| This file includes institutions that have closed, merged, or
changed their names. If you note a
need for changing or updating information, please notify
ray.brown@westminster-mo.edu. An index with links to separate pages for other states and countries is available at http://www2.westminster-mo.edu/wc_users/homepages/staff/brownr/ClosedCollegeIndex.htm. There is also a blog at http://collegehistorygarden.blogspot.com/ with links to other resources. Thanks for your interest! |
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| College Name | City | State | Start Date | End Date | Affiliation | Other Information | Source | |||||
| Albert Einstein Medical Center School of Nursing | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 1953 | 1986 | Church of United Brethren | consolidation of nursing schools of Jewish Hospital and Mt. Sinai Hospital | http://www.nursing.upenn.edu/history/collections.htm | |||||
| Allentown Business School | Allentown | Pennsylvania | 1869 | name changed to Lehigh Valley College | http://www.lehighvalley.edu/ | |||||||
| Allentown Female College | Allentown | Pennsylvania | 1867 | became Allentown College for Women in 1893 and Cedar Crest College in 1912; affiliated with United Church of Christ | Songe, Alice H. American Universities and Colleges: A Dictionary of Name Changes. 1978. | |||||||
| Allentown College of Saint Francis de Sales | Center Valley | Pennsylvania | 1965 | name changed to DeSales University in 2001 | Brenner, Morgan G. The Encyclopedia of College & University Name Histories. 2003. | |||||||
| Alliance College | Cambridge | Pennsylvania | 1912 | 1987 | Polish National Alliance | http://www.library.pitt.edu/libraries/ac/ac.html http://www.alliancecollege.com/ |
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| Alvernia College | Reading | Pennsylvania | 1958 | Bernadine Franciscan Sisters | initially founded for education of members of the order; lay students admitted after 1961; name change to Alvernia University in 2008 | http://www.alvernia.edu/ | ||||||
| Ambler Junior College | Pennsylvania | previously Pennsylvania School of Horticulture for Women; changed name to Ambler Junior College in 1958 and merged with Temple University the same year | Brenner, Morgan G. The Encyclopedia of College & University Name Histories. 2003. | |||||||||
| Andalusia College | Bucks County | Pennsylvania | 1865 | 1871 | Episcopal | in 1871 had four professors, twelve teachers and 85 students; never granted any degrees; Burke states that it was chartered in 1860, but did not open until 1870 | Hunt and Carper, eds. Religious Higher
Education in the United States. 1996. Burke, Colin B. American Collegiate Populations. 1982. |
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| Antioch University at Philadelphia | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 1989 | |||||||||
| Beaver College | Beaver | Pennsylvania | 1853 | founded as Beaver Female Seminary; name changed to Beaver College & Musical Institute in 1872; in 1925 moved to Jenkintown, PA and in 1928 to Glenside, PA; name changed to Arcadia University in 2001 | Brenner, Morgan G. The Encyclopedia of College & University Name Histories. 2003. | |||||||
| Blairsville College for Women | Blairsville | Pennsylvania | http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~nancyelder/RobertYElder.htm | |||||||||
| Blessed Sacrament Junior College | Bensalem | Pennsylvania | Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament | founded for the education of Sisters, probably never enrolled lay students | Schier and Russett. Catholic Women's Colleges in America. 2002. | |||||||
| Brethren Normal College | Huntingdon | Pennsylvania | 1876 | Church of the Brethren | became Juniata College in 1894 | Songe, Alice H. American Universities and Colleges: A Dictionary of Name Changes. 1978. | ||||||
| Bristol College | Bristol | Pennsylvania | 1833 | 1837 | Episcopal | successor of a manual labor college for prospective ministers founded near Wilmington, Delaware that was founded in 1825 | http://www.crl.edu/content.asp?l1=5&l2=22&l3=39&top=10 Hunt and Carper, eds. Religious Higher Education in the United States. 1996. |
