Franklin & Marshall College

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exam, the professors agreed to the apology, but insisted that the students take the final exam. On May 22, the day of the exam, 40 black students—many of whom were not enrolled in the course—blocked the entrance to the exam room in Old Main. The professors attempted to hand out the exam, but the protesters confiscated them. Retreating to Goethean Hall next door, the professors and staff met to evaluate the situation. The protesters followed them to the building, blocked all doors and exits and held them

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women's swimming team placed second. At that championship, Thomas Anthony Grabiak Jr. of F&M set Centennial Conference championship meet records in the 100 and 200 yd breaststroke events. Men's squash consistently maintains a top 20 Division I national ranking. In 1987 the men's squash team finished 15-1 and achieved a #2 national ranking led by four time all-American Morris Clothier. In 1988, the men's lacrosse team finished the season 13-3 and played in the USILA national semifinals.

2152: 582: 7813: 33: 961: 631: 606: 1242:, declaring that they would not release the faculty members until they received an apology and immunity from punishment. The standoff lasted until midnight, when the professors agreed to allow the students to grade themselves. The students relented and released the hostages. The college's Professional Standards Committee later overturned the decision, declaring that the professors must grade their students. 865:, a Marshall College graduate, and Nevin struggled to keep the young school afloat with an inadequate endowment. The hope of creating a reputable liberal arts institution fueled their efforts to push on. "No second- or third-rate school will do," said Nevin at the formal dedication of the united college. "We must either have no college at all or else have one that may be in all respects worthy of the name." 1137: 2316:. When many asked Franklin & Marshall College about its nonexistent connection to the singer, the college investigated and discovered that the Franklin Marshall Clothing company was using its name without permission. In 2003, the college licensed the name to the company so it could sell its products, many of which omit Franklin & Marshall's 1234:, he was suspended with pay for a month while the college investigated. The incident generated controversy in the local press, with some residents ordering him to "get the hell out of Lancaster" and "go to Russia." Though Mezey was reinstated, he left the college the following spring. This became known as the "Mezey Affair." 2102:

The men's basketball team has reached the NCAA Division III Final Four on five occasions (1979, 1991, 1996, 2000, 2009), appearing in the national championship game in 1991. The men's basketball team has been nationally ranked on a frequent basis since the late 1970s, including No. 1 in Division III

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had recently lost their national charters due to various offenses. In an effort to repair the system, the college administration proposed eight specific reforms to the Greek Council, which were ultimately rejected by all of the organizations. The loss of recognition was unpopular with some students.

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Franklin College had enrolled female students during its first few years in the eighteenth century, to its academy for teenagers. Franklin and Marshall College was an all-male institution. Women were permitted to attend summer school classes at F&M beginning in 1942. Continuing a trend at gender

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In the spring of 1969, black students protested the final examination of the history course "The Black Experience in America." Demanding an apology from the faculty for exploitation and an "A" in the course, the students argued that no white man can test them on their "blackness." The day before the

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was constructed in 1851. Two parallel streets in the area were renamed, one for Franklin and one for Marshall. However, Buchanan ultimately rejected the proposal, saying "I do not think the best location for a literary institution should be between a court house and a jail." Instead, Buchanan and

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Church, in conjunction with numerous Philadelphians, the school was established as a German college whose goal was "to preserve our present republican system of government" and "to promote those improvements in the arts and sciences which alone render nations respectable, great and happy." Its first

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for the outdoor athletic teams of the college. It was built in 1920 as Williamson Field, named after S. Woodrow Sponaugle, who coached football and basketball and was the athletic director at F&M for 15 years. He shares the stadium's dedication with Henry S. Williamson, who was a trustee of the

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The college has a total of 11 formally recognized Greek life chapters, including 7 sororities, 3 fraternities, and 1 co-ed honors fraternity. Greek life continues to be a major part of F&M's community, while the college continues its revised structure of administrative support. As of the spring

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The 1990s brought a major expansion to the north side of campus with the construction of College Square in 1991. The multi-use complex houses a bookstore, laundromat, video store, restaurants and a food court. Other buildings from the decade include International House (1990), Martin Library of the

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Since 2011 hundreds of talented, underserved high school students from across the country have taken part in F&M College Prep, a summer immersion program that offers an introduction to college life. Each of these participants have gone on to college, and more than 90% have gone on to enroll at

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The first class consisted of 78 men and 36 women; Franklin was the first college in the United States to accept female students. Among its first students was Richea Gratz, the first Jewish female college student in the United States. But soon after, female students were not allowed to matriculate.

