Bloomsburg University - Obiter Yearbook (Bloomsburg, PA)

Page 18 text:

The history of the Bloonisburg Literary Institute was merged with that of the State Normal School on February 19, 1869 and was ended when the state purchased the stock of the corporation and abolished the literary and scientific courses about 1920. According to the school catalogue of 1869 the diplomas granted by the Literary In- stitute were as follows: A student gradu- ating in the Elementary Course, will re- ceive a Diploma, in which will be named the l)ranches he has studied, and by which he will be constituted RACHKLOR OF THE ELEMENTS ; the diplomas of those graduating in the Scientific and Classical Courses, will enumerate the distinctive branches of these Courses, and constitute their holders, respectively, BACHELOR OF THE SCIENCES, and BACHELOR OF THE CLASSICS . In 1871 Professor Carver was l.iken suddenly ill, and the trustees were again left without a chief executive. Charles G. Barkley, a former superintendent of schools, acted as I ' rincipal from December 20, 1871 to March 27, 1872. His successor was the Rev. John Hewitt, rector of the Episcopal Church at Bloonisburg. who Served as Principal from March. 1872. to Tune, 1873. In 187. , Dr. T. L. (iriswoUl Oil. .1. I., OiMsuiiin lier;iiiK- priucip.il, ser ini; milil li 77. Diu - ing die years 1X71-1877, tlie school under- went a .second crilic.il period. In 1875, the dormitor was destroyed by tn ' e. but due to the combined efforts of Rev. D. 1. Waller and Principal T. L. Griswold the building was rebuilt in 1875, and the school began paying expenses for the first time. In the fall of 1877, Dr. D. J. Waller, Jr., became principal, and for thirteen years the school grew under his guidance. In 1890 he was appointed State Superintend- ent of Public Instruction, but returned in 1916 to serve again as principal until 1920. Throughout Dr. Waller ' s teaching career he was a constructionist in applied educa- tion : his students and associates learned to love him for his broad view of life and his ability to see things clearly. The atti- tude of his former students is expressed in the following words ap])earing on a tab- let presented to the school in his honor: With culture and efficiency as educational aims, he placed character, honor, right liv- ing, and high ideals above every material I ' ltclF. Wm. Noeti.ixg Professor William Noetling was teacher of pedagogy at the State Normal School of Bloonisburg from 1877 to 1900. One of his pupils has said of him: As a teacher of teachers he had few equals and no superior. He was a progressive educator, never accepting a thing merely because it was new, or rejecting it because it was old. He was scientific as an educator. He was the moral enemy of sham and quackery in education, wherever it was found. He al- ways had the courage of his convictions, and often in the days of his superintend- eiicy, did he show that German simplicity 12

Page 17 text:

reeled personiifl, and a well-ilisi-iplincil student body. The first faculty was composed of the following : Henry Carver, professor of civil engi- neering, intellectual and mural phi- losophy. Sara A. Carver, iirece]itress, teacher of French, Injtany, and (irn. ' innnlal branches. Isaac O. Best, A. 15., professor of ancient languages. Martin D. Kneeland, teacher of mathe- matics and English branches. Alice M. Carver, teacher of music. Jennie Rrice. head of the prim;ir de- partment. The program of studies was as follows: Scientihc, Classical, and Commercial. In 1866, at the insistence of Mr. L ar (.r the trustees drew up plans for the con- struction of a new building, ;m(l the pres- ent location was decided on. In order that the school might ofliciall)- be transferred from the old academy building to the new Literary Institute building, all the ])eople connected with the school marched from the old building to the new on the day of tlie d.edication, exactly eight months after the site had been determined. This build- ing, which is now Carver Hall, was lirst opened April 4, 1867. During the spring vacation of the follow- ing year, three students of the graduating class, George E. Elwell, Charles Unangst. and D. J. Waller, Jr., upon their own ini- tiative, raised enough money to bn . ' i $1,200 bell for the tower of the main build- ing. Throughout the years this bell has become an important part of the institution and after many years of silence was again lung b)- Dr. Waller in 1938 on Alumni Day t(j call all the members to the meeting. The first year in the new building was not completed until a change in the char- acter of the school was brought about through the efforts of the Hon. James P. Wickersham, State .Superintendent of Common Schools. He proposed to the trustees that additional buildings should be erected and the Institute be converted into a State Normal School. In order that the In;. ] . .1, W Ai.i.KK. .Ik. views of all might be considered, a public meeting was held in the court house, April 18, 1868, and the trustees were given the power to take the necessTry ste])S t i en- title the Bloomsburg Literary Institute to recognition as a I ' tate Normal School with all the privileges and immunities enjoyed b - nther institut ' ons of like clnaracter in this comn-onwcahh . J||«|; ' :f i i ¥a ' ' ai K 4 ( ' AnvBii H. i,i, — isr n 11

Page 19 text:

of statement that called a spade a spade . He retired from active work in 1900, and died in 1 ' ' 18. The Training; Scliool building which was erected during the lime he was in charge of the Irainin:; work is now termed Noetling Hall . Dr. Judson I ' err} ' Welsh was principal of the school from 1890 [n 1906, during a period of great expansion. Dr. Welsh was Dr. Charles H. Fisher came to the Nor- mal School from the State De])artment of Public Instruction in 1920 and served until 1923. During his administration, teacher training was introduced into the Rlooms- hurg public schools and e.xtension courses were instituted. Dr. (i. C. L. Iveimer came from the State Department of I ' uhlic Instruction in 1923 Dk. .7. I ' . Wblsh l K, (i. C. L. Kki.mku a grammarian of note and the aullmr ol Welsh ' s grammar that for years was used as a textbook in local schools. During his administration an addition w ;is made lo the main dormitory building , and the gynma- sium was constructed. The auditorium was remodeled, and Science Hall was built, but not opened until the fall of 1906. just after and served as principal uiUil June, 1927. During his administration the State Coun- cil of Education, on June 7, 1926, author- ized the State Normal School to confer the degree of Bachelor of Science in education to graduates of four-year courses in Ele- mentary Education and in Junior High School Education. C)n Alay 13. 1927, the ]ni. r. II. I ' i. ' ii his resignation. The athletic held was moved up on t(jp of the hill (now Mount Olj-mpus I because Science H.all was built on a part of the old Held. Pit. Fk.vncis B. Uaah Council changed the name of the State Normal School to the State Teachers Col- lege at Bloomsburg. Dr. Francis li. Haas was appointed 13