Bowdon College

Bowdon College, established as Bowdon Collegiate Institution in 1856, was a college in Bowdon, Georgia and Georgia's first co-educational institution. It joined the state university system and was renamed Bowden State Normal and Industrial College.[1] After being removed from the state system in 1933, the college closed in 1936.

Not to be confused with Bowdoin College.

History

Bowdon Collegiate Institute was founded as a private institution in 1856 by Charles McDaniel and John Richardson. Starting in a two room log house in rural Bowdon, Georgia, the school was chartered the following year becoming Georgia's fifth chartered high-learning institution and first co-educational institution. With donated land, a new building was completed in 1859.[2][3]

During the Civil War the school closed for a short time as most students and McDaniel joined the Confederate army. Of its 144 students, 128 and McDaniel died in the war.[4] After the war in 1866, the George legislature passed a bill providing free tuition at institutions including Bowden for maimed or indigent former soldiers under 30.[5]

In 1919, due to economic and financial issues, the state legislature passed a bill to place the school under University of Georgia's trustees and renamed it Bowden State Normal and Industrial College.[6][7] The school remained part of the state system until 1933 when it was returned to private status as part of a consolidation effort during The Great Depression. It became a junior college but closed in 1936.[8][2]

Notable faculty

References
  1. Harrell, Bob (1979-03-14). "Bowdon College's Colorful History Revived In Book". The Atlanta Constitution. p. 19. Retrieved 2023-09-18.
  2. Bonner, James C. (2010-04-01). Georgia's Last Frontier: The Development of Caroll County. University of Georgia Press. pp. 54–56, 167–168. ISBN 978-0-8203-3525-4.
  3. "College Studies Its Family Tree". The Macon Telegraph. 1972-11-24. p. 3. Retrieved 2023-09-19.
  4. Johnson, Rheta Grimsley (1998-07-27). "New school supplies mean a fresh start". The Atlanta Constitution. p. 22. Retrieved 2023-09-19.
  5. Conway, Alan (September 18, 1966). "Reconstruction of Georgia". U of Minnesota Press – via Google Books.
  6. "Acts Passed by the General Assembly of Georgia". J. Johnston. September 18, 1919 – via Google Books.
  7. "Bowden Normal Bill Passes". The Macon Telegraph. 1919-07-24. p. 7. Retrieved 2023-09-19.
  8. "Site of Bowdon College historical marker - Digital Library of Georgia". dlg.usg.edu. Retrieved 2023-09-18.
  9. Chandler, Julian Alvin Carroll; Riley, Franklin Lafayette; Ballagh, James Curtis; Henneman, John Bell; Mims, Edwin; Watson, Thomas Edward; Mitchell, Samuel Chiles; Fleming, Walter Lynwood; McSpadden, Joseph Walker (September 18, 1909). "The South in the Building of the Nation: Southern biography, ed. by W. L. Fleming". Southern historical publication society – via Google Books.

Further reading
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