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William Sanders’s Vision for College

LOCATION: HIGHLAND ENTRANCE

Dr. William J. Sanders was president at Fitchburg State College from 1945 to 1950.

 

Born in New Haven, Connecticut on June 4, 1907, Sanders had a great passion for education. He earned his Bachelor's degree from Yale University in 1928 and taught in the Connecticut Public School system until 1932 when he left to teach in the Education Department at DePaul University in Chicago. In 1941 he came back to his home in New Haven as a Professor of Education and Director of Extension at the New Haven State Teachers College.

 

Sanders wrote many articles for the esteemed John Dewey Society yearbooks while in these positions. While at New Haven State Teachers College, Sanders helped write the seventh yearbook of the John Dewey Society. He and others emphasized that students should be able to learn spiritual values while also learning basic education.

 

Because of Sanders’ extensive experience, the State Board of Education announced on June 13, 1945 that he would become President of Fitchburg State. Although the official inauguration of President Sanders was not held until December 12, 1945, he was anticipating changes he would embark upon well before that date. ​

Sanders suspected enrollment would be up 25% with the end of World War II and a national teacher shortage, especially in the Industrial Arts. Many of I.A. teachers had moved to military services or to industries for war production. By September 12, 1945, the college saw a 34% increase in enrollment.

 

Sanders knew the budget issues for the school would hinder such growth, so he began negotiations with the federal government to move prefabricated housing from South Portland, Maine to Fitchburg for veteran students. 

 

Beyond accommodating post-war growth and change, Sanders oversaw the school’s transition into a college. By September 1946 he initiated a general education program inspired by the Harvard Report, General Education in a Free Society. Students would now take two and a half years of general education along with one and a half years of professional education. 

 

Sanders was also the chairman to a committee that reclassified faculty into four different ranks: Professor, Associate Professor, Assistant Professor, and Instructor. This new classification changed normal schools into teachers colleges. With this, the budget for teacher colleges began to increase.

 

Ultimately, Dr. William Sanders advanced  Fitchburg State towards the college it is today.

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