Barat College
Encyclopedia
Barat College of the Sacred Heart was a small Catholic
college located in Lake Forest, Illinois
, 30 miles north of Chicago. The college was named after Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat, founder of the Society of the Sacred Heart
. Barat College was purchased by DePaul University
in 2001, but closed in 2005; the faculty and student body were absorbed by DePaul, and the campus and educational inventory were sold.
in 1858 and moved to its Lake Forest location in 1904. In 1918, the State of Illinois chartered Barat as a four-year college, and in 1982, Barat became a coeducation
al institution. To qualify for federal financial programs, governance of the college passed from the Society of the Sacred Heart to an independent Board of Trustees in 1969. In February 2001, because of fiscal concerns, Barat College was purchased by DePaul University
, becoming one of DePaul's seven colleges. The College was then renamed Barat College of DePaul University.
In February 2004, the DePaul University Trustee Board voted to discontinue operating Barat College despite a 14-11 vote by the DePaul Faculty Council to continue the alliance.
DePaul then began to accept proposals for the future of the college, culminating in the proposal for a relationship with the American College of Education
. Through its wholly owned Illinois subsidiary, they acquired a substantial portion of the educational business of Barat College, including the library materials, regional accreditation
through the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association and permits and other authorizations from governmental authorities, education agencies, or other third parties.
In 2006 the campus was sold to Barat Woods LLC, for development as condominium
residences. The courtyard and part of the Old Main Building were to be preserved. However, the 50000 square feet (4,645.2 m²) Thabor Wing, which was added to the building in 1924 and contains the Italianate
style Sacred Heart Chapel, was to be demolished. The price on the property was twenty million dollars and whether that price was met or not is unknown.
Barat College housed the academic records of Duchesne College in Omaha, Nebraska
. These records along with the academic records were transferred to the Society of the Sacred Heart. Individuals who attended Duchesne College (another Sacred Heart School) can ask for their transcripts through the Society of the Sacred Heart Archives, US Province in St. Louis Missouri. The Barat Education Foundation, an independent 501(c)3 corporation, continues and advances the Barat legacy. Its website provides information of interest to Barat College alumni and friends of the foundation. A brief history of the college from 1904 to 2004 is included in the issue of Barat Magazine.
Barat College, in its heyday, employed almost 200 individuals. Barat was well known for a long period of time for its Theatre Arts and School of Dance. Ballet was a major for several years. Barat's focused changed as times changed and over 28 degrees were offered to accommodate the needs of adults in higher education. At that time, Barat became primarily a commuter college where 70% of students commuted to Barat on a daily basis back in the early 1990s. Barat College had dorms for students over the age of 24 and boasted an observatory where students could use a telescope for astronomy projects. This observatory has the bragging rights of being one of the few in a Chicago area college.
Barat College's faculty were absorbed mostly by DePaul University and many of them still teach there today. The Society of the Sacred Heart sisters who still lived on campus were displaced to communities across the country. Barat's Cemetery behind the dorms is still present at the back of the property with all of the graves remaining untouched and preserved.
In March 2008 the Barat campus was one of several locations used for filming of a horror movie entitled The Unborn.
A book is being written about the college.
The Barat College campus has been donated by an anonymous donor to Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart.
, former mayor of the City of Chicago, is a graduate of Barat College.
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
college located in Lake Forest, Illinois
Lake Forest, Illinois
Lake Forest is an affluent city located in Lake County, Illinois, United States. The city is south of Waukegan along the shore of Lake Michigan, and is a part of the Chicago metropolitan area and the North Shore. Lake Forest was founded around Lake Forest College and was laid out as a town in...
, 30 miles north of Chicago. The college was named after Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat, founder of the Society of the Sacred Heart
Society of the Sacred Heart
The Society of the Sacred Heart is a Roman Catholic religious congregation established in France by St. Madeleine Sophie Barat in 1800. It has presence in 45 countries. Membership to the Society is restricted to women only. Its members do many works, but focus on education, particularly girls'...
. Barat College was purchased by DePaul University
DePaul University
DePaul University is a private institution of higher education and research in Chicago, Illinois. Founded by the Vincentians in 1898, the university takes its name from the 17th century French priest Saint Vincent de Paul...
in 2001, but closed in 2005; the faculty and student body were absorbed by DePaul, and the campus and educational inventory were sold.
