Edward Kaelber appointed first college president

The next task that the board of trustees undertook was finding a president for their new college. Though many people were interviewed, Edward Kaelber was hired in January of 1970. Formerly an associate dean at the Harvard School of Graduate Education, Kaelbers background in education was instrumental in recruiting faculty and building the foundation of the school we know today. Ann Peach was hired as his secretary, and together they worked to gather funding, cement the mission and ideology of the school and gather students who were excited about the alternative vision of education that COA was offering. Thanks to their hard work, and the support of the board of trustees, COA projected to open in the fall of 1972. With a timeline now in place, 1970 through 1972 were years of intensive planning.

To learn more, take a look at our oral histories of Ed Kaelber and Ann Peach, or read through Such a Frail Bark, which contains interviews with both of them.