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Technology Christian Association

 Organization

Historical Note

The Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) established a branch at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) on January 17, 1895; by 1909 it was reorganized as the Technology Christian Association (TCA). Its goal was to "unite all Christian men of the Institute into one vigorous body, with the purpose of promoting the moral and spiritual welfare of the undergraduate." Their activities included promoting social gatherings, directing MIT students to local churches, and providing service to the Tech House in Roxbury, a home for the care of poor people.

An important part of the Technology Christian Association's work focused on new students and the production of a handbook for freshmen to help them adjust to life at MIT. The association published the handbook from 1895 until 1969, when the Institute administration began to publish HoToGAMIT (How to Get Around MIT). In addition to the handbook, the Technology Christian Association began holding annual Freshman Camps in 1926 to give incoming students the opportunity to become acquainted with each other and the Institute’s history and traditions. Upperclassmen, student leaders, administrators, and faculty were involved with these orientation activities. The outings were initially held at Camp Massapoag in Dunstable, Massachusetts. Technology Christian Association would go on to build a cabin at the camp for use of Tech students increasing capacity for the event; construction was completed in September 1930.The Freshman Camp was held on Institute grounds from 1942 to spring 1946. That fall, Freshman Camp activities were relocated to Camp Wonderland in Sharon, Massachusetts. By fall 1949, a committee of students, faculty, and staff assumed responsibility of running the Freshman Camp program. In later years the Technology Christian Association contributed to the MIT community with donations to the United Community Fund and by co-sponsoring the semiannual blood drive with the Red Cross. In 1957 the Technology Christian Association became the Technology Community Association.

Found in 4 Collections and/or Records:

Dugald C. Jackson papers

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MC-0005
Abstract The collection documents the career of Dugald C. Jackson, a member of the faculty of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) from 1907 to 1935. Correspondence, reports, and other materials document Jackson's years as head of the MIT Department of Electrical Engineering, his innovations in the department and the undergraduate curriculum, the establishment of a cooperative education program (course 6-A), and his work on MIT committees. His work as a consulting engineer and inventor is...
Dates: 1878 - 1952

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Activities Report Committee records

 Collection
Identifier: AC-0101
Scope and Contents

The collection consists of the reports of the committee and appendices with copies of many of the organizations' constitutions, bylaws, organizational charts, and other records.

Dates: 1921

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Undergraduate Employment Bureau annual report

 Collection
Identifier: AC-0084
Scope and Contents

The collection comprises an annual report produced by the Undergraduate Employment Bureau at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Dates: check

Technology Christian Association records

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: AC-0382
Scope and Contents of the Collection This collection documents the activities of the Technology Christian Association (TCA), a student organization of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).The Technology Christian Association was founded on January 17, 1895, under the auspices of the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA). Material in this collection, spanning 1905 to 1948, comprises three record formats: scrapbooks, ledgers, and logbooks. The collection is arranged chronologically by format. Scrapbooks,...
Dates: 1905 - 1948