The Bradford College Room

Why is the special collections room in the library named for Bradford College? Bradford College was a small, coed, liberal arts college in Haverhill, Massachusetts, that was founded as Bradford Academy in 1803. In May 2000, the college closed its doors because of declining enrollments. After fulfilling its outstanding financial obligations, the college's remaining $3.6 million endowment was transferred to Hampshire College by court order in 2005. In recognition of this award, the trustees of Hampshire College voted to name the special collections room in the library the Bradford College Room.

Several Hampshire trustees, and trustees and alumnae of Bradford, attended the formal dedication on October 13, 2007. President Ralph Hexter, Board Chair Florence Ladd, and Director of Library and Information Services Gai Carpenter spoke on behalf of the College, expressing thanks for the endowment and hope for the future activities it would support at Hampshire. Karen M. Sughrue, chair of the Bradford College Board of Trustees, pointed out similarities between Bradford and Hampshire: the interdisciplinary curriculum, the self-directed study, the unique faculty, and the social and civic engagement, exemplified by the Bradford College motto, Surgo Ut Prosim (I Rise To Serve). Her closing wish was that Hampshire should "...do as Bradford couldn't, live long and prosper."

The celebration concluded with the serving of the Bradford Cake, a rich mocha cake with mocha and boiled white frostings and a chocolate glaze, baked from the original Bradford College recipe by our intrepid dining hall services, Sodexho/Marriott.

For more information about Bradford College, including how to request a transcript of your records, please see the website of the Bradford College Alumni Association.