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| Bucknell University Junior College | Wilkes-Barre | Pennsylvania | 1933 | name changed to Wilkes College in 1947 | Songe, Alice H. American Universities and Colleges: A Dictionary of Name Changes. 1978. | |||||||
| Cathedral College | Erie | Pennsylvania | 1933 | Diocese of Erie | became Gannon College after 1941 | Songe, Alice H. American Universities and Colleges: A Dictionary of Name Changes. 1978. | ||||||
| Central Pennsylvania College | Reading | Pennsylvania | 1856 | United Methodist Church | established as Union Seminary in 1856; became Central Pennsylvania College in 1887; merged with Albright College of Pennsylvania Conferences of United Evangelical Church and name changed to Albright College in 1902; Albright College, founded as Albright Collegiate Institute in 1895 in Myerstown and was located on the campus of the defunct Palantinate College; Albright College later merged with Schuykill College in 1928 | Songe, Alice H. American Universities
and Colleges: A Dictionary of Name Changes. 1978. Brenner, Morgan G. The Encyclopedia of College & University Name Histories. 2003. |
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| Chautauqua School of Nursing | Pennsylvania | http://www.nursing.upenn.edu/history/collections.htm | ||||||||||
| Chestnut Hill Hospital School of Nursing | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 1908 | 1987 | http://www.nursing.upenn.edu/history/collections.htm | |||||||
| Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia School of Nursing | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 1895 | 1945 | http://www.nursing.upenn.edu/history/collections/chop.htm | |||||||
| Dickinson Junior College | Williamsport | Pennsylvania | 1812 | founded as Williamsport Academy in 1812, became Williamsport Dickinson Seminary in 1848, Williamsport Dickinson Seminary and Junior College in 1929 and Lycoming College in 1948 | Brenner, Morgan G. The Encyclopedia of College & University Name Histories. 2003. | |||||||
| Dropsie College for Hebrew and Cognate Learning | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 1907 | 1986 | Jewish | named after benefactor, Moses Aaron Dropsie to promote instruction in Hebrew language and literature; granted more than 200 Ph.D.'s; known as Annenberg Research Institute after closing and then merged with the University of Pennsylvania as the Center for Advanced Judaic Studies | Penn Library Center for Judaic
Studies Library http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Center_for_Advanced_Judaic_Studies |
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| Eastern Baptist College | Pennsylvania | 1952 | Baptist | Palmer Theological Seminary was founded on March 19, 1925 as Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary; in 1940, relocated from Philadelphie to Wynnewood, PA; Eastern Baptist College was founded in 1952, changed its name to Eastern College in 1972, and became Eastern University in 2001. | http://www.palmerseminary.edu/about/history.html | |||||||
| Eastern Pilgrim College | Allentown | Pennsylvania | 1921 | Pilgrim Holiness | founded as Beulah Park Bible School in 1921; became Allentown Bible Institute in 1934; then, Eastern Pilgrim College in 1954 and Penn Wesleyan College in 1970; merged with Wesleyan College (Frankfort, IN) and Wesleyan College (Kernersville, NC) in 1972 under new nameof United Wesleyan College; merged with Houghton College in 1989 | Songe, Alice H. American Universities and Colleges: A Dictionary of Name Changes. 1978. | ||||||
| Female Medical College of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 1850 | later becomes Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania in 1867 and Medical College of Pennsylvania in 1970 | www.mcphu.edu/learn/milestones.html Songe, Alice H. American Universities and Colleges: A Dictionary of Name Changes. 1978. |
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| Franklin College | Lancaster | Pennsylvania | 1787 | 1850 | Lutheran | First Lutheran College in U.S.; maintained corporate existence until 1850 and merger with Marshall College; Lutheran trustees joined board of Gettysburg College | Solberg. Lutheran Higher
