Brooklyn College was founded in 1930 and was the first public liberal arts college in NY where both boys and girls could study together. The institution was supposed to become a place where children of immigrants and working-class individuals could achieve a better life through quality education, which, importantly, was free of charge. Read more at brooklyn1.one.
Construction of the official campus
The campus was located in the busiest part of downtown Brooklyn, close to a bustling commercial thoroughfare. Students, in the early 1930s, claimed that Brooklyn College was at its best during the spring season.
After two years, the college occupied another building, prompting the emergence of an official campus. There were several locations considered, and the president, Boylan, accepted a project proposed by architect Randolph Evans in the Midwood area. Evans designed a campus in the Georgian style. It faced a central quadrangle and was connected to a library building.
By the way, the land was used at that time as a golf course, a football field and a performance venue for Barnum & Bailey Circus.
Although the city was affected by the Great Depression, remarkable progress was achieved. On December 21, 1934, the city’s Budget Committee approved the purchase of the Midwood site for $1,625,528. The Public Works Administration allocated $5 million for the construction. On October 2, 1935, Mayor Fiorello La Guardia laid the foundation stone of the new Brooklyn College campus. Workers completed most of the buildings within two years.
Financial crisis
President Roosevelt laid the cornerstone for the gymnasium. He expressed his pleasure in being there and wished Brooklyn College a successful future, hoping it would thrive for the next generations. Over the following decades, the college’s reputation improved, partly due to the outstanding teachers. Everyone believed that students would also rank among the most proficient in the city. They had to take a very hard entrance test.
In 1961, Brooklyn College joined the City University of New York. At this time, the most turbulent period began for the college. The Vietnam War and racial empowerment movements resulted in regular protests. Both students and teachers participated in debates. The college became known because it accepted controversial figures, including Abbie Hoffman, Bob Dylan and Malcolm X.
Considering the times, in 1970, CUNY allowed any resident of New York City to attend college, regardless of their abilities. Within just a few years, over 30,000 students studied at Brooklyn College. As a result, there was a shortage of classrooms, a depletion of services and financial issues. The college closed its main campus and began dismissing teachers and administration.
The Return of former glory
Five years later, Brooklyn College began to revive, thanks to the establishment of a nationally recognized curriculum in 1981. Moreover, the college also began hiring new faculty members again.
The new curriculum prompted the improvement of facilities and the initiation of a construction campaign. By the late 1990s, the library had been renovated. It expanded its collection. The library housed new media services, including archival collections. Subsequently, the West Quad Center was added to the campus. It became home to all student services and athletic facilities. The Leonard and Claire Tow Center for the Performing Arts incorporated performance spaces, workshops, an exhibition space and a 200-seat theater.
Under the leadership of the college’s ninth president, Karen L. Gould, a major transformation took place in the fall of 201. Four new schools were created. The School of Business, the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, the School of Natural and Behavioral Sciences, and the School of Visual, Media and Performing Arts were also added.