Benjamin Franklin University

Last updated

Note of duplicate name: Benjamin Franklin University, located in Annandale, Virginia, was open from 1995 to 1999 but had its name revoked by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. [1]

Benjamin Franklin University
Benjamin Franklin University - School of Accountancy.JPG
Benjamin Franklin University School of Accountancy
Type Private
ActiveAugust 17, 1925 (1925-08-17)–August 1987 (1987-08)
Location
Washington, D.C.
,
United States

38°54′14″N77°02′13″W / 38.903939°N 77.036951°W / 38.903939; -77.036951

Benjamin Franklin University was founded in Washington, D.C., on August 17, 1925. [2] [3] It was the successor to the Washington campus of Pace University, which had been established in 1907. [3] The university has since closed and is now operated by George Washington University.

The founding principles of Benjamin Franklin University were based upon Benjamin Franklin's doctrine of thrift and self-reliance. The university was especially adapted toward nontraditional students who had full-time employment during the day. The school gave adult learners the opportunity to earn a bachelor's degree in commercial science after three years of classes in accountancy and business administration. [2] The university also offered master's degrees in commercial science to graduate students. [2] Some classes were taught with a stereopticon, a type of slide projector, to show students manufacturing processing, forms, labor-saving accounting devices, and graphic cost presentations. [4] The first day of classes was September 15, 1925. [5] Classes were held at 17th and H streets NW.

The university's first graduating class was twenty percent female, but the university prohibited black students from enrolling until 1964, when picketing by civil rights leaders forced the university to open its admissions. [3] [6]

By 1981, the university was offering bachelor's and master's degrees in accountancy and financial management, and its classes were being held at 1100 16th Street NW. [7] A few years later, the District of Columbia's accountancy board imposed new requirements, and the school determined that it would need to add more liberal arts courses and more full-time faculty members in order to meet the new requirements, which would be more than it could afford to do. [3] [7] In August 1987, Benjamin Franklin University closed. [6] [7] At the time of its closing, the school had graduated about 8,000 students. [7] Students were allowed to enroll at George Washington University at reduced tuition. [6] Benjamin Franklin University donated $900,000 in investments, books, and equipment to George Washington University. [6]

The Benjamin Franklin University records are currently housed by the George Washington University Special Collections Research Center in the Estelle and Melvin Gelman Library. [8]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burleith</span> Neighborhood in Washington, D.C., United States

Burleith is a neighborhood in Washington, D.C., United States. It is bordered by 35th Street NW to the east, Reservoir Road NW and the historic Georgetown district to the south, Whitehaven Park to the north, and Glover Archbold Park to the west. The neighborhood is home to the Duke Ellington School of the Arts and the Washington International School.

<i>Judge</i> (magazine) Defunct American weekly satirical magazine

Judge was a weekly satirical magazine published in the United States from 1881 to 1947. It was launched by artists who had seceded from its rival Puck. The founders included cartoonist James Albert Wales, dime novels publisher Frank Tousey and author George H. Jessop.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Walter Nathan Tobriner</span> American diplomat

Walter Nathan Tobriner was the 22nd and final President of the Board of Commissioners of the District of Columbia and a U.S. ambassador.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Graham</span> Scottish-born American politician (1945–2017)

James McMillan Nielson Graham was a Scottish-born American politician and a member of the Council of the District of Columbia. As a Democrat he represented Ward 1 in Washington, D.C. from 1999 until 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gilbert Gude</span> American politician (1923–2007)

Gilbert Gude was an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for Maryland's 8th congressional district from 1967 to 1977. He was a member of the Republican Party.

The Mount Vernon Seminary and College was a private women's college in Washington, D.C. It was purchased by George Washington University in 1999, and became the Mount Vernon Campus of The George Washington University.

The Greater Washington Board of Trade is a network of business and non-profit leaders in Washington, D.C. The Board of Trade invests in the cultural infrastructure of the area and promotes the construction and maintenance of public venues, including for professional sports, civic meetings, conventions, arts, and cultural events. The organization is composed of membership levels that range from "Business Member" to "Chairman's Council". Notable organizations and companies that are currently a part of the Board of Trade include KPMG, Hilton Hotels, The Washington Post, and the Calvert Group.

The GW Hatchet is the student newspaper of the George Washington University. Founded in 1904, The Hatchet is the second-oldest continuously running newspaper in Washington, D.C., only behind The Washington Post. The Hatchet is often ranked as one of the best college newspapers in the United States and has consistently won awards from the Society of Professional Journalists and from the Associated Collegiate Press. Alumni of the GW Hatchet include numerous Pulitzer Prize winners, Emmy Award winners, politicians, news anchors, and editors of major publications.

