Hamilton College is a private, independent liberal arts college in Clinton, New York. It is one of the oldest colleges in the United States. Samuel Kirkland, a missionary to the Oneida Indians, planned a school for Oneida children and the children of settlers from New England who were arriving in New York in the late 1700’s. This school, called the Hamilton-Oneida Academy, was established in 1793. The Hamilton part of the name was in honor of Alexander Hamilton, the first U.S. secretary of the treasury. In 1812, the academy became Hamilton College for men. In 1968, Hamilton College helped establish a sister institution, Kirkland College, for women. The two colleges were combined in 1978, under the name Hamilton College.
Hamilton College grants only a bachelor’s degree. The curriculum has long emphasized broad learning and diversity of interests. But today it also includes many areas of study related to modern technology, such as computer science and neuroscience. Well-known graduates of the college include poet Ezra Pound, psychologist B. F. Skinner, and statesman Elihu Root. The college’s athletic teams are called the Continentals.
The college’s website at https://www.hamilton.edu/ offers additional information.
