{"id":6902,"date":"2017-09-26T14:20:24","date_gmt":"2017-09-26T18:20:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=6902"},"modified":"2017-10-02T10:27:18","modified_gmt":"2017-10-02T14:27:18","slug":"george-mason-university-is-60-this-week","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=6902","title":{"rendered":"George Mason University is 60 this Week!!!"},"content":{"rendered":"

With an enrollment of nearly 34,000, and more than 200 degree programs, George Mason University is the largest public research university\u00a0in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It employs about 7,000 faculty and staff and awards about 11,000 Bachelor, Master, and PhD degrees during Spring and Winter commencements each year. Surprisingly, though, its’ beginnings were quite humble.<\/p>\n

In February 1956 the Virginia State Legislature authorized the University of Virginia to start a branch college in Northern Virginia.\u00a0 Since the area had a significant amount of soon-to-be-college-aged students, several localities stepped forward to assist the Commonwealth in getting the new college up and running. Four local governments, Fairfax County, Alexandria, Falls Church, and Arlington banded together to help advise the University of Virginia about appropriate sites for the college, pay for land (if necessary), and promote the new school to their citizens.<\/p>\n

While the location and financing of a permanent site for the new college would take almost three years, and groundbreaking, construction, and opening take another five, the University of Virginia and its president, Colgate W. Darden, Jr., wished to open the new college in the fall of 1957. Mayor John C. Wood of Fairfax, who was also a counsel for the Fairfax County Public Schools, knew of a building owned by the school system that was available for use and would be inexpensive. It was a former elementary school that had been abandoned for 2 years by that time. A deal was struck between the school board and the University of Virginia for the lease of the building at $600.00 per year.<\/p>\n

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Southeast side of the University College of the University of Virginia at Bailey’s Crossroads. This image was taken in 1963 by student Richard Sparks. Richard Sparks Photograph Collection RA1963G16-10. Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University Libraries.<\/p><\/div>\n

The former Bailey\u2019s Elementary School located at 5836 Columbia Pike was a well-used eight-room elementary school constructed in 1922 of red brick. In 1955, a new, larger elementary school was constructed nearby, and \u201cOld Bailey\u2019s\u201d was abandoned. The lower level had four classrooms – two would be used as science labs, and the other two as lecture rooms. On the upper level, three rooms comprised the library. The last room would be used as an additional lecture room. While it wasn’t a gleaming new set of buildings like those that would be built in Fairfax 7 years later, it would have to do.<\/p>\n

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Letter to University College director, John N.G. Finley from University of Virginia president, Colgate W. Darden, Jr. regarding the opening of the branch college. George Mason University Facilities Records #R0017 Box 1, Folder 11. Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University Libraries.<\/p><\/div>\n

Though there were concerns both Northern Virginia and in Charlottesville about the low enrollment (only seventeen freshman and sophomores registered to attend the college), it was decided to that the University would move forward and open the branch, named “University College of the University of Virginia” on September 23, 1957.<\/p>\n

Bailey\u2019s served as the primary location for the University College (which would later be renamed George Mason College in January 1960) from August 1957 until August 1964. Though conditions were challenging for the early pioneers at Bailey\u2019s Crossroads, the students, staff, and local population became fond of their school, and some were even sad to have to leave. The staying power of Bailey\u2019s (or BXU as some students affectionately called it) is a testament to the commitment of the people of Northern Virginia toward higher education. Individuals from all backgrounds and parts of the area labored to make certain that Bailey\u2019s would make a go of it until more permanent quarters were available.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

