125 years

Our Story Over Time

1900-1925
1926-1950
1951-1975
1976-2000
2001-2025

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1836

Alfred University Founded

On December 5, 1836 the Alfred Select School opened as a co-educational institution, offering equal rights and privileges to the 22 women and 15 men who had enrolled. This school set the stage for a long history of higher education in Alfred, NY. It was solidified when it was chartered as Alfred University in 1857. Originally focused on liberal arts and teacher education, the curriculum grew over time to include such programs as business, industrial mechanics, and the arts.

1900-1925

Dawn of a New Era

The year 1900 brought about an important step in its ongoing evolution: the founding of the New York State School of Clay Working and Ceramics.

Binns Hall, early 1900s

1900

New York State of Clay-Working and Ceramics Opens

On April 11, 1900, Governor Theodore Roosevelt signed New York State Law 1900 Chapter 383, which created the New York State School of Clay-Working and Ceramics at Alfred University, a statutory college of the State and a unique public-private partnership. The effort was led by President Boothe Colwell Davis and alumnus John Jake Merrill in an effort to expand the University’s enrollment and tie into a national need for technical education. Charles Fergus Binns was selected as the school’s first director, which he held until his retirement in 1931. Binns and his faculty set in a motion a unique approach to education in the arts and engineering, with an initial focus on ceramics.

A group of students outside of a building for summer school

Summer School class of 1901 outside of Binns Hall

1901

Support for Women's Education

A summer school in the School of Clay-Working and Ceramics opened in 1901 in the interest of serving working artists in ceramic manufacturing (predominantly women who desired technical knowledge). As a longstanding coeducational school, they found Alfred a welcoming place to build upon their experience and enhance their education. They also found an advocate in their job searches through support offered by the Director of the School, Charles Fergus Binns. Summer courses for working engineers were added in 1915. Alfred’s women were also the first students to speak at the American Ceramic Society meeting.

1906

Terra Cotta Helps Set the Stage

Terra cotta is a traditional form of ceramics and has its place in both art and engineering. Cities in the United States developed in large part due to advances in terra cotta, both as a structural material and as an architectural element. Terra cotta pipes were functionally important in the new water and sewage systems. The NYSCC was in large part envisioned and chosen to be in Alfred, NY due to the presence of the Celadon Terra Cotta Company and the Alfred Clay Company which had been operating in the town since the late 1800s. In 1906, Celadon merged with the Ohio-based Ludowici Tile Roofing Company. The unified company was called Ludowici-Celadon and ran five plants across the country, operating as the largest tile roofing company in the United States and recognized as having the best quality product in the industry.

A sepia photo of the Celadon Terra Cotta office building from 1906

Celadon Terra Cotta Office and Plant, 1906

The New York State Students’ Branch of the American Ceramic Society, 1913

1913

New York State Students' Branch of the American Ceramic Society

Students interested in the technical aspects of ceramics first formed the Alfred Ceramic Society in 1901. It transformed into the New York State Ceramic Society in 1913 and chartered two years later as the New York State Students’ Branch of the American Ceramic Society. This allowed students to develop professionally by discussing technical papers and reports and by attending meetings of the American Ceramic Society, of which Charles Binns had been an active member, serving as its third president in 1901-02.

1925

Out of Fire Comes Strength

On June 9, 1925, Charles F. Binns gave an oration titled "E Concrematione Confirmatio" as part of the University awarding him an honorary doctorate of science. His translation of the phrase, pertinent to ceramics, was “out of the fire comes firmness” and morally “through stress we pass to strength.” As part of the recognition of his impact, it was announced that a sum of money had been collected to establish the Binns Medal prize for achievement in ceramic art. The impetus for the medal came from the Alfred reunion meeting at the American Ceramic Society in Columbus, OH that year. Binns was the first recipient, and the bronze medals, designed by his daughter Elsie Binns, an artist herself, bear the Latin phrase.

A black and white photo of Charles Fergus Binns

Charles Fergus Binns, 1925

1926-1950

The Era of Transformation

As the breadth and depth of the programs developed within the school grows, the New York State College of Ceramics was beginning to transform into what we know today.

A black and white photo of an old building

Merrill and Perlman Hall (formerly Allen Hall), 1932

1932

A New Name, Programs, and Building

In 1932, the New York State Legislature raised the ranking of the school, revising the name to the New York State College of Ceramics as a reflection. Organizationally it was divided into three departments: General Technology and Engineering, Glass Technology and Engineering, and Applied Arts. The addition of glass technology is notable since it created the first university glass laboratory for research and teaching, with the first bachelor of science in glass technology degree awarded this year. The college also gained a new building, Merrill Hall, named in honor of John Jake Merrill and his ongoing impact and support. Additionally, the first masters degrees were awarded this year to Sandford S. Cole, Sr. (ceramic engineering) and Myrtle Merritt French (applied art).

