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City of Madison, Wisconsin Underrepresented Communities Historic Resource Survey Report:
Madison Continuation School was established in 1912 to provide vocational training to the city. The school changed its name in 1921 to Madison Vocational School, when it moved into a new building at 211 North Carroll Street, and again in 1966 to Madison Area Technical College, when it occupied a location adjacent to the non-extant Madison Central High School building. Madison Central High School, drawing students from the central and southern portions of the city, had a large number of African American students. The primary campus moved to a larger facility at 1701 Wright Street in 1987.
In 2010, it began to refer to itself as simply Madison College, to avoid confusion with Milwaukee Area Technical College, also known as "MATC". Still operating from both two campuses, the college has an enrollment of nearly 34,000 students today. The institution has always maintained a diverse student body and has employed many instructors from underrepresented backgrounds since 1950.
One such teacher was Velma Fern Hamilton. In 1950, Velma was hired as the first African American teacher in Madison as an English teacher at the Madison Vocational School, the predecessor to Madison College. She also worked with the Ford Foundation's Institute of International Education during the 1950s. In 1970, she served as the chair of the General Studies Department of MATC and became the Dean of Liberal Studies before retiring in 1975. Velma Hamilton had worked for education, civil rights, and fair housing throughout her time in Madison.
National And State Register Of Historic Places Listings
Architecture & History Inventory
The Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory (AHI) is a digital source of information on historic buildings, structures, and objects that have been surveyed by the State Historic Preservation Office in Wisconsin. Each property has a digital record providing basic information about the property and images.
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For a credit line: Wisconsin Historical Society, Creator, Title, Unique Identifier.
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MATC Gargoyle
February 25, 1973
A hooded gargoyle, representing scholastic spirit, on the facade of the Madison Area Technical College at 211 North Carroll Street.
Central High School Trade and Technical Courses
February 7, 1951
Two men wear welding masks while operating an acetylene cutting machine while three other students look on. Welding Instructor Fred Theiler (right) watches as student Dick Connery (left) learns to ...
Entrance to Madison Vocational School
February 18, 1930
View across sidewalk towards the entrance to the Madison Vocational school (downtown Madison Area Technical College), at 211-213 N. Carroll Street.