Education in North America. 1985. Songe, Alice H. American Universities and Colleges: A Dictionary of Name Changes. 1978. |
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| Franklin Medical College | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | http://jeffline.tju.edu/aisr/aahsl/aamc.html www.collphyphil.org/FIND_AID/hist/histlmh1.htm |
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| Haddington College | Pennsylvania | 1836 | 1840 | Baptist | successor to manual labor school; possibly didn't serve college level students | Burke, Colin B. American Collegiate Populations. 1982. | ||||||
| Hershey Junior College | Hershey | Pennsylvania | 1938 | 1965 | ||||||||
| Holy Ghost College | Pittsburgh | Pennsylvania | 1878 | Catholic | became University of the Holy Ghost in 1911; name changed to Duquesne University of the Holy Ghost in 1911 and to Duquesne University in 1935 | Brenner, Morgan G. The Encyclopedia of College & University Name Histories. 2003. | ||||||
| Homeopathic College of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 1848 | later beecomes Hahnemann Medical College in 1884 | www.mcphu.edu/learn/milestones.html | |||||||
| Irving College | Mechanicsburg | Pennsylvania | 1858 | 1929 | Lutheran | first Lutheran College to award bachelor's degrees to women | www.mechanicsburgmuseum.org/sites.html Solberg. Lutheran Higher Education in North America. 1985. |
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| Jefferson College | Canonsburg | Pennsylvania | 1794 | in 1865 merged with Washington College to form Washington-Jefferson College | www.washjeff.edu/about_us_our_history.html | |||||||
| Jefferson Medical College | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 1824 | founded as Jefferson Medical College of Jefferson College of Canonsburg, PA; became Jefferson Medical College in 1838 and then Tomas Jefferson University in 1969 | Songe, Alice H. American Universities and Colleges: A Dictionary of Name Changes. 1978. | |||||||
| Lambeth College | Kittanning | Pennsylvania | 1868 | 1876 | Episcopal | never awarded any degrees | Hunt and Carper, eds. Religious Higher Education in the United States. 1996. | |||||
| Lankenau Hospital School of Nursing | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 1899 | 1992 | http://www.nursing.upenn.edu/history/collections/lankenau.htm | |||||||
| Log College | Neshaminy | Pennsylvania | ||||||||||
| Madison College | Uniontown | Pennsylvania | 1849 | merged with Greence Academy to form Waynesburg College | Songe, Alice H. American Universities
and Colleges: A Dictionary of Name Changes. 1978. Burke, Colin B. American Collegiate Populations. 1982. |
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| Maimonides College | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 1867 | Jewish | short-lived institution for preparation of rabbis | Hunt and Carper, eds. Religious Higher Education in the United States. 1996. | ||||||
| Marshall College | Mercersburg | Pennsylvania | 1836 | 1853 | moved to Lancaster, PA to form Franklin & Marshall College | http://library.fandm.edu/archives/FandMbib.html Songe, Alice H. American Universities and Colleges: A Dictionary of Name Changes. 1978. |
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| Mary Immaculate Seminary & College | Northampton | Pennsylvania | 1818 | 1990 | ||||||||
| Medical College of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | now McP Hahnemann University School of Medicine | www.mcphu.edu/learn/milestones.html | ||||||||
| Medico Chirurgical College | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 1892 | 1913 | now part of the University of Pennsylvania | http://www.archives.upenn.edu/faids/upc/upc50_3enter.html | ||||||
| Mercy-Douglass Hospital School of Nursing | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 1895 | 1960 | http://www.nursing.upenn.edu/history/collections/mercdoug.htm | |||||||
