Talk:Jonathan Edwards College

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Is this the oldest college? That is currently claimed on the Branford College site. CoolGuy 06:12, 9 December 2005 (UTC)

It is often that I come across the fallacy that Branford and Saybrook are the oldest two colleges at Yale. In fact, JE was founded a year earlier in 1932. This is well known in JE, particularly since several historic organizations celebrated Jonathan Edwards's 300 birthday at the college a couple years ago. Branford became a college in 1933, a year later, which is posted on the site. Its reference as the oldest college is an abreviated quote from Robert Frost, which may or may not be taken out of context.

In the Building a University exhibit at Sterling Library several years ago, the history of the colleges was presented. Basically, several older structures were modified and expanded to build the first few residential colleges. For JE, the existing Wheelock, Dickinson, and Kent Halls were expanded, Part of Weir Hall was annexed from Skull and Bones, and the Great Hall was constructed in 1932. These buildings were built in the mid 20s. Branford and Saybrook were converted from Memorial Quadrangle, which was built before the above Halls, however, the Branford side of the quad was not converted into Branford until 1933. These dates can be verified at http://www.library.yale.edu/archives300/exhibits/building/building.html. While this site is not accessible off campus, it may be accessible on campus.

Further, there's a link on the page to an NY times clip about the college on the eve of its opening; a pro-quest historical NY times search shows the article dated in 1932, verifing that JE opened in that year.

Since the Frost quote is abbreviated, it may be referring to Memorial Quadrangle. If it is referring to Branford, Frost is incorrect, as the age of the underlying edifices is not the same as the age of the colleges. The colleges are institutions rather than mere buildings.

In any event, I've heard anecdotally that the first Master of a residential college, Robert French, went to Cambridge and Oxford to study the college system first-hand so that he could effectively launch it. Upon seeing the plans for the colleges, he chose to be Master of JE, because he felt it most closely resembled the residential atmosphere of the colleges across the pond.

Behack 02:21, 9 December 2005 (EST)

[edit] Mind altering powers?

"...and a testimony to Yale's mind-altering powers." I deleted this phrase at the end of the Namesake section. Any reason why that phrase was here?

I haven't looked at it in situ, but perhaps it's an effort to give Yale the credit/blame for Jonathan's conversion. (Leland Ross, JE '76 dropout.) --Haruo 15:16, 1 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Masters and Deans?

I don't have the list at hand to do it (and document it) myself, but it seems to me a list of the college's Masters and Deans to date would be an appropriate companion piece to the list of illustrious alums. There is an article on Beekman Cox Cannon in the Esperanto Wikipedia... --Haruo 15:16, 1 April 2007 (UTC)