Springfield Tutors

About Springfield

Springfield, Pennsylvania is a township that fully believes in supporting its at-risk youth. Home to the historic Carson College for Orphan Girls, Springfield has a rich history in reaching out to children in need, and helping them go on to be fully functioning members of the community.

The Carson College for Orphan Girls, was founded in 1917, by Robert and Isabel Carson. The Carsons were local philanthropists who had no children of their own, and wanted to establish a way for young orphaned girls to receive an education. In 1907, the Carsons donated five million dollars to bring their vision into fruition. This would be the equivalent of a $124,467,565 donation today. The Carson’s example could tutor others in generous giving, and community support.

Originally, Carson College was exclusively for poor, white, and healthy girls. The main goal of the college was to give each girl a practical English education, and then graduate them into the community when they reached the appropriate age. The Carsons wanted to make sure that the college did not look like a charity; so they required that the girls were trained as individuals, and were not made to wear uniforms.

From 1917 to 1960, Elsa Euland was the President of the college, and created a program that would make the school famous. She created a model of progressive education that included academic and vocation training, paired with art, music, dance, and drama. Euland believed that this style of education allowed the girls to engage in create play that was fundamental to their well being. It was also supposed to enable a focus on the psychological understanding of the student’s growth and development. These practices were unconventional, and way ahead of their time.

After consistently running as a college that would only accept white orphaned girls, Carson College slowly began to expand their services. In 1940, the school extended from only admitting orphans, to children who could benefit from a group living program. In 1947, they allowed the brothers of current students admission into the college. Finally, in 1965, the college began accepting students of any race, color, or gender; they also began receiving public funding.

Today, the Carson College for Orphan Girls has become the home of Carson Valley Children’s Aid. In 2008, the Norristown-based Children’s Aid Society merged with the college; and began providing regular and special education, behavioral therapy, and psychotherapy for boys and girls ranging from 6th-12th grade. These students have behavioral disorders or mental illnesses and come to the facility to receive services they might struggle to find elsewhere. The program now serves over 5,000 children, youth, and families from the surrounding area.

Springfield tutors believe that all students deserve the chance to do well in school. If your child is struggling in school, a Springfield tutor could be just what you need. Every student deserves a chance to succeed.