York College of Pennsylvania traces its roots to the York Academy founded in 1787.  Born of a classical school tradition, it educated male youth in reading, writing English, foreign languages, mathematics and literature.  In 1798, the Classical School for Young Ladies was added.  But with the close of the century, the Episcopal congregation found itself unable to properly fund the school and petitioned the local legislature to finance the school.

On March 1, 1799, the York County Academy was created to become the area's first independent, nondenominational, public school.  The first president of the Board of Trustees, James Smith, was a signer of the Declaration of Independence.  Perhaps the Academy's most famous teacher was Thaddeus Stevens, a champion of Free Public School legislation and the abolishment of slavery.  Strict discipline and traditional teaching methods were used to prepare students for future acceptance to institutions of higher learning.  Educational advances throughout the 19th century however changed the nature of the Academy's role in Pennsylvania's educational system  and it evolved further through the support a local secondary school, the York Collegiate Institute.

York Collegiate Institute owed its existence to local businessman, Samuel Small, Sr. and his wife, Isobel Cassat Small, who wanted a liberal arts school within York Borough. They financed the costs of a new four-story building, which opened in September 1873, and established a scholarship fund.

Later, Isobel Small donated 2,500 volumes from her family library to help fill the Institute's shelves.  Students' course options included the:  scientific, commercial, classical, theology and ladies' departments. Many graduates who chose to continue their studies were able to enroll immediately at the junior level of colleges and universities.  Sadly though on December 7, 1885, six months after the death of its founder, the York Collegiate Institute burned to the ground.  A new building, constructed on the same site and financed by Small's nephews, opened in 1887.  During the early 20th century, the medical sciences department enlarged, producing many future physicians, while student athletics became more prominent and varied.

Expanding the Institute further, in 1913, instruction was offered to grades 1-10, and by 1929, a teaching agreement developed between York County Academy and York Collegiate Institute.  Both schools would operate within the Institute's building. The Academy building closed and its students now enjoyed the Institute's facilities and the ability to earn a joint diploma.  By 1940 however, continuing advances in Pennsylvania's public school system once again influenced the evolution of the newly merged schools.  With public schools available to residents, private schools served fewer students.  For this reason, the Institute's president, Dr. Lester Johnson, advised the trustees to transform both schools into a junior college offering two-year programs.

In 1941, York Junior College began offering undergraduate courses within the Collegiate Institute building, while the secondary school still continued.  But in 1947, the secondary school was discontinued and the Junior College took up the task of preparing students for colleges and universities.  Pre-nursing, pre-medicine, science and the arts allowed students to earn freshman and sophomore year credits before transferring and specializing at other institutions during their junior and senior years.  "Terminal courses" were introduced in 1944 allowing students to finish a program in one year, with the expectation of securing work locally in one of the area's thriving industries.  Engineering was a particularly successful terminal course program.  

The Junior College's success during the post-war boom in the 1950's necessitated more space for classrooms, science labs, auditoriums and athletic facilities.  In January 1956, the trustees purchased 57 acres of land located just outside the borough, previously owned by an outdoor country club.  It proved the ideal location to build a modern, expanding campus.  Administrative services were housed in the property's former clubhouse while a student union opened in another house also located on the property.  Through community support, a classroom building, a gymnasium, and later a library were constructed to provide students and faculty with a contemporary environment.  

Over the next decade students took advantage of more and more resources.  Scholarships and financial aid were available and twenty-seven student organizations formed.  Courses of study included:  languages, mathematics, sciences, philosophy, psychology, sociology, history, economics, business, art, music and engineering.  Sports were also encouraged. By 1968, York Junior College was ready to expand to offer four-year degrees.

The college's name officially changed to York College of Pennsylvania on August 1, 1968.  Enrollment increased and the campus grew to accommodate both resident and commuter students.  Newly constructed buildings replaced the old country club's buildings while new dormitories sprang up around them.  Cultural events supplemented students' academic studies and invited the community to share in the college's sponsorship.  By the late 1970s, York College formed connections with both York Country Day School and York Hospital (Wellspan) and began offering masters degree courses.  As it continues into its third century of providing educational opportunities, York College faces future challenges supported by a unique and enduring history.

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