Williamson College of the Trades (Campus History)

By: Andrew Miller and Michael J. Rounds

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Synopsis: Williamson College of the Trades was founded in 1888 by Quaker businessman and philanthropist Isaiah V. Williamson, whose objective was to provide financially disadvantaged young men with a useful trade. Located in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, the school accepted its first students in the fall of 1891. Then, as now, the young men received free room, board, and tuition while dividing their day between the classroom and the shop. In 2015, the institution changed its name from Williamson Free School of Mechanical Trades to Williamson College of the Trades, but its mission has never changed. Students still live on campus for free and are required to report for morning inspection, attend daily chapel service, and maintain a professional appearance at all times. Williamson has remained relevant in a changing world while still maintaining its core values of faith, integrity, diligence, excellence, and service. Despite changing times, Williamson College of the Trades has stayed true to those values and Isaiah V. Williamson's legacy.