Experimental College

Collection — Box: 145

Identifier: MSS 1991-006

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This collection is comprised of papers concerning an investigation into the feasibility of an Experimental College without grades or formal structure at The Florida State University during the early 1960s. The papers are dated from 1962 to 1964, with a large majority of the collection from 1964, and the papers are in no discernible order.

Dates

created: 1962-1964

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open to all researchers.

Conditions Governing Use

To request permission to quote, publish, broadcast or otherwise reproduce from the archives, please contact Heritage & University Archives, Florida State University Libraries, Tallahassee, Florida. Researchers must obtain separate permission from the copyright holders of material held within University Archives collections for which the institution does not hold copyright.

Biographical or Historical Information

The Florida State University, one of the largest and oldest institutions of higher learning in the State University System of Florida, had its beginning in 1851 when the Florida Legislature established two seminaries. In February 1857, the institution began offering postsecondary instruction to male students at the Seminar West of the Suwannee River. The following year it became coeducational when it merged with the Tallahasse Female Academy.

By 1897 the institution had evolved into the first liberal arts college in the state, and in 1901 it became Florida State College, a four year institution. In 1905 the University of Florida was established and designated a men's school, and the Florida State College became a women's school call the Florida Female College. In 1909 the name of the college was changed to Florida State College for Women.

In 1947, the Florida State College for Women was returned to coeducational status and renamed The Florida State University. By the 1980s, the University was recognized as a major research institute with over 370 buildings on nearly 1200 acres including the main campus of 346 acres in Tallahassee.