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 FIRST-College in the U.S. in Antecedents, William and Mary College, Williamsburg, VA Posted by:  NorStar
N 37° 16.247 W 076° 42.498
18S E 348536 N 4126279
On the Wren Building in William and Mary College is a long list of firsts, including the claim that William and Mary College is the oldest college in the U.S. in antecedents, which go back to the proposed college at Henrico in 1619.
Waymark Code: WM80RD
Location: Virginia, United States
Date Posted: 01/04/2010
Views: 9
In Willimasburg on the west side of the Wren Building of the College of William and Mary, is a large white sign with gold engraved lettering with a long list of firsts. The text is as follows:
PRIOIRITIES
COLLEGE OF WILLIAM AND MARY.
Chartered February 8, 1693, by King Williams and Queen Mary.
Main building designed by Sir Christopher Wren.
FIRST College in the United States in its antecedence, which go back to the College proposed at Henrico (1619). Second to Harvard University in actual operation.
FIRST American College to receive its charter from the Crown under the Seal of the Privy Council, 1693. Hence it was known as "their Majesties' Royal College of William and Mary."
FIRST and ONLY American College to receive a Coat-of-Arms from the College of Heralds, 1694.
FIRST College in the United States to have a full Faculty, consisting of a President, six Professors, usher; and writing master, 1729.
FIRST College to confer medallic prizes: the gold medals donated by Lrd Botetourt in 1771.
FIRST College to establish an inter-collegiate fraternity, Phi Beta Kappa, December 5, 1776.
FIRST College to have the Elective System of study, 1779.
FIRST College to have the Honor System, 1779.
FIRST College to become a University, 1779.
FIRST College to have a school of Modern Language, 1779.
FIRST College to have a school of Municipal and Constitutional Law, 1779.
FIRST College to teach Political Economy, 1784.
FIRST College to have a school of Modern History, 1803.
Presented by the Colonial Capital Branch of the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities, 1914.
Quite a list for a college!
Concerning the first claim that the college is first in antecedence to Harvard, the web site for W&M states that plans were drawn up in 1618 (differing from the sign by a year), but an Indian uprising derailed the plans. The actual Royal Charter was signed February 8, 1693 for the college, many years after Harvard University was founded.
Phi Beta Kappa Society still exists on campus and has a web page on the William & Mary College's web site, at: Visit Site
About the Coat-of-Arms, there is a web page that briefly discusses it. The page states that today, William & Mary is the only public institution with a coat-of-arms, granted by the College of Arms in London. The web page is here: Visit Site
For the rest of the claims, maybe visitors can look them up and make comments!
FIRST - Classification Variable: Place or Location
Date of FIRST: 01/01/1619
More Information - Web URL: [Web Link]
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