The Massachusetts State Colleges: An unsupported past, an uncertain future

• Main Author: Robie, Curt Douglas
• Language: ENG
• Published: ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst 1991
• Subjects: Education history|Higher education|Teacher education
• Online Access: https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations/AAI9132902

The study was undertaken to analyze the historical relationship between the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and its state colleges. In 1838, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts established the first normal school in the nation, with a specific mission to train individuals to become teachers in the common schools of the state. Over the past 150 years, much has happened to shape the present design of the Massachusetts State Colleges as they are known today. These institutions have evolved from single purpose institutions into liberal arts oriented state colleges. During the development of the state colleges, the Commonwealth has consistently neglected to support the colleges. As a result, the state colleges have, in many ways, become the weakest segment of the Massachusetts system of public higher education. This study attempts to show that where a history of ambivalence and neglect meets a period of uncertainty, in a time of declining resources, the dependent organizations are in serious trouble. Given the lack of support shown towards the state colleges as a result of political issues, changes in demographics, and the predominant role of private higher education in the state, the state colleges' mission, funding, and future are clouded in uncertainty. Research on this subject specifically centered on state archives, reports, and texts on the Massachusetts State Colleges and the history of higher education in the Commonwealth. Personal interviews with prominent Massachusetts political and educational leaders were also used to gain present perceptions of the Massachusetts higher education system and the role of the state colleges within that system. Conclusions were drawn from the data collected and recommendations were made on possible ways to enhance the role of the state colleges within the Massachusetts system of public higher education.