Hiram College?

Corbett
Mon, 16 Mar 2009 14:22:33 +0000

It’s one of the limited number of colleges to be the Alma Mater of a President (Garfield).



Technically, Hiram is not Garfield’s Alma Mater, because it wasn’t a “college” when he attended. At that time, it was a private secondary school (basically a prep school). So it was more like his high school.

Hiram, like many LACs, was originally established as a private secondary school, and was later “upgraded” to college status. As a secondary school, it was called the “Western Reserve Eclectic Institute”. Garfield was closely associated with the Institute, as a student, instructor, and principal. But this was all before it gained authorization to operate as a college, and before it changed its name to “Hiram College”.

Garfield did graduate from Williams College after studying at the Institute. He also practiced law, but never formally studied at a law school.