1933

St. Patrick's Day

Major Edward Holmes assumed the directorship of the college after the retirement of Charles F. Binns in 1931. He had previously been the director of the ceramic engineering program at the University of Missouri at Rolla. In addition to his professional knowledge, he also brought along the tradition of holding a St. Patrick’s Day festival and open house as an annual event to raise awareness of the ceramic industry and to increase enrollment. The two-day festival lasted over 50 years, showcasing the College’s curriculum and laboratories while also creating a festive weekend for students to honor St. Patrick, the patron saint of engineers. Students planned a parade, dances, luncheons, activities, and a formal ball. The talents of the artists and engineers merged in the design and production of ceramic gifts or “favors.”

St. Patrick's Day parade, 1933

A black and white photo of people sitting on the steps of a building

1943

Army Specialized Training Program

World War II had a tremendous impact on Alfred University and its colleges, creating a number of difficulties. It also brought a unit of the Army Specialized Training Program to campus. The NYSCC lent its support and a number of the trainees returned after the war to enroll in the college. The NYSCC received numerous requests for recommendations of recent graduates to be hired by multiple industries needing their skills to support the war effort. On campus, the Ceramic Experiment Station's activity was heightened as industry provided additional financial support. One area of research was to help develop domestic substitutes for ceramic materials formerly imported from Europe.

1947

Building Foundations

Dr. Samuel Ray Scholes Sr. took over leadership of the College, acting in that capacity for two years. A major legacy was the development of a formal library for the College which today bears his name.

Emily Van Schoick

1947

Scholes Library

Dr. Samuel Ray Scholes Sr. hired Emily Van Schoick as its first librarian. She had worked the last 25 years for the American Ceramic Society as the associate editor of its Journal, work she continued in a voluntary capacity after she came to Alfred. Originally located in Merrill Hall, the library moved into Harder Hall once it was completed in 1974, and then again in 1992 into the current building. Today, Scholes Library is a preeminent research library housing specialized collections which support the disciplines of art and engineering. Together with Herrick Memorial Library, a second library at Alfred University, it supports the wide range of research needs of students, faculty and researchers while offering a variety of essential services and spaces.

1948

The State University of New York

When the NYSCC opened in 1900 the State University of New York (SUNY) system was not yet formed. The college was set up as a contract or statutory unit, receiving state budget support, but organizationally managed by Alfred University, creating a unique public-private relationship. A Board of Managers was annually appointed by the university trustees with the university president at its head. A second statutory school, the New York State School of Agriculture, opened at Alfred University in 1908. When SUNY formed in 1948, it was decided to fully separate the agricultural school as a separate institution (today Alfred State College) but to keep the NYSCC functioning as a statutory unit. Students enrolled in its programs were, as before, fully integrated into the activities, athletics, and general life of the University. Buildings related to the NYSCC programs are owned and maintained by the State and the University continues to receive funding in support of its mission.

Black and white photo of a building from above

The State complex, 1958

English potter Bernard Leach teaching a class on Japanese pottery with student Minnie Negoro, center-right, in attendance, circa 1950

1950

Half a Century of Excellence

After 50 years of operation, it was time for yet another expansion and celebration. The original Binns Hall was demolished to make way for a larger facility to be added on to Merrill Hall (today the two structures are called Binns-Merrill Hall). Special guests and lecturers were invited to campus, including English potter Bernard Leach who specialized in traditional Japanese pottery and spent three weeks on campus teaching and demonstrating his expertise. One student of note was Minnie Negoro, who had come to Alfred in 1944 from a Japanese-American internment camp in Wyoming where she had worked with Daniel Rhodes, a recent Alfred MFA graduate hired to make ceramic tableware for the military. He facilitated Negoro’s attendance at the College of Ceramics for ceramic design and a job in the Glidden Pottery factory in Alfred. After receiving her bachelor's degree in 1950, Negoro eventually ended up at the University of Connecticut in 1965 where she established its ceramics program.

1951-1975

Era of Research

Since its opening in 1900, the NYSCC has supported research for industry. A primary early focus was the testing of clays and shales for companies to improve their products and processes. This era also showed new advances in technology and expansions across a growing Alfred University campus.

1951

The Ceramic Experiment Station

The Ceramic Experiment Station was established in 1936 and undertook a major project which culminated in 1951 with the publication of the Clays and Shales Survey of New York State 1937-1951. It featured the results of the testing of clay and shale from more than 450 sampled locations, representing every county and geological formation in the state. Research activity was more formalized in 1946 when the Alfred University Research Foundation was established, with most of the research conducted within the NYSCC. In addition to extensive support for businesses, the NYSCC has conducted research for numerous federal projects, including military applications.

