Elms College Middle Years (1950-1979)

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Presented here are items that exhibit the history of the College of Our Lady of the Elms (Elms College) from 1950 to 1979. Bishop Christopher J. Weldon became the college's second president in 1949, and during the next three decades, Elms developed undergraduate programs in nursing, business management, and communication disorders in order to meet the needs of the surrounding community. Programs such as Social Work and Medical Technology were introduced during the 1950s, and in 1953 an evening program was established. In 1957, Elms College was incorporated as The Trustees of the College of Our Lady of the Elms. In 1958 Sr. Rose William Murphy became the college's first woman president, and during the next seven years she purchased various adjacent properties and began the construction of two buildings, the college center (later to become The Dooley Center) and the building later named Rose William Hall. In 1965 Monsignor Thomas Devine became president, both buildings were opened, and in 1973, the current library (later named Alumnae Library) was built. Edward R. D'Alessio became president in 1976, and four programs, continuing education, nursing, business management, and CSD were formed by 1978.