Williams Memorial Institute

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formerly at 120 Broad St, New London, Connecticut 06320
Added by Jopie, at 01 January 2020

The Williams Memorial Institute was founded by Harriet Peck Williams in 1891, following the death of her son Thomas W. Williams the II, a well-known whaling merchant. It was located at 110 Broad Street in New London, Connecticut, but moved when it merged with Connecticut College as a coeducational, preparatory for the Education Department. It is now known as the Williams School and offers classes from 6th grade to 12th grade.HistoryFounderHarriet Peck Williams born on March 17, 1795, and was married to General William Williams. They had three male children, all of whom died early in life. After the death of her son in 1855, she became a philanthropist for the promotion and advancement of female education. and upon her death, her will allocated a large portion of her fortune for the beginning of a high school for girls in New London in memory of her son, "The Williams Memorial Institute". When her husband died in 1870 she became the last survivor of her family and continued being a philanthropist, she founded a library in honor of her father "The Bela Peck Library".Location and facilitiesThe first building was located on 110 Broad Street, and the architects of this building were Shepley, Rutan, and Coolidge. The plot of land on Broad Street was the highest of the land and the buildings structure was built in a Romanesque Style. The school opened being able to accommodate three hundred students, they offered seven classrooms, a gymnasium, laboratories and a library.First presidentColin Sherman Buell was the first president of The Williams Memorial Institute. He was a key figure in improving higher education for women. Buell tried to expand the Memorial Institute to expand and become a Women's college, but the plan fell through due to lack of interest. When Wesleyan decided to stop admitting women to the university, Buell combined efforts with Elizabeth Wright. With help from the City of New London, who raised $135,000 and one million dollars from Morton F. Plant. they helped found Connecticut College. He later became a member of the Colleges board of trustees

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