History
Barat College began as an academy for young women in ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
in 1858 and moved to its Lake Forest location in 1904. In 1918, the State of Illinois chartered Barat as a four-year college, and in 1982, Barat became a coeducation
Coeducation
Mixed-sex education, also known as coeducation or co-education, is the integrated education of male and female persons in the same institution. It is the opposite of single-sex education...
al institution. To qualify for federal financial programs, governance of the college passed from the Society of the Sacred Heart to an independent Board of Trustees in 1969. In February 2001, because of fiscal concerns, Barat College was purchased by DePaul University
DePaul University
DePaul University is a private institution of higher education and research in Chicago, Illinois. Founded by the Vincentians in 1898, the university takes its name from the 17th century French priest Saint Vincent de Paul...
, becoming one of DePaul's seven colleges. The College was then renamed Barat College of DePaul University.
In February 2004, the DePaul University Trustee Board voted to discontinue operating Barat College despite a 14-11 vote by the DePaul Faculty Council to continue the alliance.
DePaul then began to accept proposals for the future of the college, culminating in the proposal for a relationship with the American College of Education
American College of Education
American College of Education is a fully accredited, private college based in Indianapolis, Indiana, delivering online Master in Education degree programs...
. Through its wholly owned Illinois subsidiary, they acquired a substantial portion of the educational business of Barat College, including the library materials, regional accreditation
Regional accreditation
Regional accreditation is a term used in the United States to refer to educational accreditation conducted by any of several accreditation bodies established to serve six defined geographic areas of the country for accreditation of schools, colleges, and universities...
through the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association and permits and other authorizations from governmental authorities, education agencies, or other third parties.
In 2006 the campus was sold to Barat Woods LLC, for development as condominium
Condominium
A condominium, or condo, is the form of housing tenure and other real property where a specified part of a piece of real estate is individually owned while use of and access to common facilities in the piece such as hallways, heating system, elevators, exterior areas is executed under legal rights...
residences. The courtyard and part of the Old Main Building were to be preserved. However, the 50000 square feet (4,645.2 m²) Thabor Wing, which was added to the building in 1924 and contains the Italianate
Italianate architecture
The Italianate style of architecture was a distinct 19th-century phase in the history of Classical architecture. In the Italianate style, the models and architectural vocabulary of 16th-century Italian Renaissance architecture, which had served as inspiration for both Palladianism and...
style Sacred Heart Chapel, was to be demolished. The price on the property was twenty million dollars and whether that price was met or not is unknown.
Barat College housed the academic records of Duchesne College in Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
. These records along with the academic records were transferred to the Society of the Sacred Heart. Individuals who attended Duchesne College (another Sacred Heart School) can ask for their transcripts through the Society of the Sacred Heart Archives, US Province in St. Louis Missouri. The Barat Education Foundation, an independent 501(c)3 corporation, continues and advances the Barat legacy. Its website provides information of interest to Barat College alumni and friends of the foundation. A brief history of the college from 1904 to 2004 is included in the issue of Barat Magazine.
Barat College, in its heyday, employed almost 200 individuals. Barat was well known for a long period of time for its Theatre Arts and School of Dance. Ballet was a major for several years. Barat's focused changed as times changed and over 28 degrees were offered to accommodate the needs of adults in higher education. At that time, Barat became primarily a commuter college where 70% of students commuted to Barat on a daily basis back in the early 1990s. Barat College had dorms for students over the age of 24 and boasted an observatory where students could use a telescope for astronomy projects. This observatory has the bragging rights of being one of the few in a Chicago area college.
Barat College's faculty were absorbed mostly by DePaul University and many of them still teach there today. The Society of the Sacred Heart sisters who still lived on campus were displaced to communities across the country. Barat's Cemetery behind the dorms is still present at the back of the property with all of the graves remaining untouched and preserved.
In March 2008 the Barat campus was one of several locations used for filming of a horror movie entitled The Unborn.
A book is being written about the college.
The Barat College campus has been donated by an anonymous donor to Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart.
Notable alumni
Jane ByrneJane Byrne
Jane Margaret Byrne was the first and to date only female Mayor of Chicago. She served from April 16, 1979 to April 29, 1983. Chicago is the largest city in the United States to have had a female mayor as of 2011.-Early political career:...
, former mayor of the City of Chicago, is a graduate of Barat College.