The Genesis of Art Education at HWS

Art education at Hobart and William Smith Colleges began at the suggestion of President Murray Bartlett, who, during the June 9, 1934 meeting of the Board of Trustees, expressed that William Smith College, "in competition with other women’s colleges is seriously handicapped in having no instruction in art as all other women’s colleges in this state have."¹ To fill this gap in the curriculum, Bartlett shared the, "...opportunity to secure the services of Mr. Norman Kent, a well-known artist and teacher who will come to Geneva and give part-time instruction in Art..."² The Board approved Bartlett's suggestion and Norman Kent was hired on a temporary one-year basis to teach art at William Smith College.  

In his first year as an instructor at William Smith, Kent offered courses in Elementary Drawing, Design, and History and Appreciation of Art. 

During the January 3rd, 1935 meeting of the Board of Trustees, President Bartlett inquired as to whether the board, "wishes instruction in dramatics, art and music continued and if so, in his opinion it would be desirable to have them taught as separate subjects and in both colleges.”³ Here, Bartlett not only suggests that art instruction be continued at William Smith College, but also be added as a department at Hobart College. The Board unanimously carried the motion that, "courses in Dramatics, Music and Art should be made separate departments in both Colleges and strengthened in every way possible.”⁴ As such, Kent began to teach art courses to Hobart students in addition to William Smith students beginning in the 1936-37 academic year.  

By the conclusion of Kent's teaching in 1942, the Art Department had added courses entitled Still Life in Color, The Woodcut, and Prints; the latter two mediums being Kent's specialties. 

Endnotes: 

1. Board of Trustee Meeting Minutes, 9 June 1934, Ledger 1920-1937, Hobart and William Smith College Archives, Geneva, NY. 

2. Board of Trustee Meeting Minutes, 9 June 1934, Ledger 1920-1937, Hobart and William Smith College Archives, Geneva, NY. 

3. Board of Trustee Meeting Minutes, 3 January 1935, Ledger 1920-1937, Hobart and William Smith College Archives, Geneva, NY. 

4. Board of Trustee Meeting Minutes, 3 January 1935, Ledger 1920-1937, Hobart and William Smith College Archives, Geneva, NY.