Colby-Sawyer College

New London Academy A legislative charter was granted by the State of New Hampshire in 1837 to eleven New London citizens for the purpose of establishing a school, the New London Academy , in the town. The eleven men who were named as the academy's incorporators were Joseph Colby, Anthony Colby, Perley Burpee, Jonathan Greeley, John Brown, Jonathan Herrick, David Everett, Samuel Carr, Walter Flanders, Jonathan Addison and Marshall Trayne. It was a coeducational secondary school, for which Susan Colby served as the first teacher and principal. It opened with a student body of 26 girls and one boy, but soon enrolled 54 male students. In 1858, the New Hampton Literary and Theological Institution moved to Fairfax, Vermont , and the New Hampshire Baptists , with encouragement from former Governor Anthony Colby and New London's Baptist minister, Ebenezer Dodge , assumed responsibility for the Academy. The name of the school was then changed to the New London Literary and Scientific Institute . The new Board of Trustees was made up of 24 members, three-fourths of whom had to be from New Hampshire but not from New London, and three-fourths of whom also had to be Baptists in good standing.

This section does not cite any sources . ( December 2022 ) In 1854, the Ladies Boarding House (later called Heidelberg) was built on what is now the New London green to accommodate up to 40 female students and the female faculty. Anthony Colby also purchased the original New London town meeting house and moved it to campus, where it was renovated to provide 20 double rooms for the male students. The building is called Colby Hall. In 1870, a brick Academy building was dedicated, located on the present site of Colgate Hall. The building provided dormitory space for 100 female students as well as classrooms, laboratories, library, gymnastic facilities, chapel, dining room, kitchen and laundry facilities. It burned in 1892.

The school was renamed again in 1878, becoming the Colby Academy , a tribute to the ongoing support of the Colby family of New London. Financed by Mary ("Mellie") Colgate, Colgate Hall was completed and dedicated in 1912, named in honor of the Colgate family whose members were dedicated supporters of the college. Colgate Hall housed female students, administrative offices, a library, dining room, kitchen, chapel, classrooms, and laundry. The male students continued to reside in Colby Hall. In 1922, H. Leslie Sawyer became headmaster of Colby Academy. He would lead the institution until 1955, leading its transition into a junior college. [ 4 ]

This section does not cite any sources . ( December 2022 ) After 90 years as a secondary school, Colby Academy trustees voted in 1927 to transform Colby Academy into a junior college and preparatory school for women. After this decision, the school changed names again in 1928, becoming the Colby School for Girls . In 1930, fourteen women received the first associate degrees conferred by the newly-renamed school. McKean Hall was built in 1930 and named for Horace G. McKean, Colby Academy's headmaster from 1899 to 1905. In 1931, Colby Hall was built, a residence hall named in honor of the Colby family. In 1931 Shepard Hall was built in honor of one of the original New London families who were trustees of the Academy and the College. In 1934 Burpee Hall was built, dedicated to the Burpee alumni, and trustees. The hall housed the library collection until 1949. In 1933, by an act of the New Hampshire Legislature, Colby School for Girls was changed to Colby Junior College for Women . The preparatory courses were phased out. On Oct. 18, 1941, Eleanor Roosevelt visited the college and gave a speech to the community at the Baptist church. In 1943, the college charter was amended by the New Hampshire General Court to allow the granting of baccalaureate programs .