A mentor, educator and administrator, Dr. John J. Kelly dedicated himself to supporting Bridgewater students in ways that members of the modern BSU community would appreciate.
Kelly was also an avid fan of Bridgewater athletics and a frequent presence in the stands. It is thus fitting that the building that honors Kelly hosts a mixture of athletic facilities and classrooms.
Named For
Dr. John Joseph Kelly
The Backstory
The sixth person to lead Bridgewater State, Kelly seved as president from 1937 until his death in 1951.
Kelly came to Bridgewater in 1918 as an instructor in practical arts. He also taught history of education, school law and ethics. In the 1920s and the 1930s, he served as dean of men.
“To all he was a willing listener, offering encouragement and aid and finding work opportunities for students struggling through college in the depression years,” his official biography says.
As president, he helped strengthen the general education program by making the first two years almost exclusively focused on liberal arts. He oversaw the launch of a full-time graduate school, awarded Bridgewater’s first Master of Education degrees and led the creation of new continuing studies and summer school programs.
His death from a heart attack “set the entire school first into stunned silence, then into a sad realization that a great educator, leader, and friend had been lost,” the Campus Comment wrote.
His successor, Dr. Clement Maxwell, called Kelly “a true giant among men.”
Maxwell oversaw the 1957 construction of the building that would later be named in honor of Kelly.
Use Today
Located on the west side of campus on Park Avenue, Kelly Gymnasium hosts two gym spaces, Moriarty Pool, a weight room, classrooms and faculty offices.
Material in this article comes from and the of the Campus Comment.