Ricker - Ricker College - Ricker Classical Institute

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Ricker Timeline

1848 Houlton Academy, forerunner of Ricker Classical Institute, was founded as the first secondary school in Aroostook County.
1873 Legislature acts to authorize public schools forceing the closure of Houlton Academy.
1874 The Academy was reestablished by the Rev. Joseph Rickera profesor at Colby University (now Colby College) as the Eastern Prepatory School of that college.
1886 Wording Hall was constructed with a gift from Mrs. Catherine Wording.
1887 Houlton Academy renamed Ricker Classical Institute in honor of the Rev. Joseph Ricker.
1891 Fifth year of courses added to the curriculum.
1926 Junior College program started as an outgrowth of RCI's postgraduate course.
1944 Wording Hall destroyed by fire.
1946 New Wording Hall constructed (now Ricker Plaza).
1948 Centennial year celebration. Putnam Gymnasium dedicated.
1949 Ricker chartered as a four year liberal arts college.
1966 Accreditation granted by New England Asociation of Collagesand Secondary Schools.
1966 Ricker Classical Institute suspends classes because of loss of students due to passage of the Sinclair Bill which established School Administrative Districts in the state.
1969 Library resource center opened (now Department of Human Serices).
1978 Ricker College official closes. The Board of Trustees remains alive.
1986 The first Ricker College Trustee Scholarsips were awarded.
1987 The first scholarship recipients graduate from college.
1990 The first recipients to recieve four-year scholarships graduate.
1995 The Board of Trustees voted $105,7000 for scholarships.
1995 One hundred and eight college students will recieve scholarships for the academic year 1995-1996.
1995 Within the next two or three years, the Board of Trustees will have invested one million dollars or more in the young people of Aroostook and Washington counties.
1995 RICKER REUNION '95 was held in Houlton on July 21, 22, and 23.
1998 RICKER.NET website was uploaded to the Internet ... welcome back!!!