Rowan College - Oak Yearbook (Glassboro, NJ)

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Forevv ord NNIVERSARIES always suggest a past, and usually prompt an examina- Y. beginnings, as well as make necessary a survey ot the fleeting years. Since there is no recorded history of our school on account of its youth, it became necessary either to search the records or to glean the information from those who were responsible for its inception. Fortunately one of the foiniders who has an intimate knowledge of the ix ' ginnings was easily accessible and agreeably inclined to narrate the details of the starting ot the school. I his person is none othei than Mi. Thomas W. Synnott of Wenonah, a man who has spent the gieater part of his life in the vicinity of Glassboro, and peihaps, more than anyone else, is lesponsible foi the opportunity the yoiuig people of South Jersey enjov Inr the pi c ' |jai at ion of teacliing amid such beautiful sui rotuidings. In M)i5 there were three state normal schools in New Jersey, all situated in the iioilheiii |jait of the state, making it difhculi for students in this section to secure a normal school education. 1 he citizens of North Jersey thought there were not enough students in the southern part of the state to warrant the start- ing of a school. There were at that time eight members on the State Board of Education, including Mr. Synnott. Tlirough the efforts of these men, the State Legislation in 1917 appropriated $300,000 for a normal school in South Jersey. The World War kejjt the plans of the State lioaicl of Education in abeyance for a while. When they finally became more or less concrete, it was evident that the ap|)ropi iation made would not be sufficient. Several donations were made and additional ap])i opriations granted by the State amounting to about .1500,000. When it became known that a normal school was to be built in South [eisey, nianv towns olieied liiiancial inducements to ha e it located in their community. . mong these were Ciamden, Atlantic City, Biidgeton, and Woodbury. Mr. John A. Ackley of Vineland, who had for sale a thirty-acre oak grove, |)art of the estate of the late riioiiias Whitney, in Glassboro, offered to sell this tract of land for a normal school at a nominal sum. Mr. Ackley also olleied to donate fne acres if the state pinchased the pro])erty. 1 he citizens of Glassboro supple- iiieiiled thai oiler by pledging twenty-fi e acres. The State later accjuiied the Whitney Mansion as a dormitory. Glassboro then became a strong contender as a site for the new normal school, but when the State Board of Education first voted on the aii()us sites, the result was eight to one against Glassboro. Beloie the next meeting was held, Mr. Synoti (ollccted the lollowing facts to show whv Cdassboro was the i)est location lor a school to which a majority of students would ha e to commute, no matter where located. He tound that o ei lilt ])er ccnl ol the sludents in Iiigli schools south of Camden lived l)clo v Cjlassboro; that students Ironi Haddonlicld. Camden. Alhuitu City. 4

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Bridgeton, Millville. Vincland, Hammonton, and near-by districts, could leave home after seven a.m., and reach Glassboro before nine. They could leave Glassboro about tour p.m. and arrive home by six. No other proposed location was so accessible to connriuters, since the Pennsylvania and Reading Railroads run through Glassboro. The site proposed for the school was close to the Penn- sylvania Railroad Station, near the center of Glassboro, yet was laige enough to provide plenty of room for a satisfactory campus. After Mr. Synott presented all of these data and more at the next meeting of the State Board, the vote taken was changed to eight in favor of Glassboro, with only one vote against it. Mr. Synnott again was able to lender this conununity a great service when he was instrumental in bringing about the appointment of Dr. Jerohn J. Savitz as principal of the new Stale Normal School at Glassboro. With his rieii experience in the field of education, his enviable reputation as one of the ieailing educators of the state, and his enthusiasm for this new devel()[ ment, Savitz was well fitted to launch the new school upon its career. We hope that with this knf)wledge of the beginnings of the Glassboro State Normal School, its students and fiiends will better appreciate what it stands for today, and will better understand why we have chosen the conmiemoration of its tenth anniversarv as the theme of our Year Book. 5