Annhurst College

{{Short description|Catholic college in South Woodstock, Connecticut, US}}

{{Infobox university

| name = Annhurst College

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| former_name = Ker-Anna Junior College

| motto = Deus Primus Serviatur{{cite news |url=https://issuu.com/the_anchor/docs/02.01.62 |title=Annhurst College in Connecticut Among Few In Nation Offering Lithuanian Courses |newspaper=The Anchor |publisher=Diocese of Fall River |page=15 |date=February 1, 1962 |access-date=September 12, 2018 |via=issuu}}

| motto_lang = la

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| established = {{start date|1941}}

| closed = {{end date|1980}}

| founder = Mother Marie-Louis du Sacré-Coeur, D.H.S.

| religious_affiliation = Catholic

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| city = South Woodstock

| state = Connecticut

| country = United States

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| coordinates = {{Coord|41.928|-71.957}}

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Annhurst College was a private Catholic college in South Woodstock, Connecticut, United States. Operating from 1941 to 1980, the school was founded and administered by the Daughters of the Holy Spirit (at that time known as the Daughters of the Holy Ghost). The college's curriculum was career-focused.

Annhurst was a women's college for most of its history, and began accepting male students for full-time studies in the fall of 1972.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/23663270/annhurst_opens_college_to_men/ |title=Annhurst Opens College to Men |newspaper=Hartford Courant |location=Hartford, Connecticut |page=10 |date=July 25, 1972 |access-date=September 12, 2018 |via=newspapers.com}}

History

File:Greetings from Annhurst College, Putnam, Conn (75787).jpg of Annhurst College.]]

Annhurst College was founded in 1940 by Mother Marie-Louis du Sacré-Coeur, the Provincial Superior of the American Province of the Daughters of the Holy Spirit, as Ker-Anna Junior College, an all-women's institution. The name honored a major French shrine to Saint Ann located in the village of Sainte-Anne-d'Auray in Brittany, the region of France where the Sisters had been founded and first served. The first classes were held on September 23, 1941.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/23663232/keranna/ |title=KER-ANNA |newspaper=Hartford Courant |location=Hartford, Connecticut |page=2 |date=April 28, 1941 |access-date=September 12, 2018 |via=newspapers.com}} The name was changed two years later, when the school was accredited as a full four-year college by the State of Connecticut.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/23663258/new_womens_college/ |title=New Women's College |newspaper=Hartford Courant |location=Hartford, Connecticut |page=18 |date=April 7, 1943 |access-date=September 12, 2018 |via=newspapers.com}} The new name was created as a combination of "Ann" with the Old English suffix "-hurst," referring to the grove-like setting of the campus.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/367744245/ |title=State Board Accredits New College |newspaper=Hartford Courant |location=Hartford, Connecticut |page=2 |date=May 26, 1944 |access-date=November 2, 2019 |via=newspapers.com}}

Student life on campus included a newspaper called The Heather, a yearbook called The Sylvan, and athletic programs.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/367911551/ |title=Society and Clubs |newspaper=Hartford Courant |location=Hartford, Connecticut |page=13 |date=October 31, 1945 |access-date=November 2, 2019 |via=newspapers.com}}{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/367870437/ |title=Society and Clubs |newspaper=Hartford Courant |location=Hartford, Connecticut |page=17 |date=November 15, 1945 |access-date=November 2, 2019 |via=newspapers.com}} An alumnae association was formed in 1945 by the first graduating class.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/367717297/ |title=Annhurst College Forms Association of Alumni |newspaper=Hartford Courant |location=Hartford, Connecticut |page=6A |date=June 3, 1945 |access-date=November 2, 2019 |via=newspapers.com}} Students called their college "Annie U."{{cite web |url=https://daughtersoftheholyspirit.org/2019/10/08/annhurst-college-alumni-go-home/ |title=Annhurst College Alumni Go Home |access-date=November 2, 2019}}

