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MUM50 - 50th Anniversary of Miami University Middletown Groundbreaking

This is the first in a series of historical vignettes tracing the work of the community and Miami University that led to the opening of Miami University Middletown in September 1966.

This is the first in a series of historical vignettes tracing the work of the community and Miami University that led to the opening of Miami University Middletown in September 1966.

This graphic element represents Miami University Middletown being Ohio's first permanent branch campus with classes opening on September 1, 1966.

It was cold that day - Wednesday, January 28, 1965 - but that did not deter citizens of Middletown, representatives from Miami University, the Middletown High School marching band, and Ohio Governor James Rhodes from the task at hand - breaking ground for the Miami University Middletown Campus.

Since February 1959, Miami had offered classes in Middletown, creating an Academic Center that used high school classrooms in the late afternoons, evenings, and on weekends. Beginning with 147 students enrolled in 9 classes, by 1963 there were over 700 enrolled in 57 classes, with plans for offering 75 classes in 1964.

The growth of the Academic Center presented a two-fold challenge. The growing number of students in the Middletown City Schools put classroom space at a premium. In addition, and perhaps more importantly, Miami could not offer daytime classes during the week which limited the number of classes as well as the number of students Miami could serve.

For two years a local committee, chaired by Evelyn Day of Armco, had worked in the community and with Miami to explore possibilities. Their hard work and dedication helped secure the necessary funding for the new campus, combining federal and state funds, plus local donations which far surpassed the original campaign goal.

Armco donated 135 acres to Miami, with additional land and the Holiday House donated by the Armco Girl's Foundation, to set the site for the new campus. McGraw Construction of Middletown donated the engineering feasibility study, with additional support from Middletown's Barnitz Fund for the preliminary drawings of the new campus.

And so at 10 a.m. people gathered at Holiday House on the campus site to break ground for the new campus. The official welcome from the City of Middletown was delivered by William Donham, chair of the City Commission. Then Logan T. Johnston, who was chairing the local efforts working with the Chamber of Commerce, spoke of "The Middletown Dream."

Acting Miami President Dr. Raymond Wilson shared Miami's thanks, and then, on behalf of Miami's Trustees, announced that the first classroom building on the campus would be named for Johnston.

Ohio Board of Regents Chancellor John D. Millett, who had been Miami's president during the planning for the new campus, spoke next, and then the official turning of the first shovelfuls of earth took place. Then Ohio Governor James Rhodes brought greetings from the State of Ohio, speaking of Ohio's vision for higher education in the future - which would have a strong beginning with Miami University Middletown.

Photo 1: William Donham of the City Commission delivers the welcome address. Photo 2: Ohio Governor James Rhodes joins City and Miami officials in turning the first shovelfuls of dirt. Photo 3: another view of the ceremonial first shovel.

Left: William Donham of the City Commission delivers the welcome address.

Middle: Ohio Governor James Rhodes joins City and Miami officials in turning the first shovelfuls of dirt.

Right: another view of the ceremonial first shovel.

Photo Credits: Left and right courtesy MidPointe Library System Library Lens Collection.
Middle - Photo by Robert Turner, from Miami Middletown archive collection.

To read other stories in this series, visit http://bit.ly/1cQM9Gt.