Bowling Green State University - Key Yearbook (Bowling Green, OH)

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sry Qs-9 fe Q fi 2 3 2 G ? 5 95191039 HISTORY OF BOWLING GREEN STATE NORMAL COLLEGE N 1910, the General Assembly passed an act extending the normal school system of the State by the establishment of two additional state normal ' ischools, one in northeastern Ohio and one in northwestern Ohio, and author- izing the Governor to appoint a commission to locate the schools. This com- mission chose Bowling Green as the location of the school for northwestern Ohio. On June 30, 1911, the Board of Trustees appointed by the Governor, organized and on February 16, 1912, elected the President of the College, the appointment being required at this time since by act of the legislature he is clothed with advisory power in determining building plans. A general building scheme was adopted, and with the initial appropriation of S150,000 the Board pro- ceeded with the construction of the central feature of the plant-the Adminis- tration Building. In 1913, the General Assembly appropriated 341,000 for enlarging the auditorium and gymnasium in the Administration Building, and 3218.000 for the erection of a Dormitory for Women, Science Building, and Heating Plant. Other available funds were added to the appropriation for the Heating Plant, making the total cost of this building and equipment S48,1.75. In 1915, S100,000 was appropriated for a Training School Building, and in 1917, 524,000 was appropriated for the improvement of the grounds, 310,500 for water and gas plants, and 35,750 for farm buildings. Williams Ha1l,.the dormitory for women, was opened at the beginning of the Summer Term, in June, 1915, and the Administration Building in September of the same year. The Heating Plant was put into service in the autumn of 1915. Early in the spring of 1916, the Science Building was far enough .advanced toward completion to permit of the use of some parts of it. The entire building was thrown open for use during the Summer Term of 1916. The contract for the construction of the Training School Building was let in July, 1916, but owing to delays which the contractor has experienced in getting materials the building is not yet completed. A comprehensive scheme for the improvement and beautification of the grounds was developed by a capable land- scape architect in the autumn of 1917 and work was begun in March, 1918, on Court.Street and the part of the campus surrounding the present buildings. In planning these improvements great care has been exercised to preserve the natural beauty of the site and to improve its attractiveness and usefulness by artistic treatment. On September 15, 1914, the College opened in temporary quarters with a faculty of fifteen members including four critic teachers. and an enrollment of 158 students. Extension classes for teachers in service have been a feature of the work of the school from the beginning, and a Summer Session is an integral part of the academic year. Annual appropriations are made by the General Assemblyufor the support and maintenance of the College. Although the school has been in operation less than four years, fully one-third of the teachers of northwestern Ohio have been enrolled in its regular or extension classes. .fm - 7

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Ah g El TO THE CLASSES OF l9I8 HE message the College has for you is just the message that your country, that life itself, has for you. It is the message of devotion, of sacrifice, of loyalty, of patriotism. During these glorious days we are being born again. In this new birth our souls are cleansed of all the dross of materialism and we realize that life itself is great and kingly in the measure in which it is a life of love and sacrifice for the welfare of humanity. We begin to see that industry exists for the sake of society, churches for the community, homes for manhood and womanhood, governments for the governed, and schools for citizenship. 'Tis the teacher's task to build up day by day through well-considered and dispassionate knowledge such ideals of home and country that sacrifices, even the sacrifice of life itself, will be made gladly for those ideals in war and in peace. Let us sweeten life with high ideals and noble thoughts. Let us courage- ously point out the domestic problems that confront us that they may be solved by the light of the truth. Let us open the eyes of the youth to the world oppor- tunities that await America. Let us train the youth to meet those oppor- tunities. Let us inspire them with such love for humanity that every page of American history shall be bright with deeds of justice for all mankind. Let every school house be an altar to our country, every teacher a source of inspiration. Let no son or daughter of Bowling Green fail in this. For to fail in this is to fail utterly. The schools, even more than armies and navies, the teachers, even more than soldiers, are the hope of democracy. Zff