History of North Georgia College and State University facts for kids

North Georgia College & State University was a school where students went after high school. It started in 1873 as part of the University of Georgia. In 2013, it joined with Gainesville State College. Together, they formed the University of North Georgia.

North Georgia Agricultural College (1871–1929)

Starting the College (1871–1900)

North Georgia Agricultural College officially opened in January 1873. It was created thanks to a law called the Morrill Act. This act gave money to states for colleges focused on agriculture and mechanics. William Pierce Price, a local leader from Dahlonega, helped make it happen. He convinced the University of Georgia to open a branch in Dahlonega.

The school's main building was the old federal mint. This mint made gold coins from 1838 to 1861. It closed during the Civil War.

When the college opened, it had 177 students. There were 98 young men and 79 young women. This made it the first school in Georgia to teach both boys and girls together. David W. Lewis, a farmer and lawyer, was the first president.

By 1876, the college could give out degrees. In 1879, the first degrees were awarded. Three young men and one young woman received degrees. This made it the first school in Georgia to give degrees to women. The young woman, Willie Lewis, was the president's daughter.

Even though it was called an agricultural college, it first focused on a liberal arts education. This meant students studied Latin, Greek, math, science, English, and philosophy. In 1875, the school also started training teachers. The Morrill Act also required students to have some military training. The college had one military instructor until 1916. That year, the National Defense Act of 1916 created ROTC, and the college started its own program.

A fire destroyed the main building, the old mint, in December 1878. Classes were held in smaller buildings while money was raised. Rebuilding began in June 1879. In 1885, President Lewis passed away. In the late 1800s, fewer students attended due to money problems in the area.

New Century and World War I (1900–1929)

As the 20th century began, the world changed. Even though the school was far away from big cities, it got electricity from a nearby mine. It also had a telephone. In 1904, Gustavus Richard Glenn became president. He served for 18 years, longer than any other president. The school's name was changed to include "Military College of Georgia."

Another fire hit the campus in 1911. It destroyed Boswick Hall, an academic building. This fire helped the college get money to build a new "industrial building" in 1914. Because of its military program, many students joined during World War I. The college used its ROTC program to train soldiers for the war.

In 1929, the college stopped focusing on agriculture. It dropped "Agricultural" from its name and became North Georgia College. During the Great Depression, many colleges faced problems. In 1932, North Georgia College became a junior college, which offers two-year degrees.

Junior College Years (1932–1946)

In 1931, a new law changed Georgia's college system. It reduced the number of state colleges. North Georgia College became a junior college. Jonathan Clark Rogers became president in 1933. He wanted to make the campus better and bigger. At that time, the campus had only a few buildings.

Rogers worked to improve all the buildings. Then, he started building a dormitory for girls. It was finished in 1936. Students wanted to name it Rogers Hall, but he named it Sanford Hall. It was named after Steadman Vincent Sanford, a leader of the college system. Rogers then built a dormitory for boys. It was finished in 1938 and named Barnes Hall. This honored John C. "Daddy" Barnes, a respected faculty member.

The next building built was the Nix Center. It had an auditorium, dining hall, and kitchen. Then came Stewart Library, named after Joseph Spencer Stewart, a past president. In 1940, the dirt roads on campus were paved.

During Rogers' time, the first professors with PhDs joined the faculty. In 1941, many male students from the college joined the military. Enrollment went down. To help, the college hosted an Army Specialized Training Program. This program ended in 1944, but a reserve program took its place. In 1945, after World War II ended, many veterans came to NGC using the GI Bill. Construction began on a new science building, now called Rogers Hall.

Senior College Years (1946–2013)

In 1946, the college became a senior college again. This meant it could offer four-year degrees. The economy in North Georgia was getting better. More people could afford to go to college, which helped NGC grow.

Rogers' Impact

With the end of the war and the GI Bill, North Georgia College was ready to expand. President Rogers had good plans for the campus buildings. He also wanted to improve the teachers. The college offered two types of degrees: Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science. Students could major in subjects like English, business, education, and science. New roads made the college easier to reach. Even with more students wanting to attend, there wasn't enough housing on campus.

Hoag's Leadership

Merritt E. Hoag became president in 1949 and served until 1970. Lewis Hall, a dormitory for women, was finished in 1951. It was named after Willie B. Lewis, the first female graduate. Gaillard Hall, a barracks for military students, was completed in 1953. A second part was added in 1961. The President's House was also built in 1953.

Memorial Hall was a large gym with a stage. It was named to honor graduates who served in the military. In the 1950s, people in Dahlonega helped put gold leaf on the Georgia State Capitol building. This inspired a project to put gold leaf on the steeple of Price Memorial Hall. This project finished in the 1970s.

A new academic building, Dunlap Hall, was completed in 1965. Another boys' dormitory, Sirmon's Hall, was added in 1966. When former president Jonathan Clark Rogers died in 1967, the science building was renamed Rogers Hall. Fewer military students enrolled in the 1960s because of the Vietnam War. A new student center was built in 1969 and later named Hoag Student Center. The old college farm became Pine Valley Recreation Area, still used today.

Owen's Era

John H. Owen was president for 22 years, starting in 1970. He focused on making the college's academic programs better. He did this by increasing student enrollment and scholarships. In 1972, a new library was completed. Donovan Hall, a female dormitory, was finished in 1976. The Chow Hall, a dining hall, was completed in 1981. The old dining hall became a fine arts building.

The nursing program was added in 1974. When Highway 400 was widened in 1980, it made the college even easier to get to.

In 1973, the college started a program called INTRO. This program brought new students to campus for orientation led by older students. Many other universities have copied this idea. The student government at NGC became very strong during Owen's time. It was the first in the university system to control money for student activities.

In the early 1970s, the basketball team changed its name from the Cadets to the Saints. They even got a Saint Bernard dog as a mascot! The women's basketball team started playing in 1971.

Recent Times

The newest student housing on campus is called "the suites." These opened in 2010 and house both male and female students. In recent years, more students have attended the college. Many of them live off campus and travel to school.

Owen retired in 1992. Dr. Delmas J. Allen became president in 1993. After he left in 1996, Sherman R. Day was acting president until 1999. Nathaniel Hansford was president from 1999 to 2004. David L. Potter was president from 2005 to 2011.

Bonita C. Jacobs became president in July 2011. She was the college's first female president. She remained president until the college merged in 2013. She then became president of the new school, the University of North Georgia.

List of Presidents