Curry College - History

History

The school was founded as the School of Elocution and Expression in 1879 on Boston's Commonwealth Avenue by Anna Baright. Prior to this, Baright taught elocution at Milwaukee Female College, as well as graduating with honors from the Boston University School of Oratory in 1877. Baright was described by one of her professors as "the greatest woman reader in the country." In 1882, Baright married Boston minister and fellow Boston University alumnus and professor Samuel Silas Curry, who later became the school's namesake.

In 1885, the name to the school was changed to the School of Expression, and Boston University trustees gave Curry the right to merge his private lessons into the School of Expression. In 1888, the school was chartered by the state, and Curry left his position at Boston University. Samuel Silas Curry was the head of the school, and Anna Baright Curry a professor. Former Boston University School of Oratory professor and telephone inventor Alexander Graham Bell became the school's first chancellor in 1907, a position he held until his death in 1922. Bell was a professor of Samuel Silas Curry's, and later Curry was present when Bell made the first telephone call in 1876. Samuel Silas Curry and Anna Baright Curry ran the school until their respective deaths in 1921 and 1924. The founders left a lasting impact on the school, with the operations remaining relatively unchanged for nearly a decade after their passing. In 1938, the Massachusetts Legislature gave the institution the power to confer the degrees of Bachelor of Science of oratory and Master of Science of oratory. In 1943, the School of Expression became Curry College, to reflect its founders.

In 1952, the college moved from Commonwealth Avenue in Boston to its current suburban location in Milton, Massachusetts. With the move, Curry placed strong emphasis on communication and self-development. In 1953, Curry College became authorized to confer degrees in the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science, with the first of these degrees awarded in 1955. Throughout the 1960s, Curry College's prevailing emphasis was on becoming accredited, which was achieved in 1970. This allowed Curry College to become a traditional four-year liberal arts college.

After obtaining accreditation, Curry College launched again into pioneering programs. In 1970, the Program for Advancement of Learning (PAL) was established, the nation's first college-level program for students with language-based learning difficulties. In 1974, Curry absorbed the Perry Normal School, which taught teachers of nursery, kindergarten, and primary levels. In 1977, Curry took over the Children's Hospital nursing school and converted it to a degree-granting program. In 1981, Curry established a master's degree program in education. Individually initiated majors, field experience, and equivalent education became increasingly important in this decade. As of the Fall of 2012, Curry College offers 20 majors and over 65 minors and concentrations to its students.