SUNY at Fredonia - Fredonian Yearbook (Fredonia, NY)

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Q?U339??F3?33?333333?3F33????3?3?3?3?3??333?33??33?33Q gg. 'lv QQ 40 QQ: 115 gg To the Students, Faculty, gg W E And all those interested in the Fredonia Normal School 3 Q5 40 3: GREETING. 2 N Q Look with charity upon our effort, and if in its perusal there is :S Q pleasure, we have our reward. :S Z: We wish to acknowledge our gratitude to all who have contributed 22 Q to the success of this modest volume, especially to our Principal, Dr. 3 2: Palmer, for his earnest efforts in our behalf. THE EDITORS. :lg N W 0 M 3188888982983 998828 9414238233QQSQSSQSSSQQSQS9238938938836

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CGMMENCEMENT BELLS E voL. 1. Compiled! a d Edited by Nl. L. WOODCOCK an d E. H. IVIINER. D awmgs by EDWARD HERBERT MINER Fredonia Normal School. JUNE, 1900. ', A 'OWVN, N. Y. Y-4.,'i,.- X al If

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HISTORY OF THE FREDONIA NORMAL SCHOOL. HILE the State Normal School at Fredonia has had its vicissitudes, both in organization and in , the loss of a highly honored principal and two teachers, whose places can never be filled in the 1 affections ofthe Normal graduates who were under them, there has been a steady growth of ko, the school and an increase in its professional influence. The school was opened in the autumn of 1867 in the old Academy building, and by natural inheritance received the library and physical apparatus and the good will of the alumni and alumnae, and of the large and influential constituency of the old Academy. The real life of the Normal School, however, did not begin till the autumn of 1869, for at that time Dr. Armstrong came from Oswego and brought an entirely new faculty with one exception, and made a com plete reorganization. For some years there was no academic course for graduation, although some good men were fitted for college, including Dr. Richard T. Ely of Wisconsin, and Dr. George Ely of Washingtoii, both of whose names have since been added to the list of alumni. In 1873 the first academic class was graduated, and there was no further effort to extend the scope of work during the administration ot Dr. Armstrong, which was continued till his lamented death in the summer of 1878. On Dr. Armstrong's death, which was but shortly before the beginning of a new term, Dr. Hoose, prin- cipal of Cortland Normal School, came and opened the school and remained until the present principal was secured, about November ist. , Since then there has been added, one after another, the following departments of work. Miss Bemus opened the first kindergarten in the state outside of New York city. Miss Markham, now wife of Lieutenant Bailey of the navy, opened a department of instrumental music which has never ceased to be a delight to the school and the community. Mrs. Ely added a department of painting, in which work there have been developed many cases of marked success. Courses for graduation in vocal music and in elo- cution have been added by the teachers of vocal music and of reading in the school. Gymnastics has been added by Miss Fuller, who has been doing a most important work for the physical well-being of the students, and Dr. Dods, a physician of the village, is in charge of the heavier athletic sports of the young men. The dormitories were fitted up for a young ladies' club about nineteen years ago, and last year a new dining hall was added in the new gymnasium for both the ladies' and gentlemen's club, gentlemen taking rooms in the village. The courses of instructions are the same as in all the other Normal schools of the state. 3