History of Beal College

On October 23, 1891, Miss Mary E. Beal and several partners established the Bangor Business College, which later became known as Beal College. Located on the second floor of the YMCA building, Beal College’s student body of less than 25 students followed a curriculum of banking, finance, accounting, business arithmetic, penmanship, business writing, commercial law, shorthand and typewriting.

By January 1892, the student body had grown to more than 100 students, necessitating the addition of space. To meet this requirement, the Shorthand and Typing Department was moved to the Exchange Street Block.

Miss Beal eventually became the sole owner of the Shorthand Department of the Bangor Business School. In 1903, Miss Beal’s School of Shorthand and Typing became a separate entity of approximately 30 students. On July 14, 1922, Miss Beal sold the school to Francis G. Lee, at which time it was incorporated under the name of Beal College of Commerce.

In Maine--A History, published in 1928, Harris B. Coe described Beal College of Commerce as “not only the largest of its kind in Bangor, but also one of the largest in the State.”

In 1929, the name was changed to Beal College School of Business, then after several administrations, became Beal Business College.

When the College’s 50th anniversary was observed on September 14, 1941, it offered two-year degree programs in secretarial studies, business, administration, bookkeeping and commercial and stenographic programs.

On April 28, 1968, Beal College was authorized by an act of the Legislature of the State of Maine to confer the Associate Degree of Science. Beal College was accredited as a junior college of business in 1970 by the Accreditation Commission for Business Schools in Washington, D. C.
As a result of community requests, the Evening Division of Beal College was established in January 1971 to meet the needs of adults in the community who wished to pursue their education while engaged in full-time employment.

To accomodate the needs of an expanding student body, the campus was moved to 629 Main Street in November of 1972, then to its present location at 99 Farm Road in Bangor in May of 2004.
When President Allen T. Stehle took office in May 1985, he was responsible for introducing the flexible, year-round, eight-week modular system for both day and evening classes.

In 1991, Beal College celebrated its 100th anniversary. Recognized throughout Maine for its excellence in education, Beal College continues to provide practical, hands-on career training in a personal and friendly environment.