| Mount Airy College | Germantown | Pennsylvania | a military school built on the former estate of Justice Allen. The Allens' property was confiscated during the Revolution because the Allens were Loyalists. The property eventually came to be owned by James Gowen and after his death became the Lutheran Theological Seminary | http://www.brynmawr.edu/Acads/Cities/city360/proj/bcproj/history.htm | ||||||||
| Mount Mercy College | Pittsburgh | Pennsylvania | 1929 | Sisters of Mercy | name changed to Carlow College in 1969 | www.carlow.edu/aboutcarlow/aboutcarlow.html Schier and Russett. Catholic Women's Colleges in America. 2002. |
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| Mount Pleasant College | Mount Pleasant | Pennsylvania | 1848 | 1864 | United Brethren in Christ | at some point around 1864 was referred to as Westmoreland College; according to Hunt and Carper, assets transferred to Otterbein University in Ohio; the buildings were under Baptist control after 1871 operating as Western Pennsylvania Classical andScientific Institute | Hunt and Carper, eds. Religious Higher
Education in the United States. 1996. www.mtpleasantpa.com/institut.html |
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| Mount Saint Joseph College | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 1858 | Sisters of Saint Joseph | founded as Mount Saint Joseph Academy; 1924 first four-year class admitted; name change to Chestnut Hill College in 1972 | Schier and Russett. Catholic Women's
Colleges in America. 2002. Brenner, Morgan G. The Encyclopedia of College & University Name Histories. 2003. |
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| National Agricultural College | Doylestown | Pennsylvania | 1896 | previously the National Farm School; became National Farm School and Junior College in 1946, the National Agricultural College in 1948 and then Delaware Valley College in 1960 | Songe, Alice H. American Universities and Colleges: A Dictionary of Name Changes. 1978. | |||||||
| Northeast Bible College | Green Lane | Pennsylvania | 1938 | Assemblies of God | became Valley Forge Christian College in 1977 | Songe, Alice H. American Universities and Colleges: A Dictionary of Name Changes. 1978. | ||||||
| Northeastern Christian Junior College | Villanova | Pennsylvania | 1957 | 1993 | founded as the Northeastern Institute for Christian Education; consolidated with Ohio Valley College after 1992 | www.ovu.edu | ||||||
| Ogontz Junior College | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 1850 | 1950 | after closure buildings acquired by Penn State | http://www.libraries.psu.edu/speccolls/psua/psgeneralhistory/bezillapshistory/083s08.htm | ||||||
| Our Lady of Angels | Aston | Pennsylvania | 1965 | name changed to Newmann College in 1980 | www.newmann.edu/about/history_mission.html Brenner, Morgan G. The Encyclopedia of College & University Name Histories. 2003. |
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| Palantinate College | Myerstown | Pennsylvania | 1868 | campus later operated by Albright Collegiate Institute, now Albright College; Albright moved to Reading, PA in 1929 | www.lebanononline.org/timeline.html Brenner, Morgan G. The Encyclopedia of College & University Name Histories. 2003. |
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| Palm's Business College | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | ||||||||||
| Penn Hall Junior College | Chambersburg | Pennsylvania | 1906 | 1973 | ||||||||
| Penn Wesleyan College | Allentown | Pennsylvania | Wesleyan Church | Previously Eastern Pilgrim College; merged with Wesleyan College (Frankfort, IN) and Wesleyan College (Kernersville, NC) in 1972 to become United Wesleyan College | Songe, Alice H. American Universities and Colleges: A Dictionary of Name Changes. 1978. | |||||||
| Pennsylvania College for Women | Pittsburgh | Pennsylvania | 1869 | founded as Pennsylvania Female College; in 1890 name changed to Pennsylvania College for Women; in 1955 became Chatham College | www.chatham.edu/admweb/htm/admissections/ccc/history.htm Songe, Alice H. American Universities and Colleges: A Dictionary of Name Changes. 1978. |
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| Pennsylvania College of Gettysburg | Gettysburg | Pennsylvania | 1832 | name changed to Gettysburg College in 1921 | Brenner, Morgan G. The Encyclopedia of College & University Name Histories. 2003. | |||||||
