Eastern College (Virginia)

Eastern College was established in Front Royal, Virginia in 1902.^[1] The co-educational college was non-denominational and had a no-hazing policy,^[1] On December 25, 1908, the college's lecture hall was destroyed by a fire.^[2] After the fair, college officials considered relocating.^[2] Some newspapers reported that the college was moving to Myersville, Maryland.^[2] However, the college's president and dean denied the reports, stating that this was untrue.^[2]

It relocated to Manassas, Virginia in 1909.^[1] The college borrowed funds to construct a new campus at the south end of Battle Street, while alumni and the town funded a gymnasium.^[1] While its new campus was under construction, it occupied the Baldwin House and part of the Manassas Improvement Corporation building.^[1] It also temporarily used the former Prince William Hotel as its women's dormitory.^[3] Construction was finished in 1910.^[1]

In 1912, the college had 22 faculty members.^[4] Its student enrollment was 184, with students from the local area, 22 states, and two foreign countries.^[1][5]

During World War I, the college's buildings were renovated and leased to the government for barracks.^[1] After the war, the buildings were returned to the college.^[1] Although the school prospered, it had signification debts.^[5] The college closed in 1920 due to low enrollment and financial challenges..^[1][6] It leased its buildings to a college for young women, also called Eastern College.^[1][5] That school closed in 1922.^[1]

In 1923, the former campus was sold at auction and was used by the Snavely School for Boys, a college preparatory school from 1924 to 1935.^[1][6][5] The campus was then transferred to Prince William Count which planned to use it for a vocational school, before finding it unsuitable.^[1][5] Abandoned, the buildings were razed in 1966 after a series of fires.^[1][6] The former campus is now Baldwin Park and the site of the Manassas Museum.^[6][5]

The college's purpose-built Manassas campus was located on the grounds of the historic Baldwin House.^[6][1] Architect Charles M. Robinson designed two matching four-story brick and concrete buildings, called East Hall and West Hall, as well as a gymnasium for the college,^[1][6] The halls accommodated classrooms, dormitories, and offices.^[1] East Hall, the men's dormitory, was completed in June 1909.^[6][5][4] West Hall, also called Vorhees Hall, was the women's dormitory; it was completed in June 1910, followed by the gymnasium in July 1910.^[6][5][4] The dormitories included single rooms, double rooms, and suites.^[4] The bathrooms had hot and cold running water and showers.^[4]

The music department was housed in Baldwin House.^[1] This pre-existing structure was built in 1890 and had previously housed five other schools.^[5]

Eastern College awarded a Bachelor of Pedagogy and a Bachelor of Literature (Lit.B.).^[4] The college offered preparatory, college, junior college, finishing school, and business curriculums.^[1] ts courses were grouped into groups for agriculture/home economics, chemistry/biology, history/political science, modern language, music, and philosophical-pedagogical,^[4] It also provided classes in the arts, drawing, elocution, and music.^[1]

Before enrolling, students were required to have completed a wide range of coursework, including high school and musical courses.^[4]

Eastern College had a College Christian Association, chapters of Eta Upsilon Gamma and Sigma Iota Chi sororities, and two literary societies—the Washington Irving and the Jeffersonian.^[1][7] Campus life included student debates and music recitals.^[1]