Ricker College

Ricker College was a small college located in Houlton, Maine. It opened in 1848 and closed in 1978.

It began as Houlton Academy in 1848, before being subsequently renamed Ricker Classical Institute in 1887. It became Ricker Junior College in 1934 and operated as a four year liberal arts college between that point and its closing in 1978.

The name Ricker was taken from Doctor Joseph Ricker, who was at the time the State Secretary of the Maine Baptist Convention.

As with many other small, private colleges in the United States, Ricker College faced financial difficulties in the 1970s and was forced to close its Houlton campus in May 1978. Other off-campus programs in continuing education remained operational after the main campus's closing, but not at the collegiate level.

A branch of the University of Maine system, the University of Maine at Presque Isle Outreach at Houlton, holds classes in a newly renovated building on Military Street.

Notable alumni

Bob Davoli, Venture capitalist
Paul Duffie, Canadian politician
Ira G. Hersey, politician
Henry L. Joy, politician
David Parks, photographer
Steve Shea, Professional Baseball Player, Pitcher with the Chicago Cubs, Houston Astros, and Montreal Expos
Roger Sherman, politician
Daniel Wathen, Chief Justice of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court
Allan Weiner: Pirate radio operator, owner of WBCQ, WXME & WBCQ-FM; started WRNE, the Ricker College radio station.

External links

Ricker.net - historical information website

Universities and colleges in Maine

Private Institutions	Bates College Beal College Bowdoin College Colby College College of the Atlantic Husson University Maine College of Art New England Bible College New England School of Communications Saint Joseph's College Thomas College Unity College University of New England

Public Institutions	University of Maine Maine Maritime Academy University of Maine at Augusta University of Maine at Farmington University of Maine at Fort Kent University of Maine at Machias University of Maine at Presque Isle University of Southern Maine University College at Rockland

Community College System	Central Maine CC Eastern Maine CC Kennebec Valley CC Northern Maine CC Southern Maine CC Washington County CC York County CC

Law Schools	University of Maine School of Law

Former Schools	Bangor Theological Seminary Bliss College Cobb Divinity School Eastern State Normal School Nasson College Ricker College Westbrook College

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