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Other successful athletic teams at F&M include men's soccer, men's and women's swimming, baseball, and squash. They all traditionally compete for conference championships and have been ranked high nationally. In 2008, the men's swimming team won the Centennial Conference championships and the

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On May 1, 2014, Franklin & Marshall College was named as one of 55 colleges under review or investigation by the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights, for their policies or practices for handling sexual assault reports. Prior to the public announcement, President Porterfield

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The college prospered during the 1980s. Construction projects initiated during the decade included Hartman Green (1982), French House (1984), Murray Arts House (1984), Ice Rink (1984), Spaulding Plaza (1985), and the Other Room Theatre (1985). Major renovations and expansions included Fackenthal

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The 1950s and 1960s brought more college expansion and construction, including North Museum (1953); Marshall-Buchanan Residence Hall (1956), Appel Infirmary (1959), Schnader Residence Hall (1959), Mayser Physical Education Center (1962), Benjamin Franklin Residence Halls (1964), Pfeiffer Science

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In July 1789, Franklin College went into debt and enrollment dwindled. In an effort to help the ailing school, an academy was established in 1807. For the next three decades, Franklin College and Franklin Academy limped along financially, with instructors supplementing their income with private

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is on the right. But Franklin's entire head is shown, while Marshall's profile is cut off and far in the background. Speculation has suggested that this demonstrates an unspoken tendency to favor Franklin's legacy over Marshall's. This preference became explicit when the school celebrated

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exclusive schools across the country, the Board of Trustees announced on January 17, 1969, that it had voted to admit women to F&M, a decision that was supported by male students. In the fall of 1969, 82 freshman women and 34 female transfer students were enrolled in F&M's first

834:. However, despite being initially well-funded, Marshall College began to experience financial difficulties of its own. By the late 1840s, financial support and enthusiasm among the local community had virtually disappeared and the school was in danger of closing its doors permanently. 1449:, and Franklin & Marshall. The Office of Student and Post-Graduate Development offering life skills workshops, job-search boot camps for seniors and recent grads, on-campus recruiting and alumni programming, opened in 2012 and enjoys wide support from students and alumni. The 881:

of Lancaster noted that the city's lowest point was the prison. Harbaugh stated: "Thank God! The College stands higher than the jail. Education should be lifted up and let crime sink to the lowest depths!" The distinctive, tall-towered structure, designed in the

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The Greek system continued, albeit without financial or administrative support from the college. After several years of irregularities and health risks, the college announced in 2004 that it would reinstate a revised Greek system after a 16-year absence.

530:. F&M is represented by students from 43 states, districts, and territories, as well as students from 50 different countries. All students are undergraduates, and nearly all live on campus. F&M is consistently ranked among the top producers of 873:

the board selected a site at the northwestern end of Lancaster. Known locally as "Gallows Hill," it was the former site of Lancaster's public executions and the highest point of ground in city. At the laying of the building's cornerstone in 1853,

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The clothing company has stated in news reports that its designs are "inspired by the American Vintage College spirit, as exemplified by Franklin & Marshall College." Most of its products are made in Italy and are much more expensive than the

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annual college rankings for 2023-24, Franklin and Marshall College tied for 35th in National Liberal Arts Colleges, 25th in Best Undergraduate Teaching, 52nd in Top Performers on Social Mobility, and 33rd in Best Value Schools. In the similar

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Since the merger in 1853, Greek life on F&M's campus have become an integral part of the college's history, leadership, and philanthropy. In April 1988, the college's board of trustees voted to no longer officially recognize the school's

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On December 6, 1849, Franklin College and Marshall College began to consider merging as a way to secure the future of both institutions. Three years later, on June 7, 1853, the combined college was formally dedicated at Lancaster's

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style. Dietz-Santee dormitory, Meyran-Franklin dormitory, the Mayser Physical Education Center, and Hensel Hall were all completed within three years. Two additional dormitories were planned, but never constructed.

937:'s 250th birthday during consecutive semesters of the 2005–2006 academic year. The school recognized Marshall's milestone birthday only after a petition was signed by a significant portion of students and faculty. 1185:

By 1945, with most young men in the armed services, the college population dwindled to just under 500 students and 28 faculty members. The end of the war brought an influx of students pursuing degrees under the

1230:, a 30-year-old visiting English instructor and poet, spoke on campus against the Vietnam War, and traveled to Washington, DC to march against the conflict. When he was accused of urging students to burn their 2119:

F&M also boasts several student-run clubs, most notably men's and women's rugby, both of which have become serious contenders for regional, and national championships each season and which compete in the

1320:, a Lancaster resident and former president of the board of trustees. The production was directed by Edward S. Brubaker and starred Peter Vogt, an F&M alumnus. After the premiere, a reception was held at 1279:

were awarded honorary degrees. The building was designed by Fisher, Nes and Campbell of Baltimore, MD, for the studio art program, but only half of the original design was constructed due to lack of funds.