Dallas Shirley was a basketball referee. He officiated more than 2000 basketball games in his 33-year career, which ended in 1966. He was the International Association of Approved Basketball Officials president from 1952 to 1953. He took part in the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, officiating basketball. He was a member of the first NBA officiating crew. He was enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1980.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">F Street House</span> Historic house in Washington, D.C., United States

The F Street House is today a historic 19th-century mansion in Washington, DC, blocks away from the White House, that serves as the official residence of the President of the George Washington University. It is a registered landmark on the National Register of Historic Places and was previously known as the Steedman-Ray House, Alexander Ray House, and as the F Street Club.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roy Lee Williams</span>

Roy Lee Williams was an American labor leader who was president of the Teamsters from May 15, 1981, to April 14, 1983.

Marcus Falkner Cunliffe (1922–1990) was a British scholar who specialized in cultural and military American Studies. He was particularly interested in comparing how Europeans viewed Americans and how Americans viewed Europeans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John A. Wilson (politician)</span> American politician (1943-1993)

John A. Wilson was an American politician. He served as the first Councilmember of the D.C. Council from the District of Columbia's Ward 2, as well as Chairman of the D.C. Council. The John A. Wilson Building, in the District of Columbia, is named after him.

Pauline "Polly" Ehrlich Shackleton was an American Democratic politician in Washington, D.C. She was elected as one of the original members of the Council of the District of Columbia in 1974 when D.C. gained home rule. She represented Ward 3 on the council from 1975 to 1987.

Nadine P. Winter was a community activist and a Democratic politician in Washington, D.C.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Constance McLaughlin Green</span> American historian

Constance McLaughlin Winsor Green was an American historian. She who won the 1963 Pulitzer Prize for History for Washington, Village and Capital, 1800–1878 (1962).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gelman Library</span>

The Estelle and Melvin Gelman Library, more commonly known as Gelman Library, is the main library of The George Washington University, and is located on its Foggy Bottom campus. The Gelman Library, the Eckles Library on the Mount Vernon campus and the Virginia Science and Technology Campus Library in Ashburn comprise the trio known as the George Washington University Libraries. The Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library and the Jacob Burns Law Library also serve the university. The Gelman Library is a member of the Washington Research Library Consortium and the Association of Research Libraries.

Gargoyle Magazine is a literary magazine based in Washington, D.C. It was established in 1976 by Russell Cox, Richard Peabody, and Paul Pasquarella. By 1977, Peabody was the only remaining original editor. He continued running the magazine until 1990 with several different co-editors. Before the magazine ceased publication in 1990, 36 issues had been released. It resurfaced in 1997 with Peabody and Lucinda Ebersole as editors and continues to this day.

Adriana Miller was born in Boston, Massachusetts during the Great Depression. After extensive studying from an early age, she pursued a career in dance, specifically jazz and Middle Eastern. During her time on stage as a jazz dancer, she worked with big names such as Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis, Jr. When she transitioned to Middle Eastern dance, she became a trendsetter and is often attributed to being a major player in the renaissance of Middle Eastern dance in Washington, DC. Her many achievements include teaching, choreography, performing as a professional dancer, producing, acting as an agent, working as a make-up artist, and designing costumes.

Elizabeth J. Somers founded the Mount Vernon Seminary in Washington, D.C. in 1875.

References

  1. ↑ "Closed Institutions (All)".
  2. 1 2 3 "NBenjamin Franklin University Founded: Business and Professional Courses Offered for Employed Students [ permanent dead link ]". The Washington Post. August 18, 1925. p. 18.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Kelly, John (March 22, 2014). "Answer Man audits the history of Benjamin Franklin University School of Accountancy". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 27. 2014.
  4. ↑ "Stereoption Adopted to Teach: School of Accountancy Will Use 950 Slides in Showing Methods [ permanent dead link ]". The Washington Post. August 30, 1925. p. R10.
  5. ↑ "Benjamin Franklin U. Class to Open Tuesday: Registration Large for Autumn Term in Accountancy and Business Administration [ permanent dead link ]". The Washington Post. September 13, 1925. p. 45.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Benjamin Franklin's Closing [ permanent dead link ]". The Washington Post. August 20, 1987. p, A22.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Feinberg, Lawrence (August 18, 1987). "D.C. Accounting School Closing: Changing Standards, Feud Doom Benjamin Franklin University [ permanent dead link ]". The Washington Post. p. B5.
  8. ↑ Preliminary Guide to the Benjamin Franklin University Records, 1925-1994, Special Collections Research Center, Estelle and Melvin Gelman Library, The George Washington University.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.