Peru State College - Peruvian Yearbook (Peru, NE)

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 OOTS Past, Present, Future A continuing story of Peru State’s heritage — present — and future The history of Peru State Col- lege is one rich in tradition and history. From the time the first class began in 1867 to the pres- ent, Peru has undergone many alterations but it has always been consistent, in its reputation as a fine academic institution. The town itself did not receive a-Post Office until 1867. but served as a business area for steamboat travel in the 1850's for the original town of Mt. Vernon. Mt. Vernon, founded where the present cemetery is located, failed as a town due to inaccessi- bility to the river. Seven years before Nebraska achieved statehood, a school of higher education was planned but the country was engaged in a Civil War, delaying the idea. In the summer of 1867, the Nebraska legislature passed an act calling for a State Normal school, to train teachers. J. M. McKenzie of Pawnee City was hired as the first principal, and a class of 32 began their formal education at Peru in October. It was the spring of 1870 before George Howard and Annie Moor- head became Peru’s first candi- 2 Continued. . .

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ERU STATE homegrown 1977 homegrown Peru State College Vol. 67 OPENING -2-15 ADMINISTRATION — Administrative Roots 6 FACULTY Trunk of Experience —22 DIVISIONS — Branching Out —34 INVOLVEMENT— 78 Leaves - A Student Season CLASSES Enrollment —128 NEWS AND OPINION --153 An Overview

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 dates for graduation. Peru struggled in the early years, but steadily grew despite a high turnover of employees. Pern Normal went through no less than eight Presidents, or Principals as they were called in the first 10 years of existence. The campus itself changed radically with the construction, removal, or destruction of build- ings a more frequent thing than today. Peru was Nebraska's most important school at the time, and it was easier to get money from the state. . — The original library boasts approximately 80,000 volumes according to librarian Faye Brandt. Enrollment at Peru has fluctu- ated greatly from that original class of 32. By 1894 the school taught 556 (382 of which were female). Enrollment was at under 300 in the early 1950’s and broke the 1,000 mark in 1965. Today the school claims an enrollment of about 850. (Much of the pro- ceeding material was taken from The Normal on the Hill” by Ernest Longfellow. Continued. . . 3