Truman State University - Echo Yearbook (Kirksville, MO)

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• L’-Jfl am Histcvry of the Kirksville State Teachers College THE Kirksville State Teachers College began its existence in September, 1867, as a pri' vate institution and was called the Northeast Missouri Normal School. It was found ed by Joseph Baldwin who had been engaged in normal school work in Indiana for about ten years. It was opened in a building known at the time as Cumberland Academy. This building had been erected by the Kirksville Presbytery of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church for school purposes, just at the outbreak of the Civil War. It stood on the site of President Fair's residence in the north part of town. President Baldwin did not come to Missouri merely to establish a private normal school. He came with the definite purpose of building up an institution of such exceb lence as to induce the State of Missouri to make it one of a number of state normal schools. He therefore began at once to advocate a system of six normal schools in Missouri. He was joined by several prominent educators in the state in his campaign, and as a result the Legislature of Missouri enacted a law in March, 1870, providing for two state normal schools, one on either side of the Missouri River. The location of these two institutions was left to a Board of Regents. Shortly after the Legislature passed this bill providing for two state normal schools, various counties prepared bids for the location of these institutions and submitted them to the Board of Regents. Adair and Livingston counties were active competitors for the school north of the Missouri River. On December 29, 1870, the Board of Regents accepted the bid of Adair County and located the First District Normal School at Kirksville. The faculty of the Northeast Missouri Normal School was then made the faculty of the newly created State Normal School with Joseph Baldwin as president. When, therefore, the stu dents returned to Kirksville in January, 1871, after the Christmas holidays, they returned to a state institution. The First District Normal School continued to use the building in which it had been founded as a private institution until January, 1873. when it occupied a new building on the present campus. This old building, now known as Baldwin Hall, was for nearly thirty years the only building on the campus. In 1901 Library Hall was built as a wing on the east of the main building, and in 1905 Science Hall was erected as another wing on the west. This last building was burned to the ground on September 18, 1918, and was re built in the winter of 191819. In 1924 the college was again visited by a very destructive fire. This time the famous Old Baldwin Hall with its traditional tower was razed to the ground. The library also burned but through great effort Science Hall was saved. Since the burning a great move nient has been launched to restore a new Baldwin Hall. The plan of this building is to be seen on the last page of the Historical section. President Baldwin remained with the institution until 1881 when he resigned to accept the presidency of the Sam Houston Normal Institute at Huntsville, Texas. Since that time the presidency here has been filled by W. P. Nason, pro tern, 1881-82; J. P. Blan- ton, 1882-91; W. D. Dobson, 1892-99; John R. Kirk, 1899- 25; and Eugene Fair since 1925. The annual enrollment of students has steadily grown from the beginning. At the end of the first year there were 140 students in what was called the normal department. «rs

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At the end of last year there were 2039 enrolled for residence work in the college and 1925 exclusive of the demonstration schools. In addition there were 380 enrolled for cones' pondence and extension study, making a total of 2419 for the year. The faculty has likewise grown in numbers. In the first year there were only six meuv hers in the faculty. This year there are sixtyTour not including student assistants. There has also been a great growth in the scope of work of the institution and a great advance in its educational standards. This is especially true in the last ten or fifteen years. Twenty years ago a graduate of an approved four year high school was ordinarily able to get the highest diploma of the institution in one year's time. But gradually the require' nients for graduation were increased, and by 1912 four years oi 120 semester hours of cob lege work were required for the highest diploma which not only confers the life certificate to teach in Missouri but also the degree of B. S. in Education. By that time the institution had become a teachers college. What was true at Kirks' ville was also true at the four other State Normal Schools m Missouri. In recognition of this fact, the Legislature of Missouri changed the names of these institutions to State Teachers (Colleges in a bill approved on May 20, 1919. Tuk Original TTomk or K. S. T. C. (186773) This building stood in the north part of town on the site of President Fair's residence