Annhurst had an active arts community. The college sponsored and housed the Eastern Connecticut Performing Arts Group, which had 50 members at the time of the college's closure.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/242703372/ |title=Performing Arts Group Seeks 6-Month Extension |newspaper=Hartford Courant |location=Hartford, Connecticut |page=E24 |date=February 12, 1980 |access-date=November 2, 2019 |via=newspapers.com}} In 1967, the college decided to construct a new fine arts building to meet demand;{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/371080228/ |title=Advertisement for Bids |newspaper=Hartford Courant |location=Hartford, Connecticut |page=9 |date=August 19, 1967 |access-date=November 2, 2019 |via=newspapers.com}} it opened in 1970 as the Annhurst College Cultural Center.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/367800865/ |title=Selectmen View 1970 As Year of Achievement |newspaper=Hartford Courant |location=Hartford, Connecticut |page=10B |date=January 3, 1971 |access-date=November 2, 2019 |via=newspapers.com}}{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/372611816/ |title=Director Praises Theater Facilities |newspaper=Hartford Courant |location=Hartford, Connecticut |page=34 |date=March 25, 1971 |access-date=November 2, 2019 |via=newspapers.com}} Although a private, Catholic college, Annhurst had received state funding for its cultural center's construction.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/254824173/ |title=Parochial Aid Cases Going to Top |last1=Ringle |first1=William |newspaper=Binghamton Press |location=Binghamton, New York |page=7B |date=February 16, 1971 |access-date=November 2, 2019 |via=newspapers.com}} This was found not to be in violation of the Establishment Clause of the United States Constitution by the Supreme Court of the United States in Tilton v. Richardson (1970).{{cite web |url=https://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-supreme-court/403/672.html |title=TILTON v. RICHARDSON |access-date=November 2, 2019}}{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/243348720/ |title=High court rules out private school aids |newspaper=Kenosha News |location=Kenosha, Wisconsin |page=1 |date=June 28, 1971 |access-date=November 2, 2019 |via=newspapers.com}}

In its final years, administrators tried multiple approaches to counter the college's mounting debt, which reached $4 million (USD) by 1980.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/243348720/ |title=College's Property Becomes Memorabilia |last1=Kelley |first1=Dan |newspaper=Hartford Courant |location=Hartford, Connecticut |page=17 |date=April 14, 1980 |access-date=November 2, 2019 |via=newspapers.com}} Co-educational evening and part-time students were accepted by 1971,{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/367797670/ |title=Extension Course |newspaper=Hartford Courant |location=Hartford, Connecticut |page=18 |date=January 1, 1971 |access-date=November 2, 2019 |via=newspapers.com}} with men admitted as full students starting in 1972. The Annhurst International Institute provided English as a second language education to international students.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/368144562/ |title=33 Students Get Awards At Institute |newspaper=Hartford Courant |location=Hartford, Connecticut |page=19C |date=May 14, 1978 |access-date=November 2, 2019 |via=newspapers.com}} In 1977, the college began offering admission to students with learning disabilities who were unable to complete high school.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/241003550/ |title=Annhurst Committee to Investigate Rules |newspaper=Hartford Courant |location=Hartford, Connecticut |page=26 |date=April 8, 1977 |access-date=November 2, 2019 |via=newspapers.com}} In an appeal to Catholic students, administrators emphasized philosophy and religion in the curriculum. A month before closing, the college auctioned off physical assets, including its sign.

At its closing in May 1980,{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/23663215/annhurst_college_closes_with_36th/ |title=Annhurst College Closes With 36th Graduation |first=Mark |last=McGrath |newspaper=Hartford Courant |location=Hartford, Connecticut |page=1 |date=May 26, 1980 |access-date=September 12, 2018 |via=newspapers.com}} Annhurst had 350 students, 25 of whom were male.{{citation needed|date=November 2019}}.

Former campus

The rural {{convert|180|acre|km2|adj=on}} campus was sold to Data General Corporation, headquartered in Westborough, Massachusetts.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/23663172/data_general_taking_hold_at_annhurst/ |title=Data General Taking Hold At Annhurst |first=Rebecca M. |last=Bettis |newspaper=Hartford Courant |location=Hartford, Connecticut |page=B5 |date=November 26, 1981 |access-date=September 12, 2018 |via=newspapers.com}} The Data General Facilities group, led by Roland Quillia, converted the college to a Field Engineering training center. The converted Data General field engineering training center opened in November 1981.

In 1997, the campus was sold to Hyde School, based in Bath, Maine.

In 2017, the campus was purchased by the locally based Woodstock Academy.{{cite web |url=https://www.woodstockacademy.org/about/history |title=History of Woodstock Academy |access-date=September 12, 2018}} The former Annhurst College Student Center is named Annhurst Hall.