Black and white photo of students in a lab

A research lab under the Ceramic Experiment Station, circa 1951

Alfred University Professor Ted Randall

1954

A Bowl for Each State

As a state-funded unit, the NYSCC programs are known within the echelons of the Albany-based state administration. Multiple governors have spoken on campus or attended dedications over the years. After being a keynote speaker on campus in both 1945 and 1953, Governor Thomas Dewey requested ceramic favors for the annual Governors Conference to be held in Lake George in July, 1954. Professors Daniel Rhodes and Theodore Randall created 54 bowls, similar in design but unique, throwing them on the potter’s wheel and dried. They were then taken to Albany, inscribed by Dewey, and returned to Alfred for glazing and firing. In addition to his work as a well-known potter and educator, Randall developed improvements to the traditional potter’s wheel that are still in use today.

1955

Growth and Diversification

National post-war trends influenced the growth of the NYSCC and changes within its curriculum. The art programs were growing and diversifying. A Master of Fine Arts program was added in 1953, the same year the first issue of Ceramics Monthly first appeared, showcasing a pot by Prof. Ted Randall on the cover. Photography grew rapidly as a new BFA concentration and additional art faculty were hired. Engineering recognized the changing focus on ceramic-related technologies within industry and added a Ph.D. degree in ceramic science in 1955. Research remained strong and varied; improvements in rotary and roller kilns were developed and quickly implemented by industry.

Black and white photo of students working in a lab

Students working in a woodworking lab, 1955

Sepia photo of students working in a computer lab

Students working in the Computer Center in the basement of Binns-Merrill Hall, 1963

1963

Computers Come To Alfred

Education and research today are dependent on computers and their associated systems. In 1963, the first Computer Center opened at Alfred University to support the engineering work within the NYSCC. A $20,000 grant from the National Science Foundation and support from IBM provided an IBM 1620 computer with 40k of memory, a printer, two cardpunch machines, and a card sorter. Shortly after opening in the basement of Binns-Merrill Hall, instruction in computing and FORTRAN programming was offered, becoming requirements for all engineering students. Faculty encouraged use of the facility by students, never limiting access as was common at other institutions. By this time, the NYSCC graduated one-third to one-half of all ceramic engineering degrees in the United States; providing early instruction and access to computer technology meant a national impact within the field of ceramics.

1973

Expanded Facilities

An expansion of facilities by the mid-1970s opened up a multitude of new possibilities for the NYSCC. The engineering program had expanded into the McMahon Building in 1969 while the art programs rejoiced in their new fine arts building, Harder Hall, which opened in 1973. It provided not only much needed modernized classrooms, studios and kilns but also included a four-story space for Scholes Library, a large auditorium, and new galleries for faculty, students, and visiting artists. Space opened up in Binns-Merrill Hall which allowed for the creation of a foundry and a larger workspace for glass blowing.

1976-2000

Era of Growth

Following the opening of Harder Hall, the art programs underwent a growth spurt, spurred not only by the recently expanded facilities but also by national trends in art. Activities in sculpture were enhanced, including the addition of a neon studio in 1977, the first in the United States.

Old photos of Alfred University faculty members

Faculty roster, 1978

1977

Glass Art and Neon Sculpture

Glass art had been added in 1966 as a concentration in the BFA degree and in 1970 to the MFA degree.

1987

Advanced Ceramics

The study and use of ceramics has expanded from the traditional into advanced applications in multiple industries such as aerospace, automotive, defense, electronics, industrial, and medical. The need for technical workers, scientists and research in these areas continues to grow. The NYSCC has been at the forefront of this area and in 1987 became home to the New York State Center for Advanced Ceramic Technology (CACT) which continues the longstanding connection between the NYSCC and industry partners. The CACT specializes in applied and technical research, facilitating hands-on research for undergraduate and graduate students alongside their faculty.

Historical photo of an art installation in an academic building

Art installation on top of Harder Hall, 1985

1999

The Age of Electronics

The NYSCC has often pushed the boundaries of interdisciplinary studies, from the beginning it recognized that students needed exposure to both ceramic art and science to be fully educated. It recognized the same principle in relation to electronics which people often think of strictly in the realm of the technical world. Staying abreast of technology and recognizing that the world of art expands beyond traditional mediums, the NYSCC was an early adopter, creating the MFA in Electronic Integrated Arts in 1989 which explores relationships between electronic and digital technologies. Students in the Expanded Media BFA degree focus on art that transcends the boundaries of printmaking, photography, digital interactive arts, video arts, and sonic arts.