1112:. Because the college admitted only men, the female roles were played by local actresses. In 1937, the Green Room Theatre opened on campus. F&M alumni who have performed on the Green Room stage include 7203: 1107:

1899 saw the formation of the college's first theatre group, the Franklin & Marshall Dramatic Association. The next year, it was renamed the Green Room Club. The club performed plays at Lancaster's

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Library (1983, renamed Shadek-Fackenthal Library, currently over 510,000 volumes), Stahr Hall (1985, renamed Stager Hall, 1988), the Black Cultural Center (1986), and Weis Residence Hall (1989).

3100: 1702:(B.A.) degrees in 58 undergraduate fields. The college's approach in liberal arts expands over a myriad of fields, such as natural sciences, arts, and humanities. Besides the traditional 2365: 868:

The citizens of Lancaster agreed to donate $ 25,000 towards the construction of a building for the merged college. A site on the east end of the city was proposed near where the new

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Upon opening, Marshall College had five students, which expanded to ten in the first year. After significant difficulty in finding a proper academic to lead the nascent college,

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in Britain. Although it no longer sells its products in the United States due to poor sales, in 2010 the company pledged to donate $ 130,000 to the college's scholarship fund.

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celebration of Franklin College was held in October 1937. Student enrollment by then was 800. A commemorative plaque celebrating the sesquicentennial and the signing of the

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died suddenly in 1841, five years after becoming the college's founding president. Professor Nevin became the college's second president upon Rauch's sudden death in 1841.

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In 1835, the school's debating society was renamed Diagnothian Literary Society. A further debate society was named Goethean, in honor of German philosopher and poet

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to speak there. Blanchard was forced from his hotel room and the next morning, on his way to church, assaulted by a mob. A brawl between students and residents of

1148:. Enrollment rose from around 300 students in 1920, to over 750 by 1930. In 1924, the architectural firm of Klauder and Day presented a master campus plan in the 6929: 3676: 2128:

is also a popular club sport on campus, fielding both a men's and a women's team. In 2009, the college water polo team was revived and currently competes in the

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awarded F&M a $ 700,000 grant for its Faculty Center, which was launched in 2013 to improve support for faculty in their roles as researchers and educators.

1209:. In April 1961, students rioted in front of the President's house and Hensel Hall, burning effigies and college property in protest of administration policies. 5090: 1714:. F&M also provides interdepartmental programs between chemistry, biology, psychology, and philosophy departments. The majors from these programs include: 3855:

had been suspended for approximately four years, under a cloud of hazing allegations. The suspension was lifted and the chapter returned in the Fall of 2023.

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rankings, Franklin and Marshall ranked 101st in overall top colleges, 57th in private colleges, 24th in Liberal Arts Universities, and 43rd in the Northeast.

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Complex (now Hackman Physical Science Laboratory) (1967), Grundy Observatory (1967), Whitely Psychology Laboratory (1968), and Thomas Residence Hall (1968).

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In 1939, the school began an aviation program in the new Keiper Liberal Arts Building. The Aeronautical Laboratory eventually became a government-sponsored

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was installed as Marshall College's first president. Rauch was a recent immigrant to Pennsylvania from Germany, arriving in 1831 and teaching briefly at

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On September 17, 1970, the Herman Art Center (named after Jacob Leon Herman, Class of 1916) was dedicated as part of Convocation, during which painter

724: 7448: 2021:. Franklin and Marshall was defeated 9–0 by the York YMCA. Later that year, the program played a re-match and lost again, this time by score of 6–4. 1617: 1069:, opened on campus. When it closed in 1943, it was the last prep school in America to be directly affiliated with a private college or university. 858:, four years prior to becoming the 15th President of the United States, was named president of the first Franklin & Marshall board of trustees. 7261: 1312: 916:

The college seal depicts profiles of Franklin and Marshall looking to the left. It has been suggested that this represents the two leaders looking

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In 1970, F&M students protested the administration's failure to rehire popular sociology instructor Anthony Lazroe and history instructor

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style, was dedicated on May 16, 1856, as "Recitation Hall." Recitation Hall came to be known as "Old Main" and the ground as "College Hill".

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