Inside the Early University of Bridgeport Community

("We Blew Off The Dust" - A Capstone Excavation Into The History Of The University Of Bridgeport, Spring 1997)

Two 1997 Capstone classes entitled "Inside the UB Community" were devoted to the early history of this university in commemoration of our seventieth anniversary. The resulting papers show the evolution of the university from the Junior College of Connecticut, Arnold College, and the Fones School of Dental Hygiene to the present-day University of Bridgeport. The students made notable contributions. They worked diligently "blowing off the dust" of aging documents, interviewing and transcribing oral sources, mastering process research skills, reshaping awkward sentences and paragraphs, and then carefully referencing their work in a documented format.

Thus far this webpage contains edited papers from the first class. Portions of their museum display are open to the public on the fifth floor of the Whalstrom Library, one floor beneath the Office of Admissions.

Edited versions of the second class of student researchers have yet to be added. Those papers draw upon yet untapped primary and secondary materials both at the university’s Wahlstrom Library and at the Bridgport Public Library. The range of paper topics include an annotated university-city bibliography, a comparative study of student fashion designs as a reflection of national fashions, media communication techniques implimented by the Junior College of Connecticut, a study of the four P. T. Barnum homes as they relate to the UB Seaside campus, a proposal for a UB "house museum," and a paper describing the theoretical and technical development of this webpage.

Professor Lamont D. Thomas

"During research, it became evident that Barnum had a major influence on the city of Bridgeport, which, in turn, led to the opening of a residential area in the vicinity of Seaside Park. Barnum was instrumental in making Bridgeport a world-famous city, and, I believe, all this fame played a role in starting the University of Bridgeport."

Indika Perera, Spring 1997

 According to an article in the Scribe of December 15, 1937, the college [Junior College of Connecticut] received a letter from C. Georgakopuoulas, minister of cults and education, and G. Oeconmos, director of the archeological service, of the Greek government, stating: The Hellenic government has been pleased to send you an ancient lamp dating back to the Fifth century, B.C. which was found in the excavations of the Keramikos of Athens, so that it may stand as a tangible monument of the symbol of your college."

Jean Lesperance, Spring 1997