Eastern Michigan University - Aurora Yearbook (Ypsilanti, MI)

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ihiiatnrg nf- the illtlirhig A state which not many years ago was the battleground of roaming tribes of lndiaus, and the pasture land of the elk and caribou, cannot boast of a wealth of tradition nor ot a rich historical background. Yet no institution for the training of teachers has a more interesting past or a wider reputation than the Michigan State Normal College at Ypsi- am Stair nrmal ullvgr state, he referred to the normal schools of Prussia, but did not advise the immediate establishment of such a school here. Altho his successors recognized and referred to the work of the then newly-established normal schools of our country, no special recommendation was made, nor was the matter zealously urged forward. In 1848, however, a bill -I .. ' H ' . u . rlgiffizii . 9 . .f o e ' ' t ' Q ing . l .ff :WH - gg f s: n 1, at , . 9 1 . ' Q l 1-M agis'-f,M.,,, .V r if is . 1 7 N- i ,- ff .J af. ,f 1 . ,lf ,wg Ji tl' . n,44 fy,ff. 1zi.g. ', f-. ,, 1111 ,-.,1--4 it 1 7 am , wi K, V , . ,xQg,,Zg5,, H J e ...A , -' an '1 Viiltlit f a .i sn .-' ,S g.5z54gQQ,it:. 17 ' ., wld - IE5lQf1bf'jf4 Jai. jaeuflg-3:5 -' jg!:'.- Q-,f'ng'1 It 5, ,if iii 6 L, , I IE: A t' ,234 -: -5 as -Z 1.-we - ' - - H- -i' .,,. '--.4,, ' cv.. W - ,V - ' p ,f,..,. 1.:-' -.:,,',i,.' 19 . 2'ltr-W11l1.fm f:2ff'z iT?l 'f7i', it?.:..' H - 'L ,.m..fA5'55lHif5ll 'Q' ffififi' ' 'I .,,W,,,.,, .l.f.fa,L .q,.4fu,ff.f.y ,i.1f-v 4,,-,,.,, .. . ,.4,,,..L , ,a., , - - ' V ,,,, ,.a.ail..'.s .,..p,:,x-,,i.',:g,M1 wt, H. lvl' 7 I ,XII A, U .MRL ,wiv .- ..A --H W -- mf U E ' 1' . 'TD . . A ,,a,...,.,,.f.f..,. ...,,.,,.Mf,esl.i.,..'. . ,- rag. ' ..,.- , . lf .v:..-...- A 'fun - aff.,.---it. -'1f:':.,.... - iw ' ' T . X1 '- lanti. It is a pioneer among the state normal schools of our country. lt has the proud distinction of being the first one west of Albany, and the sixth in the United States. lts historv is closely connected with that of the State of Michigan. llfhen, in 1837, .lohn D. Pierce. The Father ot the Michigan Schools, outlined a school system for the was introduced into the legislature to establish in the Uni- versity of Michigan a separate department for the instruc- tion of teachers. This bill failed to become a law, but the following year an act was passed which provided for the establishment of a normal school. Propositions for its location were soon received by the I7 x

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EDWARD PAYSON ALLEN 1839-1909 1ln flbemoriam APT. EDWARD PAYSON ALLEN, '64, won distinguished honors in the civil war, in the state legislature, in Congress, in the Presby- terian General Assembly, in the Grand Army and Loyal Legion. Basing his life on patriotism and religion, he gave throughout his career power- ful aid to state and national education. To the loyalty, the efficient service and the personal inspiration given by her most illustrious son, the Normal College offers grateful tribute. .'

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State Board of Education from Ypsilanti, -laclcson. Mar- shall, Gull Prairie, and Niles. Ypsilantiis offer of a cash subscription of 313,500 and temporary rooms, and its pro- posal to pay, upon certain specified conditions, for a term of five years. the salary of the principal teacher of the model school. were accepted. A plat of ground, tothe extent of four- acres, was also donated by the town. To this, the Board purchased an addition making the original site C011- tain nearly six acres. Upon it they proceeded to erect a suitable building for the school. Qu Cctober 5, 1852, the formal dedication took placeg and on March 29, 1853, the Michigan State Normal School opened its doors. The Hrst term continued for seventeen weeks. The second term commenced on the first Tuesday of the following Gctober and lasted twenty-three weeks. The buildings of the institution are indicative of its growth. At first one building met the needs now supplied by live. each of which is larger than the original. The orig- inal building, which was a brick structure three stories high, is the nucleus of the present Main Building. The first lioor provided a room for the model school. one for the department of physics and chemistry, a small reception room. and a library room. On the second floor were sev- eral recitation rooms and the main schoolroom. One large room and a number of smaller ones constituted the third floor. I On Friday night, October 28, 1859, this building with most of its contents, was destroyed by fire. Nothing re- mained of the structure but the bare brick walls. Tempor- ary quarters were provided at once, and the work of resto- ration carried on with such energy that the restored build- ing was ready for occupancy at the opening of the spring term in .-Xpril. 1St5tI. Not only was the external appearance of the original building changed in the restored structure, but the interior was also improved. ln 1818 an addition was built to the front. a large part of the rear wall torn down and rebuilt, the roof raised to correspond to that of the addition, and the interior remodeled. lt is an interesting fact that the erection of the tower at the northeast corner was made pos- sible at this same time by a donation of Sl4'Z,t'ltltl from the citizens of Ypsilanti. A rear addition over a hundred feet long and two stories high, was erected in 1882. Six years later the north and south wings were added. The second building to be erected is the one now known as the Conservatory. lt was originally intended for the use of the State Agricultural Society. and was to contain an agricultural museum. flts erection was begun in 1861, but it was not roofed over until late in the autumn of 1865. lt remained in an uneompleted state until 1869, when the leg- islature appropriated funds for its completion. Then in