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Garland Junior College
In March 1976, economic shifts resulted in a vote by the Board of Trustees to transfer the Garland Junior College name, physical facilities, and certain other assets to Simmons College. Garland Junior College graduated its last class of 98 students in May 1976.
The historical records of Garland Junior College are held by the Simmons College Archives. These materials contain information, documents, publications, and photographs relating to administrative issues, courses, student work, and alumnae associations.
The Simmons College Archives is pleased to present this exhibit highlighting Garland Junior College.
A Brief History of Garland Junior College
Miss Mary Garland (above) was born in Calais, Maine and arrived in Boston in 1871 after having taught in Montreal for six years. In 1872, Miss Garland established the Garland Kindergarten Training School to offer kindergarten teacher training. Located on Chestnut Street in Boston's Beacon Hill neighborhood, it was one of the earliest such schools in New England.
Detail from a Garland Kindergarten Training School brochure, ca. 1901
Mrs. Margaret J. Stannard (above) became the School's second director in 1901 and established a homemaking course in 1902. In 1903, the name of the school was changed to the Garland School of Homemaking (GSH). Both homemaking and kindergarten courses were offered until 1909 when, with the emphasis placed on homemaking, the kindergarten courses were dropped from the curriculum. In 1913, the GSH was incorporated as a non-profit-sharing institution with a governing Board of Trustees.
Students began living in small groups in rented practice houses on Beacon Hill in the 1920s. There they were trained by live-in advisers to prepare budgets, plan meals, purchase food, and supervise housekeeping activities. Classroom courses and required attendance at many of Boston's cultural events completed the students' educational experience at the Garland School of Homemaking.
Course program, 1925
Between 1928 and 1952, Garland Junior College affiliated with Boston University
to establish a Department of Home Economics, administered first through BU's
School of Education and later through BU's College of Practical Arts and Letters,
which conferred a degree of Bachelor of Science in Practical Arts and Letters. In 1947, the Higher Board of Collegiate Authority authorized Garland School of Homemaking as a Junior College, and the Board of Trustees received the right to
grant Associate in Science degrees in Homemaking and Art. Garland Junior College became a member of the New England Association
of Colleges and Secondary Schools in 1952.
In 1931, the GSH moved to three buildings, purchased by the Board of Trustees, on Commonwealth Avenue, numbers 341, 343, and 409. An increase in registrations prompted the purchase of two additional buildings in 1932 and 1937. Following the establishment of an Art Department in 1940, another house was purchased at 413 Commonwealth Avenue to serve as an Art Center. It's twin house, at 415 Commonwealth, was purchased later.
In 1945, the GSH received the house at 411 Commonwealth from the Robert Stow Bradley family in memory of his wife, Leslie Newell Bradley. The house at number 407 was also a gift to the college, from the McCormick estate. Other Commonwealth Avenue locations were numbers 315, 319, 321, 329, 337, 349, 377 and 419.
In all, 19 buildings comprised Garland Junior College; many of the buildings were turn-of-the century homes located in the 300 and 400 blocks of Commonwealth Avenue and Marlborough Street (purchases at this location were made after 1965).
By 1947, the enrollment included 87 resident students and 84 day students. Of these, 128 students were registered in the Homemaking course and 43 in the Art Center course.
Majors were offered in Retailing, Child Study, Foods and Nutrition, Fashion Design, General Design, and Interior Design.
Interior Design class, 1950s
By 1966, there were 380 students from thirty states and eleven foreign countries. The academic programs were still organized under two courses, Home Economics and Art, with majors in Child Study, Food and Nutrition, Retailing, General Home Economics (added in 1962), Interior Design, Fashion Design, and General Design.
Art class, 1970s
Gladys Beckett Jones, a faculty member and former Trustee, became the third Director of the School and its first president, serving from 1930 to 1962.
The photo above is ca. 1940s.
President Frederic Viaux, former
Academic Dean, served 1962-1970.
President Canon G. Gardner Monks (photo not available), a Trustee and founding Headmaster of Lenox School, served as interim president in 1970-1971.
President Alice Thurston, from the Metropolitan Jr.College in Kansas City, served from 1971 through 1975.
President Sarah Broadrick-Allen, former Dean of Educational Affairs, served in 1975-1976.
In March 1976, economic shifts resulted in a vote by the Board of Trustees to transfer the Garland Junior College name, physical facilities, and certain other assets to Simmons College. Garland Junior College graduated its last class of 98 students in May 1976.
Please Note: The images and text on the Simmons College Archives web site are made available for study purposes only. They may not be reproduced in any form without prior written permission from the Simmons College Archives. For further information, please call 617-521-2440.
Page updated: July 9, 2007
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