Boston-Bouvé College records

In 1913 seven women founded the Boston School of Physical Education after their alma mater, the Boston Normal School of Gymnastics, merged with Wellesley College. Founders Bessie Barnes, Caroline Baxter, Marjorie Bouvé, Marguerite Sanderson, Grace Shepardson, Mary Florence Stratton, and Miriam Tobey wanted to ensure Boston's ability to offer a two-year teacher training program for women similar to their own training.

Co-founder Marjorie Bouvé became the Boston School of Physical Education's first director in 1913. After disagreements with the corporation in 1925 however, Bouvé resigned from the Boston School of Physical Education and opened the Bouvé School, Incorporated, also a school of physical education. By 1929 the Boston School of Physical Education was experiencing financial difficulties, and in 1930 the two schools merged to form the Bouvé-Boston School of Physical Education with Bouvé as its director.

Although the Bouvé-Boston School of Physical Education had begun strictly as a physical education school, it quickly incorporated the developing field of physical therapy into its curriculum. During World War I, the Bouvé-Boston School of Physical Education offered short courses to train reconstruction aides, and by 1925 a separate physical therapy department had been created and students could choose to focus their studies on either physical education or physical therapy.

In 1930 the Bouvé-Boston School of Physical Education affiliated with Simmons College to enable students to complete a fourth year of classes and earn a B.S. in education. This affiliation lasted until 1942 when the Bouvé-Boston School of Physical Education affiliated with Tufts University. By 1945 all Bouvé-Boston School of Physical Education students earned degrees from Tufts. In 1942 the Posse School Institute, Inc. (Posse), another Massachusetts school of physical education, closed its doors. Posse and the Bouvé-Boston School of Physical Education made an agreement whereby 18 of Posse's students completed their training at the Bouvé-Boston School of Physical Education.

In the early 1960s, it became clear that Tufts' and Bouvé-Boston School of Physical Education's missions were no longer compatible, so in 1964 the Bouvé-Boston School of Physical Education merged with Northeastern University becoming the coeducational Boston-Bouvé College of Northeastern University. In 1980 the Boston-Bouvé College merged with Northeastern's College of Education to form the Boston-Bouvé College of Human Development Professions. In 1992 the school merged with the College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions and continues at Northeastern University as the Bouvé College of Health Sciences.

In the mid-1990s, the College strengthened its focus on interdisciplinary learning and the co-op experience. Several programs, including physical education and recreation management, were eliminated and the graduate programs in counseling and school psychology were combined. Bouvé faculty received grants from both inside and outside the University to pursue research and classroom development in their fields. In 1997, Bouvé College merged with the College of Nursing, becoming one of three schools that make up Bouvé College along with Health Professions and Pharmacy. In 1999, the College of Nursing launched the first perioperative nurse training program in Massachusetts. In 2000, the University broke ground for a new health sciences center and, in 2002, the school started a new graduate level program in geriatrics and moved into the new George D. Behrakis Health Sciences Center.

1913

Boston School of Physical Education founded; Marjorie Bouvé named first director

1925

Marjorie Bouvé leaves Boston School; founds the Bouvé School, Incorporated

1930

Boston School of Physical Education and Bouvé School, Inc. merge to form Bouvé-Boston School of Physical Education; Marjorie Bouvé named director

1930

Bouvé-Boston School affiliates with Simmons College to provide students with fourth year and a B.S. in education

1942

Bouvé-Boston School ends affiliation with Simmons College; affiliates with Tufts University to grant degrees; Posse School Institute, Inc. students merge with Bouvé-Boston School

1964

Bouvé-Boston School merges with Northeastern University, becoming Boston-Bouvé College

1980

Boston-Bouvé College merges with the College of Education, becoming the Boston-Bouvé College of Human Development Professions

1992

Boston-Bouvé College of Human Development Professions merges with the College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions, becoming the Bouvé College of Health Sciences

1997

The College of Nursing becomes part of Bouvé College

1999

Name change to Bouvé College of Health Sciences becomes official

2002

Bouvé College moves into the George D. Behrakis Health Sciences Center