A new exhibit commemorating the 80th anniversary of Boise State University was recently installed in Special Collections and Archives. The first day of class was on September 6, 1932, for the new college known as Boise Junior College. The two-year school was created to provide college education for students graduating from high schools in the area who could not afford to travel to attend college.
The first student body of BJC was comprised of 70 students, tuition was $60, and there were eight full-time faculty and six part-time faculty. The first college president was Middleton Barnwell, the bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church. The school was located in buildings that had previously been occupied by St. Margaret’s School, a day school for girls. The campus was located in downtown Boise near First and Idaho Streets until it moved to its current location in 1939.
In addition to photographs from the early days of classes, pictures from other decades of the university’s history, as well as significant clothing and other artifacts are displayed in the exhibit. A piece of the blue astroturf that was installed in Bronco Stadium in 1986 is also included. The exhibit is on display in front of Special Collections on the second floor of the library. E-mail archives@boisestate.edu with any questions or comments.
Additional images of Boise State University may be viewed in the digital collection “Historic Boise State” located at http://digital.boisestate.edu/cdm/.