New Bedford Institute of Technology - Fabricator Yearbook (New Bedford, MA)

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HISTORY OF THE NEW BEDFORD TEXTILE SCHOOL LR1XG the year 1895, the legislature of Massachusetts passed a law enabling cities to erect and equip buildings to be used as textile schools, the cost to be borne partly by the city and partly by the state. On August first of that year, a number of New Bedford mill men held a meeting to boom a textile school, realizing that this city, as a center of the cotton industry, was an ideal place for such a school. By earnest endeavor and untiring efforts these men succeeded in getting the city ' s interest ami in due time a building was erected. The school was opened for its first term in September. 1897. Mr. VV. 1. Kent was the first president of the board of trustees, but soon resigned because of ill health. Mr. C. E. Dinman succeeded Mr. Kent but resigned shortly after, for the same reason. In February. 18 Q S. Mr. C. E. Briggs was elected president, and served during the construction of the first unit of the school buildings. He gave his time freely, and on completion of the building received a testimonial from the trustees in recognition of his work. Mr. Briggs resigned in January, 1902, and was succeeded by Mr. Burgess, who remained about one year. He was followed by Mr. Devoll, who served about the same length of time. Mr. William E. Hatch took the office in 1904, at which time he was superintendent of the New Bedford Schools. Mr. Hatch also accepted the position of Managing Director, and his work may be ap- preciated by the high rank the school holds in the American cotton industry. On the retirement of Mr. Hatch in June. 1922. Mr. Smith succeeded him to the office, as principal. Previous to this, Mr. Smith was head of the Cotton Yarn Department. [Nine]

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