Description
This interview was conducted by Prof. Donald Raichle in preparation for his book From a Normal Beginning: the Origins of Kean College of New Jersey, printed in 1980. It’s a transcript between Lillian Calcia and Raichle. Lillian Calcia was the former chair of the Art Department at Newark State Teachers College. She recounts her career in art education and the development of the college’s fine arts program. Calcia describes how she and her colleagues built a comprehensive curriculum integrating traditional fine arts with crafts, industrial design, and community-focused art education. Despite limited facilities, the college fostered close faculty-student relationships and allowed for innovative outreach, including extension courses for elementary teachers and regional art conferences. Calcia reflects on the leadership of Dr. Ernest Townsend, the challenges of merging fine and industrial arts, and the program’s impact as graduates went on to careers in teaching and the arts. Later, as chair at Montclair State, she oversaw the design of a new fine arts building, noting the shift from intimate mentorship to the demands of serving a larger student body. This interview highlights the transformative role of committed educators in advancing progressive art education within constrained institutional settings.
Creation Date
10-17-1973
Document Type
Article
Recommended Citation
Raichle, Donald, and Lillian Calcia. Interview with Lillian Calcia. Article. From Special Collections Research Library and Archive, Kean University, Interviews. https://digitalcommons.kean.edu/ua_interviews/12
Publishing Repository
Special Collections Research Library and Archive, Kean University