| Pennsylvania Military College | Chester | Pennsylvania | 1821 | founded as Bullock School became Hyatt School in 1853, Delaware Military Academy in 1859, Pennsylvania Military Academy in 1862, Pennsylvania Military College in 1892, PMC Colleges (Pennsylvania Military College and Penn Morton College) in 1966, now Widener University since 1972 | www.widener.edu Songe, Alice H. American Universities and Colleges: A Dictionary of Name Changes. 1978. |
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| Philadelphia College of Medicine | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 1847 | 1858 | http://jeffline.tju.edu/aisr/aahsl/aamc.html www.collphyphil.org/FIND_AID/hist/histlmh1.htm |
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| Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 1884 | founded as Philadelphia Textile School; name changed to Philadelphia Textile Institute in 1941 and to Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science in 1970's, then to Philadelphia University in 1999 | http://www.philau.edu/about/aboutBriefHistory.html | |||||||
| Philadelphia Dental College | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 1907 | merged with Temple University | Brenner, Morgan G. The Encyclopedia of College & University Name Histories. 2003. | |||||||
| Pinebrook Junior College | Coopersburg | Pennsylvania | 1992 | |||||||||
| Pittsburgh College of the Holy Ghost | Pittsburgh | Pennsylvania | 1878 | now Duquene University | Songe, Alice H. American Universities and Colleges: A Dictionary of Name Changes. 1978. | |||||||
| Pittsburgh Female College | Pittsburgh | Pennsylvania | 1896 | merged with Beaver College | Brenner, Morgan G. The Encyclopedia of College & University Name Histories. 2003. | |||||||
| Polish National Alliance College | Cambridge Springs | Pennsylvania | purchased by state of Pennsylvania and is now used as a minimum security prison | http://www.crl.edu/collcat/collcatP.htm | ||||||||
| Precious Blood Teacher Training College | Pennsylvania | Sisters Adorers of the Most Precious Blood | founded for the education of Sisters, probably never enrolled lay students | Schier and Russett. Catholic Women's Colleges in America. 2002. | ||||||||
| Presbyterian School of Nursing | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 1889 | 1987 | http://www.nursing.upenn.edu/history/collections/pson.htm | |||||||
| Rittenhouse College | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | Burke, Colin B. American Collegiate Populations. 1982. | |||||||||
| Roberts Junior College | Corapolis | Pennsylvania | 1866 | Free Methodist | founed as Chili Seminary, became Chesborough Seminary in 1885, Roberts Junior College in 1945,and Roberts Wesleyan College in 1949 | Songe, Alice H. American Universities and Colleges: A Dictionary of Name Changes. 1978. | ||||||
| Sacred Heart Junior College | Pennsylvania | Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart | founded for the education of Sisters, probably never enrolled lay students | Schier and Russett. Catholic Women's Colleges in America. 2002. | ||||||||
| Saint Fidelis College | Herman | Pennsylvania | 1877 | 1979 | ||||||||
| Saint John Kanty College | Erie | Pennsylvania | www.crl.edu/content.asp?l1=5&l2=22&l3=39&top=10 www.archives.nd.edu/findaids/ead/xml/ins.xml |
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| Saint Theresa's Institute | Pennsylvania | Society of Catholic Medical Missionaries | founded for the education of Sisters, probably never enrolled lay students | Schier and Russett. Catholic Women's Colleges in America. 2002. | ||||||||
| Saint Thomas College | Scranton | Pennsylvania | 1888 | after 1938, the University of Scranton | Songe, Alice H. American Universities and Colleges: A Dictionary of Name Changes. 1978. | |||||||
| Schuykill College | Reading | Pennsylvania | 1881 | Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of Evangelical Church | founded as Schuykill Seminary in Reading; moved to Fredericksburg in 1896 and back to Reading in 1902; name changed to Schuykill College in 1923; merged with Albright College in 1928 | Brenner, Morgan G. The Encyclopedia of College & University Name Histories. 2003. | ||||||
