Description:
On May 7, 1847 the New York State Legislature chartered "a Free Academy for the purpose of extending the benefits of education gratuitously to parsons who have been pupils in the common schools of the ... city and county of New York". A month later, in a referendum, the voters of New York City overwhelmingly approved the legislation and agreed to have the Free Academy supported by local taxation. From this root grew a system of eleven senior colleges, one four-year technical college, six community colleges and graduate schools and professional programs -- the City University of New York. On May 7, 1997, 150 years after "charter day", alumni, students, faculty, and administrators celebrated the birth of publicly supported higher education in the United States. The United States Postal Service issued a commemorative postal card. An exhibit that opened at Baruch College -- site of the original Free Academy building -- brought to life the activities of the past 150 years through images and artifacts. This book reflects the curators' desire to make this material more widely available and they have expanded the text in order to narrate the major developments of the period 1847-1997. In addition to a general overview, the book treats such topics as the development of public higher education for women in New York City, student life and publications, athletics, and the colleges in times of war.
From the Free Academy to CUNY provides the first generally accessible narrative of the development of the City University of New York from its inception in 1847 as the Free Academy to its present status as the largest urban university in the country. The book includes an extensive bibliography of books,articles, dissertations and major policy documents, as well as chapter notes and an index.
The Free Academy was born in controversy and today the City University of New York is again in the midst of controversial changes. This book provides the background necessary to understand how the municipal college system emerged, developed and became a university. Over 120 annotated illustrations dramatize the 150 years in which it has been facing the challenge of educating "the children of the whole people". This book tells the story of an institution that, directly and indirectly has influenced the lives of innumerable New Yorkers, their families and New York City.
