Psychoanalyzed at Clark University - A Historic District

Clark University is the second oldest graduate school in the US. It opened in 1889 and until 1902 only offered graduate studies. Founded by donations given by Jonas G Clark. Not bad for a carriage maker, furniture and hardware maker. Actually he made his million in California dealing in miners' supplies. During the 1880's Clark was convinced the country need a university that encouraged dreaming in the form of research and investigation that was not offered at the other US universities. He felt the other schools offered only instructions and no innovation. He hired Granville Stanley Hall as the first president, who toured Europe to model Clark University curriculum and organization. Hall invited a controversial phsyc doctor, named Sigmund Freud, who accepted the speaking engagement. This would be Siggy only appearance in the US. Hall was a known scholar of the time that served as a professor at Antioch, Harvard, William College and John Hopkins. Sounds like he couldn't keep a job to me. As so it started.

Their words not mine

Founded in 1887 as the first all-graduate institution in the country, Clark today is a renowned liberal arts-based research university addressing social and human imperatives on a global scale.

With our small size, urban location, capacity for interdisciplinary learning, and emphasis on effective practice, we cultivate an environment uniquely supportive of students' interests and ambitions.

Students come to Clark with the passion to make a difference, and we honor that passion by engaging them intensely with the world in all its diversity and complexity, enabling them to become more globally aware, focused, and prepared to act.

Sounds pretty impressive to me.

Any way take a walk with me as I visit the campus.

Thru these gates one will come out hopefully a little smarter






Clark Hall was built in 1877. One would think after Clark went thru all the trouble to establish a different kind of building it would have been a bit more grandiose, however it was built this way, pretty simple, in then event the school failed it could easily be swithched over to industrial use. Clark Hall contain the offices, library, gym and classrooms until the early 20th century and is still the center of the universe at Clark.



Neat entrance

You should always know if you are going to be late for a class with such a great clock tower.

Sigmund Freud sitting out front of Clark Hall.



The Academic Building was built 1901 to 1903 and was the University Library. It is English Collegiate Gothic style and was modeled after library of Trinity College in Cambridge, England



The Academic Building addition was built in 1910 and expanded on the existing library.



Atwood Hall was built in 1938-39 and does not share in the rich historic events of the founder Clark or first president, Hall.



The current gymnasium at Clark University, which was built in 1930.





One of the modern building at Clark University housing the Bioscience lab.



The Student Union was built in 1958 and is right by the entrance gates.



Right across the street are two great historic churches. These have nothing to do with Clark University other than they share the same neighborhood.

This church is known as the South Baptist Church built in 1896. Originally there was a smaller church on the site, and was replaced with this one. The Baptists occupied this building into the 1970's. It is home to the Spanish Pentecostal congregation.



St Peter's construction began in 1884 and was not completed until 1893. Phew !! It was built to support the growing Catholic population in this area of Worcester. It is predominantly Victorian Gothic and is one of Worcester's most ornate church buildings.