Dr. Bill LaCourse and Dr. L. David Pye

1992

Glass Science

The NYSCC at Alfred University is the only institution of higher education in the country to offer a bachelor's, master's and doctoral degree in Glass Science Engineering. The Ph.D. degree was added in 1992, only the third of its kind in the world. To support the program, the NYSCC Hall of Glass Science and Engineering opened in 1999. At its dedication, university president Edward G. Coll, Jr. noted that the glass science program was "the foremost of its kind at any university in the United States and probably the world."

2000

Celebrating 100 Years

As part of the NYSCC’s centennial celebration, the International Friendship Park was dedicated on April 25, 2000. Dedicated to Dr. Van Derck Fréchette, the park honors the students, faculty, scholars, artists, and scientists from around the world who came to Alfred for study and research as well as those who left Alfred for international destinations of their own. Understanding the value of cultural exchange, Fréchette created the Study Abroad program in 1970 which allowed students to earn academic credit while studying overseas. The bronze marker for the park reads, in part “Dedicated to the causes of peace, friendship and cultural understanding and to those students from foreign lands who met the challenges of language, culture and distance to study at Alfred University.” The Carrara marble stone in which the plaque is embedded was secured through a past visiting scientist to the NYSCC and came from a quarry once used by Michelangelo.

2001-2025

The Last 25 Years

In 2005, after receiving a large endowment gift, the School of Engineering’s name was changed to honor Dr. Kazuo Inamori, founder and chairman emeritus of Kyocera, the world's largest manufacturer of advanced ceramic materials.

Newspaper clipping of photo from the ribbon cutting

2005

Inamori School of Engineering

Dr. Kazuo Inamori had a long relationship with the University, beginning in 1971 when Kyocera first opened operations in the United States, hiring graduates of the ceramic engineering program among its first employees. He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Science degree in 1988 which recognized his accomplishments as a scientist and engineer and his efforts to promote contributions for the good of mankind by creating the Kyoto Prizes. Inamori also delivered the McMahon Memorial Lecture in 1999, an honor reserved for those who make outstanding contributions to the field of ceramic engineering and materials science.

John Gilbertson and Kazuo Inamori at the ribbon cutting for the Inamori School of Engineering, 2005

2020

A New Foundry for Interdisciplinary Programs

In 2020, it was announced that the University’s heating plant would be converted to a foundry to support programs in both art and engineering. Created in the early 1970s, the foundry has supported numerous initiatives and programs. When it opens in 2026, the new facility will be home to the National Casting Center, the Advanced Digital Fabrication Lab, and the Additive and Advanced Manufacturing Center. The collaborative space will house melting facilities, classroom space, and other experiential learning opportunities. It will be utilized by the School of Art and Design’s Division of Sculpture/Dimensional Studies for its glass and metal casting programs, and by the Inamori School of Engineering for its materials science and mechanical engineering programs.

2021

Center for Glass Innovation

Innovation in glass research has been an integral part of the NYSCC for 90 years and partnering with industry for even longer. The Center for Glass Research was implemented in 1985 and the new Center for Glass Innovation was announced in 2021 as a nation-leading collaboration between New York State and the NYSCC to bolster markets for recycled glass and to improve the quality of glass available for recovery throughout the state. This cooperative work, built on our long history, involves working with private glass manufacturers to improve glass manufacturing processes and develop the next generation of glass materials. Celebrating the history and impact of glass in both engineering and art was an international focus in 2022 when retired NYSCC alumnus, faculty member and dean, Dr. L. David Pye developed a successful proposal for the United Nations to declare it as the International Year of Glass.

Three faculty and staff members cutting a ribbon

Holly Shulman ’87, director of the Space Materials Institute at Alfred University (left), Gabrielle Gaustad ’04, dean of Alfred University’s Inamori School of Engineering (center), and David Gottfried, director of Alfred University’s Center for Advanced Ceramic Technology, participate in a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the Institute’s opening.

2024

Space Materials Institute

The Space Materials Institute was established in the Inamori School of Engineering in 2024 to advance the science and technology of materials in support of aerospace and outer space exploration. The institute facilitates industry and agency projects with Alfred University that engage students in hands-on experiential learning opportunities and allow companies to develop and protect intellectual property. Research with the aerospace industry has long been a trend within the NYSCC, starting in the 1940s with research for the Air Force and the Navy, in the 1960s with research for NASA on fuel cells and moon glass, and continuing forward ever since. Additionally, faculty have done consulting for NASA and other aerospace companies and the NYSCC has received numerous grants and high-level equipment that supports the ongoing research.

A Promising Future

Celebrating 125 Years

The New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University is excited to celebrate 125 years of teaching, mentoring, researching, influencing, and impacting the world through the varied disciplines of art and engineering. The future is bright and the vision is strong to continue this work for at least another 125 years!

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