IU Indianapolis is home to several education programs that date to the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. These institutions include medical, dental, nursing, physical education, law and art schools. While they began as independent operations, the institutions were later acquired by Indiana University and became a part of IU Indianapolis when it opened in 1969. Women played a vital role in the development of these early schools. They worked as administrators, nurses, physicians, and teachers. These "Founding Mothers" were responsible for helping to build the foundations of IU Indianapolis's academic excellence.
The Early Schools of IU Indianapolis
Normal College of the American Gymnastics Union opened in 1866 in New York as a program for education of German Turnverein physical education instructors. The school moved several times during the last half of the nineteenth century, before settling in Indianapolis in 1907. Normal College held the distinction of being the first physical education school to open in America. It became affiliated with Indiana University in 1941.
The Indiana Dental College opened in 1879 following the passage of a law by the Indiana legislature requiring dentists to show proof that they had graduated from dental college. At the time, there were few dental colleges in the United States and none operating within the state. The need for such an institution was met with the creation of the Indiana Dental College in Indianapolis. The college operated independently until 1925, when it was acquired by Indiana University.
Several early law schools make up what is now known as the Indiana University School of Law Indianapolis. The earliest of these, the Indiana Law School, opened in 1894, followed by the Indianapolis College of Lawin 1898 and the American Central Law School around the turn of the century. In 1914, the Indianapolis and American Central law schools merged and began calling themselves the Benjamin Harrison Law School. In 1936, the Indiana and Benjamin Harrison law schools merged under the name of the Indiana Law School. This institution became affiliated with Indiana University in 1944.
The IU School of Medicine is a mix of several early medical colleges. In 1869, the Medical College of Indiana opened in Indianapolis. A decade later, in 1879, two more medical schools opened -- the Central College of Physicians and Surgeons in Indianapolis and the Fort Wayne College of Medicine. In 1905, these three colleges merged under the name Medical College of Indiana. IU Bloomington's medical program began in 1903. In 1906, another institution, the State College of Physicians and Surgeons began operation in the state. This program merged with IU in 1907.In 1908, IU acquired the Medical College of Indiana.That same year, IU relocated the core of its medical studies to Indianapolis.
The School of Nursing opened in 1913 under the name Indiana University Training School for Nurses. It was originally a department within the IU School of Medicine, and did not become its own autonomous academic college until 1965. When it first opened, the role of the Training School included ordering hospital supplies, supplying nursing staff to Long Hospital, and teaching new nursing students.
The John Herron Art Institute opened in 1902 under the direction of the Art Association of Indianapolis. The Institute was the result of a large monetary gift from John Herron, a local real estate investor, and housed both a museum and art school. In 1967, Indiana University acquired the art school and renamed it the Herron School of Art & Design. The museum continued operating separately as the Indianapolis Museum of Art.
In addition to these early schools, both Indiana University and Purdue University operated early extension campuses in Indianapolis. Indiana University began offering informal extension courses in 1891, but did not establish its downtown Indianapolis extension campus until 1916. Purdue University opened their extension campus, which eventually located on 38th St., in 1940.
For more information on these early schools, see Ralph Gray, IU Indianapolis: The Making of an Urban University.
A Rich History of Women
The "Founding Mothers" portion of the Women Creating Excellence exhibit offers biographical information about the women who helped establish excellence at IU Indianapolis's predecessor schools. Some were administrators like Mary Orvis, who was considered the "officer in charge" at IU's early extension office in Indianapolis. Others were dedicated teachers like Dr. Amelia Keller, an early instructor at the School of Medicine. We encourage you to explore the biographies of these extraordinary women.
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