With an enrollment of nearly 34,000, and more than 200 degree programs, George Mason University is the largest public research university\u00a0in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It employs about 7,000 faculty and staff and awards about 11,000 Bachelor, Master, and PhD degrees during Spring and Winter commencements each year. Surprisingly, though, its’ beginnings were quite humble. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":6914,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[529],"tags":[530,261,531],"class_list":["post-6902","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-george-mason-university-history","tag-530","tag-baileys-crossroads","tag-university-college"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/sparks_BC_lot.jpg?fit=4800%2C3152&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8Ep5i-1Nk","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":7256,"url":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=7256","url_meta":{"origin":6902,"position":0},"title":"The “Desegregation” of George Mason University","author":"Bob Vay","date":"February 20, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Today George Mason University enjoys the reputation for being one of the more ethnically and culturally-varied universities in the nation. By most counts, the non-white student population at Mason is about 57%*. The university places a high priority on being accessible to those who aspire to a college education from\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "George Mason University History"","block_context":{"text":"George Mason University History","link":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?cat=529"},"img":{"alt_text":"Page from 1966 GMC yearbook, The Advocate.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/1966-Advocate-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":5144,"url":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=5144","url_meta":{"origin":6902,"position":1},"title":"Mason’s Fairfax Campus turns 50!","author":"Bob Vay","date":"September 13, 2014","format":"image","excerpt":"George Mason University's Fairfax Campus turns fifty years old this Sunday.\u00a0 On September 14, 1964 George Mason College of the University of Virginia opened its doors to 356 freshman and sophomores.\u00a0 The faculty, which numbered fifteen,\u00a0comprised\u00a0seven full-time and eight part-time professors. The four original buildings were named North (now known\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Fairfax History"","block_context":{"text":"Fairfax History","link":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?cat=194"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/R0120B01F16.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/R0120B01F16.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/R0120B01F16.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9858,"url":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=9858","url_meta":{"origin":6902,"position":2},"title":"Remembering A. Linwood Holton, Jr.","author":"Bob Vay","date":"October 29, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"On Friday April 7, 1972, a group from George Mason College, led by Chancellor Lorin A. Thompson, met with Virginia Governor, A. Linwood Holton, Jr. at his office in Richmond. They were there to witness the Governor\u2019s signing into law Virginia General Assembly Bill H 210 separating George Mason College\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "George Mason University History"","block_context":{"text":"George Mason University History","link":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?cat=529"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Holton_gov_conf-scaled.jpg?fit=966%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Holton_gov_conf-scaled.jpg?fit=966%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Holton_gov_conf-scaled.jpg?fit=966%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Holton_gov_conf-scaled.jpg?fit=966%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10138,"url":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=10138","url_meta":{"origin":6902,"position":3},"title":"Before We Became George Mason University: Our First Campus at Bailey’s Crossroads, 1957-1964","author":"Bob Vay","date":"May 3, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"This post is part of a four-part series detailing the history of George Mason University from the student perspective. Other posts in this series include Establishing our Identity: George Mason\u2019s Fairfax Campus, which can be read here: https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=10152 and George Mason University Becomes Independent, April 7, 1972, which can be\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "exhibits"","block_context":{"text":"exhibits","link":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?cat=22"},"img":{"alt_text":"Final Day Exercises, 1963.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/R0120_B01_final-day.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/R0120_B01_final-day.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/R0120_B01_final-day.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/R0120_B01_final-day.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/R0120_B01_final-day.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/R0120_B01_final-day.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10208,"url":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=10208","url_meta":{"origin":6902,"position":4},"title":"George Mason University Becomes Independent, April 7, 1972","author":"Bob Vay","date":"August 26, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"This post is part of a four-part series detailing the history of George Mason University from the student perspective. Our initial post,\u00a0Before We Became George Mason University: Our First Campus at Bailey\u2019s Crossroads, can be read here:\u00a0https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=10138 and Establishing our Identity: George Mason's Fairfax Campus, can be read here: https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=10152\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "exhibits"","block_context":{"text":"exhibits","link":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?cat=22"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Class_of_1972-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Class_of_1972-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Class_of_1972-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Class_of_1972-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Class_of_1972-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4175,"url":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=4175","url_meta":{"origin":6902,"position":5},"title":"Mason Inaugurations through the Years","author":"Bob Vay","date":"April 30, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"This past Friday, April 26 2013 marked the inauguration of Mason's sixth president, Dr. \u00c1ngel\u00a0 Cabrera. The event was a ninety-minute celebration of both old and new, both tradition and innovation.\u00a0 Beginning with a staid traditional\u00a0 procession accompanied by an orchestra and choir, the ceremony ended with a rousing recessional\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?cat=3"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/cabrera_inauguration.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6902","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6902"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6902\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6917,"href":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6902\/revisions\/6917"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/6914"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6902"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6902"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6902"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}