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Although officially chartered in 1866, Hope College generally traces its history to the October, 1851, creation of the Holland colony's "Pioneer School." The Pioneer School eventually evolved into "The Holland Academy" and then the college as the community's educational needs progressed from elementary to secondary to higher. The Pioneer School was founded, with support from the Reformed Church in America, because the Rev. A.C. Van Raalte wanted Holland's children to receive education with a Christian character--an option not guaranteed through state-supported schooling. The solid nature of Van Vleck's construction is one reason that the building endures as one of the community's oldest, but the great Holland fire of 1871 is another. Much of the community was wiped out in the blaze, which spared the college and Pillar Church. In fact, in the aftermath of the conflagration, Hope became a haven for those displaced by the fire (which killed only one resident). Sturdy Van Vleck Hall suggested an institution designed to stick around for a while, and it wasn't long before the school developed into the college. Hope enrolled its first freshman class--10 men--in the fall of 1862. The college received its charter from the State of Michigan in May of 1866, and graduated its first eight seniors two months later.

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