Bradford Durfee College of Technology
Encyclopedia
The Bradford Durfee College of Technology was a college located in Fall River, Massachusetts
. It was chartered in 1895 as the Bradford Durfee Textile School. It was then incorporated in 1899 and opened in 1904.
In 1946, the name of the college was changed to the Bradford Durfee Technical Institute. In 1947, the school was allowed to grant the Bachelor of Science degree. In 1958, the name of the school was again changed to the Bradford Durfee College of Technology. This name change reflected the changing mission of the school, as it was now able to grant degrees. This also occurred because non-degree schools which granted degrees in less than four years were known as technical institures.
was also nearby, the state set up a committee to merge the schools. Bradford Durfee merged with New Bedford Institute in 1964 to form the Southeastern Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The new school was located in North Dartmouth. In 1991, the merged school became part of the University of Massachusetts
system as the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
.
Fall River, Massachusetts
Fall River is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is located about south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and west of New Bedford and south of Taunton. The city's population was 88,857 during the 2010 census, making it the tenth largest city in...
. It was chartered in 1895 as the Bradford Durfee Textile School. It was then incorporated in 1899 and opened in 1904.
Creation and beginnings
The school was originally built with $35,000 in funds from the state. These funds were then matched by the state, following a precedent at the other two state textile schools in Lowell and New Bedford. The first class was five days a week and involved 163 students. Four general courses were offered, with the subjects mainly focusing around textiles. A three year program in General Cotton Manufacturing was also offered along with two courses in Designing and Weaving and in Chemistry and Dyeing. As time went on and the curriculum got more intense, the courses were extended to three years. Around that time, a course in Mechanical Engineering was also added.In 1946, the name of the college was changed to the Bradford Durfee Technical Institute. In 1947, the school was allowed to grant the Bachelor of Science degree. In 1958, the name of the school was again changed to the Bradford Durfee College of Technology. This name change reflected the changing mission of the school, as it was now able to grant degrees. This also occurred because non-degree schools which granted degrees in less than four years were known as technical institures.
Merger
In the 1950s and 60s, the school had plans of expansion. As nearby New Bedford Institute of TechnologyNew Bedford Institute of Technology
The New Bedford Institute of Technology was a public college located in New Bedford, Massachusetts, United States. It was founded in 1899 as the New Bedford Textile School.-History:...
was also nearby, the state set up a committee to merge the schools. Bradford Durfee merged with New Bedford Institute in 1964 to form the Southeastern Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The new school was located in North Dartmouth. In 1991, the merged school became part of the University of Massachusetts
University of Massachusetts
This article relates to the statewide university system. For the flagship campus often referred to as "UMass", see University of Massachusetts Amherst...
system as the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth is one of five campuses and operating subdivisions of the University of Massachusetts . It is located in North Dartmouth, Massachusetts, United States, in the center of the South Coast region, between the cities of New Bedford to the east and Fall River...
.