Fitchburg State University - Saxifrage Yearbook (Fitchburg, MA)

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Contents of the 1931 Saxifrage I CAMPUS ADMINISTRATION CLASSES ACTIVITIES HUMOR A DVHRTISING

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l'a.:,fe eight Foreword INCE Education explains the existence of an institution like the Fitchburg Normal School, we deemed it appropriate to incorporate an Education theme into this l93l Saxifrage. The little lamp of knowledge in the border, and the sketch on each division page symbolize that which is now a part of our very being. We hope that in the future when you glance through this volume to recall me- mories of Fitchburg Normal School, each symbol will help you to. read a deeper meaning into the pages of the 1931 Saxifrage.

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Page len The History of The Normal School In Massachusetts VVhen the Massachusetts Board of lfducation was established in 1838, it immediately turned its attention to the founding of Normal Schools. A sum of ten thousand dollars was furnished by a member of the board, lidmund Dwight of Boston, which was to be used for the purpose of qualifying teachers for our public schools. This amount was furnished, however, on the condition that the Legislature would appropriate a similar sum for the same purpose. This proposition being accepted it was decided by the Board of Education to establish three training schools for teachers. Each of the three was considered as an experiment, and was to cover a period of three years. Until the year 1855, the course of study required was one year, then one and a half years until 1865. At that time it was increased to two years. A four-year course was put into practice in 1869, the last two years being optional. A more recent change is the three year course which was established this year in our own Normal School. The first Normal Schools, or seminaries for the qualification of teachers, were operated in Lexington and Barre in 1839. The increasing number of pupils at the Lexington Normal School made it necessary to remove the school to VVest Newton in 18-1-f-. The fourteenth annual report of 1850, states as follows: The house for the Normal School at VVest Newton is situated in such immediate proximity to the VVorcester railroad that the exercises of the school are at all seasons seriously interrupted by the noiseg and during the warmer months of the year, when the windows are required to be opened, the inconvenience and loss of time are very considerable. This being the earliest Normal School in America, the Board wished 'fto erect a building which shall be in all respects, internally and externally, creditable to the State and worthy of the purpose for which it is erected. Framingham was the location selected for this building, the first State Nor- mal School. The VVestfield Normal School is the second oldest in America. On September -1-, 1839, it was established at Barre. The building was orig- inally erected as a town hall. The school was transferred in 18-1--1 to VVest- field and the first formal graduation took place in 1855. There was vigorous competition among the towns of Abington, VVare- ham, Plymouth, Duxbury and Marshfield for the location of the third State Normal School, but it was finally decided to establish it at Bridge- water. The free use of its town hall was granted to the school for three years. A rental of fifty dollars was paid by the school for the next three years. This State Normal School experiment was a great success under the leadership of Nicholas Tillinghast, its first principal. The town of Bridge- water has the honor of having erected in 18-16 the first State Normal School building erected in America. At the time when the Board of lfducation was considering the removal of the West Newton school to some other town-Salem was suggested as a suitable place. The school, as we know, was removed to Framingham, but later on when it was decided to establish other Normal Schools, Salem was chosen as the site for one of them. Un September 14, 185-l, the building was dedicated and opened. Seventy-two students were admitted to the school. Forty-eight of this number graduated. Increasing membership and needs made it necessary, in 1870, to have a new building erected. For this the Legislature appro-