George Williams College: A Legacy of Training and Transformation
George Williams College (GWC) holds a unique place in the history of education and social service, evolving from a YMCA training school to a multifaceted institution before merging with Aurora University. Its journey reflects changing societal needs and the enduring commitment to community development.
Origins as a YMCA Training Institution
The seeds of George Williams College were sown in 1886 with the establishment of a summer camp on Geneva Lake in Wisconsin. This camp, founded by YMCA leaders I. E. Brown, William Lewis, and Robert Weidensall, served as a professional training school for YMCA personnel. This initiative addressed the growing need for trained leaders within the burgeoning YMCA movement. The YMCA itself was founded in London in 1844 by Sir George Williams, the namesake of the college. The establishment of the first YMCA in North America occurred in 1851 on Sainte-Hélène Street in Old Montreal.
In 1890, the training camp moved to Hyde Park in Chicago, Illinois, marking its transformation into a formal college. During its early years in Hyde Park, the institution underwent several name changes, reflecting its evolving focus:
- Training School of the YMCA (1890-96)
- Secretarial Institute and Training School (1896-1903)
- Institute and Training School of the YMCA (1903-13)
- YMCA College or Association College (1913-33)
These changes illustrate the college's adaptation to the needs of the YMCA and the broader community it served. In 1933, the institution was permanently renamed "George Williams College."
Academic Programs and Expansion
George Williams College initially focused on providing bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Physical Education and Community Service, tailored for YMCA professionals. A distinctive offering was a B.A. in residential and day camping, reflecting the importance of outdoor education within the YMCA framework.
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Following World War II, the enactment of the GI Bill provided educational opportunities for returning veterans. George Williams College broadened its academic programs to attract this new demographic. Studies in Settlement Houses, designed to prepare students for work in organizations like Jane Addams Hull House, were added, alongside other programs extending beyond traditional YMCA roles. This expansion appealed to both men and women seeking to utilize their GI Bill benefits.
One individual who benefited from these expanded offerings was Margaret, who, after working for three years to save money for tuition, enrolled at GWC to pursue Settlement House work with a minor in Camping.
A Personal Connection: Courtship and College Life
The story of George Williams College is interwoven with the personal experiences of its students. One alumnus recounted his time at GWC, highlighting the impact of the college on his life. As part of his studies, he was required to take a folkdance class, where he met Margaret. He was immediately captivated by her "beauty and charm and fun." Despite competition from other classmates, he pursued her, and they married in December 1950, during his third year of college.
Their shared experience at GWC shaped their early life together. During the summer after their marriage, they both worked at different camps in Northern Wisconsin, Margaret at a private girls camp and him at a YMCA camp. In his senior year, Margaret made the sacrifice of leaving GWC to work and support him financially after his GI Bill benefits expired.
Relocation and Challenges
In 1965, George Williams College moved from its Hyde Park location to a suburban campus in Downers Grove, Illinois. This relocation, however, was not without its challenges. The predominantly white residents of Downers Grove displayed hostility towards the college's integrated student body, which had a significant Black representation.
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By the 1980s, George Williams College faced increasing financial difficulties.
Merger with Aurora University and Recent Developments
In 2000, George Williams College was acquired by Aurora University. For two decades, Aurora University utilized the Williams Bay location as a satellite campus, offering classes for its students seeking degrees in programs like education, nursing and social work. Aurora University made significant improvements and additions to the campus while preserving the major historic buildings.
However, in November 2022, Aurora University announced that academic instruction at the George Williams College campus would cease in December 2023. The campus was slated to continue operating as a conference center. In June 2023, the campus was listed for sale, with the goal of finding a nonprofit buyer. Chicago businessman Liam Krehbiel submitted a bid for the former campus in January 2024.
The GWC campus consists of 137 acres. The campus hosts a conference center and the Music by the Lake summer concert series at Ferro Pavilion.
Sir George Williams University: A Canadian Counterpart
It is important to note that there was also a "Sir George Williams University" in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, named after the same George Williams. This institution evolved from evening classes offered by the Montreal YMCA in 1873. In 1926, the education program at the YMCA was re-organized as Sir George Williams College, named after George Williams, founder of the original YMCA in London. Sir George Williams College received its university charter from the provincial government in 1948. Sir George Williams expanded into its first standalone building, the Norris Building, in 1956. In 1959, the college requested that the Quebec legislature amend its university charter, changing its name to Sir George Williams University. Following several years of discussions and planning, Sir George Williams University merged with Loyola College to create Concordia University in 1974.
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Potential Redevelopment and Community Concerns
The Village of Williams Bay is currently considering the future of the former George Williams College campus, a lakefront property located along a large stretch of the village’s shoreline. The property has been an integral part of the Williams Bay community for generations of residents and has been the site of a popular concert series, Music by the Lake, for more than six decades. Since 2002, the campus has also been the site of the headquarters for the Geneva Lake Water Safety Patrol.
Topography Hospitality, LLC, founded in Chicago in 2021 by Liam Krehbiel, has proposed building The Preserve at Williams Bay, a resort and spa similar to Ballyfin, on the George Williams College property. The company needs several approvals from the Williams Bay Village Board. The first hurdle they faced was related to the village’s Comprehensive Plan, which specifically excluded the word “resort” from the land-use categories. The Williams Bay Village Board held an open meeting on Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. The meeting was well-attended, with a large number of residents speaking out passionately both for and against the change. On top of this, a portion of the undeveloped land that makes up the former George Williams College golf course is actually located in the Town of Walworth.
The vote on the rezoning was originally scheduled for the same night as the vote on the Comprehensive Plan Amendment: Dec. 9, 2024. However, a few weeks before that meeting, the Village announced that the zoning vote had been canceled.
Topography Hospitality has emphasized the increased tax revenue to the Village that the resort would generate. (As an educational institution, the George Williams College land has never previously appeared on the tax rolls.) The company also highlights the creation of up to 100 permanent jobs and many more temporary jobs during the construction phase. However, before the project can move forward, the Village must first significantly update the infrastructure to the property, including roads, water and sewer systems. In order to pay for these upgrades, the Village Board has already created a TID (Tax Incremental Financing District). Critics point out that, if the project should fail before the loan is repaid, the Village of Williams Bay could find itself with a major loan to repay and no TID revenue with which to pay it back.
As a private resort, the property would be available almost exclusively to guests and club members. According to Topography Hospitality’s current prospectus, proposed accommodation rates would range from $1,200 to $3,900 per night during peak season. In a presentation to prospective investors, Topography indicated it also plans to offer a club membership, with a $100,000 initiation fee and $12,000 annual dues. While these rates and fees are prohibitively high for the majority of local residents, current plans for the property do include the development of a 90-acre nature preserve on what was originally the “Back 9” of the George Williams College golf course. Although the company plans to demolish the Ferro Pavilion (site of the Music by the Lake concert series), their plans for the resort do include a new amphitheater built into a large, wooded hill on the property.
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