Journey Through Time: A Visual History of Lesley and the Art Institute of Boston

1950s: The Semi-Centenial

Lesley continued to thrive as an institution. In 1955, the first five students of the Graduate School received their degree. The Undergraduate School was accredited by the New England Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools. Enrollment was back up to 380 in the Undergraduate School and 52 for the Graduate School. The campus also continued to grow. At the start of the decade, Stebbins Hall was built, adding two floors above Alumni Hall, including a library. And by the end of the ‘50s, the newly built Trentwell Mason White Hall, a dormitory and dining room, opened.

Lesley College celebrated its semi-centennial with a week of events during May 5 through May 10, 1959 that included a May Day Celebration; several musical and dramatic productions; and an Alumnae Day. The 1950s, however, were dampened by the loss of two esteemed Lesley leaders: Edith Lesley Wolfard died in 1953 and President Trentwell Mason White passed away unexpectedly in 1959.

1960s: Planning For A New Campus

The 1960s brought Lesley a new President, an established graduate program, as well as ideas for a new campus.  Don Orton was appointed as the new President of Lesley College in 1960.  Graduate training for special education teachers was offered in response to a growing interest in learning disabilities. In 1964, Lesley's graduate programs were accredited by the New England Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools. The graduate programs were organized as the Lesley College Graduate School of Education.  In 1962, the New England Kindergarten Conference was started by the Lesley Graduate School.

By 1965, Lesley College initiated a new building plan to create an “Urban Academic Village.”  The new campus was completed after eight years of planning and construction- creating a quadrangle, with a new library, dorm space, faculty and administrative offices, and classrooms. Today it is known as the Doble campus. A Graduate Center was opened in 9 Mellen Street, creating the Graduate School's first building on campus.

1970s: Expanding the Graduate School

The Institute for Arts and Human Development was created by Professor Shaun McNiff in 1974.  In 1975, the Expressive Therapies Graduate Program began as an expansion of the Institute of Arts and Human Development. The Master's program was the first of its kind in the United States that integrated the arts, dance, theater, psychodrama, music, poetry, and the visual arts with the practice of psychotherapy. Between 1970 and 1979, the following programs were also launched: Independent Study Program, Graduate School (1970); Counseling and Psychology (1975); Creative Arts in Learning (1976); The Program Evaluation and Research Group (PERG) (1976); Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study (CAGS) (1976); and Technology in Education Graduate Program (1979). By 1978, the Lesley Graduate School included five areas (Education, Management, Counseling Psychology, Institute for Arts and Human Development, Outreach and Alternative Education) and offered 18 different programs.

Student Strike: Lesley students felt empowered to voice their opinions, and in 1970 went on strike to demand more rights. The administration responded with changes in curriculum, curfew, scheduling, and living arrangements.

1980s: Establishing More Programs and Institutes

By the 1980s, Lesley College had expanded to encompass 40 buildings, 3,900 undergraduate and graduate students, and 476 employees. The college marked its 75th anniversary in 1984, and the following year, Margaret McKenna was welcomed as the new president.

Academic programs continued to grow, reaching both national and international communities. Among its most distinctive offerings was the Threshold Program, a two-year residential certificate program for young adults with diverse learning needs, which was launched in 1982.

In 1987, Lesley’s Board of Trustees approved an Affirmative Action policy, underscoring the institution's commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive community.