Springfield College
Library Services
263 Alden Street
Springfield, MA 01109-3739
| Year | Description |
| 1844 | George Williams founded the Young Men’s Christian Association in London |
| 1851 | First YMCA established in the United States (Boston) |
| 1885 | School for Christian Workers founded at Winchester Square in Springfield, Massachusetts, by Rev. David Allen Reed, to train Sunday School teachers and administrators of YMCAs; tuition was free |
| 1885 | Jacob T. Bowne creates and heads the School’s YMCA department and brings his extensive library of YMCA materials to the School |
| 1886 | First international student arrived |
| 1886 | The School completed construction of its first building at the corner of Sherman and State streets in Springfield, Mass. The Armory Hill YMCA rented space in the building for its operations. |
| 1887 | Luther Halsey Gulick pioneered the Department of Physical Education |
| 1889 | Luther Halsey Gulick developed the School’s inverted equilateral triangle logo, the basis for the YMCA’s official symbol, to represent spirit, mind, and body |
| 1889 | A new athletic grounds, located within five minutes' walk of the School building, was installed on May 1. |
| 1890 | School for Christian Workers incorporated as the YMCA Training School |
| 1890 | Football introduced on campus by student-instructor Amos Alonzo Stagg |
| 1891 | YMCA Training School incorporated as the International YMCA Training School |
| 1891 | Henry S. Lee named President |
| 1891 | Thirty acres on Lake Massasoit purchased |
| 1891 | James Naismith invented basketball |
| 1893 | Charles S. Barrows appointed President |
| 1894 | West (Judd) Gymnasium built |
| 1894 | Bicycle club established |
| 1895 | Alumnus William G. Morgan invented volleyball in Holyoke, Massachusetts |
| 1896 | First dormitory (present Administration building) constructed. Transfer to new campus completed |
| 1896 | Laurence Locke Doggett named first full-time President |
| 1896 | Student Association established |
| 1897-1900 | Association Outlook published |
| 1899 | Nobody’s Business begins publication for students |
| 1901 | Boathouse erected as center for aquatics instruction |
| 1901 | Alumnus Edgar M. Robinson appointed first national director of boys’ work for the YMCA |
| 1902 | Henry S. Lee dies |
| 1902 | International Lyceum organized |
| 1903 | International Society and Debating Society organized |
| 1904 | First gymnastics exhibition team organized |
| 1904 | Woods Hall constructed |
| 1905 | Massachusetts legislature gave permission to grant four degrees: bachelor and master of humanics and bachelor and master of physical education |
| 1906 | William Beckett, an African American, was the first graduate to receive a diploma |
| 1906 | Gerrish Grove acquired |
| 1907 | Student Senate organized |
| 1908 | Springfield Student first published |
| 1909-1910 | Philomathean Literary Society organized |
| 1910 | Pratt field created |
| 1910 | President Laurence Doggett and alumnus Edgar M. Robinson (’01) helped found the Boy Scouts of America |
| 1912 | School changed name to the International Young Men’s Christian Association College |
| 1912 | First rope pull |
| 1912 | Marsh Memorial dedicated |
| 1913 | McCurdy Natatorium constructed |
| 1913 | Football spiral snap from the center to punter invented |
| 1914 | Wrestling and swimming begin at the College |
| 1916 | Number of years of study changed from 3 to 4, beginning in September 1916 |
| 1916 | Summer courses begin |
| 1916 | First book on lifesaving, written by student George Goss, published |
| 1916 | Brass Band established |
| 1920 | First Junior Prom held |
| 1920 | Industrial department created |
| 1920 | New department of medical gymnastics established |
| 1922 | Seven acres of land on the south shore of Lake Massasoit acquired |
| 1923 | Physical Education Annex and Weiser Hall built |
| 1924 | Freshman camp started |
| 1926 | Bachelor of Science degree first granted |
| 1927 | Alumni Hall, a men's dormitory, completed (architect George C. Gardiner) |
| 1927 | First Master of Education degree presented |
| 1928 | Women admitted to all summer courses including classes for coaching of track, baseball, and basketball |
| 1928 | Lake Massasoit campsite purchased (now East Campus) |
| 1929 | First Master plan for future college adopted |
| 1929 | Peter Karpovich invented the natograph to test efficiency of swimming strokes |
| 1930 | East Campus established to integrate the benefits of outdoor recreation, adventure training, focused human development, and group work in outdoor, team-building programs |
| 1932 | Indian Pageant replaced the usual hazing of freshmen |
| 1933 | Women admitted |
| 1933 | Ted Shawn, modern dance pioneer and founder of Jacob's Pillow, started teaching at the College. |
| 1937 | Ernest M. Best becomes president |
| 1940 | Crew becomes a varsity sport |
| 1945 | Major blueprint for future development established |
| 1946 | Paul Limbert appointed President |
| 1947 | Memorial Field House brought to campus from upstate New York |
| 1950 | Abbey-Appleton Hall constructed |
| 1950 | Doctor of Physical Education program begins |
| 1951 | Women first accepted as full-time students |
| 1953 | Donald Stone becomes President |
| 1954 | Name officially changed to Springfield College |
| 1954 | New master plan and capital funds program developed |
| 1958 | Glenn H. Olds named President |
| 1958 | First endowed chair of physical education in the United States, Buxton Chair, awarded to the College |
| 1959 | Beveridge Center built |
| 1959 | Doggett Memorial (President’s House) dedicated |
| 1960 | Lakeside Hall completed |
| 1960 | Massasoit Hall constructed |
| 1961 | Schoo Hall built |
| 1963 | College adopts major Long-Range Development Plan |
| 1963 | College grants Bachelor of Arts degrees |
| 1963 | Women's intercollegiate athletic program begins |
| 1964 | International Hall built |
| 1965 | Wilbert E. Locklin becomes president |
| 1965 | Allied Health building erected |
| 1967 | Art Linkletter Natatorium constructed |
| 1968 | Cheney Hall built |
| 1969 | Gulick Hall opened |
| 1970 | Dana Building completed |
| 1971 | Babson Library opened |
| 1971 | Towne Health Center erected |
| 1972 | Blake track completed |
| 1973 | Benedum Field |
| 1975 | Bemis Hall built |
| 1979 | Memorial Field House condemned and razed |
| 1980 | Women’s cross country and golf became intercollegiate sports |
| 1980 | Physical Education Complex built |
| 1983 | Fuller Arts Center erected |
| 1988 | School of Human Services established at Springfield College |
| 1989 | Town Houses constructed |
| 1991 | Living Center & Graduate Student Annex completed |
| 1999 | Richard Flynn named President |
| 2010 | Springfield College Celebrates 125th Anniversary |
| 2013 | Mary-Beth Cooper becomes 13th President of Springfield College |
| 2017 | Harold C. Smith Learning Commons opened |
| 2023 | Health Sciences Center opened |
Springfield College
Library Services
263 Alden Street
Springfield, MA 01109-3739