| Spring Garden College | Chestnut Hill / Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 1851 | oldest private technology school in U.S. when it closed; became junior college in 1957 and offered bachelors degrees after 1969 | www.geocities.com/CollegePark/Campus/7315/history.html | |||||||
| Susquehanna Female College | Susquehanna | Pennsylvania | 1872 | Solberg. Lutheran Higher Education in North America. 1985. | ||||||||
| United Wesleyan College | Allentown | Pennsylvania | 1972 | Wesleyan Church | result of mergers of Penn Wesleyan College with Wesleyan College (Frankfort, IN) and Wesleyan College (Kernersville, NC) | Songe, Alice H. American Universities and Colleges: A Dictionary of Name Changes. 1978. | ||||||
| University of Lewisburg | Lewisburg | Pennsylvania | 1846 | Baptist | after 1886, Bucknell University | Songe, Alice H. American Universities and Colleges: A Dictionary of Name Changes. 1978. | ||||||
| University of Northern Pennsylvania | Bethany | Pennsylvania | http://chronicles.dickinson.edu/studentwork/himes/register/miscellaneous.htm | |||||||||
| Villa Maria College | Immaculata | Pennsylvania | 1914 | Sisters Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary | founded as Villa Maria Academy for Girls, became Villa Maria College in 1920 and then Immaculata College in 1928 and Immaculata University in 2002 | Songe, Alice H. American Universities
and Colleges: A Dictionary of Name Changes. 1978. Brenner, Morgan G. The Encyclopedia of College & University Name Histories. 2003. |
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| Villa Marie College | Erie | Pennsylvania | 1925 | 1989 | Sisters of Saint Joseph | merged with Gannon University | Schier and Russett. Catholic Women's Colleges in America. 2002. | |||||
| Villa Sacred Heart | Pennsylvania | Sisters of Saint Cyril and Methodius | founded for the education of Sisters, probably never enrolled lay students | Schier and Russett. Catholic Women's Colleges in America. 2002. | ||||||||
| Volant College | Volant | Pennsylvania | 1889 | 1911 | http://www.crl.edu/collcat/collcatV.htm | |||||||
| Western Pennsylvania Medical College | Pittsburgh | Pennsylvania | 1886 | joined University of Pittsburgh in 1892 | http://www.neurosurgery.pitt.edu/overview/history.html | |||||||
| Western University of Pennsylvania | Allegheny | Pennsylvania | 1787 | founded as Pittsburgh Academy; became Western University in 1819 and in 1908 became University of Pittsburgh | http://www.ir.pitt.edu/fbweb99/general/glance99.htm | |||||||
| Williamsport Dickinson Seminary and Junior College | Williamsport | Pennsylvania | 1812 | Methodist | founded as Williamsport Academy in 1812, became Williamsport Dickinson Seminary in 1848, Williamsport Dickinson Seminary and Junior College in 1929 and Lycoming College in 1948 | www.lycoming.edu/library/archives/LC.html Songe, Alice H. American Universities and Colleges: A Dictionary of Name Changes. 1978. |
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| Williamsport Area Community College | Williamsport | Pennsylvania | 1941 | founded as Williamsport Technical Institute; name change to Pennsylvania College of Technology in 1989 | Brenner, Morgan G. The Encyclopedia of College & University Name Histories. 2003. | |||||||
| Wilson Female College | Franklin | Pennsylvania | 1834 | Several Franklin residents served on its board, including I. N. Hays, William M'Lellan, J. A. Crawford, J. W. Wightman, T. B. Kennedy, W. G. Reed, W. S. Fletcher, Thomas Creigh, W. A. West, W. D. M'Kinstry, J. C. M'lannahan, and W. S. Amberson. The college, a Presbyterian school, was first located in the former home of Col. Alexander McClure, and was named for Miss Sarah Wilson, whose generous donation of $30,000 allowed the school to open. | http://valley.vcdh.virginia.edu/outlines/education.html | |||||||
| Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 1850 | see entry for Female Medical College of Pennsylvania | www.collphyphil.org/FIND_AID/hist/histlmh1.htm | |||||||
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10/6/2008 | |||||||||||