Indiana State University - Sycamore Yearbook (Terre Haute, IN)

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Kc MEU'Ut. IUei I '.Q U .Ii UA- ' 75 NBRMAL'SEHDIL W V The Indiana State Normal A Sketch of Its Past, Present and F ulure THE PAST HE establishment of a State Normal School in Indiana, involved a struggle. This struggle began in a resolu- tion offered by the late Dr. E. T. Spotswood of this city, then a resident of Vermillion County, and a representative in the legislature. His resolution was to bring about an inquiry as to the value of State Normal Schools, and as to the feasibility of establishing one in Indiana. This was in 1855. Owing to the approach of the Civil War the resolution had no immediate effect, but there can be no doubt that it influenced in a favorable way the establishment of the school. The reso- lution reflected great credit upon Dr. Spoitw00d7s insight. At the close of the war the subject appeared again in the legislature, in a bill introduced by Baskin E. Rhoads, who, singularly enough, was also a representative from Vermillion County. Vermillion County certainly won high honor by these early educational efforts. Representative Rhoads was afterwards a resident, and a distinguished judge of Vigo County. His bill establishing a State Normal School became a law. According to this law the school was to be located- in the city or town offering the greatest advantages. Terre Haute had the honor of being the only city or town in the state oit'ering anything Whatever. It proposed to donate a $, piece of ground, the present location of the school, one-half block in size, and worth at the time $25,000. It offered to donate in addition $50,000 in cash7 and to pay one half of the expense of repairs through all time. This offer was accepted. The first board of trustees of the Indiana State Normal School consisted of: Hon. J ohn Ingle, J r., Evansville; Hon. R. WV .Thompson, Terre Haute; J udge W. C. Hannah, LaPorte; Timothy Nicholson, Esq., Richmond, Ind, and Hon. Milton B. Hopkins, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Indian- apolis. This board of trustees immediately after its organization in 1867, began to make arrangements for the erection of the first- building. An excellent four story building was erected. The board then selected the first Faculty as follows: Presi- dent, VViHiam A. J ones, A. M., instructor in Didactics and History; Lady Principal7 Miss Julia Newell, Instructor in English; Prof. R. S. Bosworth, instructor in Geography and Mathematics. The president selected, Mr. J ones, had been superintendent of the schools of Aurora, Illinois. A more fortunate selection for the first president of the Normal School, beginning in a state none too favorable to its establishment, icould scarcely have been made. Mr. Jones was a man of excellent scholar- UQUQQQBHQHSDUH DICE iEEBg a 1 'ET'TTm'Qw Smmm' ?wmW?-- 1m -. '2 Page 7

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