William and Mary, College of
William and Mary, College of, a liberal arts college in Williamsburg, Virginia. The name in full is the College of William and Mary in Virginia. William and Mary is the second oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. (Harvard is the oldest.) It is coeducational and under state control. The college also has schools of business, education, marine science, and law, and offers master's and doctoral degrees in various fields.
The Wren Building, which was constructed in 1695–97, was probably designed by Sir Christopher Wren, and is the oldest college building in the country. Phi Beta Kappa, a scholarship honor fraternity, was founded at William and Mary in 1776.
The College of William and Mary was established by James Blair, the representative in Virginia of the Anglican bishop of London. The charter was obtained in 1693 from King William and Queen Mary. The first instruction began shortly afterwards, although post-secondary courses were not offered until 1729. The college was closed during the Civil War and again in 1881, but was reopened in 1888 with state aid. Graduates of the school include Presidents Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, and John Tyler.