About the Centennial
Reed College chose to mark its centennial by the occasion of its first classes in downtown Portland in 1911, rather than the bequest that created its foundation in 1908, or the construction of its first building in 1912. The choice signifies the importance of Reedies to Reed; there is perhaps no other college that is so clearly defined by its students as Reed. From its inception, William T. Foster, the college’s first president, wanted to create a place for those students who would relish in the intrinsic joy of learning. As Foster wrote in the New York Times in 1917, he hoped “to establish a college in which intellectual enthusiasm should be dominant.”
Photographic portrait of Amanda Wood Reed, ca. early 1850s
Reed is not a place where the desire for knowledge is created. It is where those who share a passion for learning come to take part in the intellectual community, or as Foster coined in that same New York Times article, to join their “Comrades in the Quest.” With this site, we hope to continue that quest. We want you to share your memories through Reed Stories, join us at the centennial events in cities throughout the country, and share your desires for Reed in its next hundred years.
Please check back from time to time as the centennial approaches and we add more information to the site.