A special place of learning began in Bradford, Massachusetts, on the
banks of the Merrimack River in 1803. It was christened Bradford Academy
and it grew and flourished for almost two hundred years. A new identity
and a new name came in 1932 when the academy became Bradford Junior
College. For almost forty years, BJC held a distinguished position as
one of the best of the nation's junior colleges. A second, almost
revolutionary, transformation occurred in 1971. Bradford became
coeducational and earned the right to grant the baccalaureate degree
with a four-year course of study. Since 1971, the college has maintained
a reputation for innovative teaching with a rigorous liberal arts
curriculum within a small, caring community of scholars and learners. In
the millennial year 2000, Bradford completed 197 years of service to
academia. With change on the horizon, it is timely to view this special
place, with its special people, called Bradford.