Nathaniel Hawthorne College
Private college in Antrim, New Hampshire (1962–1988)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Nathaniel Hawthorne College, later Hawthorne College, was a nonprofit private liberal arts college in Antrim, New Hampshire. It opened in 1962. The college merged with the Florida Institute of Technology in 1982. It closed in 1988.
| |
Other name | Hawthorne College |
|---|---|
| Type | Private |
| Active | 1962–1988 |
| Founder | Kenneth McLaughlin |
| Affiliation | Florida Institute of Technology |
| Location | , United States |
| Colors | Green and gold |
Sporting affiliations | ECAC Northeast |
| Mascot | Highlander |
History
Nathaniel Hawthorne College was a nonprofit private coeducational liberal arts college founded in 1962 by John Berrigan, Kenneth McLaughlin, and Joseph Whelton who purchased the property for the college.[1][2][3] McLaughlin served as the college's president.[4]
The college had 100 students for its first semester in September 1962.[5][6] Its enrollment was quickly boosted to as many as 700 students by men seeking to avoid the draft for the Vietnam War.[4] When the war ended, enrollment dropped to 500 students, and the college was forced to lay off some of its faculty.[4]
McLaughlin decided that continuing as just a liberal arts college would bring about the college's extinction.[4] He was a noted "aviation enthusiast" and already owned a private airport.[4] In 1971, a curriculum in aviation was added.[3][2] By 1980, aviation was the college's mainstay, helping to keep it open and attracting some 65 percent of its students.[4] The college owned nineteen aircraft for the 315 enrollees in the program in the fall of 1979.[4] Of the 528 students enrolled that semester, fifteen percent were from foreign countries, including France, Greece, Japan, Venezuela, and several African countries.[4] As a result, the college began offering special English classes.[4]
In 1982, the college merged with the Florida Institute of Technology.[3] Its academic focus changed to aeronautics, business, and computer science.[3][7] It also shortened its name to Hawthorne College and was rechartered by the State of New Hampshire.[3]
The college's enrollment declined, and its operating debt increased to $400,000 a year ($1,133,568 in today's money).[5] In 1987, it had less than 300 students.[5] Time magazine noted that even with the inducement of flying lessons, Hawthorne had less than half the number of day students it needed to fill its freshman class.[8] With long-term debts over $4 million, the college declared bankruptcy in 1988 and began plans to liquidate its assets.[5] It graduated its last class in April 1988.[5] The college officially closed in 1988.[9][1]
After its closure, the college campus was bought by Maruzen Construction Company of Japan in 1990.[2] In 1992, Maruzen opened an aviation college similar to the later years of Hawthorne College, but this institution was short-lived.[2] The former college was then was owned by a Maharishi meditation school.[7] In 2014, it was purchased by the nonprofit Overseas United Education, which opened a preparatory school called the Hawthorne Academy in the fall of 2017.[7]
The college's former airfield is now the Hawthorne–Feather Airpark, a privately owned public-use airport.
Campus
The college was located on the former Flint Estate in North Branch, Antrim, New Hampshire.[2] It also included a former airport.[4] The campus consisted of 900 acres (360 ha) that overlooked the North Bridge River.[4] The campus expanded to include properties in three towns, twenty buildings, and a 50 acres (20 ha) airfield with a 3,500 feet (1,100 m) runway.[5]
In 1984, the surviving historic buildings of the Flint Estate were listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Student life
The student yearbook was Janus.[10] The college had a chapter of Kappa Sigma fraternity from 1975 to 1982.[9] It also had a chapter of Alpha Eta Rho, a professional aviation fraternity. The college's marching band included bagpipes and highland dancers.[11]
Athletics
The Hawthorne College mascot was the Highlander and its colors were green and gold.[12] From 1984 to 1988, the college was a member of the ECAC Northeast, an intercollegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division III.[13] Prior to that, it belonged to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics[14][15] and the New England Intercollegiate Association.[16]
Its team won the ESCC 1972–73 ice hockey championship. Its team played in the 1983 NAIA Ice Hockey Championship semifinals[14] and won its ice hockey district championship in 1973–74, 75–76. It played NCAA Division III hockey from 1984 to 1988.
The college had both a men's and women's basketball team.[17][18][19][20] It also had baseball,[16] men's lacrosse, men's soccer,[21] skiing and cross country teams.
Notable people
Alumni
Faculty
- Ronald C. Arkin, computer science department chair known as a roboticist and roboethicist
- David Arseneault, athletic director and women's basketball coach
- Baldwin Domingo, military aviation history professor; later served in the New Hampshire House of Representatives
- John B. Harwood, professor, later served in the Rhode Island House of Representatives
- Charles W. Thomas, professor of science, a rank of rear admiral in the U.S. Coast Guard[22]
See also
Further reading
- Shea, William F. Birth of a College. Antrim: Nathaniel Hawthorne College, 1966.