth Hall. This was the main building of the college. You can see it from Asylum Avenue.
Notable People
- Gia Allemand, an actor, model, and reality TV star.
- Patricia Fargnoli, a former poet laureate of New Hampshire.
- Edna Negron Rosario, an educator and public health supporter.
- Marguerite Yourcenar was a well-known professor at the college in the early 1940s.
